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Introducing Iris Guitars at Acoustic Centre
At Acoustic Centre, we are thrilled to be the exclusive Australian stockist for Iris Guitars, The Vermont-based brand that has been making waves in the guitar world since its establishment in 2018. Iris Guitar Company consists of a small, dedicated team of highly skilled luthiers who are passionate about creating modern instruments with vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics. Each Iris guitar is handmade, blending state-of-the-art techniques with old-world craftsmanship. Their models draw inspiration from Depression-era flattops and admired mid-century guitars, designed to serve everyday musicians with simplicity, reliability, and elegance—all at an affordable price.
Iris Guitars is the brainchild of Adam Buchwald, a renowned luthier with a background at the helm of boutique builder brand Circle Strings as well as many years of experience at Froggy Bottom Guitars, Buchwald sought to create a new brand with its unique identity, putting high-end handmade guitars into the hands of working musicians. His extensive experience repairing instruments and honing his craft in Brooklyn led to the creation of Iris Guitars—a proper canvas for his exceptional skills.
Though Iris Guitars is a relatively new company, each team member brings years of experience to the table. Their preference for classically styled acoustic designs makes their instruments feel like a greatest hits collection of American guitar building. They offer a range of Iris models, including slope-shoulder dreadnoughts, smaller-bodied thirties-inspired guitars, and show-stopping jumbo models. Each guitar carries a distinctive Pre-War to Mid-Century flavor, delivering a distinctly American and timeless sound.
Adam Buchwald’s vision for Iris Guitars was to create the ultimate 'player’s' acoustic. These hand-made American guitars are designed to be built efficiently and economically, offering world-class instruments at more accessible prices. While hand-made American guitars will never be cheap, Iris Guitars incorporates innovative building techniques to maximize value.
One standout design choice is the finish. Iris guitars have a matte nitro finish over open-pore wood, skipping the wood filler and lengthy polishing processes required for a glossy look. This results in a beautiful, old-world appearance that enhances the timbers' vibration, producing exceptional sound and resonance.
Every decision in the build process of Iris Guitars is geared towards efficiency and effectiveness. The lessons learned from more expensive brands are applied to provide players with the ultimate benefit: a less expensive guitar that looks awesome, feels great, and sounds wonderful.
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Peter Bodin
July 26, 2024
I purchased the IRIS DF slope shouldered guitar last week from the Acoustic Centre. As usual, the service and assistance from staff was exceptional. And I couldn’t be more delighted with the Guitar. It sounds 80 years old and notes just ping off my fingertips. But it plays like the brand-new and high end guitar that it is. I got to take it out for it’s first gig a few days later. Thanks again, Acoustic Centre.