David E. Schneider custom acoustic guitar, spruce top with rosewood back and sides, Bearsville, New York, 2007. Approx. 41 1/4 x 15 1/4 x 4 3/16 in.

Custom hand-built acoustic guitar by Bearsville, New York luthier David "Dave" Schneider, completed on March 30, 2007 (serial number 1055). Schneider, who trained under master archtop builder Jimmy D'Aquisto and lute maker Lawrence Brown, brings distinct boutique architecture to this flat-top design. Features a fine-grained natural spruce soundboard offset by a unique ebony pickguard, an asymmetric ebony pin bridge, and an oval soundhole. The headstock exhibits Schneider's signature cutout aperture with a rosewood veneer, mother-of-pearl logo inlay, and gold tuners with ebony buttons. Beautifully figured rosewood back and sides paired with a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, and gold strap button. Accompanied by its fitted black TKL hard shell case with plush burgundy interior.

Custom single-luthier acoustic guitars with direct D'Aquisto lineage and modern architectural appointments occupy a strong niche among acoustic collectors and playing musicians. While boutique solo builders lack the immediate brand-name recognition of major factory brands like Martin or Gibson, the exceptional materials, artisan craftsmanship, and relative scarcity of Schneider's bench-built output make this instrument desirable to both collectors and players alike. 

Excellent. Shows minimal signs of handling or play wear, with clean gloss finish across the top, back, and neck. Frets and fingerboard remain in superb shape, and structural integrity is excellent throughout.