2018 Ryan Guitars Signature Series #150 Nightingale Grand Soloist - Natural
Description
No sales tax for US customers outside California.
Kevin Ryan founded Ryan Guitars in 1987 after a career in aerospace engineering at Northrop — and the influence of that background is visible in every instrument the shop produces. Ryan approached acoustic guitar design as an engineering problem as much as a craft tradition, developing proprietary bracing geometry, structural innovations, and construction methods that produced instruments with a specific and documented tonal character unavailable from any other builder. The result is one of the most respected boutique acoustic guitar operations in the world, with a waiting list that has historically stretched for years and a secondary market that reflects the instruments' reputation.
The Nightingale Grand Soloist is Ryan's most versatile model — featuring articulate bass, iridescent trebles, and warm sustaining tone, with balanced string-to-string clarity and separation. The body sits 4.8" deep at the thickest point by the endpin, giving a deep sound that a lot of concert-sized guitars simply don't have. The 25.7" scale length is longer than any standard production guitar scale — that extra length provides additional sustain and punch while the 1-3/4" nut width and 2-1/4" bridge spacing give the instrument room for fingerstyle playing without crowding. Ryan describes the Nightingale as equally suited for fingerpicking, flatpicking, Celtic ballads, open tuning, and lush open chords — a genuine all-rounder at the highest level of the instrument.
This is instrument #150, built in 2018 with master grade redwood top and master grade Brazilian rosewood back and sides. Redwood is a California old-growth tonewood with a tonal character that experienced players describe as sitting between the brightness of Sitka spruce and the warmth of cedar — immediate, responsive, and complex, with an overtone richness that Brazilian rosewood amplifies and extends in the bass and midrange. Brazilian rosewood contributes so much to acoustic tone — the dense, resonant, harmonically complex body character. The combination of old-growth California redwood and master grade Brazilian rosewood is the highest tier of acoustic tonewood pairing available.
The Diamante abalone and pearl fingerboard inlays, Charis custom cap tuners, and the included Hoffee carbon fiber hardshell case — one of the most protective instrument cases produced, specifically chosen by serious collectors transporting irreplaceable instruments — complete the specification.
One note: there is a slight finish issue visible in the photos along the back center-seam, confirmed as cosmetic and not a structural issue. The mahogany neck has an extremely comfortable profile that measures .791" at the first fret and .898" at the tenth. TOther specs: ebony fingerboard at 16" radius, 20 frets, 1-3/4" nut. Action set at 3/32" on both strings at the twelfth fret. At 4 lbs 14.5 oz this is an extraordinarily light instrument for its body depth and tonal output.
The guitar plays perfectly and is truly addictive. The tone is unreal, and the entire guitar feels alive with resonance. I can't imagine what this guitar will sound like as it ages - it is sure to be a holy grail in the future.
SPECS:
Color: Natural
Weight: 4lbs 14.5oz
Top: Master Grade Redwood
Body: Mastergrade Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Low Profile
Fretboard: Ebony
Inlays: Abalone / Pearl "Diamante"
Frets: Original
Fret Count: 20
Nut: Original
Nut width: 1-3/4"
Radius: 16"
Scale: 25.7"
Neck thickness at 1st Fret: .791"
Neck thickness at 10th Fret: .898"
Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
Overall length: 41.75”
Body length: 20.50"
Lower bout: 16"
Upper bout: 11"
Body depth/thickness: At head block: 3.80" / Tail block: 4.80"
String gauge: 12-53
Electronics?: No
Bridge: Original
Tuners: Original Charis Custom Caps
Case: Hoffee Carbon Fiber HSC
Notes: Slight Center Seam Finish Separation - not a structural issues
Shipping policy:
There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site. Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver. For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for Eastern states - customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air. Otherwise, ground shipping will be used. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.
Kevin Ryan founded Ryan Guitars in 1987 after a career in aerospace engineering at Northrop — and the influence of that background is visible in every instrument the shop produces. Ryan approached acoustic guitar design as an engineering problem as much as a craft tradition, developing proprietary bracing geometry, structural innovations, and construction methods that produced instruments with a specific and documented tonal character unavailable from any other builder. The result is one of the most respected boutique acoustic guitar operations in the world, with a waiting list that has historically stretched for years and a secondary market that reflects the instruments' reputation.
The Nightingale Grand Soloist is Ryan's most versatile model — featuring articulate bass, iridescent trebles, and warm sustaining tone, with balanced string-to-string clarity and separation. The body sits 4.8" deep at the thickest point by the endpin, giving a deep sound that a lot of concert-sized guitars simply don't have. The 25.7" scale length is longer than any standard production guitar scale — that extra length provides additional sustain and punch while the 1-3/4" nut width and 2-1/4" bridge spacing give the instrument room for fingerstyle playing without crowding. Ryan describes the Nightingale as equally suited for fingerpicking, flatpicking, Celtic ballads, open tuning, and lush open chords — a genuine all-rounder at the highest level of the instrument.
This is instrument #150, built in 2018 with master grade redwood top and master grade Brazilian rosewood back and sides. Redwood is a California old-growth tonewood with a tonal character that experienced players describe as sitting between the brightness of Sitka spruce and the warmth of cedar — immediate, responsive, and complex, with an overtone richness that Brazilian rosewood amplifies and extends in the bass and midrange. Brazilian rosewood contributes so much to acoustic tone — the dense, resonant, harmonically complex body character. The combination of old-growth California redwood and master grade Brazilian rosewood is the highest tier of acoustic tonewood pairing available.
The Diamante abalone and pearl fingerboard inlays, Charis custom cap tuners, and the included Hoffee carbon fiber hardshell case — one of the most protective instrument cases produced, specifically chosen by serious collectors transporting irreplaceable instruments — complete the specification.
One note: there is a slight finish issue visible in the photos along the back center-seam, confirmed as cosmetic and not a structural issue. The mahogany neck has an extremely comfortable profile that measures .791" at the first fret and .898" at the tenth. TOther specs: ebony fingerboard at 16" radius, 20 frets, 1-3/4" nut. Action set at 3/32" on both strings at the twelfth fret. At 4 lbs 14.5 oz this is an extraordinarily light instrument for its body depth and tonal output.
The guitar plays perfectly and is truly addictive. The tone is unreal, and the entire guitar feels alive with resonance. I can't imagine what this guitar will sound like as it ages - it is sure to be a holy grail in the future.
SPECS:
Color: Natural
Weight: 4lbs 14.5oz
Top: Master Grade Redwood
Body: Mastergrade Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Profile: Low Profile
Fretboard: Ebony
Inlays: Abalone / Pearl "Diamante"
Frets: Original
Fret Count: 20
Nut: Original
Nut width: 1-3/4"
Radius: 16"
Scale: 25.7"
Neck thickness at 1st Fret: .791"
Neck thickness at 10th Fret: .898"
Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
Overall length: 41.75”
Body length: 20.50"
Lower bout: 16"
Upper bout: 11"
Body depth/thickness: At head block: 3.80" / Tail block: 4.80"
String gauge: 12-53
Electronics?: No
Bridge: Original
Tuners: Original Charis Custom Caps
Case: Hoffee Carbon Fiber HSC
Notes: Slight Center Seam Finish Separation - not a structural issues
Shipping policy:
There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site. Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver. For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for Eastern states - customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air. Otherwise, ground shipping will be used. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.