David Worthy Talisman 'Lucky Strike Redwood / Figured Australian Blackwood' Preowned 2019

Victorian luthier David Worthy has been building exceptional instruments to order for decades, and we're very lucky to be one of the select stores that carry his fantastic guitars. This small-body guitar is his 'Talisman' model, similar to a scaled-down jumbo shape - it's a wonderful, deep-sounding fingerpicking guitar that works especially well in open tunings. All Worthy guitars are built by hand near Dandenong, Victoria, and feature a number of custom appointments; hand-scalloped and tuned braces, Carbon Fibre ultra-lightweight reinforced necks, laminated tail blocks and luxurious Gotoh 510 tuning machines.

This 2019 custom-built guitar features some remarkable timbers, including a rare-as-hens-teeth set of Lucky Strike Redwood for the soundboard and incredibly figured Australian Blackwood back-and-sides. Taken from a storm-damaged Redwood tree fallen in Humboldt County, California, the name Lucky Strike is a reference to the legendary storm that may have uprooted the tree, but also to the fortune of finding a tree with unparalleled, uniform grain and density that provided some of the best soundboards imaginable. Experts have studied the growth rings to determine the age of Lucky Strike, and while the age is difficult to pin down from the portion of the tree salvaged, examination suggests a minimum of 600 years of age, though it may be as old as 800 years old. Redwood is a dark, beautiful top wood favored by players who appreciate clear upper harmonic content. Redwood delivers bold, punchy, crisp tones, with rich, strong overtones, and sounds like a cross between Adirondack spruce and cedar. The limited sets of Lucky Strike Redwood available are long gone, and are now found on guitars by builders including Kevin Ryan, Santa Cruz, Michael Bashkin and George Lowden.

This guitar is an absolute joy to play, with incredible dynamic range and touch sensitivity. It's beautifully balanced, with a responsiveness that makes it truly effortless to play. The Talisman is a wonderfully comfortable shape, and the added armrest takes it to a new level. A stunning work of art from one of Australia's best luthiers, utilising world-class tonewoods. Includes original hardshell case.

Specs

Top: Lucky Strike Redwood
Back and Sides - Figured Australian Blackwood
Fretboard / Bridge: Ebony
Tuning Machines - Gotoh 510
Nut / Saddle - Genuine Bone
Fretboard Radius - 12"
Truss Rod - 2-way Adjustable
Scale Length - 25"
Bracing - Symmetrical X Bracing