2022 Kevin Ryan Nightingale Grand Soloist Acoustic Guitar – Used

Sometimes “used” is more a statement of legal fact than a descriptive term, and that’s certainly the case with this Ryan, although there is some very light fret wear under the B string to indicate that it’s been played. And to be honest, with a guitar this gorgeous you can’t blame the original owner for being extremely careful. Another possibility is that when he took this Nightingale model out of the custom-fitted Calton case, he got distracted by the details that abound, little touches you don’t expect to find on a musical instrument. This treasure trove of detail extends to the interior of the body as well, such as the pair of little footprint-like symbols laser-etched into the bevels of the neck block. Much of this detail is structural yet hidden even when looking inside with a mirror, such as the honeycomb inner layer of the bridge plate which contributes strength and rigidity in a critical area without adding unnecessary weight.

The proof of whether all this works, of course, is in the playing, and in terms of player comfort as well as tone this Ryan proves that its beauty is more than just visual. The tone has more depth than you expect from the mahogany/spruce tonewood combination, and that’s partly because this guitar is bigger than it looks. While it appears to be “OM+” from the front (about 15 1/2 inches wide) the sides are almost 5 inches deep at the tailblock, and the arched back adds even more to that inner sound chamber. The result? Lots of smooth low-end but with typical mahogany clarity, resulting in great balance as well as sustain. In short, a dream guitar for fingerstyle guitarists.