Northern California-based luthier Steve Klein made a name for himself back in the late 1970s when star clients such as Joni Mitchell, Joe Walsh, Steven Stills and J. D. Souther sang the praises of his groundbreaking guitars. This particular guitar carries on the tradition of “stars guitars” as it was built for Police-man Andy Summers.

While this guitar sports the traditional and highly coveted combination of an Adirondack spruce top and Brazilian rosewood back and sides, this is essentially where tradition ends and Steve Klein’s innovation begins. This guitar was built with a combination of wood and carbon fiber bracing in a radical pattern, and the neck is incredibly stable as it is dense rosewood with a carbon fiber truss rod. The body design is Klein’s unique and proprietary shape (which he has been using since the ‘70s); a very rounded design with a wide waist and upper bout. The width of the lower bout is similar to that of a dreadnought. All of these ingredients add up to a massive sounding instrument that has the type of tonal strength that is more piano-like in its resonance and sustain which is heard clearly in the sound files of the actual guitar for sale. Equally impressive is the clarity of individual notes; a trait that is revered by serious finger style guitarists.

This guitar also has several beautiful appointments, such as an ebony bound neck, a wood and shell rosette, pearl inlays and nut, a rosewood headstock backplate which contrasts the neck, ebony headstock overlay and individual bridge saddles for near perfect intonation.

The price is $16,995 at Guitar Gallery and includes a custom Calton flight case.