Tanglewood "special edition" slope shouldered dread

[roverpig]

I bought this guitar on a bit of a whim a few months ago. When I played it in the shop I was struck by the looks, by how easy it was to play and by the unique sound and just had to get it. There is nothing refined about the sound, it is bright and "springy", but great fun. Not sure if the sound is down to the sloped shoulder dread design or the solid spruce top and laminated maple back and sides, but it's quite different to your standard spruce/cedar + rosewood/mahogany sound.

Despite really enjoying the sound and looks I find the 43mm neck width too tight for my clumsy attempts at fingerpicking and, as I've accumulated far too many guitars over the months, this one has to go.

It's always hard to predict what other people are looking for in a guitar, but I'd say that this would be ideal for a) somebody looking for a something that looks and sounds a bit different, b) for somebody who wants a guitar that will cut through a mix, c) for somebody who is just getting started and wants something a bit better than an all laminated guitar to start on, or d) somebody switching from electric to acoustic as the neck is very similar. Personally I don't find it particularly well suited to fingerstyle but there are plenty of far better players than me who fingerpick just fine with a 43mm neck.

It comes with a Fishman preamp that includes a chromatic tuner. I'll include a Ritter bag. This is just an unpadded nylon bag so doesn't provide much protection against dents (not that any gig bags do really) but is very light and protects it from scratches.

I can't really find any marks on it and would say that it's pretty much as new.

The model number is TWD-SPL-E if you want to look it up on the web. Retail price is 350 and I'm asking for 230 (or something very close).

Any questions, just drop me a line.

Cheers,

Andy

[Bigsby]

Beautiful figuring on the wood. Is that actually maple? Can't remember seeing figuring like that on maple before.

[roverpig]

Beautiful figuring on the wood. Is that actually maple? Can't remember seeing figuring like that on maple before.

Yes, it's (laminated) spalted maple. The "spalting" is apparently a fungus of some sort that gives the dark lines.

Cheers,

Andy

[Bigsby]

Yes, it's (laminated) spalted maple. The "spalting" is apparently a fungus of some sort that gives the dark lines.

Cheers,

Andy

Interesting. Happy with my J-45 for the time being so I won't be buying but she sure is purdy.

[roverpig]

Interesting. Happy with my J-45 for the time being so I won't be buying but she sure is purdy.

Fair enough, no point going for a copy when you've got the original. I think I read somewhere that this was Tanglewood's take on the late '50's Gibson-style roundshoulder dreadnought. Not that I'd read too much into that. If you want a late 50s Gibson then I reckon you've got to buy a late 50s Gibson (and pay the price), but I guess it's interesting to know where they got the inspiration from.

Cheers,

Andy

[Bigsby]

Aye, looks like a J50. Sweet looker though. I play mostly fingerstyle so I feel your pain on the thin neck, will suit electric players though.

[roverpig]

first bump

[britheguy]

I've played some of these, they are very good indeed.