On the shores of the Farmington River in New Hartford, Connecticut, three legendary acoustic brands have amassed a formidable army of guitar-building talent that seems destined to take flattops into a new golden age.
Hang out with the folks who work at the beautiful brick factory in New Hartford, Connecticut, where Fender Acoustic Custom Shop, Guild, and Ovation flattops are built and, before long, the ghost stories start to fly. Tales of night watchmen, phantasmal apparitions in the corners, and whistling, invisible strangers in the wee hours, are traded readily. And it’s little wonder—the facility was erected on the shores of the Farmington River before the Civil War, and by various accounts has been a uniform mill and a sewing-machine factory, among others things. In short, a lot of industrious folks have walked these halls.
Since 1967, the New Hartford factory has been all about guitars. But even now it seems like a bridge between worlds—and it’s certainly no less industrious for it. Here, carbon-fiber guitars take shape alongside small-batch acoustics built with old-world and computer-based methods. And in the process, new chapters are being written in the annals of some legendary guitar brands.
After leaving Westerly, Rhode Island, almost two decades ago, Guild is back in New England. And the design team for this legendary brand is now helmed to a significant extent by the legendary Ren Ferguson, who spearheaded Gibson’s acoustic renaissance. Fender—which made its first concerted (if largely unsuccessful) foray into acoustics in the early ’60s with Rickenbacker design legend Roger Rosmeisel at the helm—has again dived headlong into the business of acoustic guitars, this time with Ferguson and acoustic lutherie veteran Tim Shaw overseeing the works. And Ovation—whose aerospace- and acoustic-electric-guitar-pioneering forefather, Charles Kaman, first made the New Hartford facility a guitar factory in 1967—stands poised to take the brand in new directions.
The creative energy and focus around the New Hartford facility is impressive. This is clearly not an operation designed to cash in on nostalgia or leverage famous brands in an effort to move mediocre instruments. Soon after taking the job in January of 2012, Ferguson had already designed and unveiled a whole new line of Guilds, the Orpheum series, which include—among other ’30s-inspired designs—a beautiful, sonorous, and barn-rattlingly powerful 12-fret slope-shouldered dreadnought
Meanwhile, Fender—intent on building more than rebranded Guilds—is designing flattops that honor the misunderstood and often underappreciated legacy of the Rosmeisel-era acoustics with guitars that, in some cases, are tailored specifically for those who primarily play electric. And from what we’ve seen, felt, and heard, the notion of fretting an E-major chord on a C-profiled Stratocaster neck and generating the booming, balanced output of a good dreadnought is a musical idea we could definitely get used to.
And Ovation is simultaneously looking ahead and capitalizing on its experience as one of the most consistently groundbreaking companies in the industry. Further, a young, eager musical freak of a brand manager named Jason Barnes is working with a veteran staff of guitar builders—many into their fourth decade of building Ovation and Adamas guitars—to keep the brand at the cutting edge of playability and exploratory design while also taking advantage of the materials, talent, and experience behind the new crew working on Fender and Guild guitars in New Hartford.
If this all sounds a bit like some kind of mad luthiers’ summer camp, well, that sentiment isn’t too far off the mark. This is a hardworking, spirited, often hilarious gang that hangs together, talks shop, and even launches into lunchtime jam sessions around the front office if you give them five seconds of breathing room. And as impressive as many of these guys are as luthiers, they’re killer players, too. But once they’re on the clock, this is a determined, inexhaustible bunch fired up about the new convergence of talent and the instruments it’s producing. At any given moment, you can find Ren Ferguson digging in the wood room, tinkering with inlay, or looking over the shoulder of a builder as they discuss a better approach to some minute step in the manufacturing process. It all adds up to a very promising future for three brands that deserve to remain acoustic industry fixtures. If you love the acoustic guitar in any measure, it’s not hard to be thrilled and intrigued about what might emerge from this buzzing hive of guitar-building energy.
See photos from our trip inside the factory:
D'Addario's new Bridge Pin Puller and Tour-Grade Peg Winder are designed to make string changes a breeze.
The Bridge Pin Puller is designed to be the fastest, easiest, and safest way to remove bridge pins from an acoustic guitar. Small enough to fit in your pocket, the standalone bridge pin puller is a great way for acoustic players to avoid fumbling with bridge pins during string changes and maintenance. The ergonomic design comfortably fits in hand but won’t place extra pressure on the instrument or bridge during use. Best of all, the clamp design encloses the pin, keeping it secure inside the puller until it’s released.
The Tour-Grade Peg Winder offers next-level performance for luthiers, techs, or anyone who wants to change strings with maximum speed and ease. The multi-tool design brings together a ball bearing, non-damaging socket for smoother winding, molded grips, and a spring-loaded bridge pin puller, delivering an all-in-one option to handle most standard string changes.
From the straight-forward simplicity of the Bridge Pin Puller to the all-around convenienceof the Tour-Grade Peg Winder, D’Addario has your string changes covered.
For more information, please visit daddario.com.
With built-in effects, headphone output, and AUX connectivity, these compact devices are designed to provide ultimate versatility for practice sessions at home or on stage.
Aguilar is introducing the amPlug3 Tone Hammer, a portable headphone amplifier inspired by the iconic Tone Hammer sound. Ideal for practicing anywhere, this compact device packs dual channel Clean and Drive modes for ultimate versatility. To help keep practice sessions inspiring, the unit includes reverb, chorus, and compression as built-in, onboard effects and a built-in rhythm feature to keep any players favorite basslines in time. Lastly, the amPlug3 features AUX connectivity to allow players to play along with tracks, or via a TRRS cable, record straight to a phone or laptop with ease. Whether at home, in the studio, or on the road, the amPlug3 Tone Hammer offers a convenient practice solution without compromising tone.
In addition to the amPlug 3 Tone Hammer, Aguilar has revamped their iconic Tone Hammer Preamp pedal. Built upon the original design that has become an essential tool for bass players seeking tone and flexibility. Incorporating customer feedback and refining key features, the new Tone Hammer Preamp offers enhanced drive functionality featuring an expanded gain range with a separate "drive" control for greater tonal precision, allowing users to refine their overdriven and clean tones independently. New Practice-friendly features include the addition of a headphone output and auxiliary input, allowing the pedal to double as the perfect practice companion at home or on the road. The updated, compact enclosure has a modern aesthetic, complementing the Tone Hammer series of amplifiers.
“We are thrilled to expand the Tone Hammer family with these new products,” said Jordan Cortese of Aguilar Amplification. “The reimagined Preamp/DI pedal and the all-new amPlug3 Tone Hammer provide bassists with even more options to achieve their perfect sound, whether they’re on stage or practicing on the move.”
Street Prices:
- Tone Hammer Preamp Pedal $299.99
- amPlug3 Tone hammer $59.99
Aguilar amPlug 3 Tone Hammer Bass Guitar Headphone Amplifier
amPlug 3 Tone Hammer Mini AmpFralin launches custom Prewired Tele Deluxe ’72 Pickguard featuring Lindy Fralin’s Wide Range Humbuckers.
"Our custom pickguards are not just upgrades; they are transformations. Each pickguard is skillfully built with the legendary Lindy Fralin’s Wide Range Humbuckers, renowned for their rich, full-bodied sound that will take your tone to the next level.
Paired with CTS Pots that provide unmatched reliability and precise control of your sound, every strum and pick will resonate with clarity and depth."
Features
- The ultimate “Build Your Own” Telecaster Deluxe ’72 Pickguard
- USA-Made pickups & electronics for superior quality
- Hand-wired with USA-Made vintage cloth lead for a traditional look
- Fully customizable – from appearance to function
- Hand-assembled, signed, and dated by our pickguard craftsman
- 10-year warranty on materials and craftsmanship
For more information, please visit fralinpickups.com.
With buffered bypass and top-mounted jacks, this compact pedal is perfect for adding punch to your playing.
Carl Martin has introduced the Tone Tweaker, a 12dBboost pedal designed to unleash the full potential of your favorite gear. This subtle yet powerful booster pedal is built with an internal voltage booster that provides extra headroom and makes your beloved tube amp sound even better. It is perfect for cutting through the mix during solos and adding extra punch to your rhythm playing.
Tone Tweaker features an efficient 3-band equalizer, allowing you to fine-tune your sound with dedicated controls for Mid, Treble, and Bass. Whether you want to add warmth to your midrange, more sharpness to your treble, or extra depth to the low end, Tone Tweaker gives you the tools to shape your sound with exceptional effect – subtle yet powerful.
Key Features
- 12dB Boost: Instantly enhance your signal with a clean, transparent boost that preserves the integrity of your original tone.
- Internal Voltage Booster: Increases the amount of voltage sent into the pedal’s circuitry, providing extra headroom and boost.
- 3-Band Equalizer: Customize your sound with precise adjustments using the Mid, Treble, and Bass controls. It's far more powerful than you think.
- Buffered Bypass: Preserves signal strength and tone quality, ensuring your sound remains consistent even when the pedal is not engaged.
- Top-Mounted In/Out Jacks and Compact Design: Designed to take up minimal space on your pedalboard, with top-mounted jacks saving space and providing a cleaner setup.
You can purchase The Tone Tweaker for $149 directly from Carl Martin and, of course, also at leading music retailers worldwide.
For more information, please visit carlmartin.com.