Top: Adirondack Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Scale: short scale 24.9”
Origin: USA
Price: $8,500

John Baxendale is kind of a quiet ’Nashville secret’ and those in the know grab his guitars whenever they can. If you follow my shop you know my favorite small shop is Pre War Guitar Co, and my favorite independent luthier is John.

I have owned some fine guitars, Martin, Collings, Bourgeois, Preston Thompson and as good as they all are and can be, once I had my first Baxendale I sold all of them but my Pre War Guitar Co guitar, and I asked John to make me 4 guitars for my own personal use. That’s how much they blew me away.

The best way I can describe this guitar is to say that the 000 12 fret short scale combo is certainly one of John’s and my, favorite combo’s. Super light, super responsive and the Adi/Hog combo is perfect giving it body and bite at the same time. Great for fingerstyle, or flatpicking, it can handle both with ease.

The basses are crisp and the trebles are clear, the 000 body gives it some nice bass presence and the action ‘plays like butter’, super easy and comfortable. I like John’s 000’s so much he is making 2 for my personal use.

Best of all his wait is pretty close to 2 years now, and this guitar is available right now.