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2008 Palen 17

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SN#: 64, signed by the maker

Finish: amber blonde finish, nitrocellulose type

Body size at lower bout: 17" Body depth: 3" Scale length: 25" Nut Width: 1 3/4"

Materials: Solid handcarved bookmatched X-braced spruce top; solid handcarved bookmatched AAA fiddleback maple back, sides and neck; solid ebony fingerboard; multi-bound body and f-holes.

Hardware: Adjustable compensated ebony bridge; solid handcarved ebony tailpiece; gold Gotoh 510 18X1 tuners; ebony pickguard with Armstrong floating humbucking pickup with thumbwheel controls mounted under pickguard, endpin jack.

Notes: From his workshop in the Smoky Hills of the Solomon River Valley in north central Kansas, Nelson Palen has been single handedly building meticulously hand crafted guitars for over a decade.With a background in precision machining and tool design, Palen works to extremely fine tolerances on every instrument, giving his guitars a remarkable consistency in fit, finish and graduation. Each instrument is built entirely by hand, and individually tap tuned. No more than a handful will be completed in a given year. Best of all, Palen's commitment to the working player has meant that his instruments combine superb playability with excellent value.

The guitar is constructed of highly figured AAA fiddleback flame maple, and is fitted with all handmade ebony hardware. The X-braced body features a nimble 25" scale, and the neck profile is gently flattened to glide effortlessly across the palm. At just 5lb 13oz. the instrument is notably light in weight, and the voice is unusually clear, open and resonant, with a vibrant acoustic projection rare in cutaway guitars. The Armstrong pickup provides flawless response, and the stealth thumbwheels offer unobtrusive control of volume and tone. All solid, all carved, all hand crafted, the Palen 17 is the rare instrument that sounds every bit as good as it looks.

Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Original deluxe arched plush lined hardshell case.

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