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 modern instruments that capture vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics. Iris guitars are handmade using a combination of state of the art techniques and old-world craftsmanship.
Named for luthier Will Ehster, the WE Model brings a traditional Orchestra Model design to the Iris lineup. With a mid-size 14-fret body and full 25.5" scale, the WE is built for balanced tone and versatility. True to the OM reputation, the WE brings a lot to the table, and the Iris style gives it a depression-era vibe. Its comfortable body size makes it easy to handle, and the combination of the long scale and scalloped Adirondack Spruce braces deliver headroom and definition that shines in a wide range of playing styles.
This WE (#1765) features an upgraded Adirondack Spruce top, a 1-3/4" nut width, and Iris's simple Flower logo on the peghead. The Adirondack top adds another dimension to the build, and along with the scalloped Adirondack bracing, the result is power plus a responsive feel and a wide dynamic range. The WE's voice is designed to stay articulate with a light touch while holding together when you dig in, so it's equally at home for fingerstyle playing, flatpicking, and strumming. The Indian Rosewood back and sides lend a more balanced sound well-defined bass and shimmering trebles, whereas Mahogany gives you a more mid-range focused tone.
The WE is a practical, player-focused take on the Orchestra Model, and the stripped-down Iris approach ties together a boutique, American-made OM at a price that's hard to beat—with an Adirondack top, to boot! This WE combines a comfortable body size with traditional tonewoods and clean, minimal appointments. Clarity, definition, and balance amount to impressive versatility.
Dimensions:
- Depth: 3-3/8"–4-1/8"
- Body Length: 19-3/8"
- Total Length: 40-1/4"
- Upper Bout: 11-3/8"
- Lower Bout: 15-1/4"
- Waist: 9-1/2"
Specs:
- Top: Adirondack Spruce
- Back & Sides: Indian Rosewood
- Braces: Scalloped Adirondack Spruce
- Bracing Pattern: X-Brace
- Neck Joint: Bolt-on Mortise & Tenon
- Nut: Bone, 1-3/4" Width
- Saddle: Bone
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Fingerboard Radius: 16"
- Fingerboard & Bridge: Indian Rosewood
- Top Purfling & Rosette: Black/White/Black
- Binding: Ivoroid
- Pickguard: Tortoise
- Finish: Open Pore, Natural Satin Nitrocellulose
- Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style Brass Open-Back with Cream Knobs
- Headstock Logo: Flower
- Case: Hardshell by TKL