Guitars

Avalon S35C
The Specs

Avalon S35c

Year: 2026
Builder: Avalon
Series: Performer
Model: S35C
Serial Number: TBD

Top: Cedar
Body: Rosewood
Body Finish: Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Size/Shape: Small
Body Width at Upper Bout: 10.625"
Body Width at Waist: 9"
Body Width at Lower Bout: 14.5"
Body Depth at Neck Joint: 3.5"
Body Depth at Tail Block: 4"
Body Binding: Maple
Body Purfling: Maple/Rosewood
Cutaway: Yes
Rosette: Abalone
Pickguard: None
Bridge: Ebony
Bridge Pins: Ebony w/ Pearl Dots
Saddle: 2-Piece Compensated Bone
String Spacing at Saddle: 2.25"

Neck: 5-Piece Mahogany/Rosewood
Neck Finish: Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Profile: Avalon Standard
Neck Joint: Dovetail
Heelcap: Ebony
Scale Length: 25.5"
Fretboard: Ebony
Fretboard Binding: None
Fretboard Inlay: None
Frets: 20
Frets to Body: 14
Fretboard Radius: 16"
Nut: Bone
Nut Width: 1.73"
Headstock: Avalon
Headplate: Ebony
Headplate Logo: Abalone Avalon Logo
Tuners: Gold Gotoh
Tuner Buttons: Ebony
Tuner Ratio: 18:1

Case: Avalon Hardshell Case
Pickup: None
Strings: D'Addario XS Jim Tozier Signature PB (.013-.056)

 

Photo above is not my actual guitar... just representative of an Avalon small-bodied guitar with a cedar top.

The Story

Shortly after returning to acoustic fingerstyle guitar in the summer of 2026, I decided I wanted a couple of small-bodied cedar-topped guitars because the Hamblin SJ had become too sentimental for daily use. So I contacted my friends at Avalon Guitars and placed an order!

The Lowden guitars I used to own—which were some of the best-sounding guitars I've ever played, and initiated my love affair with Irish-built guitars—all featured cedar tops and rosewood back and sides. I started off with an O25c, which had a jumbo body and a huge sound to match—but I eventually had to switch to a small-bodied S25c which was much more comfortable for fingerstyle playing. That S25c was the inspiration for this cedar/rosewood Avalon version.

Many of Avalon's aesthetic cues are taken from the days when the same luthiers were building Lowden Guitars. The elegant satin finish, wood bindings, abalone rosette, blank ebony fretboard, and 5-piece neck *not to mention the signature woody, spacious tone) give Avalon guitars a distinctly Irish identity.

I'll be documenting the build process with photos and regular updates to my Avalon Build page for anyone who's interested in following along as the guitar is being crafted.

The Photos

COMING SOON...

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