Thomas Humphrey, 2000

Thomas Humphrey named his famous raised fingerboard design the Millennium, but only a handful of guitars were actually built in the millennium year itself. This is one of them. Look inside and the label reads Thomas Humphrey 2000, New York, with a special marking beneath it: Limited Edition Year 2000. I have seen a lot of Thomas Humphrey guitars over the years, and this is the first Limited Edition from the actual year 2000 I have ever had in my hands.

Through the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s, Humphrey was building for many of the most important names in classical guitar. The Assad brothers, Eliot Fisk, and Sharon Isbin all played his instruments, and it is no accident that so many artists still hold on to their Humphreys today. Guitars like this one remind you why.

This example brings together everything the Millennium is known for: a spruce top, a beautiful set of Brazilian rosewood back and sides with a warm orange glow, lattice bracing with carbon reinforcement, and the dramatically elevated fingerboard that helped define the modern raised fingerboard classical guitar. And it is in near mint condition.

Sound & Character

From the first chord you hear the beautiful balance and projection Humphrey guitars are known for. This one is simply a singer. The artists who played these instruments wanted very vocal first strings, and you hear exactly that lyrical quality here, the kind of voice you associate with the great Humphrey recordings of the period.

Every note blooms, and the palette is wide: you can pull everything from a brassy attack to a normal brightness to something warm and lush. Volume requires no effort at all. The second string comes out of the gate hot, the third is unusually clear, and the character stays even all the way across the sixth string.

The response is remarkably quick. Notes speak so immediately that the sound almost seems to arrive before your finger leaves the string. Even left hand slurs alone produce full, present notes, no plucking needed.

Playability

If you have never played on a raised fingerboard like this, it will surprise you. Playing up high feels so natural that the 14th fret basically feels like the 12th, and the notes sound great up there too. The neck is quite thin and C shaped, paired with a 650mm scale, a 52.5mm nut width, nice tall frets, and a very low action. The guitar feels quick under the fingers from the first moment.

The first thing you notice is Humphrey's iconic rosette of roses, a pop of color and design that reads as something special even from a distance. The tie block carries a delicate wheat motif, and the same motif runs along the purfling on the outside edges of the top.

The elevated fingerboard comes from the body itself, which tapers from thicker to thinner. Underneath the spruce top, which has taken on lovely color with age, is Humphrey's lattice bracing with carbon reinforcement. Despite that construction, the guitar comes in at just 1,665 grams, nowhere near the very heavy class of lattice braced instruments. The Brazilian rosewood back features a nice center strip, and the headstock is veneered in that same beautiful rosewood, fitted with tuners with white rollers.

Specifications

Model: Millennium "Limited Edition"

Back & Sides: Brazilian Rosewood

Construction: Lattice braced with carbon reinforcement

Finish: French Polish

Condition: Near mint, no cracks or repairs

Thomas Humphrey, based in New York, was one of the most important American classical guitar makers of the modern era. His Millennium design, with its raised fingerboard, lattice bracing, and other modern features, influenced a generation of builders and players. His guitars were played on stage and on record by artists including the Assad brothers, Eliot Fisk, and Sharon Isbin, and they remain highly desired instruments today.

This guitar is in near mint condition. There are a couple of small marks on the top, but no cracks and no repairs. The only other note is that the fret ends could benefit from some light polishing. The Brazilian rosewood back and sides are especially beautiful, and the spruce top is clean and well preserved.