2005 Jim Redgate CD/CO

This 2005 Jim Redgate is a cedar and cocobolo lattice classical guitar from Adelaide, South Australia.

A Redgate Lattice Guitar

The soundboard is thin but heavily reinforced with a lattice system of over 20 braces made from very lightweight but durable balsa wood, with carbon fiber elements integrated throughout. The label – “J.K. Redgate, Luthier, Adelaide Sth. Australia, 2005” – is signed by Jim.

Condition

Although this is a used guitar, it is in excellent condition with only a few superficial scratches and nicks.

Jim Redgate of Adelaide

After Greg Smallman, Jim Redgate is perhaps the best-known maker of lattice-top guitars working in Australia. Born in London in 1963, he builds in Adelaide, South Australia. Like Smallman’s, his lattice guitars have thick, heavily domed backs that create an extremely rigid and solid body, so that almost all vibration from the plucked string goes to the soundboard – a thin top reinforced with a lattice of very light but durable balsa wood with carbon fiber integrated throughout.

Lattice and Double Tops

The added power of this system has been attractive to younger players, most notably Ana Vidović, who has had great success concertizing on his instruments. Jim also builds double-topped guitars, played by many professionals including Ralph Towner, Odair Assad, Slava Grigoryan and Aleksandr Tsiboulski, to name but a few.