Kevin Ryan Mojave Series Nightingale Grand Soloist - Engelmann Spruce & Spalted Maple - NAMM 2026 #1302

The Kevin Ryan Mojave Series Nightingale Grand Soloist in Engelmann Spruce and Spalted Maple is a work of acoustic sculpture, a guitar that feels less built than revealed from extraordinary materials by the hands of a master. Shown here exactly as it appeared when it stopped players in their tracks at NAMM 2026, this featherlight marvel tips the scales at only 4 lb 14 oz, yet radiates authority, refinement, and breathtaking visual drama from every angle.

The Limited Engelmann Spruce top glows with quiet elegance, its pale, luminous surface animated by subtle mineral streaking and silken grain lines that speak to rare selection and patient seasoning. Engelmann is prized for its immediacy and sweetness, and in Ryan’s Nightingale Grand Soloist form it promises a voice of astonishing sensitivity, blooming under the lightest touch while opening into rich harmonic layers when driven harder. The body’s curves are framed by an ebony binding theme that sharpens every contour, lending a crisp, architectural contrast to the soft warmth of the spruce.

Turn the instrument over and the Mojave Series reveals its desert born soul. The Limited Spalted Maple back and sides are simply mesmerizing, a mirrored landscape of ink like lines, swirling figure, and molten amber hues that appear almost geological in their complexity. Each pattern feels organic and one of a kind, transforming the guitar into a visual artifact as much as a musical instrument. Black Tahitian Pearl purfling traces the back and sides with iridescent flashes, echoing the Binate Black Tahitian Pearl soundboard purfling on the top and the matching treatment around the headstock for a seamless, jewel like perimeter.

Ryan’s Arts and Crafts aesthetic is everywhere, yet never overwhelming. The rosette combines Honey Jasper and Black Tahitian Pearl in a bold, rhythmic pattern that frames the soundhole like a sunburst caught in motion. Along the fingerboard, the Southwest Arches inlay glows warmly in Honey Jasper and pearl, guiding the eye toward the upper frets with understated drama. The headstock is crowned with Arts and Crafts Squares in Black Tahitian Pearl, anchored by the radiant Honey Jasper “R” logo accented with MicroPearl, a signature flourish that feels both luxurious and precise. Even the truss rod cover is edged in Black Tahitian Pearl, proof that on a Ryan guitar, no surface is left without intention.

The sleek, dark hardware reinforces the Mojave’s modern elegance. Gotoh Super 510 black chrome machine heads with Cosmo Black buttons and embossed “R” logos gleam against the figured headstock veneer, offering flawless tuning stability and a tactile sense of mechanical perfection that mirrors the engineering within.

Beneath its stunning exterior lives Kevin Ryan’s renowned Innovation Suite, the unseen architecture that elevates this instrument into another class entirely. The Ryan Ergonomic Bevel with flutes softens the body edge for luxurious long session comfort while adding a sculptural accent along the rim. EO bracing and the Acoustic Honeycomb structure optimize stiffness and mass, unlocking explosive responsiveness and expansive dynamic range. The Ryan Micro Adjustable Truss Rod System allows microscopic control over setup, while titanium bridge pins enhance clarity and sustain. Inside the rim, the A5 “Racing Stripe” kerfed liner adds both strength and a hidden visual signature known only to those who peer inside.

Player focused proportions make this Nightingale irresistible in the hands. A 1.75 inch nut width and generous 2.25 inch bridge spacing invite expressive fingerstyle work, while the long 25.7 inch scale length delivers power, definition, and shimmering headroom for modern solo performance and intricate alternate tunings. Every measurement feels chosen not for tradition, but for excellence.

Delivered in a Calton flight case worthy of its stature, this Mojave Series Nightingale Grand Soloist is not merely a showpiece, though it dazzles at first sight. It is a declaration of Kevin Ryan’s lifelong pursuit of pushing the acoustic guitar forward, guided by a small, fiercely skilled team of craftspeople who execute his vision with obsessive precision. From the glowing Engelmann Spruce top to the hypnotic spalted maple back, from the Arts and Crafts inlays to the aerospace inspired internal systems, this guitar stands as a modern heirloom, built to inspire awe, reward mastery, and define what the future of boutique acoustic instruments can be.

Other specifications include:

For more information about the Ryan Nightingale Grand Soloist, please contact us.

Product Images