Edwinson Zephyr 00, Cocobolo/Adirondack
 

Here's another nice Edwinson, just fledged, and ready to fly off my workbench. This one is my Zephyr 00 model, rendered in beautiful Cocobolo back and sides, with a super responsive, silky AAAA Adirondack Red Spruce top, laminate Mahogany neck, And Ziricote bindings, fingerboard, bridge, and front headstock.

This guitar has had strings on since Sunday, April 5, two days ago as I write this. Right from the first hour, it delivers a big, rich, complex, colorful tone, definitely one of the more powerful Double-0 guitars you'll ever play. It actually has more of a GA or SJ-size guitar vibe. I am over the moon with the way this guitar sounds and feels.

I had intended to hold onto this guitar for awhile, and take it to a show or two; but given the new reality we are all living in now, all the shows have been put on hold indefinitely. I see some of my esteemed colleagues, Steve and Ryan, and Dion, also have some gorgeous guitars listed here for the same reason. Suddenly it's a buyer's market for some of the nicest guitars in the world. Just look at what those guys have done! Extraordinary! I feel so honored to be a colleague of theirs.

Here are a couple photos of this Zephyr, before the lacquer finishing was done. I like to call these "tasteful nudes". And then following, some photos of the completed guitar.

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Here are the pertinent specs:

This is my version of a Double-0 guitar, 14 1/4" wide in the lower bout; 8 1/2" waist; 10 3/4" upper bout. The deepest part of the body is the waist area, at 4 5/16" deep. This is slightly deeper than my standard Zephyr, and seems to have paid off with a big bass response and a LOT of volume for a small guitar.

The scale length is 25.5", a half inch longer than a standard Zephyr, so it can handle open tunings just fine. I tuned down to CGCGCE this afternoon, and it plays buzz-free all the way up the neck, with a medium/low setup. This guitar sounds awesome tuned down!

The nut width is 1 3/4"; String spread at the saddle is 2 5/16". The fingerboard radius is 16". The neck has a slim, modern C-carve, very comfortable and ergonomic.

This guitar has dual side sound ports, with inlaid embellishments. I have made eight or nine guitars with dual ports, and my experience tells me that the upper bout port tends to bring out more bass; while the lower bout hip port brings more juice and sparkle out in the midrange and trebles. The dual ports also have the interesting effect of giving the guitar a spherical sound field, rather than forward projection. That is a real treat for the player- you can hear every detail and nuance, as if you are inside the notes. This works amazingly well on smaller guitars.

This guitar also features a Florentine cutaway and an Omega open headstock with Swiss-made Schertler open gear, 18:1 tuners, in matte black with bronze gears.

Here are some photos of the Zephyr 00, brand-spankin' new, two days old:

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I have had to raise my base prices this year, for the first time since 2012, but I am offering this guitar for sale at my old pricing structure. At the new 2020 rate, it specs out to $7870 with a Guardian brand CG-044-00 vintage hardshell case.

This guitar's price is $6370 with the Guardian case. So that's a discount of $1500! Brand-new guitar, full warranty, and a risk-free trial...

Or if you want a serious case upgrade, I have a custom-fitted Hoffee carbon fiber flight case, with metallic grey exterior and midnight blue interior lining, thinsulate inner lining, and deluxe twist latches. This option will bring the price to $7620.

Of course, if you are really attracted to this guitar, but are concerned about spending that much money on a guitar that may or may not be a perfect fit, you can try it out for the better part of a week, before you commit to buy-- if you are okay with paying shipping charges.

I am very confident that if you do try this Zephyr, you will not want to be parted from it again. But it's your call. I would not want anyone to have to take a risk. It's got to be just right for you. I'm also confident that this guitar will eloquently and convincingly speak for itself in your hands, without a word of hype from me. Though, I guess I just spewed a whole line of hype, didn't I. Eh em, well, this Zephyr expresses itself a lot better than I do, and it's just a newborn. You should give it a listen.

That's one of the great things about guitars- they are utterly incapable of misrepresenting themselves!

A few more details... The fret position markers are Azurite stone, in Copper rings. Same on the back of the neck. The purflings are blue veneer lines with flamed Pyinma. The center strip on the back is Ziricote with blue lines and cross-grain Zebra wood. The soundboard purflings and inner and outer rosette rings are also Zebra wood. The rosette tiles are Cocobolo, left over from the back and side woods.
The Cocobolo is has been seasoning for at least three decades. I bought it in lumber billets in 2006, at Rockler Woodworking in Seattle. They had aquired two palette loads of gorgeous Cocobolo lumber from a deceased woodworker's estate. I have already made four guitars with this beautiful wood, and this one is my last set.

If you are interested in this guitar, or want more information, send me a PM through the Forum, or email at [email protected].

Thank you very much for looking, and please, stay safe, take all precautions, and be well. We'll get through these troubling times if we look out for each other. Wouldn't the time pass much more pleasurably with a beautiful new guitar to play!

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Wow this is such a treat to the eyes! I bet from the driver’s side this is just as fulfilling to play as it is to look at. Beautiful guitar, man!

Thank you, Dustin.
Yes, this Zephyr has been strung up for three days now, and it already sounds huge. It's like a big guitar in a small guitar body. The dual side sound ports give it a turbo boost, and the guitar has a spherical sound field, rather than just forward projection. Stand behind the player, and it's just as loud as it is out in front. Dual ports work really well, especially for smaller guitars. For the player, it's a real treat. It's like you are inside a sonic hologram.

Just think of the creative options this gives you when recording with microphones!

I have the Zephyr tuned down to C-minor now. (CGCGCEb) It sounds epic!

I'm going to try to record some samples on my iPhone, if I can get my stiff hands to cooperate.

Here's the new Zephyr 00, resting in the Hoffee case. The lower priced option is a Guardian brand, vintage style CG-044-00 case. Perfectly adequate, and a nice fit. The Hoffee would be great for your next world tour, though.

Everybody stay safe, be well, and play guitar a lot!

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I've had the Zephyr at home, on a stand in my living room, since the last post here. I've played it a few times, but I'm trying to keep my paws off it mostly, to keep it absolutely pristine and new.
I almost constantly have a window AC unit, and a dehumidifier, and a pedestal fan running all the time, so it's hard to hear the full qualities of this guitar amidst all that ambient noise.
Yesterday, at Joel's request, I took it over to the shop. Joel is about to start jigging up for his own Double-0 model, and he wanted to measure the Zephyr, and play it a bit, to help him visualize the Double-0 he wants to prototype.

Well, I was kind of stunned when I heard the sounds coming out of that guitar in Joel's hands. The sustain was epochal; and the overtones were crystalline and shimmery. In a live room like our workshop, this Zephyr projects a huge, full, resonant sound. I had no idea it sounded that good, after keeping it at home.

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What a beauty!

That is a stunning guitar. Is your shop in Fairhope? I grew up in Mobile and have a brother in Daphne (who is also an avid electric player).

Yes, Bob, I work with Joel Teel here in Fairhope. Luthiers are about as rare as unicorns in these parts, so we are an exotic curiosity. If you'd like to drop by for a visit sometime, just give us a little notice.

Sunday bump for a very nice guitar. I so rarely get to hang on to a new guitar for long enough to hear that magical coming-into-bloom of the tone opening up and becoming more complex and colorful.This Zephyr 00 started out sounding amazing; but it's really developing a great personality. What a pleasure to hear and to play!

Thanks for looking!

Hey, everyone... Still on lockdown here, still making guitars. This Zephyr 00 is still available. Some lucky person will find this guitar to be a wonderful musical companion. Is it YOU?

I'm keeping this Zephyr 00 pristine, trying to resist the frequent urge to take her out and play... Don't want to get my grubby paw prints on her... But this morning I just had to have a noodling session. Tuned to Standard for awhile now, I decided to tune down to a couple of my favorite tunings. This guitar excels at DADGAD and DADF#AD with light gauge strings. The 25.5" scale length, a half inch longer than my standard 25" scale on a 00 guitar, keeps the tension right where it needs to be, to provide buttery smooth and supple action, and a really sweet tone. Sweet, overtone-y trebles, a robust midrange, and fat, round, focused bass, all with a very even and balanced progression... This Zephyr has the special sauce! And the setup is low and fast, at .065" at the 13th fret low E, and .050" on the high E. The tone is expansive and three-dimensional sounding.

And with this superb Adirondack top, the best is yet to come. Adi has a long tonal maturation curve, so as this guitar is just going to sound better and better over time.


With a set of Bluegrass gauge strings (medium bottom, light top) you can even tune down to C with this baby.

This Zephyr 00 is going to make someone very happy!

Such a beautiful piece of art! I keep coming back to window shop!!:D

I received a beautiful instrument from Steve last week and have to say to anyone wondering he was fantastic to deal with and was spot on for what he described.

The instrument is also beautifully done and plays and sounds fantastic.

I have no doubt whoever ends up with this one will be very happy.

Having traded emails with Steve for quite awhile now I can safely say he is a luthier of great repute. He is honest and quick to respond, someone I would trust with my dream guitar dream build. His work is above most others I have had the pleasure of knowing. His guitars are Michelangelo's of the guitar world. Art in every detail.

wow.. great looking piece indeed