Andreas Kirschner, 2026

Sweetness and clarity are usually at odds; this 640mm Kirschner doubletop has both. It is the first new spruce doubletop by Andreas Kirschner we have had in hand, built for GuitarCollection.com in his workshop in Niedenstein, Germany, and built exactly to the brief we discussed with him: a 640mm scale, a very thin C-shaped neck, and an action set almost impossibly low.

Kirschner is one of Germany's most celebrated doubletop makers, and spending time with this guitar makes his waitlist easy to understand. His instruments are elegant machines for music making, built with the player's comfort at the top of his mind. Beneath a spruce, Nomex, and cedar top sits one of the most vividly colored sets of Indian rosewood we have seen in years, all under a French polish so clean it looks like glass.

At 640mm, with a 52.5mm nut, this is a guitar for players who want comfort without giving anything up. For many players the shorter scale is the starting point of a guitar search, and this one makes the case for it: stretches fall naturally, the low action stays clean under real force, and the bass is huge. Very few guitars this easy to play can be pushed this hard.

Sound

The first impression is a very large palette of colors and a rich, deep voice. The guitar is extraordinarily responsive, ringing at the slightest touch, and every shift of the right hand brings out a new shade of tone.

Play an open E and the guitar sounds as though its main air resonance sits very low, yet it is actually a G. That pairing is a gift: the depth of a low-tuned instrument with the evenness a slightly higher resonance tends to bring across the whole guitar, and it works beautifully in Kirschner's favor.

The first string is chimey, glassy, and crystalline, and it strikes a blend few guitars manage. A clear guitar can tip into harshness and a warm one into mud; this one is both sweet and clear at once. At the top of the range there is a lovely sparkle that leaves a trail of overtones behind each note, always answered by a beautiful bass response.

The guitar is strung entirely in nylon, with no carbon trebles, and it does not need them. The second string comes up to volume quickly with an organic, sweet, and sensitive voice, and the third string is plenty bright and very clear. The fourth and fifth strings are thick, loud, and deeply resonant, with a phenomenal range of color, and the sixth is simply huge: fat, powerful, and especially thrilling in drop D.

This is a doubletop that can sincerely be pushed. Kirschner is not chasing the loudest guitar on the planet, yet the volume that comes from this one when it is asked for is remarkable. Some guitars reward only the most controlled players, and others are forgiving above all. This one sits right in the middle, in a true sweet spot of warmth and clarity that makes it familiar and pleasing for nearly any player.

It is also remarkably easy to control and beautifully balanced from string to string. Is it the scale length? Is it the action? Having played it at length, we believe it comes from the sound itself.

Playability

Andreas built this guitar exactly as we had hoped. The very thin C-shaped neck sits easily in the hand, and the action is so low it seems impossible given how hard the guitar can be driven without buzzing. Combined with the 640mm scale, everything feels easy under the fingers.

The 640mm scale shortens the reach between frets and eases string tension, so wide stretches and long barres take noticeably less effort, while the 52.5mm nut keeps the left hand comfortable. A raised fingerboard opens up easy access to the upper frets.

At 1,490 grams the guitar is light in the hands without being a featherweight, and it sits comfortably in the lap. Side position dots at the 7th, 12th, and 17th frets, specified by GuitarCollection.com, keep navigation clean and unobtrusive.

The top is a three-layer doubletop: a spruce outer skin, a Nomex honeycomb interior layer, and a cedar underneath layer, braced with a seven-fan pattern. The construction keeps the top extremely light and stiff, the source of a doubletop's responsiveness and projection, and the spruce itself shows beautiful figuring across its surface.

The rosette is striking, with rich reds framed by fine light lines on its inner and outer rings, and the rosewood bridge echoes it with a miniature version of the same motif in its tie block. Those very fine lines are the kind of small detail that rewards a closer look.

Turn the guitar over and the Indian rosewood is a revelation. Sets with this much red and orange are more often found in Madagascar or Brazilian rosewood, and it is rare to see Indian rosewood like this. The two-piece back is so perfectly matched it almost reads as a single piece, and the sides are doubled for added rigidity.

The head is a clean, beautifully simple design with square slots, fitted with Scheller tuning machines, among the finest made. Silver base plates carry gold screws, and Andreas has turned every screw head in the same direction, a small touch that says a great deal about the attention he gives his guitars. The buttons are ebony with white rollers.

The French polish is flawless, mirror-like on the top and back alike, and so thin and clear that the wood seems to glow with nothing between it and the eye. The label carries Andreas Kirschner's signature and the year 2026.

Specifications

Top: Spruce doubletop (spruce outer layer, Nomex interior layer, cedar underneath layer)
Sides: Doubled
Bracing: Seven-fan
Finish: French polish
Neck: Very thin C shape
Fingerboard: Raised
Bridge: Rosewood, tie block inlay echoing the rosette
Position Markers: Side dots at frets 7, 12 and 17

Andreas Kirschner builds concert classical guitars in Niedenstein, a small town south of Kassel, Germany, and has devoted more than two decades to the craft, focusing almost entirely on doubletop construction. Alongside new builds, his workshop undertakes acoustic optimization of existing instruments, refining resonance, intonation, and sustain. Sustain and richness of tone are his top priorities; as he puts it, sound is his world.

We visited Andreas at his workshop, a bright room full of natural light overlooking a meadow, and were struck by his humble attitude toward guitar making. On that visit we played a brand new cedar doubletop of his, which we went on to represent, and we are proud to represent his guitars in the US. This guitar was built for GuitarCollection.com, and we are glad to help players reserve a future Kirschner.

New. Built for GuitarCollection.com in 2026 and arrived from the workshop in perfect condition, with a flawless French polish.