Dowina Custom Build Grand Auditorium 2021 Hand Made Acoustic Guitar

This is an exceptionally beautiful & unique Dowina Custom Built Grand Auditorium acoustic guitar in Gloss Natural finish. The guitar was commissioned in 2021, & was constructed from an exotic selection of hand-selected tonewoods in consultation with the original owner. Dowina Guitars are a family-run luthier based in Slovakia, set up as a violin workshop 1979 in the village of Devin, overlooking the castle. Shortly moving onto the construction of guitars, the brand has remained there throughout their 47 year history, and have developed a reputation for instruments of finest quality & impeccable material selection.

Of course featuring an all-solid construction, this instrument comprises a Premium Cedar top, Exotic Ebony back & sides, Mahogany neck with Wenge reinforcement & 21 fret Ebony fingerboard with matching bridge. The body is double bound in Padauk, with top purfling in Maple. The marquetry rosette features a beautiful range of colours, and is echoed on the end piece. The fingerboard is inlaid with a Padauk & MoP custom design. A Bone saddle & nut are fitted, along with a set of Dowina branded Gotoh tuners in black.

The Mahogany neck plays exceptionally well, with what might be described as a soft ‘V’ profile that sits very comfortably in the hand. The open-pore finish to the rear of the neck provides a very pleasant and tactile surface for the thumb to rest on, whilst also ensuring that transitions up and down the register are a smooth and effortless affair. The hand-selected Ebony fingerboard provides a smooth and luxurious playing surface, and with it’s 15.4” radius feels nicely flat and consistent right the way up the neck. The smooth lines of the Grand Auditorium body are comfortable in the arms, offering a supremely comfortable playing experience in both standing and seated positions.

The acoustic voice of this instrument is beautiful. The rich and detailed low end is warm without being too soft. Mids are smooth and help to balance the overall tone of the instrument, whilst the bright and glistening top end adds a shimmer and brilliance to every note played. The Premium Cedar top projects very well, providing a wide dynamic range that feels sensitive to the player’s touch. The Grand Auditorium body shape sits between the Grand Concert- typically thought of as a fingerstyle guitar, and the Dreadnought - typically thought of as a flatpicker’s instrument. This means that it straddles both disciplines comfortably, delivering a balanced response along with plenty of power. A beautifully made & stunningly unique piece.

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1070726222171

Weight: 5.25lbs

Serial: W2105002

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall excellent condition, it is difficult to discern any markings to the headstock.

Neck: Overall excellent condition, it is difficult to discern any markings to the neck and fingerboard.

Body: Overall excellent condition, the front face demonstrates a very light indentation on the lower bout, visible only under direct lighting at certain angles. A very ligt chip in the lacquer is present at the bottom rear edge, visible only under close inspection. The sides and rear demonstrate a very subtle clouding of the finish, likely due to the extremely oil dense nature of Ebony. This should not worsen over time.

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate very light signs of use, not affecting playability. There is considerable material remaining for future fret work.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (4mm hex) not included.

Hardware: Excellent condition.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1mm - Bass 1.75mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 11-52

This guitar has been set-up for fingerstyle, and players with a heavier attack may need to raise the action to eliminate string rattle. There is a small amount of material remaining in the saddle for future adjustments.

Electrics:

N/A

Case & Accessories:

Original Dowina hard case

Excellent condition with very light signs of use. One of the latches has detached from the case and is included in the case pocket. The case functions as expected. Swing tags, COA & truss rod tool included. Extensive photographs & email correspondence with Dowina from during the design & build process included.