Some might find it curious, but one of the more interesting – and hottest – guitar trends is guitars. The idea behind it boils down to fashioning a bridge or a strip made of rubber to dampen the tone of a guitar in order to project a softly muted sound that’s instantly alluring. The idea isn’t exactly new; a few aftermarket hardware companies have offered rubber bridges and dampeners for that muted texture for and .
However, prior to the pandemic, an Angeleno luthier named had been outfitting numerous with rubber-bridge builds that landed in the hands of some of the most recognized alt-rock darlings, including Phoebe Bridgers and Jeff Tweedy. These artists, among others, recorded many notable chart-topping hits and brooding album cuts with that percussive-yet-mellowed tone from rubber-bridge guitars. With that, it seems this trend isn’t going away anytime soon, which is why Orangewood Guitars offers two rubber-bridge acoustics – the Juniper Sunburst Live (reviewed here) and the Juniper Black Live.
If you haven’t already, I’d urge you to pick up one of these intriguing acoustics, because not only are they affordable, but you just might end up writing the next big indie hit song. Coming out of its included , the Juniper Sunburst Live feels solidly built with Orangewood’s custom parlor-sized construction and a 24.75-inch scale length.
It’s an inviting body style with compact dimensions that lends itself to intimate performances, and the 3 5/8-inch body depth .