2021 Atkin The Forty Three – £2499

NEW ARRIVAL  I can’t remember the last time a British luthier made such an impact on the guitar buying market. Although Alistair Atkin’s been around for over 25 years, since he started building guitars based very closely on Gibson and Martin classics, he’s become a big name. He was also one of the first to use an ageing process in his guitar production that, together with light build and thin lacquer, allow them to age faster. This guitar is his take on a Gibson J45, a classic slope shoulder dreadnought, with torrefied Spruce top and Mahogany back and sides. The guitar is a great all rounder – there’s a warmth and depth to the strummed sound, with great detail and clarity when fingerpicked. The guitar is very comfortable to play with easy action. Because of the thin, aged Nitro finish, the guitar already has a few scrapes – but that’s the design, a modern guitar that will look old before it’s time. It comes in it’s original branded hard case.