The Bourgeois OMS combines a 12-fret Orchestra Model body shape with a long, 25.5" scale. This design pushes the bridge further towards the lower bout, which opens up bass frequencies and provides a looser, more open sound all around. Nevertheless, this guitar retains all the focus and clarity that make an Orchestra Model so desirable.
This Bourgeous Custom OMS was made in 2004, and it features an Eastern "Red" Adirondack Spruce top and stunning Figured Mahogany back and sides. As soon as you touch the strings, it comes alive with sound. Dana Bourgeois built his reputation from hand-voiced top bracing, and it's amazing the fullness of sound that this Adirondack Top produces. Its is warm with a lot of depth, richness, and woody Mahogany character. The harmonic sustain is impressive, and it packs plenty of clarity, detail, and complexity for fingerstyle playing, but it also shines with a pick. It's a modern boutique guitar that can hang in an old-time string band.
This 2004 Custom OMS has been played and loved over the years, but it finds us with an excellent setup and the nuanced tone of a broken-in guitar. The top shows some bellying behind the bridge, and there is a thin wedge fit around the neck heel to correct the neck angle. Because Bourgeois uses a bolt-on neck joint, adjusting the neck angle is a bit simpler than a traditional dovetail, so someone took the time to get this one right. Because of that, it has low action but still plenty of saddle to drive the top. The bridge is fully stable with no separation or cause for concern.
The previous owner installed a passive bridge-plate transducer pickup that has a sleek Ebony end pin jack. The butt wedge is a pretty piece of wood, so it's nice that the end block wasn't drilled out for a 1/2" jack. The end pin jack uses a 3.5 mm plug instead of a 1/4", so the appropriate cable is included. The nut measures 1-3/4" and the string spacing is 2-5/16" at the saddle. The neck profile is a Modified V, but it's not as deep as a lot 12-frets. If you've ever felt intimidated by the bulky, wide necks found on some 12-frets, this OMS stands out as more approachable. Although the Bourgeois spec sheet lists Nickel tuners, this 2004 Custom OMS sports Gold Waverly tuning machines. There is a strap button on the neck heel. It includes its original hardshell case.