2024 Iris MS-00, Sinker Sitka/Madagascar Rosewood

MS-00, SN: 1169

A popular guitar of the 1930’s, to judge by the number of them that survive to this day, is the grand concert, or 00 size. It is a larger body size than the parlor guitars of the 19th century; though smaller than the dreadnought and OM guitars that gained popularity as the 1930s drew to a close. The 00 size is again very popular due to their balanced tone across the fingerboard, with plenty of projection for most applications, along with an easy to hold and play body shape. Our version, the MS 00, is named for Mark Stutman, owner of Folkway Music of Waterloo Canada and an enthusiastic advocate for these smaller guitars.

This example has a Sinker Salmon Sitka top with Madagascar Rosewood back and sides. The top is a Dark Sunburst with a Firestripe pickguard, a three ply black-white-black rosette, Ivoroid binding with a black-white purfling for the top, and Ivoroid binding for the back, which, like the sides and neck, is in a natural satin finish. The neck is highly figured mahogany with an Ivoroid bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and a solid headstock. 

The headstock has vintage style Waverly three-on-a-plate tuners and a simple Iris Flower decal. The scale length is 24 ¾,” the nut width is 1 3/4” and the string spacing on the Brazilian rosewood bridge is 2.3125.” The neck is joined to the body at the fourteenth fret and there are nineteen frets in total with dot markers at the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelfth and fifteenth frets. The neck profile is a “V,” in keeping with the prewar origins of the design.

The top is constructed with Ladder Bracing, eschewing the more modern “X” style of bracing. No matter, the tone is already huge, with a rhythmic snap not often found outside of the lower priced and often ladder braced guitars from the inaugural years of the twentieth century. It is perfect for the blues, comfortable to play and good looking too!