"I strive to reproduce the visual and aural mojo that these instruments have in spades, using traditional tonewoods and construction techniques - and, occasionally, the downright weird and always cool stylistic details that set these guitars apart."
~ Dale Fairbanks
Dale Fairbanks has a well-earned reputation for building the finest modern versions of our favorite vintage sunburst flattops.
Whether you're interested in a slope-shouldered dreadnought or a parlor-sized wonder, Fairbanks Guitars have the lightness, response and depth of sound to delight even the pickiest vintage purist.
Golden-Era Vibe Without the Guesswork
Dale Fairbanks channels the mojo of pre-war Gibson flattops with uncanny accuracy. From the featherweight build to the dry, punchy voice, his guitars capture the essence of vintage without the headaches that come with 80-year-old wood.
Small-Shop Build Quality, Consistent Results
Each Fairbanks guitar is built in small batches with a meticulous eye for detail. The fit, feel, and finish are always dialed in, making them a favorite for players who want vintage tone in a guitar that plays beautifully right out of the case.
Vintage Tones, Modern Playability
While Dale stays true to vintage specs, he subtly incorporates player-friendly refinements - better fretwork, neck shapes, and intonation - so you get the dry, fundamental tone of a 1930s classic in a guitar that feels effortless to play today.
Fairbanks Guitars FAQ
Common questions about Fairbanks acoustic guitars - the builder, the craft, and where to find one near Boston.
Where can I find a Fairbanks guitar near Boston?
The Music Emporium in Lexington, Massachusetts is an authorized Fairbanks Guitars dealer. Dale Fairbanks builds in Burlington, Vermont - a fellow New England maker - making his instruments a natural fit for our showroom near Boston. Because Dale builds in small batches, inventory is limited; reach out or check the page to see what is currently in stock.
Who is Dale Fairbanks?
Dale Fairbanks is a luthier based in Burlington, Vermont with a well-earned reputation for building the finest modern versions of vintage sunburst flat-tops. He describes his goal as reproducing "the visual and aural mojo" of pre-war instruments using traditional tonewoods and construction techniques, while occasionally incorporating the distinctive stylistic details - the "downright weird and always cool" appointments - that set the originals apart. His guitars are small-batch instruments built with a meticulous eye for fit, finish, and feel.
What makes Fairbanks guitars different from other vintage-inspired acoustics?
Most vintage-inspired boutique acoustics draw from pre-war Martin. Fairbanks channels pre-war Gibson flat-tops - specifically the slope-shouldered dreadnoughts, jumbos, and parlors of the 1930s and '40s that defined country, blues, and early rock and roll. The featherweight build and dry, punchy voice that characterized those instruments are what Dale pursues in every guitar he builds, with consistent small-batch quality that vintage originals rarely offer.
Are Fairbanks guitars playable or just collectible?
Very much playable - that's a deliberate design priority. While Dale stays true to vintage specs and proportions, he incorporates player-friendly refinements in fretwork, neck shapes, and intonation that the 80-year-old originals often lack. The result is a guitar with the dry, fundamental tone of a 1930s classic that feels effortless to play today, right out of the case, without the unpredictability of genuinely aged wood.
What Fairbanks models does The Music Emporium carry?
Our Fairbanks selection has included slope-shouldered dreadnoughts, parlors, and jumbo body styles in a range of tonewood combinations - typically Adirondack spruce tops with mahogany back and sides, finished in the sunburst colorways that define the pre-war Gibson aesthetic. Current inventory reflects what Dale has most recently completed in his Burlington shop. Check the page or contact us to see what is available now.