A division of Circle Strings in Burlington, Vermont, Iris Guitar Company is a small team of highly-skilled and seasoned luthiers who are dedicated to building a modern instrument that captures vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics. Iris guitars are handmade using a combination of state of the art techniques and old-world craftsmanship.
Named after Iris co-founder Dale Fairbanks, the DF Model is a slope-shoulder dreadnought, comparable in size to a J-45. The slope-D is a favorite of many songwriters and folksingers, but it also sounds right for the blues or for heavy bluegrass flat-picking. The DF is an impressive modern interpretation of the prewar template. It is featherweight, and it responds to the fingerpicker's touch as well as a heavy pick.
We ordered this DF (serial #497) with an Adirondack Spruce top, Burst finish, Ivoroid binding, and a Firestripe pickguard. It features hand-scalloped Adirondack Braces and Mahogany back and sides. It can produce a powerful, throaty growl, or it can be sweet and pretty when you play with a softer touch. The bass thumps, and it has nice treble clarity and balance across the register. It has a 25" scale length and a 1-11/16" nut width, and the string spacing is 2-7/32" at the bridge.
Dimensions:
- Depth: 4-7/8”
- Body Length: 20-1/4”
- Total Length: 40-7/8”
- Upper bout: 11-1/2”
- Lower bout: 16-1/4”
- Waist: 10-1/8”
Specs:
- Top: Adirondack Spruce
- Back & Sides: Mahogany
- Braces: Scalloped Adirondack Spruce
- Neck Joint: Bolt on Mortise & Tenon
- Nut: Bone, 1-11/16" Spacing
- Saddle: Bone, 2-7/32" Spacing
- Scale Length: 25"
- Fingerboard & bridge: Indian Rosewood
- Top Binding: Ivoroid w/ Black/White/Black purfling
- Back Binding: Ivoroid
- Pickguard: Firestripe
- Finish: Burst Nitrocellulose Satin
- Tuning Machines: Golden Age Relic Brass w/ off-white buttons
- Case: Hardshell by TKL