John Buckham Orchestra Model 'European Spruce / Blackwood' Acoustic Guitar

The John Buckham Orchestra Model is a handcrafted acoustic guitar of rare distinction, built by one of Australia's most thoughtful and technically sophisticated independent luthiers from his workshop near Wauchope on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. John Buckham has spent nearly two decades refining a personal approach to guitar building that combines contemporary materials science with the finest traditions of hand lutherie, every neck carved by hand and eye using rasps, files, scrapers and sandpaper, with no CNC machining involved at any stage of construction.

The tonal heart of this Orchestra Model is a European spruce top over Australian Blackwood back and sides, personally harvested by the luthier from a single tree on the Comboyne Plateau and selected for its lower density relative to other Blackwood sets, contributing to a more efficient vibrating system and greater volume and tonal richness. Curly Yarran, a desert acacia and one of the hardest woods on the planet, provides the binding and appointment work, while genuine old growth Brazilian mahogany forms the neck, ideal for players seeking a genuinely individual handmade instrument with an exceptional voice.

Features

• Falcate bracing, John Buckham's personal interpretation of Trevor Gore's curved, carbon fibre-laminated bracing system, replaces traditional X-bracing to produce a lighter, more efficient soundboard with more and higher overtones.
• European spruce top paired with personally harvested Australian Blackwood back and sides delivers a tonal richness and volume rarely found in production instruments.
• Every neck is hand-carved using rasps, files, scrapers and sandpaper rather than CNC machinery, reflecting genuine one-on-one luthiery.
• Curly Yarran binding and trim, one of the hardest woods on the planet, add striking visual character alongside genuine old growth Brazilian mahogany in the neck.
• Gold EVO fretwire with semi-hemispherical end treatment and a compound 16-20" fingerboard radius combine for smooth, comfortable playability across the neck.

Specs

• Builder: John Buckham, Wauchope NSW
• Body: Orchestra Model
• Top: European spruce
• Back & sides: Australian Blackwood
• Bracing: Falcate bracing (Trevor Gore design), carbon fibre laminated elements
• Neck: Old growth Brazilian mahogany
• Neck reinforcement: Carbon fibre
• Fingerboard: Compound radius, 16-20"
• Frets: Gold EVO fretwire, semi-hemispherical end treatment
• Bridge: Figured Blackwood
• Binding: Curly Yarran
• Nut width: 44mm
• Scale length: 25.4"
• Tuners: Gotoh 510
• Finish: Natural
• Electronics: None
• Made in: Australia (Wauchope, NSW)