Hanson Yao, 2026

Built for GuitarCollection.com to our exact specifications, this is Hanson Yao's personal top doubletop model: a cedar double top over Brazilian rosewood back and sides, on a 640mm scale. Hanson reserved his finest materials for this one, and it shows the moment you open the case.

We have known Hanson and his work for years, and his doubletops are the instruments that have quietly found their way into the hands of many of today's top professionals. René Izquierdo, Kevin Loh, Aniello Desiderio, Ricardo Gallén, Pavel Steidl, Irina Kulikova, Gabriel Bianco, Stephanie Jones, Zoran Dukić, Kanahi Yamashita and Elina Chekan have all performed on Hanson double tops, and you can watch several of them below. These are players known not only for technical command and for being picky about their instruments, but for being expressive, top level musicians. That is a telling endorsement.

Just as telling: this guitar delivers the power, sustain and color palette of the top doubletops on the market at a considerably more accessible price point. It arrived to us only days ago, brand new, and everything we describe below is what it does right out of the case

Sound & Character

This one packs a punch. It is extremely loud, yet it responds to the most subtle dynamic changes, so the volume never comes at the expense of nuance. The sustain is remarkable for a guitar of any construction, and notes bloom and hang in the air well past where you expect them to fade.

What strikes us most is how even it is. Every string and every register speaks with the same authority, from the low E up through the highest positions on the first string, with no weak spots and no notes that jump out of line. The basses are deep and full without turning muddy, and the trebles are clear and singing with real body behind them.

The color palette is unusually wide, and you do not have to work for it. Small shifts of the right hand, well short of a full move to the bridge or the fingerboard, produce a noticeably different timbre. That combination of evenness and easy color makes the guitar predictable in the best sense: you always know what you are going to get, which makes it extremely easy to make music on. This is exactly the quality that draws consummate professionals to these instruments.

We are seeing all of this on a guitar that has been played for a matter of days. A sound demo is coming soon, but rest assured, this one is a killer.

Playability

The 640mm scale is the headline here. It takes the reach out of the big stretches and makes long sessions feel effortless, without any sense of compromise in tone or projection. The 51.5mm nut keeps the string spacing comfortable for the right hand.

The neck is ultra smooth, and we specifically requested tall frets, which give a clean, precise feel under the left hand and make barres and slurs noticeably easier. The elevated fingerboard opens up access to the upper positions.

The double top is built in the German tradition: two very thin skins of cedar sandwiched around a Nomex honeycomb core, giving a top that is extremely light and stiff at the same time. That is where the projection, the fast response and the long sustain come from.

The back and sides are Brazilian rosewood of exceptional figure, the kind of set a maker holds back for his best work. The neck is Spanish cedar with a carbon fiber reinforcement rod for long term stability, with an ebony fingerboard. The entire guitar is French polished, the thin, hand applied shellac finish found on the finest concert instruments, which adds almost nothing in weight and lets the woods speak freely. It is fitted with Alessi tuners, handmade in Italy and the machines of choice on many of the world's finest concert guitars.

The guitar ships in a sleek case, and there are some nice goodies inside to help you take care of the instrument (see the photo).

Specifications

Model: Hanson Yao's personal top doubletop model
Top: Cedar double top with Nomex core
Finish: French polish, entire guitar
Neck: Spanish cedar with carbon fiber reinforcement, elevated ebony fingerboard, tall frets
Built For: GuitarCollection.com, to our specifications
Case: Deluxe case with care accessories included
Condition: Brand new

Hanson Yao (Yao Xin) is one of China's most respected contemporary guitar makers. He trained in woodworking and craftsmanship at the China Academy of Art, then traveled to Spain in the early 2000s to learn classical guitar construction directly from the Spanish school. He builds in Conghua, near Guangzhou, where every instrument is made to the exact requirements of the musicians who order them.

He builds concert instruments in both traditional and double top construction, and it is the doubletops in particular that have become working instruments for touring concert artists around the world. Hanson has backed that community by supporting concerts, festivals and masterclasses internationally.

Hear Hanson double tops in the hands of the pros:

René Izquierdo plays Debussy's Arabesque No. 1 on a Hanson double top
René Izquierdo plays Ojos Brujos by Brouwer on a Hanson double top
Kevin Loh plays Oblivion by Piazzolla on a Hanson double top
Kevin Loh, home concert on a Hanson double top
Aniello Desiderio plays Torroba's Suite Castellana on a Hanson double top
Ricardo Gallén plays Walton's Bagatelle No. 3 on a Hanson double top
Gabriel Bianco plays Capricho Árabe on a Hanson double top
Stephanie Jones plays Otoño Porteño on a Hanson double top
Zoran Dukić plays Barrios on a Hanson double top
Irina Kulikova plays Tárrega on a Hanson double top
Pavel Steidl plays Houghton's Ophelia on a Hanson double top
Kanahi Yamashita plays Ponce on a Hanson double top
Elina Chekan plays Barrios on a Hanson double top

Brand new. This guitar arrived to us directly from Hanson's workshop only days ago and has been played only for evaluation and photography. No wear, no issues, all original.