Bert Kwakkel Merula Special Brazilian Rosewood German Spruce 1986

In 2005, Bert Kwakkel conceived the idea of building a new type of guitar in which the neck and fingerboard would be made of one piece of Brazilian rosewood. The result is the Merula Special; a slightly heavier guitar with a surprisingly royal and solid tone. Later on, Bert Kwakkel used Grenadilla for the neck and fingerboard of the Merula Special.

Most of you will probably know Grenadilla as African Blackwood. This tonewood has a very closed grain and is extremely durable. Because of these qualities it is not necessary to lacquer the neck, which results in very comfortable and smooth playability. But it's not just the neck which makes this Merula special. It also has some features from the gypsy jazz world like the oval sound hole and long rosewood bridge.

Just like the standard Merula, the back and sides are made of Brazilian rosewood. Together with the German spruce top, it produces a very deep and warm tone, with plenty of sustain and resonance. While the saddle is starting to get low, it has a nice action and setup. It also has the playwear and traces of use you can expect on a guitar of this age, but it is still in very good condition.

Includes a hardshell case.

Consignment.