Without wanting to make too bad a judgment on a different guitar, against the Reid Vaultback, a normal price industry guitar would seems as it were the handicraft of a ten-year old child. Extraordinary, unique, far away from any mainstream and artistically valuable. The Vaultback Halo of DAR is a masterpiece of contemporary lutherie – without ifs and buts. Its unbelievable value as a musical instrument competes with its artistic quality. I am honoured to have been allowed to play a guitar that differs so much from anything known and which leaves such an impression. Considering how rare these creations are, how innovative, refined and special, I want to predict that they will also play a prominent role in the future.

Grand Gtrs Magazine

Realwood Headstock

Acoustic Guitar Magazine (US) Pick Their 8 Dream Guitars of the World, and a David Antony Reid VaultBack is one of them! March 2013

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE, US, PICK THEIR 8 DREAM GUITARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND A DAVID ANTONY REID VAULTBACK IS ONE OF THEM.

15.55-inch body with vaulted back. Flamed sequoia top. Cocobolo back and sides. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. 25.27-inch scale. Armrest bevel. Slotted headstock. Soundport. $14,000 darluthier.com

This heavily flamed sequoia top rubbishes the theory that it is the tube-like tracheid cells in spruce that channel sound. The very short grain here simply can’t have long tracheids, and it sounds fantastic! The bevel is one of the greatest modern innovations for guitar. I use these on all of my high-end instruments to complement the already very comfortable shape of the vaulted back and scalloped fingerboard.