Kevin Ryan Signature Series "Oceanos" Nightingale Grand Soloist - Engelmann Spruce & Pale Moon Ebony - NAMM 2026 #1300

The Kevin Ryan Signature Series Oceanos Nightingale Grand Soloist is a breathtaking fusion of advanced acoustic engineering and museum level artistry, built to celebrate both the natural world and the lifetime craft of one of modern luthiery’s most influential voices.

Kevin Ryan’s career spans decades of relentless experimentation, refinement, and innovation. Long before boutique guitars became a mainstream obsession, Ryan was already redefining what a contemporary acoustic instrument could be. From pioneering ergonomic body contours to developing structural systems that improve resonance and long term stability, his work has consistently pushed beyond tradition while honoring it. Today, Ryan works alongside a small, exceptionally skilled team of craftspeople in California, each instrument shaped by hand and guided through every stage with obsessive attention to detail. The result is a limited output of guitars that sit comfortably among the most coveted in the world.

Oceanos belongs to Ryan’s Cellar Door Series, a collection reserved for his most visually daring and concept driven creations. These instruments showcase rare tonewoods, experimental finishes, and themed artistic packages that feel closer to commissioned art pieces than production models. The Oceanos theme draws its inspiration from the sea, expressed through flowing grain lines, luminous shell work, and a top finish that is genuinely one of a kind.

The Master Grade Engelmann spruce soundboard is finished in a dramatic, oceanic treatment that highlights natural figure while adding depth and motion across the surface. Paired with Pale Moon ebony back and sides, whose striking streaks of gold and charcoal ripple like underwater currents, the guitar makes an unforgettable visual statement before a single note is played. The Florentine sharp cutaway keeps the silhouette sleek and purposeful, while an ebony binding theme frames the body with understated authority.

Mother of pearl purfling traces the soundboard, back, and sides, complemented by Black Tahitian pearl fingerboard purfling accented with MOP MicroPearl. The Oceanos Art Rosette, rendered in Black Tahitian pearl with mother of pearl purfling, anchors the design, while the Oceanos dolphins inlay at the twelfth fret adds a graceful focal point. Additional shell work continues at the headstock with mother of pearl purfling, a Blue Paua Ryan “R” logo with MOP MicroPearl, and a Black Tahitian pearl purfling detail on the truss rod cover. The ebony bridge is finished with Black Tahitian pearl purfling, tying the entire aesthetic together with quiet precision.

Functionally, the guitar is loaded with Ryan’s Innovation Suite, a collection of proprietary systems that define his modern approach to acoustic design. The Ryan Ergonomic Bevel with flutes improves playing comfort and airflow around the soundboard edge. EO bracing and the Acoustic Honeycomb structure enhance responsiveness and dynamic range, while the Ryan Micro Adjustable truss rod system allows for ultra precise setup control. Titanium bridge pins increase clarity and sustain, and the A5 Racing Stripe kerfed liner adds strength while reducing overall mass.

Premium hardware includes Gotoh Super 510 black chrome machine heads fitted with Cosmo Black buttons and embossed Ryan logos, reinforcing the instrument’s stealthy, high end presence. Playability is dialed in with a 1.75 inch nut width, 2.25 inch bridge spacing, and a long 25.7 inch scale length that delivers power, headroom, and articulation in equal measure.

Weighing in at an astonishingly light 5 pounds 2 ounces, the Oceanos feels alive in the hands, resonant even before amplification. It was showcased at NAMM 2026 as a statement piece for the Cellar Door Series and ships in a Calton flight case befitting a true collector grade instrument.

The Kevin Ryan Oceanos Nightingale Grand Soloist is not simply a showcase of rare materials and dazzling ornamentation. It is the distilled vision of a master luthier and his elite workshop, an exploration of how far the acoustic guitar can be pushed when imagination, engineering, and artistry are allowed to run free.

Other specifications include:

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

Product Images