"Iris Guitar Company is a small team of highly skilled and seasoned luthiers who are dedicated to building a modern instrument that captures vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics."
~ Adam Buchwald & Dale Fairbanks
Iris Guitar Company has been building in Vermont since 2018, and the premise is simple: a hand-built American flattop at a price a working player can actually reach.
Adam Buchwald started Iris as the production line inside his Circle Strings shop, on the logic that the crew already building bespoke instruments could bring the same voicing and setup work to a model stripped of ornament. What you get is solid tonewood, scalloped Adirondack bracing, a bolt-on mortise and tenon neck joint, and a thin satin nitrocellulose finish left open-pore so you feel the grain. What you don't get is abalone, and that's the whole point.
If you've been chasing the sound of a 1930s Gibson flattop, the dry midrange, the fast attack, the way it sits under a voice instead of on top of it, that's the target Iris is aiming at. These guitars arrive feeling broken in.
Vintage-Inspired Personality
Iris guitars channel the spirit of Depression-era flattops with punchy tone, dry midrange, and a vibe that feels broken-in from day one - no pretense, just great sound and feel.
Built for the Everyday Player
Handmade in Vermont by a small, skilled team, these guitars are designed to work hard and sound amazing - simple, reliable, and road-ready.
Modern Playability, Honest Tone
With slim necks, lightweight builds, and clear, dynamic voices, Iris guitars deliver the kind of direct connection between player and instrument that keeps you reaching for them again and again.
Iris Guitars FAQ
Common questions about Iris acoustic guitars - the brand, the builders, and where to try one near Boston.
Where can I try an Iris guitar near Boston?
The Music Emporium in Lexington, Massachusetts is an authorized Iris Guitar Company dealer. We carry Iris instruments at our showroom near Boston, and players from across New England come to try them in person. Iris builds in South Burlington, Vermont - a genuine New England maker - making their instruments a natural fit for our selection. We are open Monday through Friday 11am–5pm and Saturday 10am–5pm.
What is Iris Guitar Company?
Iris Guitar Company was founded in 2018 as an offshoot of Circle Strings by Adam Buchwald and Dale Fairbanks - two experienced builders whose combined background in small-shop acoustic lutherie shapes every instrument the company makes. Based in South Burlington, Vermont, Iris is a small team of seasoned luthiers committed to building modern instruments that capture vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics, without pretense and at a price that rewards the working player.
What makes Iris guitars different from other boutique acoustics?
Iris guitars are squarely aimed at the player who wants Depression-era flat-top soul -punchy tone, dry midrange, and a broken-in vibe from day one - without vintage prices or vintage unpredictability. Slim necks, lightweight builds, and clear dynamic voices make them road-ready and immediately playable. They sit at a price point that makes boutique-level craftsmanship accessible, and they are built by people who understand the vintage tones they are chasing because they have built in that tradition.
What Iris models does The Music Emporium carry?
We carry the Iris OG (a 00-body acoustic) and the Iris DF (a slope dreadnought), both in Adirondack spruce with sunburst finishes. The DF model bears the initials of co-founder Dale Fairbanks and reflects his particular approach to slope-shoulder body building. Both are in stock at our Lexington, Massachusetts showroom; check the page or visit us to play them side by side.
Are Iris guitars a good value?
Iris is explicitly priced to offer boutique-level instrument quality at a seriously competitive price point - their own stated goal. For a handmade instrument built by a seasoned team using quality tonewoods like Adirondack spruce, the price-to-quality ratio is among the strongest in this category. Players who want vintage-inspired tone without the vintage price tag consistently find Iris guitars a compelling answer.