2004 Kirk Sand nylon 7-string high-A classical electric guitar

[Hammertone]

For those 7-stringers, here's a lovely instrument from the future 51st state.
It's a wonderful Kirk Sand nylon 7-string hi-A electric guitar for sale, in excellent condition.

Kirk Sand was a well-known and well-loved guitar builder, who passed away on March 17, 2024 at the age of 71. Over the years, Kirk made nearly 800 custom handmade guitars, including those played and endorsed by Chet Atkins, Jose Feliciano, Jerry Reed, John Knowles, Paul Yandell, Doyle Dykes, Earl Klugh, Lenny Breau, Richie Sambora, Lauren Hill, Steve Wariner, Tommy Emmanuel and Richard Smith.

Kirk supplied Lenny Breau with two hi-A 7-string guitars. One was a modified Aria nylon-string with a Sand-built 7-string neck; the other was a steel string Kirk built from scratch.

This guitar was commissioned from Kirk in 2004, and is for sale by the original owner. Kirk said it was the first high-A nylon 7-string he had made since the one he made for Lenny Breau. The Aria had a longer scale length (650 mm) and they could not find a guitar string that wouldn’t break on the high A, so Kirk used fishing line (!) instead. In order to solve the issue of string breakage, for this instrument Kirk experimented with scale and wound up with a 24.125” scale length. This works fine with a D’Addario Pro-Arte NYL018 or 019 on top.

The guitar was commissioned after the owner had tried out a low-A nylon 7-string that Kirk had made. Here is a note from Kirk that he sent while working out the specifications for this guitar:

“I am glad you had a chance to play one of the mahogany model guitars. If you like the thin line body (2.5") I really suggest you change to that style. The difference in sound is very little. Actually the mahogany model is better for a jazz sound. If Lenny Breau were alive today, he would be playing one of my Mahogany model guitar with a hi A. I call the routed out body guitar the "mahogany model” and I call the acoustic bent sides, two piece back guitar the "rosewood model." I think of the rosewood model as more of an acoustic guitar and the mahogany model as more of an electric guitar. For this 7string hi A guitar, I think the mahogany model would work better. As for the nut width, I agree with you that the wider spacing 2& 3/16" would be better. I also like your idea of putting the hi A string on its own volume control and putting E & A together. These boards have 6 inputs only so we have to double up on one of the inputs, this is not a problem.”

Some specifications:
- One-piece mahogany body (routed hollow), 2.5 inch depth;
- Spruce soundboard;
- Brazilian rosewood bridge;
- Wooly mammoth tusk ivory nut, 2 & 3/16 inches wide;
- 24.125” scale length;
- 5 slider controls on the body (volume and eq);
- Sand-branded hard case in very good but scuffed condition;
- RMC active electronics (takes one 9-volt battery). The onboard preamp has just six inputs; Kirk wired the E and low A strings to one input so that the high A and other strings each has its own volume control switch on the preamp block in the battery compartment.

The guitar is in excellent condition with some minor playwear. It’s a really gorgeous and very playable example of Kirk’s work, that is not getting played enough.

For sale at $6,500. USD. Ships to US addresses from within the US. Ships elsewhere from Canada. Payment via Paypal Friends & Family, wire transfer, cash, IEMT (in Canada, converted to CAD). Happy to ship anywhere for the cost of shipping.
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[Jim Soloway]

That's probably the perfect guitar for someone wanting to cop what Lenny Breau was doing late in his career. Kirk was a remarkably talented and creative builder. His recent passing was a real loss to a lot of people in the guitar world.

[Hammertone]

Yes, I agree with Jim. The guitar is not currently being played and should be in the hands of someone who will put it to good use.

[RJVB]

While undoubtedly a fine instrument for its purpose it's neither an electric classical nor a classic(al) electric (but some kind of electro-acoustic in the same overall category as the Cordoba Stage and Godin Multi-Ac).

[sgcim]

I had to think for a while about that "future 51st state..

[Carelli]

Hi, is this still available? Kind regards

[vinnyv1k]

My buddy Doyle Dykes plays a Sands. I think it’s my favorite of all his guitars.

[pcjazz]

Hi, is this still available? Kind regards

Hammertone is away at the moment, but yes, the Sand is still available.

[Jim Soloway]

While undoubtedly a fine instrument for its purpose it's neither an electric classical nor a classic(al) electric (but some kind of electro-acoustic in the same overall category as the Cordoba Stage and Godin Multi-Ac).

I think you're missing the sequence of events. Kirk was the man who cracked the code on this category. He was the innovator who everyone else followed. He was a giant in the guitar building world and his guitars were played by some of the all time greats of the instrument including Lenny Breau, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Doyle Dykes, and John Knowles. But no, it is not a classical guitar. It's a Lenny guitar (which is really a category of it's own).

[Hammertone]

Hammertone is away at the moment, but yes, the Sand is still available.

Away in body but not in spirit.

Hey, Vinny, tell your pal Doyle that he NEEDS this Sand guitar.

[wintermoon]

Away in body but not in spirit.

Hey, Vinny, tell your pal Doyle that he NEEDS this Sand guitar.

yeah, it should, uh, 'straighten' him out.

[stringmann]

Wish I could have told him, Just saw him last sunday at a church concert in atlanta , and he was, as always, wonderful! I came home and played in open tunings for hours....

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

FWIW, assuming intonation would be OK with a heavy enough 7th for low A with the short scale, I don't see any reason why this couldn't be used as a conventional 7 with a reslotted or new nut. This would make it attractive to those of us who play standard 7s. High A tuning is not widely used, but this is a wonderful, beautiful guitar that could bring real joy to far more players as a standard 7.

[vinnyv1k]

If that was a 6 string I would be on it like stink on ….

[Jim Soloway]

FWIW, assuming intonation would be OK with a heavy enough 7th for low A with the short scale, I don't see any reason why this couldn't be used as a conventional 7 with a reslotted or new nut. This would make it attractive to those of us who play standard 7s. High A tuning is not widely used, but this is a wonderful, beautiful guitar that could bring real joy to far more players as a standard 7.

It's pretty short for low A 7-string but what if you put together a custom set of strings and tuned it B-F#-B-E-A-C#-F# or even C-G-C-F-A#-D-G so you have all the same intervals of a low A 7-string but 2 or three semi-tones higher. I suspect it would intonate much better for the bottom string and the fingerings would all be familiar to a typical 7-string player.

[Woody Sound]

I've always wondered about getting my hands on one to try it. Not to diminish his wonderful guitars, but there are so many options in that area now to "compete."

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I've always wondered about getting my hands on one to try it. Not to diminish his wonderful guitars, but there are so many options in that area now to "compete."

There are a fair number of 7 string options out there, most of which are solid bodies. But I don’t know of many high A options.

Fender made a high A 7 string Strat many years ago. I’ve never even seen one advertised, let alone in the flesh. I think Steve Vai played a 7 with a high A early on, but IIRC the high A kept breaking & he went back to a low A. I don’t know exactly what guitar it was. The Uli Roth line of Sky guitars includes a high tuned 7, but they’re over $20k and a bit far out in design.

Kirk Sand built Lenny Breau’s high A custom 7 in the early ‘80s. After LB died, the guitar disappeared until someone found it in a pawn shop and Kirk was eventually able to get it back. He made about 800 guitars altogether, but I’ve never seen a count of his 7s. They’re certainly rare, and finding one is difficult at best.

This guitar is very special in many ways. If I were a young man again, I’d grab it. So if it appeals to you, don’t let yourself grow old without the experience.

[Cunamara]

Kirk Sand built Lenny Breau’s high A custom 7 in the early ‘80s. After LB died, the guitar disappeared until someone found it in a pawn shop and Kirk was eventually able to get it back. He made about 800 guitars altogether, but I’ve never seen a count of his 7s. They’re certainly rare, and finding one is difficult at best.

I had not heard about what happened to the guitar after Lenny's murder. That's quite a story!

As an aside, some years back we had visits on the forum from Lenny's daughter Emily and some time later also from Jewel's daughter (whose name I cannot recall). Needless to say they had very different perspectives on Lenny's death.

But that's either here nor there in terms of this wonderful guitar! Kirk Sand does beautiful work and certainly able to think outside the box to solve challenges.

[Hammertone]

Kirk Sand built Lenny Breau’s high A custom 7 in the early ‘80s. After LB died, the guitar disappeared until someone found it in a pawn shop and Kirk was eventually able to get it back. He made about 800 guitars altogether, but I’ve never seen a count of his 7s. They’re certainly rare, and finding one is difficult at best. ...

I think he made only two hi-A guitars - one for Lenny, and this one. If anyone is aware of any others, please comment.

[pcjazz]

I think he made only two hi-A guitars - one for Lenny, and this one. If anyone is aware of any others, please comment.

He adapted a Spanish-built 7-string nylon to high-A for Lenny and later built him a custom high-A 7-string steel string. As far as I know the advertised guitar is the only high-A nylon 7-string Kirk built from scratch. It is based on his low-A nylon 7-string model with a shorter neck and adapted electronics. So three in all, one steel and two nylon.

[Carelli]

Hi, is this still available? Kind regards

[Hammertone]

Hi, is this still available? Kind regards

Yes, it's available. I'd be happy to help get it into your hands. Check your messages.