Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Gallery: 2016 Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration

Showcasing hundreds of drool-worthy, handcrafted instruments, a new U.S. guitar show makes its successful debut.

Kraut Guitars

Oregon luthier Raymond Kraut brought one of the most talked about guitars at the show, thanks to its stunning back and sides. The amazing figuring is inherent in the pale moon ebony, and a photo hardly does it justice. Pale moon is a Southeast Asian relative of traditional African ebony, and its cost is on par with solid black ebony.
krautguitars.com

The inaugural Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration was held September 29 to October 2 in sunny coastal California. The event brought hundreds of top luthiers and players who displayed their craftsmanship, gave seminars, and held intimate concerts. The Earl Warren Showgrounds served as a fitting venue, as in decades past it hosted concerts from such acts as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys, the Doors, Cream, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin.

The show pulled widely from Canada and Europe, with heavy representation from the U.S. West Coast. Also on sale were top-grade woods, inlay materials, and custom bindings. Luthiers were open with their time, and many fans enjoyed hearing builders talk shop. Among the visitors was Santa Barbara resident and guitar pickup guru, Seymour Duncan, who could be seen checking out all the beautiful instruments on display.

Top Rig Rundowns of 2024
- YouTube

This year PG landed some elsuive white whales (TOOL, Pantera & Jack White), revisited some revamped setups (Jason Isbell, Foo Fighters & Kingfish), and got introduced to some unusual gear (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Plus, the hosts share their favorite moments from the last 52 episodes before dropping a few coins into the wishing well for 2025 Rundown guests.

Read MoreShow less

OM-balance and comfort suited for the fingerstylist on a budget.

Comfortably, agreeably playable. Balanced dimensions. Nice fretwork.

Lighter mahogany top looks less classically mahogany-like. Some compressed sounds in heavy-strumming settings.

$299

Guild OM-320
guildguitars.com

3.5
4
4
4

The Premier Guitar crew is spoiled when it comes to hanging out with nice flattops. But while those too-brief encounters with acoustics we canā€™t afford teach us a lot about the flattop at its most refined, they also underscore a disconnect between the cost and the acoustic guitarā€™s status as a true folk instrument of the people.

Read MoreShow less

Featuring vintage tremolos, modern slicer effects, and stereo auto-panners, the update includes clever Rate and Tempo controls for seamless syncing and morphing.

Read MoreShow less
Bohlinger Tests EMG's SL20 Steve Lukather Pickguard on a '90s Strat
- YouTube

PG's demo master quickly (and easily) drops in an H-S-S setup into his 1994 40th Anniversary Stratocaster that needed help. Find out what happens when gets his first taste of active pickups.

Read MoreShow less