Tristani 2-17 Style Model Acoustic Guitar (2018), made in Fife, Washington, serial # 2018M01, French polish finish, figured Honduras mahogany back and sides, German moon spruce top; Spanish cedar neck with Gaboon ebony fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This lovely if diminutive flat top guitar is the work of luthier Ramon Tristani of Tristani Guitars, located up in the Pacific Northwest. He specializes in handcrafted historical replicas of Torres and Hauser concert guitars and custom design classicals as well as Martin-influenced parlor and steel string guitars.
This 2018 guitar is a lovely custom-ordered example of the latter; while it is labeled "Martin 2-17 1929" it actually bears little resemblance to that particular vintage instrument save for the body size and shape. The 2-17 was a very plain all mahogany small body guitar, this little gem features fancy woods and trim including very attractive "rainfall" figured mahogany for the back and sides and a superb extremely tight-grained spruce top. These are multi-bound with wood top, back and side, while the soundhole has multiple rings with a herringbone center pattern. The bracing is a delicate scalloped X pattern, the top is signed and dated internally by the maker.
The neck is a fairly chunky "C" profile, topped with an ebony fingerboard with contrasting wood underlay matching the side binding on the body. The heel is built with a stacked configuration and the slotted headstock is laminated on with a Scarf joint; it mounts to the body with a modern bolt-on heel. This is a splendid playing little guitar with a sparkling tone but more low-end depth than many would expect from an instrument this size. This is a really unique small body guitar with a very distinctive character.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 11/16 in. (9.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows some signs of use, with typical play wear: mostly finger scuffing to the top below the strings and some finish worn off the back of the neck. There is one small inconspicuous grain split repair on the back off the bottom edge; otherwise it remains as built. This unusual small-body guitar is an excellent player with a sound we would describe as a small body Martin mated with an old standard size Stella. It lives in an original fitted HSC. Excellent Condition.
