Stephen Strahm EROSc - Italian Spruce & Brazilian Rosewood #101

There is a quiet authority to a guitar built by Stephen Strahm, the kind that only comes from years spent refining instinct into discipline. Strahm’s work is not about excess or spectacle. It is about intention. Every line, every joint, every choice of material reflects a luthier who has devoted decades to understanding how wood moves, how it breathes, and how it ultimately becomes music. His instruments feel less like objects and more like the culmination of a lifelong conversation with tone.

The EROSc stands as one of his most poetic expressions. The name EROS draws from Greek mythology, evoking the force of desire and creation, a fitting tribute to an instrument that feels alive in the hands. There is a sense of energy here, not aggressive, but deeply expressive. It responds to the lightest touch with nuance and opens up with remarkable depth when pushed, as if it is constantly meeting the player halfway.

At its core is a masterfully chosen Italian Spruce top, air dried for over twenty years through the Rivolta process. This top carries an immediacy and clarity that only time can grant, paired with Italian Spruce bracing that has aged even longer, sourced from violin stock and seasoned for over twenty five years. The result is a voice that is both articulate and elastic, capable of great power without ever losing composure.

The back and sides are something truly special. Figured flitch cut Brazilian Rosewood from the private collection of Jeff Traugott brings not only visual drama but a tonal complexity that is unmistakable. There is depth in the low end, a shimmering overtone content, and a natural reverb that lingers just long enough to feel immersive without becoming muddy. The flitch cut rosette and Brazilian Rosewood headstock veneer tie the instrument together visually, reinforcing the sense that nothing here is accidental.

Strahm’s use of the Traugott style floating back brace adds another layer of sophistication. It allows the back to behave more like an active component of the soundboard, enhancing resonance and projection in a way that feels effortless rather than engineered. This is complemented by West African Ebony bindings with maple purfling, along with an Ebony fingerboard and bridge that provide both structural integrity and a tactile sense of precision.

The Honduran Mahogany neck is carved with a sensitivity that immediately feels familiar, while details like gold mother of pearl side dots and Gotoh 510 antique gold tuning machines with black granite buttons elevate the instrument without distracting from its purpose. Every component, from the unbleached bone nut and compensated saddle to the Jescar medium nickel silver frets, has been chosen to serve tone and playability above all else.

Finished in a thin nitrocellulose lacquer, the guitar remains open and responsive, never choked or constrained. At just four pounds, it feels incredibly alive in the lap, almost weightless, yet grounded by a 25.375 inch scale, a 1 3/4 inch nut width, and a 2 1/4 inch bridge spacing that offer a perfect balance between comfort and precision.

The EROSc is not simply a beautiful guitar. It is a reflection of a builder who has spent a lifetime learning when to act and when to step back. It carries the spirit of its name, a quiet but undeniable force that draws the player in and keeps them there. Paired with a Calton custom flight case, it is ready to travel, but it will just as easily become the instrument you never want to put down.

Other specifications include:

• Italian Spruce Top (Rivolta Air-Dried for 20+ Years)
• Figured Flitch Cut Brazilian Rosewood Back & Sides - From the Collection of Jeff Traugott
• Italian Spruce Braces (Air-Dried for 25+ Years - Sourced from Violin Top)
• Traugott Style Floating Back Brace
• Brazilian Rosewood Headstock Veneer
• Flitch Cut Brazilian Rosewood Rosette
• West African Ebony Bindings with Maple Purfling
• West African Ebony Fingerboard & Bridge
• Honduran Mahogany Neck
• Gold MOP Fingerboard Side Dots
• Gotoh 510 Antique Gold Tuning Machines with Black Granite Buttons
• Unbleached Bone Nut & 1/8" Compensated Saddle
• Jescar Medium 18% Nickel Silver Frets
• Thin Nitrocellulose Finish
• Calton Custom Flight Case
• 25.375" Scale Length
• 1 3/4" Nut Width
• 2 1/4" Bridge Spacing
• 4 lb 0 oz
• #101

For more information about the Stephen Strahm EROSc, please contact us.

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