2023 - James Olson SJ - Western Red Cedar & Brazilian Rosewood

Description Few instruments stand at the summit of modern acoustic luthiery quite like those crafted by James Olson. For decades, his name has been spoken with a kind of reverence reserved for poets, visionaries, and saints of tone. His guitars have shaped the recorded voices of some of the most beloved musicians of our time, including James Taylor and Phil Keaggy, each of whom found in Olson’s work an instrument that transcends wood and wire. To play one is to step into the rarefied air of perfect craftsmanship and living sound. This 2023 James Olson SJ, built from the most exquisite materials available to human hands, is a work of deep devotion. The top, carved from Master Grade Western Red Cedar, glows with the quiet warmth and responsiveness that have become a hallmark of Olson’s voice. Its pairing with Master Grade Brazilian Rosewood back and sides forms a marriage of tonewoods that is both rich and celestial—lush, resonant lows that bloom endlessly beneath trebles that shimmer like light off water. The response is instantaneous, the balance effortless, and the sustain seemingly without end. The body is wrapped in Curly Koa binding, golden and fluid as sunlight through amber. Abalone top purfling and a radial Brazilian Rosewood and abalone rosette shimmer with a restrained grace, giving the guitar a sense of radiance without excess. A matching Curly Koa tail wedge completes the body’s delicate geometry, while the abalone and mother-of-pearl dove inlays across the ebony fingerboard evoke a sense of peace and flight, symbols that have long graced Olson’s most iconic creations. Every detail reveals the patient hand of a master. The ebony front and rear headstock veneers, paired with an abalone logo inlay, whisper of elegance. The five-piece neck of mahogany, maple, and Brazilian rosewood offers both visual poetry and structural strength, its satin finish feeling alive beneath the touch. Maple and black purfling along the back and sides, an ebony bridge and heel cap, and precisely cut bone nut, saddle, and pins demonstrate a level of artistry that borders on the sacred. The Gotoh 510 tuning machines, with their black buttons, operate with effortless precision, ensuring that every nuance of pitch is honored. Though used, this particular guitar remains in like-new condition, as if time itself had paused to preserve it. It arrives protected in a Calton flight case, as worthy a companion as one could imagine for an instrument of this stature. At 4 pounds 12 ounces, it sits perfectly balanced in the lap, inviting the player into communion with its voice. The Olson SJ is not simply a guitar; it is a testament to what can be achieved when craftsmanship is guided by soul. It is the sound of patience, the sound of care, and the sound of a lifetime spent chasing beauty until beauty finally stood still long enough to sing. Other specifications include: Master Grade Western Red Cedar Top Master Grade Brazilian Rosewood Back & Sides Curly Koa Body Binding Abalone Top Purfling Radial Brazilian Rosewood & Abalone Rosette Curly Koa Tail Wedge Abalone & MOP Doves Fingerboard Inlay Abalone Headstock & MOP Logo Inlay Ebony Front & Rear Headstock Veneers Ebony Fingerboard & Bridge Maple/Black/Maple Back & Side Purfling 5 Piece Neck - Mahogany/Maple/Brazilian Rosewood Gotoh 510 Tuning Machines with Black Buttons Ebony Heel Cap Bone Nut, Saddle & Pins Calton Flight Case 25.4" Scale Length 1.75" Nut Width 2.25" Bridge Spacing 4 lb 12 oz #1705 For more information on this Olson SJ, contact us today. Manufacturer James Olson Body Style Brazilian Rosewood, Small Jumbo Actual Weight 4.12 Condition Excellent Model SJ Year 2023