Veillette Guitars | Avante Gryphon

Ascend to New Musical Heights with the Sparkling, Rich Tones of the Avante Gryphon — Now @ CME!

You asked for it, and CME listened! Back by popular demand, Veillette Guitars’ Avante Gryphon acoustic-electric guitars have landed once again in the Acoustic Room at Chicago Music Exchange!

Designed by renowned luthier and lifelong musician Joe Veillette, the Avante Gryphon offers an accessible, exceptional-sounding route to a higher tonal register and powerful, resonant mid-range presence, both all-but-unattainable via just about any other acoustic-electric guitar-type instrument—except, of course, from the handful of U.S.-made Gryphons hand-built by Veillette and his three-man team based in Woodstock, New York.

04.22.24 - Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13_ Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural - AG12NATFM-09.jpg__PID:5e9823b2-5c10-46ec-8e49-052f955562e2
04.22.24 - Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13_ Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural - AG12NATFM-07.jpg__PID:0df45e98-23b2-4c10-b6ec-0e49052f9555
04.22.24 - Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13_ Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural - AG12NATFM-02.jpg__PID:0ec39dd5-770d-445e-9823-b25c10b6ec0e

Reach Transcendent Tonal Peaks with the Avante Gryphon

Based on Veillette’s most popular instrument model (just ask Dave Matthews, who has reportedly purchased at least eight Veillette Gryphons over the years) Veillette Avante instruments are licensed to be manufactured in Korea with strict adherence to the exacting standards of the brand’s namesake builder.

The Avante Gryphon’s shorter 18.3-inch scale (32.5-inch overall length) provides optimally balanced string tension across a custom, .009-.042-gauge string set. Outfitted with 12 strings tuned D-to-D—10 semitones/frets up from E standard tuning—in unison pairs, each Avante Gryphon delivers celestial, shimmering highs, a punchy, resonant mid-range, as well as a powerfully percussive rhythmic "chop.”

04.22.24 - Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13_ Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural - AG12NATFM-11.jpg__PID:23b25c10-b6ec-4e49-852f-955562e27507
04.22.24 - Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13_ Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural - AG12NATFM-05.jpg__PID:d5770df4-5e98-43b2-9c10-b6ec0e49052f

Created to serve as a songwriting tool, for doubling/layering recordings in the studio, and as a compact traveling instrument, the Avante Gryphon shines in a wide range of applications. For instance, guitarists can immediately play mandolin-style parts in a higher register using the same familiar fingerings, without learning new tunings. Or, the Avante Gryphon can offer a guitarist-friendly alternative to traditional folk instruments like the bouzouki, mandocello, Cuban tres, and Puerto Rican cuatro.

Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13

Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13" Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Tobacco Burst w/Premium Gig Bag & Fishman Electronics

£1,113.00

Veillette Guitars takes great pride in offering guitarists a whole new tonality in an affordable package.

With celestial, sparkling highs and punchy mid-register, the Avante Gryphon® 12-string shines in a wide range of applications. The strings are tuned as 6 unison pairs, tuned up to D (10 frets higher than standard). Guitarists can immediately play mandolin-style parts in a new high register without learning a new tuning. A capo on the second fret puts it a full octave above standard tuning. As a songwriting tool, for doubling or layering in studio, and even as a compact traveling companion, the Avante Gryphon is guaranteed to inspire.

The Avante Gryphon® also excels as a guitarist-friendly alternative to traditional folk instruments like the bouzouki, mandocello, Cuban tres and Puerto Rican cuatro.

View Details
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13
Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13

Veillette Avante Series Gryphon 18.13" Scale D-Tuned 12-String Acoustic-Electric Natural w/Premium Gig Bag & Fishman Electronics

£1,113.00

Veillette Guitars takes great pride in offering guitarists a whole new tonality in an affordable package.

With celestial, sparkling highs and punchy mid-register, the Avante Gryphon® 12-string shines in a wide range of applications. The strings are tuned as 6 unison pairs, tuned up to D (10 frets higher than standard). Guitarists can immediately play mandolin-style parts in a new high register without learning a new tuning. A capo on the second fret puts it a full octave above standard tuning. As a songwriting tool, for doubling or layering in studio, and even as a compact traveling companion, the Avante Gryphon is guaranteed to inspire.

The Avante Gryphon® also excels as a guitarist-friendly alternative to traditional folk instruments like the bouzouki, mandocello, Cuban tres and Puerto Rican cuatro.

View Details
SHOP VEILLETTE GUITARS

To learn more about the Veillette Avante Gryphon models now available in the Acoustic Room, call CME, chat with us online or in the app, or stop into our Lincoln Avenue showroom to hear how a Gryphon sounds for yourself.

Related Posts

Taylor Guitars | Next Generation Grand Auditorium

The Next Generation of Taylor Grand Auditorium guitars has arrived at Chicago Music Exchange. Featuring Scalloped V-Class bracing for richer harmonic response, the innovative Action Control Neck for effortless setup adjustments, and the all-new Claria pickup system for consistent amplified tone, these guitars represent Taylor’s most refined acoustic design yet.

Read more

The John Oates Collection at CME!

John Oates isn’t parting with his past—he’s investing in the future. The John Oates Collection has arrived at Chicago Music Exchange—an extraordinary lineup of loved acoustics, stage-used amplifiers, and choice collector’s guitars from one of the most iconic songwriters and performers in American music history. These aren’t just instruments—they’re pieces of living music history, shaped by decades of recording, touring, and performance. From road-worn character to studio-crafted tone, every piece tells a story, and now, those stories are available to you!

Read more

Suhr Custom | 2026 New Gear Arrivals

Fresh from NAMM 2026, the newest Suhr guitars, basses, and amps have officially landed at Chicago Music Exchange. From Limited Edition Classics to the all-new Oso Short Scale and elite artist signatures, this lineup blends vintage soul with modern muscle. Built in Lake Elsinore, California—crafted to perform everywhere you play. Shop Suhr now.

Read more