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Iris
Elegant, simple, reliable, and affordable
Iris Guitars i is the relatively new guitar brand by Adam Buchwald, who made his mark working with the very best American guitar makers and repairers. He worked on vintage vintage Martins and Gibsons daily at Retrofret in New York, where he quickly realized how well those guitars were made. Buchwald took that knowledge to the high-end acoustic guitars of Circle Strings, Froggy Bottom, and Fairbanks. These are top-quality guitars, but they don't fit every budget, which is why you rarely see them on stage. Understandable, but also a shame.
In 2018, Buchwald changed that with his own brand: Iris guitars. They have the class of US-made boutique guitars, but reduced to the essence, making them much more affordable and made for use everywhere: at home, in the studio, and on stage. This is thanks, in part, to a clever open-pore nitro finish that gives the guitars a beautiful matte look and makes them super-resonant.
Boutique guitar for a budget price?
IIris guitars are not a bargain, so we wouldn't call them budget guitars, but the price-quality ratio is fantastic! That's why at The Fellowship of Acoustics, we're fans of the Iris Guitar Company since we first saw these guitars at a NAMM show. For example, we consider the Iris DF Schmeck. A very special slope shoulder dreadnought with 12 frets to the body dipped in a glorious sunburst. Made in the USA by golden hands with top-quality wood types.
The result is a great guitar that can handle just about any style and plays like butter.
The Iris OG is another model, and it's also a great guitar where you can recognize the hand of Master Buchwald. Compact, but with a slightly deeper soundbox with that typical open-pore finish for maximum responsiveness and a beautiful open sound.
Iris Guitar reviews
Acoustic https://guitar.com/ reviewed one of the first OG models and writes, "a winner in every respect."
We put the Iris DF to the test against a Gibson J45, and you can see that comparison here:
And our Leif de Leeuw just thinks Iris guitars are 'cool.'
Buying an Iris guitar
Initially, Buchwald sold his Iris guitars himself, but the demand has grown so much that he has been looking for the right partners. The Fellowship of Acoustics is proud to be an official Iris Guitars dealer. Because we also accept guitar trade-ins, we occasionally have used Iris guitars in our store. Want to know more about Iris Guitars? Be quick because they're going fast! As the only dealer on the European mainland, we're trying to keep the stock up, so feel free to call or email us if you want to know more about these special acoustic guitars.