Chasson Guitars 2011 Order Form

• Auditorium This is a very versatile guitar and works well for many styles of playing. About the size of a Dreadnought but with a pronounced waist. Width at lower bout is 15-5/8”. Standard scale is 25.4” or 24.9” and 14 frets to the body.
• Signature Dread This is a new addition in 2010. About the same size as a traditional dreadnought but with a more contemporary shape. More curves, no flat spots. Width at lower bout is 15-5/8”. Standard scale is 25.4” or 24.9” and 14 frets to the body.
• Dreadnaught Mostly thought of as a flatpicking guitar but this traditional body style is quite capable of multi-tasking too. Width at lower bout is 15-5/8”. Standard scale is 25.4” or 24.9” and 14 frets to the body.
• Jumbo This body can support deep, rumbling bass while maintaining balance. A huge sound. Width at lower bout is 17”. Standard scale is 25.4” or 24.9” and 14 frets to the body.
• Classic This is a steel string guitar in a classical body. Small and very comfortable to play but it delivers a surprisingly large sound. Width at lower bout is 14-5/8”. Only available with 12 frets to the body.
• Parlor New for 2011!

• Sitka Spruce Still plentiful in excellent quality, Stika is one of the more dense spruces. It’s strong fundamental and clear tone holds up well when played hard.
• Adirondack Spruce (+$60 - $500) Another dense spruce, Adirondack has become a favorite among flatpickers due to it’s warm, dry overtone content and it’s ability to maintain clarity when played hard. The price variation is due to the fact that wood with traditional appearance (even grain and color) is very scarce. All the Adirondack I stock is structurally and tonally consistent. The difference in price is only related to appearance.
• Engelmann Spruce (+$100) Englemann is softer than most other spruces but I only build with the stiffest tops I can find. These tops have a warmth other North American spruces can’t match. They respond to a lighter touch but don’t quite have the headroom of the harder spruces.
• Western Red Cedar Cedar responds beautifully to a light touch and is rich in overtones. It has a broad range of colors, sometimes all in the same piece, and looks as rich as it sounds. It thrives for fingerstyle and moderate picking but will lose clarity when played too hard.
• Redwood (+$60) I recently acquired a number of nice Redwood tops. These tops were salvaged from the stash of a saw mill worker in Idaho and are at lest 40 years old. Redwood has some similarities to Cedar in that it lights up with the slightest touch and is rich in overtones. The sound is typically a little darker and dryer than Cedar with a deep bass and shimmering trebles.
• European Spruce There are many species of European spruce but the supply is limited and it’s characteristics are too varied to make many generalizations. I usually have some interesting sets so please inquire if you have something specific you are looking for.

• Sapele Sometimes known as African Mahogany, Sapele is similar to the densest pieces of Honduras Mahogany. Moderate sustain and overtones.
• Wenge Noted for it’s dark chocolate color and clean, straight grain, Wenge has a glassy tap tone similar to Brazilian or Honduran Rosewood. In fact, it compares favorably to Brazilian in many respects.
• Honduras Mahogany (+$60) One of the most popular tonewoods for generations, Honduras is possibly dead center of the tonewood spectrum. It lends an open woodiness with balanced overtones and sustain. It is also a very stable wood.
• East Indian Rosewood +$60 This wood became the substitute for Brazilian Rosewood as Brazilian became scarce. Originally, it was very consistent from one piece to the next but now, the nicer pieces are harder to find. I only use the hardest pieces I can get and they lend a tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and the harder Rosewoods. Strong overtone content for a dark sound with rounded edges.
• Claro Walnut +$200 - $600 Most of this wood comes from California walnut farms and is cut when the trees become older and less productive. Some also comes from urban and suburban trees in the Pacific Northwest. It can have stunning figure. The sound is somewhere between Mahogany and Maple. Fewer overtones and less sustain make it perfect to pair with a cedar top on a smaller guitar.
• Honduran Rosewood $400 - $600 The nicer pieces have all of the sonic properties of old, hard Brazilian Rosewood.
• Brazilian Rosewood +$1000 - $2400 Brazilian is often thought of as the perfect tonewood. It’s density and low damping enhance the full spectrum of sound from rich, dark bass to crystalline highs. Added to the Endangered Species list in 1991, all wood I stock is reclaimed stump wood or beam wood that was harvested at least 100 years ago. The wood has a wide variety of color and grain, most of which is rich and beautiful.
• Figured Western Maple +$300 - $500 Western (or Bigleaf) Maple is known for it’s striking flame figure and and it’s punchy sound. It has very high damping and is good at bringing out a fundamental with fewer overtones and less sustain.
• Figured Santos Mahogany +200 - $400 This wood is unusual in that it is very dense with moderate damping. It’s density adds power and it’s tonal color is fairly neutral allowing the top’s sound to predominate. I have some sets that rival the flame of Koa and some with a nice bee’s wing figure.
• Koa +$400 - $800 Noted for it’s spectacular flame figure and warm, honey colors, Koa usually falls between the Mahoganies and the Rosewoods in it’s tonal color and sustain.
• Cocobolo +$500 - $800 A true Rosewood, Cocobolo is dense and very stable. It’s comparable to Brazilian in it’s dark, low end response while the highs are not as crystalline.
• Black Acacia +$300 - $600 Also known as Tasmanian Blackwood, Black Acacia can be hard to distinguish from Koa. Tonally, it’s woodier with shorter sustain.

• Ebony Popular for its density and clean look.
• East Indian Rosewood A good choice for those who prioritize a lightweight guitar.
• Cocobolo +$40 A dense rosewood with a lot of natural oil, Cocobolo can make a beautiful fretboard.
• Brazilian Rosewood +$200 Another beautiful choice that is lighter in weight. A Brazilian fretboard also adds sustain.

• Ebony Less transparent than other bridge material, ebony is a good choice for lessening string noise and some of the higher harmonics. All things equal, an ebony bridge will decrease the brilliance of the trebles and allow the bass more prominence in the mix. Notes will be more blended.
• Cocobolo More transparent than ebony but similar density, Cocobolo allows for good clarity and strong bass while still smoothing some of the high harmonics and allowing more note separation.
• Brazilian Rosewood: +$100 Brazilian is the perfect choice for an immediate responsiveness with brilliance, clarity and note separation.

• Ebony
• Leopardwood
• Wenge
• Indian Rosewood
• Flamed Black Acacia +$25
• Flamed Maple +$50
• Flamed Walnut +$50
• Flamed Koa +$50
• Snakewood +$130

Neck Width:
• 1-11/16” nut, 2-1/8” string spacing at bridge
• 1-3/4” nut, 2-1/4” string spacing at bridge
• Other (+0 - $200)
  

Scale Length:
• 25.4”
• 24.9”
• 24”
• Other (+0 - $200)
  

• Slotted Headstock + $350
• Multi-scale (Fanned Frets) + $800

• Schertler Metallic
• Schertler Matte Black
• Schertler Satin Chrome
• Schaller Mini Black/Black
• Schaller Mini Gold/Ebony + $50
• Waverly + $100 to $200 depending on model
• Rodgers + $1000 and up

• Gloss
• Satin

• Single Abalone with black/white purfling
• Signature Rosette with Snakewood +250
• Double abalone + $40
• Custom + $100 and up

• None
• Clear Mylar
• Other

Note: All strap pins will be installed in the hollow of the heel unless otherwise noted.

• Gold
• Black
• None

• Gold
• Black
• None

• Florentine Cutaway +$500
• Florentine Cutaway with 3-way mitered binding +$600
• Venetian Cutaway +$400
• Abalone Top Purfling +$400
• Abalone Back Purfling +$400
• Bound Peghead +$150
• Bound Fingerboard +$150
• Abalone Purfling on Peghead +$200
• Abalone Purfling on Fingerboard +$200

• K&K Pure Western +$140
• K&K Trinity +$375
• Other