Staff Picks: Dan Bordanaro

Dan's Great Buys

"Dan B" is our everything specialist. He's been our lead gear buyer since 2010. He's the guy behind our CME Exclusives and all the great new gear at Chicago Music Exchange. He knows quality and we trust what he likes! Check out Dan's Staff Picks!

Santa Cruz Parabolic Tension Acoustic Guitar Strings

Santa Cruz Strings are engineered to do what others cannot, to put the exact tension on each individual string to create the appropriate download pressure. These calculated tensions determine the optimal relative volume between strings, or EQ, for your instrument.

Santa Cruz Strings require precise core to wrap ratios and precision fit and finish for unprecedented tolerances of one half of one thousandths of an inch. This accurately determines the tension/volume of each string to the exact EQ that your guitar was designed for. State of the art metallurgy and micro-coating assures long life by preventing corrosive moisture from contacting the core of these nickel and lead free strings.

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Martin Dreadnought Junior

The D Jr. is a pure acoustic guitar, crafted from a Sitka spruce top paired with sapele back and sides, Richlite fingerboard and bridge, and a hand-rubbed body and neck finish. Every D Jr. model includes a form-fitted nylon gig bag for easy transport. Affordably priced, the D. Jr. is ideal for smaller players, students, travelers, or anyone who aspires to the clarity and depth of tone that has defined Martin instruments for more than 180 years.

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Martin D Jr-10E Burst Satin Sitka/Sapele w/Electronics Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought

Martin D Jr-10E Burst Satin Sitka/Sapele w/Electronics

$699.00

From Martin:

The Dreadnought Junior is designed for players looking for big Dreadnought sound in a slightly smaller body. The newly updated DJr-10 Burst features satin finished sapele back and sides in a rich cherry hue, a satin finished sunburst top that's made from Sitka spruce, and a hand-rubbed neck with a high-performance taper. This model also sports a thinner 000 body depth with softer back edges to provide maximum comfort while playing. Every Junior includes a form-fitted nylon gig bag for easy transport.

Body Size: D Junior 14 Fret (000 Depth)
Finish Top: Satin
Construction: Mortise & Tenon Neck Joint
Back & Side Finish: Satin
Bracing Pattern: X Brace
Scale Length: 24"
Brace Shape: Scalloped
Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 3/4"
Top Material: Sitka Spruce
Neck Shape: Dreadnought Junior
Back Material: Sapele
Neck Taper: High Performance Tape
Side Material: Sapele
Electronics: Fishman Sonitone

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Guild USA D-55 Dreadnought Sitka/Rosewood Antique Sunburst

First introduced in 1968 as a special-order top-of-the-line model, the D-55 was so well-received that Guild added it into the regular production line by 1974. Famously played by Tommy Smothers on the Smothers Brothers Show in the 1960s, the D-55 grew in both popularity and longevity over the decades, finding homes in the hands of more contemporary artists like Waylon Jennings, Billie Joe Armstrong, and David Nail. The most anticipated return of a Guild acoustic to date, the 2017 Guild D-55 is back and better than ever.

The D-55 remains true to all the premium appointments of its 1968 predecessor, including a AAA Sitka spruce top, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and nitrocellulose finish. Internal refinements include scalloped Adirondack bracing as well as an improved dovetail neck-joint, hand fit to make this generation of D-55 the lightest, loudest, and best-sounding yet.

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Gibson Montana Hummingbird Vintage 2019 Heritage Cherry Sunburst

Released in 1960, the Hummingbird was actually Gibson’s first square-shouldered dreadnaught-style guitar. Immediately embraced by a new and developing wave of artists who celebrated the Hummingbird for its tonal beauty and versatility, it was praised as the perfect accompaniment for the human voice. Almost 60 years later, the Hummingbird Vintage 2019 is a modern reflection of the guitar’s storied past, preserving the look and sound of the original with a hand-built body of mahogany sides and thermally aged sitka spruce top with traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing, as well as a Thin Finish and hand-rubbed VOS detailing.

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