A 2026 "Cosmic" classical guitar by Marc Dickinson, with a German spruce top and African blackwood back and sides, made in Ardmore, Oklahoma – the final guitar of his "Cosmic" series.
The Last "Cosmic" from Marc Dickinson
This stunning 2026 "Cosmic" model from American luthier Marc Dickinson is a wonderful example of his innovative approach to contemporary classical guitar making, combining traditional principles of soundboard construction with modern refinements in materials, structural design, and aesthetics. The result is an instrument that is as fascinating in its construction as it is visually captivating. This is Marc's last planned "Cosmic" guitar of this series – after this, he will be unveiling a new model, so stay tuned!
A German Spruce Top after a 1937 Hauser
The soundboard is made from an exceptional set of master-grade-plus German spruce, sourced from Rudolf Fuchs in Germany. Marc considers this one of the finest sets remaining in his personal inventory, distinguished by beautifully pronounced medullary rays extending across the entire lower bout. The top also exhibits absolutely no runout, resulting in perfectly matched color and appearance across its bass and treble halves. Beyond its visual beauty, Marc has carefully calibrated the soundboard thickness to closely follow that of a 1937 Hermann Hauser I guitar, employing lighter fan bracing to achieve an optimal balance across the strings while encouraging a particularly melodic tonal character.
African Blackwood: A Laminated Back and Sides
For the back and sides, Marc selected a spectacular set of African blackwood, an exceptionally dense and resonant timber prized for its hardness, glassy character, and bell-like ring when tapped. Often compared favorably with CSA rosewood for its acoustic properties, African blackwood presents its own challenges to the guitar maker, particularly because of its considerable density and weight. Marc has addressed this through an ingenious construction method: rather than using the wood at its conventional thickness, he has thinned the African blackwood back and laminated it with Western red cedar, using Western red cedar for the bracing as well – and the sides are laminated too. Marc insists this is not a double-back done in the style of the Contreras "doble tapa", but rather a carefully engineered laminated back system of his own, designed to preserve the particular desired tonal properties of African blackwood while reducing weight and optimizing the instrument's acoustic response. An inlaid Spanish cedar center seam reinforcement adds further structural integrity.
The wood itself is extraordinary. Deep, nearly black heartwood is dramatically contrasted by a broad, naturally colored sapwood center strip that tapers elegantly toward the upper and lower ends of the back. Sets of African blackwood exhibiting this kind of striking natural contrast are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, making this a particularly distinctive example.
Messier 13 Rosette and "Cosmic" Purflings
The decorative appointments are equally remarkable. Continuing the visual language of Marc's earlier "Cosmic" instruments, this guitar features his signature geometric rosette, inspired by his own photograph of the globular cluster Messier 13, together with the distinctive "cosmic" bindings introduced on a previous model. For this instrument, Marc has expanded the design to include matching cosmic purflings around the back. These intricate details are executed in naturally colored ebony and holly, with the tiny holly elements creating a subtle, almost pixelated or diffracted effect as they appear to dissolve into the dark African blackwood. The result is a wonderfully integrated design that feels simultaneously modern, elegant, and organic.
The decorative theme extends to the headstock, where fine contrasting lines and beautifully detailed tuning machines complement the overall aesthetic. A Spanish cedar neck completes the construction. Throughout the instrument, Marc has relied on the natural colors and characteristics of the woods themselves rather than artificial coloring, allowing the materials and meticulous craftsmanship to speak for themselves.
A "Hauser-esque" Sound
Based on its design, the sound is not surprisingly "Hauser-esque" – it has the "teutonic" qualities of extreme clarity, precisely located fundamentals at the core of every note with strongly controlled overtones. This produces a piano-like firmness with excellent balance and separation between voices, as well as the ability to change between a wide range of tonal colors and dynamic levels with ease. It has plenty of power, clarity, openness and separation to fill a concert hall, but also a beautiful, lyrical and singing voice that makes it hard to put down.
This last "Cosmic" is a compelling expression of Marc Dickinson's approach to guitar making: an instrument rooted in the great traditions of the classical guitar, yet unafraid to explore new possibilities in construction and design. From its exceptional materials and carefully engineered design to its imaginative decorative appointments, every aspect reflects a thoughtful balance of acoustic purpose and artistic vision.
Photos and additional information of this guitar taken during construction
