The Ian Tyson Inspiration Acoustic Guitar

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The Ian Tyson Inspiration Acoustic Guitar

A solid wood Florentine cut-a-way acoustic


The Ian Tyson Inspiration solid wood acoustic
Availability: 
In Stock

The Ian Tyson Inspiration is a solid wood Florentine cut-a-way acoustic guitar crafted with AAA grade Sitka Spruce and Bookmatched Bolivian Rosewood.

Our tribute to one of the great singer-songwriters of our age. Crafted from rare highly figured  Bolivian Rosewood and AAA-grade Sitka Spruce.

Suggested Retail Price: 
CAD $3,299.99
Your Price: 
Price:CAD $1,435.99

When we found a secret stash of rare bookmatched Bolivian Rosewood, we knew it was destined for an exceptional guitar. We challenged our workshop artisans to craft a one-of-a-kind model defining the art of building a MacKenzie and Marr acoustic.

They asked for inspiration, so we turned to our old friend in Alberta. Ian Tyson had definite ideas about what he wanted. The result of his input, together with the skill of our craftsmen, has delivered an exceptional solid wood Florentine cutaway - the Ian Tyson Inspiration, the newest MacKenzie & Marr Guitar.

A Florentine cutaway, one that comes to a sharp point, differs from a gently curved Venetian cutaway in more than just visual appeal. With a Florentine cutaway, the guitar is constructed as a symmetrical full-body model, and then the cutaway section is removed. The sidewall of the now-detached section is inverted and re-attached, creating the unique Florentine profile.

Because of the skill, time and difficulty required to craft a genuine Florentine cutaway, they are not as common as the Venetian version.

Please note:
The blend between dark heartwood and lighter sapwood varies from guitar to guitar. No matter the blend between the two, we guarantee that your guitar will be a work of art. (NB. Jerry, our luthier, and John waste a lot of time simply marvelling at each guitar as they prep it.)
The black pickguard on the sample is just plain ugly. All production guitars will have the clear pickguard pictured in the image gallery below.

Owner Reviews

Lorn..(Guitar was a surprise gift ) from LYNDEN Ontario

Thu, 02/18/2021 - 15:15

The tone is superb. I am getting readjusted to steel strings and the neck width after 10 years of playing a classical nylon stringed Yamaha. Ian and Sylvia were the first concert l took myself to. I play blues and folk for my own enjoyment. Usually finger picking style. The guitar and amp were a gift from my family. Certainly the best guitar l am likely to own though my 50 year old Framus is pretty good.

John from Baldur

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 11:43

I am very pleased with this guitar... There are several note worthy points. Aesthetic Beauty: One of the most beautiful instruments I have seen, let alone owned. The sap wood which runs throughout many parts of the guitar is beautiful against the dark tones of the rest of the instrument. Being a Florentine cutaway adds to the overall beauty while also implying that I might have the need to move that far up the neck.(I don't) The high gloss finish made it difficult to take a picture of it to send to friends. It was much like trying to take a picture of an unframed mirror, but in real time it looks fantastic and enhances the depth of the finish. My only complaint is with the clear pick guard. As with my other MacMarr purchase, a Tom Rush Naked Lady, it came with an uninstalled clear pick guard. The Naked Lady pick guard was much thinner and so less visible when installed. I like the look of pick-guard-less acoustic, but I also like the protection a clear guard provides. I realize I am being "picky"... Playability: As I play sitting down, the size of the guitar probably comes into play more so than for a standup player. I have owned my Naked Lady for a number of years, and find the this guitar much less tiring when played for extended periods. It sits comfortably on either leg, allowing me to shift my siting position, and I don't have the feeling of having to reach over the guitar in either position. The neck is well suited to my hand and style of playing. Sound: I had anticipated a much quieter guitar compared to the aforementioned Naked Lady. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that while perhaps not quite as much bass, it performs wonderfully through all ranges in both strumming or picking styles. Although I have yet to test the electronics in anything more than a LoudBox, the LR Baggs system is the same as in the Naked Lady, so I am not concerned. The guitar came well packed in a quality hard shell case. Although not needed the 7 day satisfaction guarantee gave me reassurance that I could change my mind if not happy. Great purchase experience of a great guitar. Nice addition to the stable... "I can drink too much whiskey, smoke too many cigars, but I'll never have too many guitars." JJ

Enderson from Montreal

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 11:40

Hi there, I am disappointed with the product I got: - Frets were quite sharp on the extremities, requiring filling; - The Electric pick up that came with the guitar came unglued after a couple of weeks. I have to re-glue it - and most importantly, there is a significant amount of buzzing, which varies by where in the fretboard one presses the strings, but the bussing is everywhere to a degree but much stronger on the lower strings and in the middle of the fretboard. Very disappointing given the price of the instrument. Not sure anything can be one, but as a consequence, I have not used the guitar that much at all, having to fall back on my old guitar. Regards, Enderson (From MacKenzie & Marr - Enderson, we'll be reaching out to you tomorrow. Sharp frets and buzzing strings are often a sign of a dry guitar, but dry or not, they can both be corrected, usually quite easily. We want you to enjoy your guitar so look for our call.)

Daniel from Brampton

Tue, 12/29/2020 - 10:19

Better quality than expected Amazing Very easy to playing action Flawless guitar For the money extremely good quality 5 star rating from thank you very much Want to purchase a second one to keep at my other resisdence

Art from Green Vqlley

Wed, 12/09/2020 - 10:08

Just a few comments on the Ian Tyson Inspiration Florentine cut-a-way acoustic guitar recently purchased - wow! Great visual appeal and detailed workmanship. The sound is full bodied - very clear and balanced. Wonderful playability. This instrument is a work of art for sure - the hardwood finish is exquisite and stunning. Overall a truly great value. Art from AZ & CT

Daniel from Sudbury

Tue, 12/01/2020 - 16:09

Wow!!! They nailed it with this guitar!. Beautiful workmanship, and the sound rings like a bell. Every note played, comes out clean and clear!! Truly a work of art! Can’t find anything wrong with this beauty! Well worth the price, totally satisfied!!

James from Conway

Tue, 12/01/2020 - 15:57

My Ian Tyson Inspiration arrived a few days ago, and I think I'm in love.  The first thing I saw was just the sheer physical beauty of the guitar.  The wood, the fit and finish, the attention to detail are fabulous.  Even if I just hung it on the wall it would (almost) be worth the price and the wait.  It would be a real shame to do that though.  From the first chord, I could tell this guitar was something special.  The balance really stands out, with solid lows that penetrate without sounding "boomy", and crisp clean highs that ring forever.  Incredible sustain.  Like many people, I was at first hesitant to buy sight (and sound) unseen, but those fears were allayed in minutes. Friends who are much better players than me have confirmed my thoughts.  I've already had one person try to buy it!  My other guitars, including two Taylors, are fine instruments, especially my 414, but the Ian Tyson is something special.   There was one small problem when the guitar arrived.  The pickup had become detached in shipping, which John attributed to a bad bottle of Krazy glue, but it was about a five-minute fix. The LR Baggs pickup, which came at no extra charge, amplifies beautifully, with a clean true acoustic sound.  Buy your next guitar from these guys.  you won't regret it.

David from Caledonia

Tue, 11/17/2020 - 17:55

The guitar is such a welcome addition to my collection, the combination of the lite and dark rosewood is just plain stunning coupled with the spruce top the tone is fantastic... With the playability,the fit and finish and the included features I think it's just a really good bang for the dollar, I will probably swap out the bridge pins for something a little more exotic because I like bling

Brian from Cambridge

Tue, 11/17/2020 - 10:29

Guitar arrived a few weeks late - M&M did inform me of the delay and with Covid going on it was no surprise to me. Guitar arrived by Fedex and the packaging was solid. The Hard Shell Case is pretty substantial. The guitar is everything it was stated to be. Quality of build is incredibly high, the installation of the LR Baggs system is spot on. It's just a beautiful guitar. The sound is very well balanced and the notes ring out. Overall volume and sound is very, very good. I checked intonation up and down the neck and it's very good. I would highly recommend M&M guitars. You get a lot of guitar for the price point...easily could sell for double what I paid. M&M deliver what they promise. One tiny critique is the bridge pins...they looked like they are from a toy guitar and were not well fitted...this surprised me given the high attention to all other details. I have pins at home that I switched out so no big deal. I am glad I made the decision to go with M&M - all in all a great experience and I look forward to adding the Ian Tyson Inspiration to my collection of much played guitars.

Bruce from West Boylston

Thu, 01/16/2020 - 11:44

I already own a few acoustic guitars (Guild, Martin, Alvarez, Fender, Cordoba), but I was thinking about maybe getting a Taylor, after playing a couple at a songwriting workshop last year. So I started looking around. Then I somehow heard about Mackenzie and Marr and decided to try one of their Ian Tyson models based on good reviews, watching a few videos, and very attractive pricing. I received the guitar four days ago, and I really love it. First of all, the woods, the finish, the design, and the construction are all beautiful (even the case is quite nice). The sound is full and rich, with a good balance of highs and lows, not “boomy,” and great for both fingerpicking and full strumming. It was ready to play out of the box with no adjustments needed. The neck has a great feel and I like that the back of it has a smooth semi-matte finish, not shiny lacquer. I got the pickup option thanks to a special promo but I haven’t tried it yet (I will soon). I don’t play out much these days but I like to have a pickup available and it might be useful for recording (I like that it didn’t require cutting any holes in the body). All in all, one of the best Christmas presents I ever gave myself. A really wonderful instrument.

Pages

Specifications

Dimensions
Neck Profile: 
shallow "C"
Frets To The Body: 
14
Scale Length: 
646 mm (25.4 inches)
Fretboard Radius: 
355mm (14 inches)
Neck width at nut: 
43 mm (1.7 inches)
E to E string spacing at nut: 
3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
Body Style: 
Jumbo Florentine Cut-a-way
Width at Upper Bout: 
29 cm (11.4 inches)
E to E string spacing at saddle: 
55 mm (2.15 inches)
Width at Waist: 
22.5 cm (9 inches)
Width at Lower Bout: 
41cm (16 inches)
Body Depth: 
10 cm (4 inches) at the neck - 12.5 cm (5 inches) at the end-pin
Body Length: 
51.5 cm (20.5 inches)
Materials
Body finish: 
Gloss laquer
Neck finish: 
Hand buffed sastin laquer
Fretboard and Bridge: 
Macassar Ebony
Neck: 
Solid Indonesian Mahogany
Tuning Machines: 
Grover vintage open gearing high ratio (18:1) tuning machines
Body Back and Sides: 
Solid Bookmatched Rare Bolivian Rosewood
Body Top Wood: 
AAA Solid Sitka Spruce
Nut & Saddle: 
Genuine bone
Bracing: 
Hand scalloped Spruce X bracing
Strings: 
D'Addario EXP16 light gauge (12-53) coated Phosphor Bronze
Extras
Case: 
Professional arch top hardshell case (included at no additional cost)
Electronics: 
Optional L.R.Baggs Anthem

Photo Gallery

Videos

Guitar Mama

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Rob Lutes Plays the New Spruce and Bolivian Rosewood Ian Tyson Inspiration

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The MacKenzie & Marr Ian Tyson Acoustic Played By Rob Lutes

Fall In Love In Less Than a Week

Try any of our guitars in the comfort of your own home. If you don't fall head over heels in love within a week we'll arrange to take it back and issue a full refund (including shipping).
*certain conditions apply.

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