2016 Preston Thompson 000-12MA

2016 Preston Thompson 000-12MA (Adirondack/Mahogany) in excellent condition. Just some light signs of prior use here and there.

An instant shop favorite as soon as it arrived, this guitar is certainly among the finest to have come through our shop. The beautiful voice of this instrument is hard to describe as it seems to almost contradict itself. It has a wonderful warm depth with lots of complexity, yet it also exhibits a powerful dry and woody punch with crisp clarity. Ultra responsive and resonant without being the least bit harsh. Perfect balance across the strings as well as up and down the fretboard. Just an amazing guitar that is very hard to put down. 12 fret guitars are more popular with finger style players, and this one would certainly please, it holds up just as well being flat picked and strummed. The guitar is set up and plays comfortably in all positions with no issues whatsoever.

From the builder...Preston Thompson 12 Fret 000 guitars are based on an exceptional 1929 000 owned by our late friend and mentor Charles Sawtelle. For years before the development of the dreadnought body style, the 12 fret 000 was the largest guitar available. To us, the 12 fret 000 is still one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing guitars ever created. The tone and versatility is unequaled. You can throw all the guitar adjectives at this one: sweet, responsive, loud, woody, lively, etc., and you’d still come up short in the true talents this model processes.

A few of the design features that contribute to the guitar’s sound and playability is the 12 fret neck joint, placing the bridge more in the center of guitar’s lower bout for efficient use of the soundboard. The slotted peg head allows increased string ramp over the nut as the strings wind onto the tuner post centered in the headstock. Both ends of the tuner post are also embedded into the guitar headstock – hence no wasted energy.

Adirondack spruce top, Honduran mahogany back/sides/neck, sunburst finish, tortoise binding with purflings, tortoise pick guard, ebony fretboard with pearl position markers, ebony bridge with compensated bone saddle, ebony bridge pins, ebony end pin, Waverly tuners, adjustable truss rod, 25.4" scale length, 1.75" bone nut. Comes with its original Thompson branded hardshell case.