Iris Guitars

[ZeroFretWear]

How are folks liking them who bought them?
I'm seeing over 30 Iris guitars for sale right now just on Reverb alone.
Which seems like a lot for a small company like Iris.
Are they no longer selling? Has the novelty worn off for a "budget" guitar for upwards of $3 to $4k for some of the models?
Or have they really ramped up production and there is now more supply than demand?

[sinistral]

I’m loving my CH and DF. The CH has a slimmer neck than the DF. I bought the DF secondhand, and I know that the original owner didn’t get along with the fuller neck.

[jheath]

I had noticed the same thing, lots of Iris guitars for sale here in the classifieds and on Reverb. And my local shop that carries them has had a couple models in stock for months without selling, while basically selling nearly everything else that comes into stock.

I personally talked myself into an OG without ever seeing or playing one, purchased one in very fine condition second hand from a reputable dealer. It was beautiful, played well, was very comfortable and I loved the neck on it, but was very flat tone wise. Having said that, I've since tried a DF, a Smeck and an AB and thought they were all pretty great. Have considered going back for that AB.

They may just be in a tough spot cost wise - similarly priced to large factory standards that have long histories and strong resale values. In my neck of the woods, a standard model Iris would be very close in price to a standard series Martin 000 or D-18, and similar to a standard series Gibson. While the Iris would be small shop built and nicely finished, the Martin or Gibson would have traditional features - dovetail neck joints and gloss finishes, etc, so they may be a tough value proposition from buyers that aren't quite as tuned in to the acoustic world - ie. not living on acoustic forums and groups to learn about these makers.

I think they're lovely guitars and have no doubt another one will follow me home one day.

[jdinco]

but there is still a 12-14 month wait if you order one thru Iris !

[tomcstokes59]

I owned a DF for about 9 months. Loved the tone and the build with the exception of the tuners. I ordered a 1.75" nut and the neck was very full. I probably should have played one before ordering it. I may have ordered the 1 11/16" and still have the guitar. Very light, well made, great balanced mahogany tone.

[Mr. Paul]

You will not be seeing my rosewood jumbo in the classifieds. Huge tone, a neck that feels like home, gorgeous burst.

And a headstock I've mostly gotten used to

[pcf]

But from a Froggy Bottom luthier and Dale Fairbanks. Very clean, no frills build with very nice wood. Loud. Responsive. Just like any brand, everyone isn’t going to love or want one. I think the biggest issue is people haven’t played them. I don’t know of many boutique builds that are under 3k.

[Methos1979]

I was thinking the same thing as the OP. I also have noticed a 'price drift' now that they are somewhat established (or maybe just due to inflation and supply line issues?). Regardless, what initially started out as a 'working-man's boutique' instrument has now begun to get into the same price range as standard models in the Martin and/or Gibson line and in some cases exceeding those classic giants.

I've played a whole bunch of IRIS guitars over the past few years when I've encountered them in stores and I generally liked most of the large-body models like the DF. I played several in one day up at Northern Lights just a few months back and there was a DF there that was just fantastic but the price was also up just over $3k which puts it several hundred dollars above say a brand new Martin D-18 Ambertone.

I'm actually waiting on a custom order build quote for a DF that I'm quite sure will not happen as I expect the price to be north of $4k which would put it out of my range since at that price I could grab a whole lot of guitar that doesn't have the 'plain-Jane' limitations that the IRIS guitars have.

[rollypolly]

You’re hitting the nail on the head for me - I’m one of those d-18 owners who have considered selling mine to try out an Iris, but I know in the back of my mind I’ll regret letting go of a standard Martin.

[srick]

Remember, you’re dealing with a very small sample size here. At this time, there are maybe 600 Iris guitars in existence.

And with any new product, there are going to be a fair number of folks who purchase it just to try it. Most of these guitars were bought sight unseen. And some of those folks are speculating that they can make a profit because of the limited supply.

I don’t think that you will be able to evaluate the line’s success until a larger number are found in stores where they can be evaluated and played. Maybe the best indication of the success of Iris guitars is that Adam and Dale have had to increase their workforce to accommodate the demand. That’s a nice problem to have. And I will add that at WILS, Adam and Dale looked pretty happy.

[SuperB23]

I have a DF with a K&K and 1 3/4" nut width that I play a lot and its really a fine guitar. For being a $2400 instrument it hangs so well with all of my other guitars which mostly cost 2-5 times that much.

They are very responsive, loud, and have a nice 1940s Gibson style tone that I really appreciate!

[JAMKC]

Bought an AB with mahogany back and sides. That left me with all mahogany guitars so I found a guy here on AGF with the same in Maple and we swapped. Fantastic guitar, lots of sustain and great build.

Remember that these were designed for the working musician (not me [emoji23]) as a budget friendly well built guitar and boy did they succeed.

[tomh]

I needed a new guitar last year and live in a an area where the nearest good guitar store is 2.5 hours away.

I was leery of buying a guitar sight unseen/unplayed through the internet. I heard about the Iris line up and based upon the limited availability at the time and all the good I heard about them from the early buyers I would take a chance on an OG figuring I could sell it quickly if I did not like it.

I am primarily a flat picking dread player and the OG almost fit the bill of an only guitar but does not quite have all the low end that I love. But it almost does... The Iris neck is great, full without being too clubby. 1 3/4" nut.

I recently bought a custom shop J-35 that I love everything about. First guitar I have owned that did not have something that didn't quite click with me. The neck is a hair wider and fuller than the OG, but it took only a day or two to get used to it.

I thought it would totally replace the OG, but I pulled it out the other day after not playing it for about a month, and decided that I am not selling it. It is a great little box in it's own right. Light weight, loud, good note separation, and other stuff I am not articulate enough to describe.

Somehow I think the J-35 made me a better player, as it is so loud and responsive I have to really be careful on dynamics. So that translated back to the OG and it sounds better because I sound better. The B string on the OG can be very harsh and unpleasant sounding if my right hand is not perfect. That is probably my biggest gripe with it.

So yeah for now I am keeping the Iris, it still makes me happy. When I bought the J-35, there was a few DF's in the classifieds that I was tempted to buy, but with the market slowing down a little, I did not want to buy something I might need to sell if it did not work for me. For now I am only going to buy something I can play in person.

[hj38]

As someone who lived in Vermont (near Burlington) years ago, I'd love an Iris someday.

[boombox]

Am also interested to see what DF Smeck owners think once they've owned them for a while. I love 12 frets so the Smeck appeals but I was wondering how comfortable they are to play for extended periods as that body depth with no taper worries me a bit.