Hawthorne Lutherie Guitar

This guitar is a high-end, handcrafted acoustic made by Stephen McClenaghan from Hawthorne Lutherie, Belfast. With its figured and exotic tonewoods, high-spec hardware (like Gotoh 510 tuners), and thoughtful appointments like abalone purfling and mother-of-pearl inlays, it’s clearly designed for both beauty and tonal excellence. It would be well-suited for a professional fingerstyle player or anyone who appreciates fine luthiery. The attention to detail is phenomenal and the sound and playability has to be experienced.

General Aesthetic and Build

Body Shape: Concert model body with a deep waist and rounded lower bout, optimized for comfort and balance between volume and clarity.
Top: Walnut – Straight-grained, with a warm, organic look and known for its balanced tonal response.
Back and Sides: Indian Rosewood – The back features a book-matched grain with beautiful symmetry and deep chocolate hues, showcasing rich, swirling patterns. This wood is prized for its complex overtones and strong bass response.
Binding: Mahogany, accented with walnut, sycamore, and coachlines, which provide an elegant contrast while still feeling cohesive and natural.
Purfling: Abalone – Used on both the front and back, it adds a touch of brilliance and luxury without overwhelming the natural wood tones.

Neck & Headstock

Neck: Mahogany core with rosewood laminates – Provides strength and visual character. Dual stripes down the centre add an artisan feel.
Headstock: Faced with Tasmanian Blackwood, showing a beautiful figuring and a slightly curved top edge, complementing the guitar’s boutique aesthetic.
Machine Heads: Gotoh 510s with gunmetal finish buttons – Known for their precision, smooth tuning action, and high-ratio gearing.

Fretboard & Hardware

Fingerboard: Figured Ebony – Displays beautiful grain patterns with a dark base and lighter streaks, adding visual flair and excellent durability.
Bridge & Pins: Ebony bridge with matching pins featuring mother-of-pearl dots, a refined traditional touch.
Nut & Saddle: Bone – Preferred for its excellent tonal transfer and sustain.
Rosette: Made from solid ash, offering a subtle contrast to the walnut top while keeping a natural look.

Playability Specs

Nut Width: 45mm – Comfortable for both fingerstyle and light strumming.
Scale Length: 630mm – Slightly shorter than standard, making it easier to play, especially for complex chord work and bending.