2021 Jack Stepick "The Chestnut" Weissenborn-Style Hawaiian Guitar

Overview: Mr. Stepick has gained some great momentum with his Weissenborn-style Hawaiian guitars lately. He's a builder from New Jersey and continues the folksy tradition of these instruments by building in his own, interesting way. This guitar is particularly striking as it uses chestnut for the back, sides, and top.

Tone: It's full, warm, sustained, and wide-sounding. It's responsive and while the chestnut has some of that hardwood compression you expect from koa or mahogany when you dig into it hard, it's very even and easy to pull good sounds out of. I'd say it's more forgiving than a lot of the koa Weissenborn-style instruments I've played.

Feel: It's a hollowneck -- the strings are raised and the spacing is generous -- what else?

Interesting features: Unlike the original Weissenborns, this (and other Stepick models I've seen) have used a modified tonebar bracing pattern. It shouldn't work as well as it does but his guitars have excellent warmth, sustain, and fullness to individual notes that can sometimes be lacking on this style of instrument. Bracing aside, the builder's adherence (and variation on) standard Weissenborn inlay and binding styling cues is pretty cool. I love the faithful fretboard when set against the lighter-colored (maple?) binding and koa-colored, medium-red-brown finish of the chestnut.

Repairs included: I rearranged string spacing at the nut a hair and that was about it.

• Weight: 3 lbs 8 oz
• Scale length: 24 7/8"
• Nut width: 2 1/8"
• Neck shape: hollow/square
• Board radius: flat
• Body width: 15"
• Body depth: 3"
• Top wood: solid chestnut
• Back & sides wood: solid chestnut
• Bracing type: tonebar
• Bridge: oak or chestnut (not sure)
• Fretboard: chestnut as well?
• Neck wood: oak (I think)
• Action height at 12th fret: N/A
• String gauges: feels like 56w-13 (older strings)

Condition notes: It's more or less a newer guitar with very little playwear. The catch here is that the fit and finish are a little folksy here and there and the chestnut was salvaged so has wear and tear marks from its many years used already in other forms. The finish has an ever-so-slightly tacky feel if left against bare skin but it's not a big deal. Said finish does not have any grain fill or sealer under it so the wood's pores pop right out in glaring light. I like the rustic appeal.

It comes with: It has a nice hard case that has been modified to fit it (not pictured, sorry).

Consignor tag: HKS