Greg Smallman & Sons, 2026

This brand new 2026 Greg Smallman and Sons guitar is an extraordinarily rare opportunity. New guitars from Greg Smallman almost never reach the public market, and this is the first brand new example we have ever had the privilege to offer.

Built with a cedar top and a stunning set of ziricote back and sides, including a beautiful sapwood center strip, this guitar represents the Smallman concept at its highest level: immense dynamic range, effortless projection, remarkable evenness across all six strings, and a responsiveness that opens up an enormous palette of color and expression. The guitar is heavy by design, and that weight settles into the lap in a way that feels anchored rather than cumbersome.

Specs

Luthier: Greg Smallman and Sons
Year: 2026
Top: Cedar
Back & Sides: Ziricote
Bracing: Carbon fiber reinforced lattice
Scale Length: 650 mm
Nut Width: 53 mm
Tuners: Exagon
Case: Leona
Condition: Brand New

Strings: D'Addario XTC45FF (carbon G and B), with the first string replaced by a high tension Pro Arte nylon 1st string
https://ddar.io/guitar-collection

If you're interested in purchasing, please write to me at evan@guitarcollection.com

Sound

The sound is immediate, expansive, and fully alive under the hands. The volume this guitar is capable of is genuinely striking, but what truly defines it is the distance between pianissimo and fortissimo: enormous, and with complete control at every point along the way. Even at full projection, quiet playing is easily accessible.

The evenness across all six strings is exceptional. The trebles ring with clarity and sustain even high up the neck, in registers where most guitars start to fade. The basses have real weight and growl, but soften beautifully when asked. The sixth string in particular has a fundamental that lingers, with overtones that keep building long after the note is struck. This is a guitar that rewards musical expressiveness at every level.

Playability

The setup is extremely comfortable, with tall, wide frets and a C-shaped neck profile on the medium to thick side. Scale length is 650mm with a 53mm nut, standard for Smallman. The seamlessly integrated armrest makes extended playing particularly easy.

One of the most distinctive features of this guitar is the adjustable neck: a simple hex key (included) allows you to raise or lower the action yourself, with no need for a luthier. Whether you want the lowest possible action for intimate playing or a slightly higher setup for a demanding concert program, the adjustment takes seconds.

The guitar does reward some touch adaptation. The response is so immediate that players new to Smallman instruments often find they need to recalibrate slightly. Those who do find the experience remarkable.

Aesthetics and Construction

The ziricote back and sides are visually spectacular, with bold figuring and a dramatic sapwood strip down the center. The arched back, a hallmark of the Smallman design, adds structural depth. The cedar top is beautifully chosen, extremely lightweight by design, and protected both above the soundhole and under the bridge tie-block. The classic Smallman rosette, unchanged since the 1980s, includes small red accents that echo the paduk bridge, a lightweight, precisely fitted component integral to how these guitars transmit energy. The Exagon tuning machines are exceptionally smooth.

The carbon fiber reinforced lattice bracing beneath the top is the foundation of everything this guitar does acoustically. Greg Smallman and his sons Damon and Kim pioneered this system, and it remains one of the most significant advances in classical guitar construction of the modern era.