Retrograde Guitars Cambridge Rockport Blue

Sold

Description

"The goal of Retrograde Guitars is to explore the potential of the electric laminate top guitar, and to create a unique instrument with a clear and open voice. The design draws from the early jazz boxes of the 30s & 40s and the catalog guitars of the 50s & 60s. By using vacuum press technology, hand-carved necks, hand-rubbed colors and home-brewed varnishes, I combined modern building methods with old-world lutherie." - Glenn Nichols

This is our first solid-color Retrograde Cambridge and it does not disappoint. Retrograde mastermind, Glenn Nichols, calls it Rockport Blue and it looks incredible! Honestly, it makes us long for the summer days spent on the North Shore which are rapidly slipping by here in September...

While the name Retrograde Guitars may be new to you, Glenn's work likely is not. Glenn was the finish department foreman at Santa Cruz guitars, was in charge of French Polish restorations for renowned classical guitar maker Kenny Hill, and is currently Bill Tippin's only employee. In other words, Glenn knows a thing or two about building exceptional instruments.

The Cambridge is a very lightweight instrument with a beautiful acoustic (and electric) voice. The tones and playability are really addictive and inspiring. It sounds like an old, perfectly seasoned guitar with a gorgeous acoustic voice. Seriously, you could play it happily for extended periods of time before ever thinking of plugging it in. 

Plugged in, that same airy acoustic voice combines with the chime and output of great sounding set of McNelly goldfoil pickups. It's easy to coax expressive tones from this hollow-body, and while you can dig in, this guitar really rewards players that have a light touch. 

Players that are into student model guitars but wish they were better build quality-wise, look no further. Priced with hardshell case. 

Specs

  • Top - 5-ply laminate with Mahogany core
  • Bracing - German Spruce 
  • Back - 6-ply Maple laminate 
  • Sides - Solid Maple
  • Neck - Port Orford Cedar (Upgrade)
  • Fingerboard - Granadillo
  • Headstock - Boat paddle, Madagascar Rosewood
  • Backstrap - Madagascar Rosewood
  • Scale Length - 24.9"
  • Nut Width - 1 11/16"
  • Neck Joint - "Catalog Style" 3-bolt
  • Frets - Medium 
  • Binding - Single Ivoroid
  • Inlay - Pearl Retrograde logo, gold pearl fingerboard dots
  • Side dots - White
  • Pickups - McNelly Ricky Style Gold Foils
  • Volume, Volume, Tone, 3-way, Emerson Paper-in-oil capacitor 
  • Tuners - Gotoh Relic Kluson style 
  • Bridge - Handmade adjustable, Granadillo/Maple
  • Tailpiece - Solid Gretsch Style 
  • Nut - Unbleached Bone
  • Strap Buttons - Ivoroid 
  • Hand rubbed antique varnish finish 
  • French Polish - neck, overlay
  • Custom Color - Rockport Blue (Upgrade)
  • .011-.052 D'Addario Strings
  • Humicase Hardshell Case
  • SN 17

Go back