G.R. Bear SP 12-Fret, Maple, African Blackwood & Engelmann Spruce
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- Open to all
- 25% deposit secures the guitar
- Spread the remaining cost over 3 months
Details
G.R. Bear's SP, or Super Parlor, is a new addition to his roster of steel string guitars. Given the Vancouver-based luthier's incredible work with his modern interpretations of the 00 and OM, we knew we'd love his take on the intimate small-bodied guitar. There's plenty of size variation in the parlor world, but as you'd expect from one called a "Super Parlor", the SP is more comparable in size to a Martin 0 or Size 1 than the slender Collings Parlor, clocking in at a comfortable 13-1/8" wide in the lower bout. It may be small, but by using unusual techniques like carbon-reinforced falcate bracing, Rye manages to get an outsized voice out of this guitar. Going against the grain of using the same wood for both back and sides, this SP features the visually striking juxtaposition of African blackwood sides with a birdseye maple back. Engelmann spruce's soft, warm tone is rendered more articulate and well-defined by the unusual blend of resonant blackwood and bright, transparent maple. Truly, this guitar just has its own thing going on.
Rye includes a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner of his guitars.
- Model: 12-Fret SP (parlor)
- Top: Engelmann spruce
- Sides: African blackwood
- Back: European birdseye maple
- Neck: Brazilian mahogany with C profile
- Fingerboard: Macassar ebony
- Fingerboard radius: Compound 16" to 20"
- Bridge: Padauk
- Rosette: African blackwood
- End graft: Ebano
- Headstock: Macassar ebony
- Binding: Ebano
- Purfling: European maple
- Top bracing: Paulownia carbon falcate
- Finish: Polyurethane
- Tuners: Gotoh 510
- Nut and saddle: Bone
- Frets: EVO Gold with hemispherical ends
- Scale length: 25.4" (645mm)
- Nut width: 1.8" (46mm)
- String spacing: 2-1/4" (57mm)
- Lower bout: 13-1/8"
- Depth: 3-1/2"
- Serial number: 41
- Case: Visesnut hardshell
Benefits
Fully insured global shipping
All instruments ship direct from Nashville to anywhere in the world, fully insured with trusted global couriers
Easy Returns
Every guitar comes with a 72-hour appraisal period so if you're not satisfied you can return the instrument to us
Why buy this guitar
Key Features
- Design
- The Super Parlor design measures 13-1/8" across the lower bout and 3-1/2" deep, making it a small guitar that doesn't require a total adjustment of your posture
- Tonewoods
- Responsive and warm Engelmann spruce, transparent maple, and resonant blackwood? This guitar has a tone all its own
- Appointments
- Unusual features like a red padauk bridge, blackwood rosette, and maple binding accent this guitar's tonewoods beautifully

This product listing was written by Kim. If you’d like to talk to Kim about this guitar, you can do so here:
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Luthier
G.R. Bear
At 15 Rye apprenticed with master classical guitar builder Graham Caldersmith.
