Shoreline Music • Guitar Spotlight

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Muriel Anderson
Pierre Bensusan
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Originally reviewed December 2001.

Current featured guitar:

Fylde Ariel - A cedar/mahogany parlor guitar. $2100.

Sound - People typically buy parlor-sized guitars for convenience---it's hard to curl up in a big chair with a jumbo or a dreadnought. But this sometimes entails a tradeoff: For the convenience of a smaller guitar, you get a smaller sound. Although the sound of the Ariel is certainly smaller than, say, a Fylde Alchemist, it is rich beyond its size.
Roger always seems to be able to coax the most out of cedar, and this guitar is no exception. It's rich and responsive, and although its sound is not as big as, say, an OM, it certainly has more volume than you'd expect from a box this small.

Playability - We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Fylde guitars are made to be playable, and are among the most playable guitars we've ever held. Low-profile necks, great action, and great setup out the door mean these are just plain easy to play. Throw into the mix the shorter scale on this guitar (24 3/4"), and you'll find difficult chord shapes made not so difficult anymore.

Finish - Roger's finish is typically understated, and this guitar is no exception. The fingerboard is unadorned, the soundhole gets a three-ring herringbone rosette, and the headstock gets an ebony overlay. Every cedar top we've seen from Fylde is gorgeous, as is the one on this guitar. The mahogany back and sides also come off quite nicely, which you can almost see in the picture on the right (we're still learning the ropes of our digital camera).

Summary - We regularly get requests for small-bodied guitars, specifically 12 fret, short scale guitars. Although there are plenty of popular guitars that fit those specs, I have yet to play any that come close to this Ariel. It has warmth and volume that are normally only found in larger guitars, and as with all Fylde guitars, it's got a great, playable neck. If you're looking for a great parlor-style guitar, I highly recommend this little gem from Roger Bucknall.

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