Bourgeois OMS-12C Odyssey Dark Forest Ancient Cypress & Cocobolo Acoustic Guitar

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The Bourgeois OMS-12C Odyssey in Dark Forest Ancient Cypress and Cocobolo stands as a work of art that feels suspended between history and innovation, a guitar that gathers centuries of resonance into a single voice. At its heart is a top of Dark Forest Ancient Cypress, carbon-dated to an astonishing 3,758 years old, wood that was alive before the written word found its way to parchment, now transformed into an instrument that sings with a depth and character beyond comprehension. This ancient soundboard is supported by Aged Tone torrefied Adirondack spruce braces, chosen for their strength and responsiveness, and further enhanced by an X-braced back that gives the guitar a power and dimension rarely encountered. Cocobolo back and sides frame the instrument in rich hues of gold, amber, and flame, wood that carries its own deep story and lends both clarity and warmth to the tonal palette.

This Odyssey was born from the hands and vision of Dana Bourgeois, whose name is synonymous with refinement, balance, and a relentless pursuit of acoustic excellence. His influence reaches every corner of this guitar, from its sonic architecture to its elegant appointments. Yet this Odyssey also represents a new chapter, with the presence of Master Luthier James Witkus, who now works alongside Dana, weaving his own sensibility into the lineage of Bourgeois guitars. Together, they have crafted an instrument that bridges tradition with a forward-looking artistry, a guitar that feels both timeless and boldly new.

Every detail of this guitar radiates intention and beauty. Brazilian rosewood body bindings flow into an arm bevel of the same precious material, creating both comfort and visual harmony. Abalone top purfling shimmers like captured starlight, matched by abalone purfling on the headstock and fingerboard. The Odyssey’s offset abalone rings rosette adds a contemporary touch, while the Brazilian rosewood backstrip and boxed endpiece inlay remind us of the reverence with which this instrument was conceived. The contour headstock, with its diamond volute and ebony backstrap, is crowned with a cocobolo veneer, adorned by an abalone cat’s cradle inlay and framed Bourgeois logo, the marks of artistry and legacy fused into one.

The ebony fretboard and bridge are jeweled with abalone inlays in the cat’s cradle motif, their delicate geometry echoing the cosmic theme that runs through the Odyssey series. A contour bridge with abalone details anchors the strings, balanced by gold Waverly tuning machines with ebony buttons that turn with a velvet precision. Bone pins with black dot accents complete the ensemble, subtle but essential, each element contributing to the whole. The finishes are deliberate: a high gloss body and headstock to magnify the woods’ natural brilliance, a satin neck for effortless playability, each surface inviting touch and reflection.

The voice of this instrument is magnified by its 12-fret neck joint and Venetian cutaway, a design that merges vintage intimacy with modern access. With a long 25.5-inch scale, a 1 3/4 inch nut, and a 2 5/16 inch bridge spacing, it feels immediately familiar yet luxuriously accommodating to both intricate fingerstyle and expressive strumming. Weighing just 4 pounds 13 ounces, it is light in the hands yet sonorous beyond expectation, a guitar that hums with the past while projecting into the future.

The Bourgeois OMS-12C Odyssey is more than a guitar. It is a vessel of time, of artistry, and of human touch, a rare convergence of ancient material and contemporary mastery. In its voice lives the resonance of millennia, refined by Dana Bourgeois’ guiding hand and James Witkus’ emerging influence. To hold it is to hold a story that began thousands of years ago and continues in the music of those who will play it next.

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