The Sounds of 2025: Guitars and Gear that Carried the Acoustic Tradition Forward

I first saw it blurred in the background of a photo on social media—a glimpse of an unfamiliar Collings, perched on a stand behind luthier Isaac Jang as he played a DS1 A Hill Country at the annual Fretboard Summit in Chicago (see below). The next day, clearer images appeared on Collings’ feed, and I found myself studying them obsessively for days.

The guitar turned out to be a one-off AT-00, a small-bodied archtop with a round soundhole, built from Lutz spruce and a stash of century-old blister maple, and signed by Bill Collings’ protégé Aaron Huff. The details drew me in—the fine red purfling tracing the top and neck’s edge, the eccentric figuring in the maple, the richly colored Macassar ebony appointments from pickguard to peghead, and a light, autumnal sunburst that glowed from within. It managed to feel both rooted and forward-looking, marrying old-world style to Collings’ modern precision.

That sighting came in late August, and it seemed to capture the year’s mood: 2025 was as much about old ideas made new as it was about new ones pointing toward the instrument’s future. Here we look back at a cross section of the year’s highlights—the guitars, accessories, and recordings that defined it—and honor a few of the voices we lost along the way.

American Flagships

The acoustic guitar’s most storied maker, C.F. Martin & Co., unveiled one of its most expansive lineups in recent memory—nearly 50 new instruments ranging from museum-level showpieces to everyday players. The most elaborate of all, the D-300 ($300,000), commemorates Martin’s three-millionth guitar. Its Adirondack top is patterned like a sycamore cross section, with silver and sycamore rings marking each year of growth and gold dots for key milestones. An abalone sycamore tree climbs the Brazilian rosewood back in tribute to the company’s craftspeople, while rubies, emeralds, and gold hardware echo its theme of past, present, and future.

Returning to the lineup for the first time in decades, the OM-45 ($9,799) now reigns at the top of the Standard Series, while two Billy Strings signatures—the D-28 ($3,799) and D-X2E ($899)—celebrate the young flatpicking titan (reviewed in our July/August issue). The D Jr E and 000C Jr E (each $699) keep the classic Martin sound in smaller, more affordable packages. And in a surprising development, the Grand J-28E DN ($7,999) broke new ground with dual six- and 12-string necks, stage-ready electronics, and bracing stout enough to balance both registers.

Taylor Guitars unveiled the Gold Label Collection (from $2,599), a line that expands the company’s voice through two newly conceived body styles. The deeper-bodied Grand Pacific and the all-new Super Auditorium both employ Fanned V-Class bracing for warmth and headroom, while the Action Control Neck’s long-tenon design enhances resonance and allows easy, precise adjustments. Finished in subtly aged hues, these guitars project a refined blend of vintage feel and modern responsiveness. (See our review of the Gold Label 814e Koa SB in the November/December issue.)

Gibson drew from its heritage without lapsing into nostalgia. Murphy Lab Light Aged reissues revisited the 1929 Nick Lucas Special ($9,999) in Argentine Grey and the 1957 SJ-200 ($8,299), complete with thermally aged Sitka tops, hide-glue bracing, and AAA flamed maple. Production favorites like the J-45 Standard ($2,999) and Hummingbird Standard ($3,999) appeared in bold new finishes—Purple Burst, Translucent Teal, and others—adding color without altering the sound that defines Gibson. The Hummingbird also received special treatment in a Margo Price signature model ($3,999), featuring a thinner mahogany body, double pickguards with red-tailed hawks, and L.R. Baggs electronics—an instrument inspired by her mid-’60s J-45 and symbolic of strength and perseverance.

At its Oxnard, California, shop, Guild added two new concert-sized models—the M-50 Standard (Sitka spruce/rosewood) and M-40 Standard (Sitka/mahogany)—offering refined playability with 1.75-inch nuts and optional L.R. Baggs Element VTC electronics. Priced from $2,599, they join a U.S. lineup that now ships with DR Dragon Skin+ Phosphor Bronze strings for added projection and tuning stability.

(Mostly) Mid-Priced Workhorses

Yamaha brought its Japan-built flagships into a new era with the dreadnought FG9X and concert-size FS9X (from $4,499), each available with rosewood or mahogany back and sides. Both models integrate the company’s three-way Atmosfeel system—bridge sensor, internal mic, and top sensor—delivering the microphone-like warmth acoustic guitarists often chase, with no external setup required.

At Eastman, new designs appeared across body styles. The L-OOSS-KOA ($2,399) combines figured koa and meticulous detailing in a compact, elegant frame. The E20D-TC Large Sound Hole ($2,199), developed with the Acoustic Shoppe, pairs torrefied Adirondack spruce and rosewood for a dry, punchy voice. On the more affordable side, the limited E1P “The Bluesmaster” ($879) offers a vintage, midrange-forward vibe.

For its 60th anniversary, Alvarez revisited its roots with commemorative Masterworks Limited Editions—two all-solid OMs, the MF70 Diamond Black Top and MF70 Diamond Shadowburst ($1,149), each limited to 60 pieces. Both feature AAA Sitka spruce over rosewood, abalone purfling and rosette, special 12th-fret diamond inlays, and numbered labels marking the run. New Laureate LT models (from $1,329) also joined the Alvarez catalog, drawing on early-1900s 000 12-fret designs for balanced tone and projection.

As usual, Takamine balanced artistry and practicality. Its annual showpiece, the LTD2025 ($3,199), pairs Engelmann spruce with Hawaiian koa in an Antique Evergreen finish, while new models like the parlor-size GY21E New Yorker ($699) and the cutaway maple GN73CE NEX ($849) offer dependable stage performance with Takamine’s feedback-resistant electronics and handsome looks.

The return of Larrivée’s 01 Series marked the first appearance of these models in 25 years. Hand built in Southern California with dovetail neck joints and all-solid tonewoods, the line includes parlor, OM, LV, and dreadnought options (starting at $1,299), each available with optional L.R. Baggs VTC systems.

Hybrids and Crossovers

Hybrid designs continued to evolve. Fender’s Acoustasonic Standard line—the Telecaster and Jazzmaster models (both $629)—retain the now familiar silhouettes of the premium versions but incorporate simplified hybrid electronics derived from the originals. Aimed at working musicians, the models make the technology more accessible than ever, while the limited Jack White TripleSonic Acoustasonic Telecaster ($2,629) pushes the design’s experimental edge.

Córdoba expanded its crossover offerings with the Fusion 12 White Sands ($999), a slim-neck, stage-ready nylon that pairs classical tone with steel-string ergonomics. A 48mm neck with a 16-inch radius, ebony fingerboard, and Fishman Presys Blend electronics support comfortable playability for steel-string players and consistent amplified tone.

For its part, Ibanez introduced the Talman TCY621 ($299), a thinline acoustic-electric with a double-cutaway Talman body, spruce top, and sapele back and sides; it uses an okoume neck with a purpleheart fingerboard and bridge, and is stage-ready with its onboard electronics and feedback resistance.

Boutique Voices, Fresh Lines

Collings broadened its Hill Country family with the DS1 A HC and DS2 A HC—new Adirondack-topped models in mahogany and rosewood, respectively—that honor the long-neglected 12-fret dreadnought form. The company also introduced 00-size prototypes that will bring fresh, prewar-inspired vibes into the lineup. At the same time, the shop ex-tended its archtop exploration with the AT-00 Roundhole, one of only four the company has made in this size—and the only one without f-holes. The throughline is clear: Collings continues to uphold Bill Collings’ exacting build standards while pursuing new voices and designs that nod to golden-era classics without being bound by them.

Bourgeois introduced an adventurous lineup. The Blues/PS-S (from $4,599) uses a mahogany top and thin open-pore nitro finish for immediacy and punch. Marking a major milestone, the company’s 50th Anniversary Limited Editions included five of each of the following models—OMC, OMSC, L-DBO, 000, and Piccolo Parlor—each priced at $13,239. Capping the series was a one-of-a-kind 50th Anniversary OMC built with Italian spruce and Brazilian rosewood ($23,239). Meanwhile, the Eastman-built Touchstone series expanded with the Touchstone Standard (TS) slope-shoulder dread and L-DBO 14 ($3,459), plus the cutaway Soloist/TS OM ($4,199), extending the Bourgeois sound to new players without diluting its character.

At Santa Cruz Guitar Company, which celebrates its own golden jubilee this year (see Makers & Shakers in the November/December issue), the philosophy held steady as always: hand-voiced tops, ethically sourced tonewoods, and truly custom builds. A one-off collaboration with Ventana Surfboards married surf-inspired aesthetics to Santa Cruz’s signature approach.

Santa Cruz also marked a major milestone with its 20,000th guitar—an H-13 crafted entirely from old-growth mahogany. The fretboard features purpleheart block inlays engraved with key dates from the company’s history, and between the tenth and 13th frets, a custom design depicts founding luthier Richard Hoover at his workbench in the company’s early days. 

A younger voice in the boutique field, Iris Guitar Company, drew attention with models like the MS-00 (reviewed in our September/October issue). Combining vintage flair with high-end tonewoods, it captured the best of both eras. At the same time, Iris’ parent company, Circle Strings, built the Lakeside ($6,995), the first U.S.-made Lyon & Healy guitar in more than a century—crafted from Adirondack spruce and Indian rosewood, with balanced tone and design.

Working under the same roof, Dale Fairbanks, the luthier behind Fairbanks Guitars, continued to handbuild traditionally voiced instruments that capture the spirit of the great prewar models while incorporating thoughtful modern refinements. A standout was his Adirondack spruce and birdseye maple F-50 DeLuxe ($15,000), an ornately detailed take on the classic jumbo. (Learn more about Fairbanks’ story in the Makers & Shakers department of the January/February issue.)

Small Parts, Big Gains

In terms of accessories, Fishman’s Fluence Acoustic pickup ($319) brought the company’s printed-circuit Multi-Voice architecture to flattops. The Nashville Legend, Rock Icon, and Spotlight models each offer hum-free operation, dual voicings with boost, and an unobtrusive shape that keeps the rosette clear.

Ernie Ball expanded its acoustic line with the Earthwood Bell Bronze strings (from $6.99), developed in collaboration with pop icon John Mayer. Packaged in corrosion-resistant, waterproof envelopes and made from a proprietary alloy, they deliver a lively, balanced sound—see a full review in the July/August issue.

D’Addario concentrated on practical upgrades. The Players Choice Custom String Shop allows players to build personalized sets for acoustic or electric. And the Micro Rechargeable Headstock Tuner ($34.99) refines the company’s popular clip-on design with a brighter display, longer battery life, and USB-C charging. The Pro Plus Capo ($29.99) introduces FlexFit tensioning for even pressure across different radii and nut widths, while the IR Mic Mute ($99.99) uses infrared sensing to silence a vocal mic automatically when a performer steps away—reducing bleed and feedback without extra footwork.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.