Fairbanks F-20 Salvage - Burst - Sinker Sitka Spruce & Old Mahogany #0226402

The Fairbanks F-20 Salvage is a guitar shaped by time, history, and the steady hands of one of today’s most respected traditional builders. Dale Fairbanks has spent decades behind the bench studying the finest instruments of the prewar era, developing a deep understanding of the subtle construction details that give those guitars their unmistakable voice. His work is rooted in tradition without feeling bound by it, combining vintage inspiration with the touch, consistency, and musical responsiveness expected from an exceptional modern instrument.

Fairbanks’ association with Circle Strings places his work within a community devoted to thoughtful craftsmanship, historic restoration, and the continued study of great American guitars. That environment has given him invaluable access to remarkable vintage instruments and the opportunity to examine how their materials and construction have evolved over generations. The result is a guitar that does not simply resemble an old instrument, but reflects a builder who understands why those guitars feel and sound the way they do.

At the heart of this F-20 is a remarkable Sinker Salmon Trap Sitka spruce top. Recovered from wood once used in historic salmon traps, this spruce carries a story that began long before it became part of a guitar. Years of submersion and natural aging have given the wood a density, stability, and maturity that newly harvested material cannot easily replicate. Paired with old mahogany for the back and sides, it creates a voice that is dry, woody, and immediate, with clear fundamental notes and a beautifully seasoned character.

The compact F-20 body and short 24.75 inch scale make the guitar exceptionally comfortable, while the lightweight 3 pound 6 ounce build gives it a lively, open response. Adirondack spruce bracing provides strength and dynamic range, allowing the guitar to remain articulate under a light touch while still offering surprising headroom when played with authority. The mahogany neck is carved to a soft V profile, joined by a 1.75 inch nut width that feels familiar and accommodating for both fingerstyle playing and flatpicked accompaniment.

Indian rosewood is used for the fingerboard and bridge, complemented by mother of pearl inlays, ivoroid binding, and a tortoise celluloid pickguard. Waverly tuning machines provide smooth, precise operation, while the nitrocellulose burst finish gives the guitar the warm, beautifully aged appearance of a treasured instrument from another era.

The Fairbanks F-20 Salvage is more than a celebration of vintage design. It is a meeting of reclaimed materials, traditional handwork, and decades of accumulated knowledge. Every piece of wood has already lived a life, and under Dale Fairbanks’ hands, those materials have been given a new purpose and a new voice. Complete with a TKL case, this is an intimate, inspiring guitar with history in its grain and music waiting beneath the strings.

Other specifications include:

• Style: F-20 Salvage Series
• Top: Sinker Salmon Trap Sitka Spruce
• Back & Sides: Old Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Soft V
• Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood
• Bridge: Indian Rosewood
• Bracing: Adirondack
• Scale Length: 24.75"
• Nut Width: 1.75"
• Finish: Nitrocellulose Burst
• Pickguard: Tortoise Celluloid
• Tuners: Waverly
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl (MOP)
• Binding: Ivoroid
• Case: TKL
• Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
• Serial Number: 0226402

For more information about the Fairbanks F-20 Salvage Series, please contact us.

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