Tippin Bravado Healdsburg 2007, European Bearclaw Spruce & Brazilian Rosewood

The Tippin Bravado is a shallow body jumbo that maintains excellent string-to-string balance while incorporating the powerful bass and richness typically associated with larger bodied guitars. Measuring just over 16” across the lower bout, the Bravado is a conservative jumbo with a completely different approach to bracing the top. With its slightly longer scale, this model is equally suited to flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar playing, as well as vocal accompaniment. The Bravado produces the trademark rich bass, snappy mids, and definitive trebles of the Tippin sound while providing excellent headroom.

This very special model was built for the 2007 Healdsburg Guitar Festival, and Bill went all out on this showpiece. A gorgeous bearclaw European spruce top is paired with old-growth Brazilian rosewood—no doubt two of the best tonewoods for this design. The appointments are absolutely stellar, too, from the koa binding, to the lotus-like flower inlay on the fretboard with its MOP and turquoise accents, to the delicate abalone purfling, rosette and backstrip. This guitar has been clearly well-kept, as it is in excellent condition with no issues to note, save for the finish sinking into the grain of the porous rosewood back.