New Edwinson EF 75 Falcon, Second-generation

theEdwinson · #1 11-29-2015, 08:48 PM

I have available for sale a new, second-generation EF 75 Falcon guitar, which I call the "Midnight Falcon". The back and sides are inky-black, quartersawn Gabon Ebony, and the top is astoundingly responsive Tunnel 13 Redwood, recycled from support timbers in a railroad tunnel near Ashland, Oregon- the site of a legendary, but terribly botched train robbery in 1923. The great luthiers, Bruce and Matt Petros, made this wood famous a few years back, with their own series of Tunnel 13 guitars, which have the quality of legend. I was fortunate enough to buy five sets of this holy grail tonewood at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in 2013. The provenance of T-13 Redwood has a fascinating story. Check this out: http://www.katu.com/news/local/25559209.html

I built this Falcon in early 2015, as one of my show-guitars for the Memphis Acoustic Guitar Festival in June of this year. Since then, I have kept it in my personal collection. It is a little guitar, just 13 1/4" wide in the lower bout, but it has so much power and presence, it eats OMs for lunch, and comes back for seconds!

I built this guitar as a short multiscale- 24"- 24.5" scale spread. Along with the superlative tonewoods, I think this multiscale aspect is the thing that gives this guitar such amazing tone and response. It's buttery-smooth and easy to play, but you can still tune down to D or even C (with Medium-gauge strings), and it performs wonderfully well.
The Midnight Falcon has a stunning amount of volume, sustain, and punch. It also has crystalline overtones, and a great dynamic range. It must be played to be believed.
In its brief life, the Midnight Falcon has (so far) won me two new commissions- both for second-gen Falcons, like this one, except with different woods. This is also the guitar model that officially launched my career as a full-time luthier when J.R. Rogers (you know who he is, right?) bought the very first prototype Falcon at the 2009 Healdsburg Guitar Festival. This first Falcon put Edwinson on the Custom-shop radar screen. You can read more about it here:

With its unique woods and appointments, and the addition of a custom fitted Ameritage Gold series case, the Midnight Falcon specs out to $6895 US. I am offering it here for $5270. The price reduction is about the same amount I would pay as a dealer consignment commission. So this is a rare opportunity to get the best Falcon ever made for $1625 off list price. This includes the Ameritage case, and the my full warranty.
I will post the full specifications shortly. I need to photograph the case also; I will include photos of it also.

Whenever I offer a guitar for sale here, I absolutely want you to be able to give it a serious audition before you commit to buying. I know how much of a leap of faith it takes to buy a guitar you've never played; so I want to keep the risk factor OUT of the picture. So if you are willing to pay the shipping charges, I will send it to you for a try-out. And if you decide to do this, I will keep quiet, and let the Falcon do all the talking.
I think you'll be stunned and amazed by the rich tone, responsiveness, and power of this Falcon. More details coming shortly- Thanks for looking!

theEdwinson · #2 11-29-2015, 09:20 PM

Here are some photos of the Ameritage case. The exterior is Navy Blue with black binding; Brass hardware; Grey crushed velvet interior; and as with all custom Gold Series cases, it has a humidity control system built in as well.

More details soon, including all the specifications. Thanks!

TomB'sox · #3 12-05-2015, 10:55 AM

What an amazingly beautiful guitar Steve! I bet it sounds fantastic. Fantastic price also.

mikealpine · #4 12-06-2015, 10:13 PM

Steve, that looks awesome! I've never played a multi scale guitar. Was hoping to play one in Woodstock, but didn't see any. I don't play in alternate turnings, so maybe there's not much benefit, but it looks like a small shift like that could also be more ergonomic. Regardless, this one is beautiful.

theEdwinson · #5 12-07-2015, 06:20 PM

Thank you, Tom and Mike. I appreciate your kind words.
Mike, you just reminded me- I need to post some specifications for this Falcon. As mentioned earlier, it is a short multiscale- 24" to 24.5" scale spread. It is very ergonomic to play; in fact, several people who have tried it out didn't even realize until I told them that it is a multiscale.
For standard tuning, it works very well to have that extra scale length on the bass end- probably accounting for the fat, robust bass response this guitar has. Seriously, it puts out sound like a well-built 000. And shorter scales on the treble side make this guitar so easy to play, and sweet and rich in overtones all the way up the neck.
One very interesting sonic effect of this guitar is, when you pick or strum closer to the bridge, you get almost a resonator-type sound. I'm not much of a Blues player, but when I try to pick in that idiom, playing between the sound hole and bridge, it sounds somewhat like a Dobro!
And then, picking up north of the sound hole, it sounds sweeter and rounder. You can go from junkyard dog to hummingbird kiss without skipping a beat. So you can get a broad palette of tone color out of this little raptor.

By the way, the perpendicular fret, or Zero fret as I call it is fret # 8. That gives just the right slant at the nut and the bridge to balance everything out, so your left hand position falls in a natural arc up and down the neck.

The nut width on this Falcon is 1 3/4"; the string spread at the saddle is 2 1/4". The fingerboard has my standard radius, 16". The frets are also my standard, Evo Gold medium wide, medium tall. The neck is my typical medium/slim carve, a C-shape profile; this is a modern-feeling, fast neck.
As with all my guitars, there is an LMI TRSD two-way adjustable truss rod in the neck. Access is through the sound hole.
The neck is African Khaya, aka African Mahogany, with quilted/spalted Maple center lam, same as used for bindings and trim.
Nut and saddle are polished bone. Disregard the photo above with the ebony nut- I made another one with bone; I think it sounds better.
The bindings, rosette, end graft, and back center strip are quilted, spalted Maple, with dyed red veneer purfling lines. The sound board, fingerboard, headstock, and rosette feature Black MOP purfling.
Note also, the side Tri-port on the driver's side, upper bout. This gives the player a front-row seat!

I think that covers the pertinent details. Thanks for looking!

theEdwinson · #6 01-01-2016, 07:28 PM

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that 2016 brings you and all your loved ones an abundance of good health, good fortune, and prosperity.
I also hope 2016 brings you that awesome new guitar you've had your eye on! You deserve it!

theEdwinson · #7 01-23-2016, 01:15 PM

This hot little raptor is still available, and ready to radically update your concept of what a small guitar can do. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to bump it up the list!

theEdwinson · #8 02-20-2016, 06:15 PM

Saturday bump! This Falcon is going to make somebody very happy. It sure makes me grin out loud!

Nemoman · #9 02-25-2016, 04:11 PM

I keep coming back to look at this beauty, Steve--it really looks to be an amazing guitar!

ttuck · #10 03-04-2016, 03:15 PM

I am a new member, but been lurking around here for a while. I have to complement you on this beautiful instrument - gorgeous with amazing woods and really interesting specs. I keep coming back here to look, this one is haunting me. Really beautiful work!

theEdwinson · #11 03-20-2016, 06:50 PM

Thank you, ttuck, for your kind words. This Falcon is a bit on the exotic side; but never mind how it looks. Everyone who has played it has been shocked at how much high-quality sound it puts out.
Just to reiterate- I prefer to let my guitars speak for themselves whenever possible. When I am offering instruments for sale here, they ALWAYS go out on approval- meaning, you can try them without risk for a few days, and decide if they are a perfect fit for you. I know it's a huge leap of faith to buy a guitar you've never played, just on speculation; so I wouldn't want you to have to take a risk like that.

This Midnight Falcon has already won me two new commissions- interestingly, both new clients are from Hawaii. And both of them had high praise for this Falcon, but prefer different woods. So I am making custom ones for them.
I can do that for you too! I'll keep on making these guitars until I'm too old and decrepit to lift a chisel. It's too much fun to ever stop!

theEdwinson · #12 04-11-2016, 06:35 PM

April bump! I will post a notice in the Custom Shop, in the "Guitars in stock- April" thread, at the top of the page.
At present, there are two people who have expressed a lot of interest in this Falcon. Better get your bid in soon, because I don't think it will be available much longer!
Thanks for looking!

theEdwinson · #13 05-20-2016, 04:55 PM

Due to a few recent inquiries about available Edwinson guitars, I decided to re-activate this thread. This Midnight Falcon is still available.
This guitar still blows my socks off every time I pick it up. It may be little, but it's mighty! The combination of Ebony back and sides and a Tunnel 13 Redwood top gives this Falcon such a unique tone. And quite a wide dynamic range as well. It really will surprise you with what it can do.
Thanks for looking!

hotroad · #14 05-30-2016, 07:02 PM

Steve...seeing this guitar reminds me of the time I was shopping a few years back and we talked several times of you creating one for me. Now I see this shockingly beautiful masterpiece and all that great conversation comes back. You were so attentive and helpful at the time. I went with Charis Guitars and Bill built me a guitar like none other I have ever played, and play it I do, often. I gig full time and still have your name and number screaming at me. I would love to hear this little baby sing. She is one fine heavenly piece. If I can sell off my Emerald CF here on the forum, I will be in the hunt for one from you. Keep the creative juices flowing.