I’m thrilled to unveil my latest Odalisque Model guitar, affectionately known as The Tasmanian Tiger, since the incredible (Tasmanian) Tiger Myrtle back and sides really define the astounding visual beauty of this instrument, and does indeed strongly resemble a tiger’s markings. As my client and I delved deeper into the story of the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger, we were both drawn to the idea of honoring this strange and beautiful creature.

As beautiful as the Myrtle wood is, the true heart and soul of this guitar is in the superlative Alpine Spruce that went into the top, and the Red (Adirondack) Spruce used to brace it. That soundboard, along with the body shape, imparts a terrific balanced voice with rich trebles and punchy, compressed lows and low-mids in a guitar that projects beautifully, yet also feels intimate and familiar.

Playability and setup are absolutely paramount on all my instruments. I’ve developed a methodology, through doing repair work, that serves me well when setting up my own instruments. This is also an area where I feel being a player is absolutely essential, so that the frets can be dressed to ultimate suppleness and comfort from a player’s standpoint.

Note the five toes that are particular to thylacines — both canines and felines have four.