Robbie O'Brien Classical Guitar Cedar/Indian NEAR MINT!

This late 2005 concert guitar by Robert M. O'Brien of Colorado (www.obrienguitars.com) is an outstanding instrument in every way. And it is an outstanding deal, any way you look at it, but especially if you compare it to what is selling on eBay in the $1500-$3000 range, including some over-priced factory guitars; as of right now, there are two guitars below $3k (well, $2.99k!) that are probably as good or better, but they're both at 2.5k or more.

With the 12-hole bridge and full French polish options, this O'Brien guitar costs about $3000 new, which is itself a deal given the quality of his guitars. I am the original owner of this exactly four-year-old instrument, but it has only about 30 hours of playing on it (I have several other guitars, but mainly play my 1975 Kohno 30 and 1979 Kohno 20, so haven't found as much time for this cedar-top as I thought I would). I have played it occasionally, and very much enjoyed it, and have otherwise stored it in a temperature and humidity controlled, completely smoke-free environment. It is in as near-perfect condition as can be, with the exception of a couple of tiny and barely visible playing marks below the soundhole, the only signs of wear I can find anywhere on the guitar and amazingly little for a fully French-polished instrument (imagine what it would have looked like if it had hung in a guitar store for just a couple of months!); I was able to capture these marks in one photo, which I have posted here (number 11, next to last).

Robbie O'Brien's craftsmanship is absolutely impeccable, as is his sense of style. This is not an ornate guitar, but neither is it somber. The ornamentation is discreet but beautiful, and done perfectly (see the headstock photo 9, the tailpiece in photo 7, the contrasting stripe on the back in photo 6). Photo 3 best reproduces what the guitar looks like: it has that wonderful, slightly dull shine of a perfect French-polish job, and it has rich chocolate-brown sides and back. Very appealing in every way to look at, to hold (light), and to play (alive). It also has the great smell of cedar, if you're into the total sensory experience of playing a cedar-top guitar.

Its sound matches its workmanship. While still a very young guitar, it has great warmth and dimension, as well as volume and even some of the crispness of spruce. Intonation is precise. I was just playing it again this afternoon and had some second thoughts about selling it, since it sounded so good; I was also reminded of its great sustain.

It is a true concert-grade instrument, although of course not high in the range of all real concert guitars. My daughter plays a great guitar that I would consider in the lower third of concert guitars, a 1990s Ricardo Sanchis Carpio 1a Extra (Spruce/Indian), and I would compare this guitar favorably with that and other guitars starting around $2.5k or $3k and going up to perhaps $4k. This is just to give as honest as possible a sense of where I think this O'Brien instrument fits in the pantheon of guitars; in the middle third I would place my 1970's Kohnos, Kenny Hill Signatures, Bernabe's and Ramirez's standard concert models, all with Brazilian rosewood, and most of the better known American, English, and German luthiers, about $4k-$9k; the top third would be the Rucks, top Bernabes, Smallmans, etc. -- all those guitars we would love to be able to afford and could if we gave up on cars, houses, etc.!

Details:
-- fully handmade concert-grade classical guitar
-- tight- and even-grained cedar top
-- beautiful chocolate-brown Indian rosewood back and sides
-- all solid woods, of course
-- full French polish
-- excellent action, about 4.0 and 3.5 mm, with extra saddle for lowering, if desired
-- 12-hole bridge
-- 650mm scale; 52mm nut width
-- mid-high-level Gotoh tuners: excellent and accurate machine heads
-- high-quality, extremely sturdy SKL hardside case pictured (moved my Kohno 30 out of this into a Mark Leaf)

Condition:
-- near mint
-- only a couple of very light fingernail marks in the french polish below the soundhole
-- everything is as it should be: neck is straight, top is flat, frets are like new

My reason for selling is pedestrian, but no less compelling for being so: I need the money.

I have bought and sold a handful of guitars over eBay in recent years, and it has, with the exception of one bad buying experience, always been more than satisfactory on both ends. Please keep it that way by only bidding if you plan to buy and keep the guitar. Because of this experience, I also know how to pack and ship a guitar, so no need to worry about that; I will pack it in its case, strings loosened, the case in a stable guitar shipping box with padding to keep it from moving around. I will ship it UPS Ground (faster if you want to pay for it) within 2 days of receiving confirmed payment.

UPS Ground shipping is included with Buy-It-Now.