Furch Guitars (Furch), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium-quality, all-solid-wood acoustic guitars, unveils Dark Yellow, the newest model in its Yellow Series lineup, featuring an all-Indian rosewood configuration.
Furch’s introduction of the all-rosewood Dark Yellow responds to a growing demand among fans for less conventional tonewood combinations. Petr Furch, CEO of Furch Guitars, explains, “Traditionally, soundboard construction has focused almost exclusively on spruce and cedar. However, today’s modern players are more discerning, requiring a wider variety of sounds for their work. This trend is evident in the rising interest in guitars with different soundboard materials within our custom shop Rainbow Series. As engineers and innovators, we extract the fullest sonic qualities from a given material through meticulous development of bracing design and individual voicing of each soundboard. The creation of the Dark Yellow represents our commitment to broadening the available sonic spectrum further by applying these methods to Indian rosewood.”
Petr Furch further elaborates, “Our proprietary method of individual soundboard voicing enables us to measure the physical properties of each soundboard and fine-tune them to our preference by strategically adjusting its thickness in different areas. This ensures the maximum utilization of the acoustic potential inherent in each piece of tonewood.” According to Furch’s research, rosewood owes its unique sound to the tonewood’s density, which is roughly 30% higher than that of Sitka spruce. This results in an overall richer dynamic spectrum, offering a broader range of response to the player’s strum within the piano-forte range, ultimately resulting in a tone with greater depth. Furch adds, “We’ve already observed positive results with the application of our voicing process to less conventional soundboard tonewoods beyond just spruce and cedar. A recent testament to this is the rise in demand for our all-mahogany instruments, which have seen more than a 60% increase in production between Q4 of 2023 and Q1 of this year alone.”
While Indian rosewood has long been regarded for its use in the back and sides of acoustic guitars, its application on soundboards is less common. Petr Furch explains: “On the backs and sides of acoustic guitars, rosewood is known to deliver robust bass, clear midrange, and sparkling highs with remarkable sustain. Conversely, when utilized for soundboards, it offers warmth, richness, and lush overtones with intricate complexity and depth.” According to Furch, this, combined with rosewood’s exceptional sustain, contributes to a nuanced, expressive tone and an immersive playing experience suitable for diverse playing styles and musical genres. Furch also remarks on the visual allure of this model: “The deep, rich hues and intricate grain patterns of rosewood exude elegance and sophistication, making the Dark Yellow a visually captivating instrument. It perfectly complements our Yellow Series, known for its sleek, understated aesthetics.”
Finally, Furch alludes to the value of using Indian rosewood in terms of sustainability, especially for musical instruments. “Given the relatively low mass of rosewood used in a guitar compared to the average life cycle of an acoustic guitar, a small piece of rosewood can serve the player for a long time, and today a significant portion of the global rosewood supply is sourced from plantations.”
Specifications and Available Body Shapes
The Furch Dark Yellow comes in three body shapes: Gc (grand auditorium with cutaway), Dc (dreadnought with cutaway), and OMc (orchestra model with cutaway). As with all Furch models, the Dark Yellow incorporates a range of proprietary engineering innovations crafted to enhance the playing experience to the maximum. These include Furch’s unique individual soundboard voicing process, the pioneering CNR System® neck reinforcement design, and a UV-polymerized Full-Pore High Gloss Finish providing advanced resonance-enhancing and protective properties. In keeping with the aesthetic of the Yellow Series, the Dark Yellow boasts a sleek, refined design highlighted by artificial tortoise binding accentuated by premium abalone purfling on the rosette, as well as minimalist circular Eclipse inlays made of mother-of-pearl. The stylish, dark aesthetic of the Dark Yellow is further enhanced by details such as a black TUSQ nut and bridge saddle, along with machine head buttons made of polished ebony.
About Furch Guitars
Founded in 1981, Furch Guitars (Furch) has worked its way up to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of all-solid-wood acoustic guitars. The company’s production complex and head office are located in Velké Němčice in the municipality of Brno, Czech Republic. Furch instruments combine the company’s extensive know-how in handcrafting acoustic guitars with state-of-the-art technologies, production processes, and proprietary innovations. Thanks to that, the company is able to bring to the market premium-quality musical instruments with outstanding acoustic properties and excellent design parameters. Covered by a three-year warranty, Furch guitars are sold in over 40 countries on five continents. Furch employs over 70 luthiers and craftsmen and makes in excess of 9,000 instruments annually. Furch guitars are the preferred choice of such artists as Al di Meola, Suzanne Vega, Per Gessle, Glen Hansard, and Calum Graham. For additional information, visit www.furchguitars.com.