{"id":869517,"date":"2025-08-31T23:14:56","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T04:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/31\/review-the-iris-guitar-company-ms-00-is-a-custom-made-boutique-flattop-with-vintage-flair-and-high-end-tonewoods\/"},"modified":"2025-08-31T23:14:56","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T04:14:56","slug":"review-the-iris-guitar-company-ms-00-is-a-custom-made-boutique-flattop-with-vintage-flair-and-high-end-tonewoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/31\/review-the-iris-guitar-company-ms-00-is-a-custom-made-boutique-flattop-with-vintage-flair-and-high-end-tonewoods\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: The Iris Guitar Company MS-00 Is a Custom-Made Boutique Flattop with Vintage Flair and High-End Tonewoods"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/figure>\n

Luthier Adam Buchwald<\/a> founded Iris Guitar Company in 2018 with a clear vision: to build instruments with custom-shop quality using smart, streamlined construction. Sharing a workshop with its bespoke sibling brands, Circle Strings and Fairbanks Guitars<\/a> , Iris draws on the same skilled team of builders. It also benefits from direct access to exceptional tonewoods, thanks to Buchwald\u2019s ownership of the guitar-making supply company Allied Lutherie. This connection gives Iris a materials advantage that\u2019s rare among small-scale builders.<\/p>\n

Though Iris guitars are often positioned as budget-friendly workhorses, the MS-00 I reviewed\u2014a custom build showcased at the January 2025 NAMM show\u2014is a different kind of beast. Priced at $5,100, this instrument features a sinker salmon Sitka spruce top, Madagascar rosewood back and sides, and a Brazilian rosewood bridge and fingerboard\u2014all chosen for enhanced tonal clarity. In spending time with the MS-00, I found a guitar that\u2019s straightforward, well-balanced, and built to be played, not pampered.<\/p>\n

\"Iris
Photo: Mathilde Sauve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vintage Vibe, Modern Touch<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The matte dark burst and elegant body shape of the MS-00 evoke the classic Gibson L-00. That\u2019s no coincidence\u2014this mid-\u201930s-style guitar was developed in close collaboration with Folkway Music\u2019s Mark Stutman, a vintage expert and luthier known for his deep knowledge of prewar Gibsons. From his shop in Waterloo, Ontario, Stutman brought both a sharp eye and a well-trained ear to the project, helping the MS-00 capture the voice and character of a golden-era flattop.<\/p>\n

While the standard MS-00 starts at $2,350, the guitar I reviewed includes several features from the $3,150 Mark Stutman spec\u2014such as a wider 1-3\/4-inch nut, 2-5\/16-inch bridge spacing, and a modified V-neck profile. But this particular build pushes things even further, with a more customized voice and feel that sets it apart from either production model.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Madagascar rosewood is often viewed as a close substitute for the coveted Brazilian, and is only used on a select few new guitars these days. The back on this instrument is constructed from four pieces rather than two. True to Iris\u2019 ethos, this choice reflects the company\u2019s commitment to using great tonewoods that might fall short of size requirements or cosmetic standards for higher-end boutique builds, but still deliver outstanding sonic character.<\/p>\n

The result is a refined take on the MS-00\u2014visually distinctive and sonically responsive, with just enough individuality to stand out. And for those inspired by this build, Iris does accept custom orders, allowing players to request specific combinations of tonewoods, neck specs, and cosmetic details.<\/p>\n

\"Iris
Photo: Mathilde Sauve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Comfort and Playability<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I found the vintage-style open-back tuners easy to use and precise in holding pitch. While the modified-V shaped mahogany neck wouldn\u2019t be my first choice\u2014the profile is more pronounced than I typically prefer\u2014the standard MS-00 comes with a round C-shaped neck, which I\u2019d likely find more to my taste. Like other Iris guitars, this model features a wider, squarer heel that accommodates the bolt-on design. Though visually a bit clunky, it really only affects the feel at the 12th fret. Otherwise, the action was comfortable right out of the case, and the fret ends were clean and smooth across the board. Overall, the guitar played effortlessly\u2014inviting long stretches of practice or performance without fatigue.<\/p>\n

\"Iris
Photo: Mathilde Sauve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Versatile Tone Across Styles<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Using the included Iris 1.5mm ivoroid pick, I started noodling in G major in open position and immediately noticed the full, articulate midrange\u2014along with a tight low end that provided a clear, unmuddied drive. The low E string could handle some push, so I improvised a strong but groovy strum on an open E pedal while playing diatonic thirds on the fourth and fifth strings. I found the guitar capable of taking a heavy strum without sacrificing clarity.<\/p>\n

I then moved into an E minor bass chord pattern and was impressed by how clearly the bass notes cut through the mix. Switching to the classic flatpicking tune \u201cRed Haired Boy,\u201d I found the notes well balanced across the strings in first position\u2014each one distinct, yet blending together with just the right amount of natural \u201cguitar-verb.\u201d The ladder bracing may contribute to this character as well, giving the guitar a dry, punchy response with a bit of old-school edge\u2014especially noticeable on hard strums and quick note runs.<\/p>\n

Testing the upper register, I picked through the B section of the classic valse musette \u201cMyst\u00e9rieuse\u201d to hear the note separation up the neck. Here, I found the taper of the neck more pronounced than I\u2019d prefer, but when I dug in at higher positions, the guitar opened up and handled the added dynamics well.<\/p>\n

I shifted to fingerpicking Leonard Cohen\u2019s \u201cSuzanne,\u201d and the MS-00 responded sweetly. When I strummed through the first half of the trad-jazz staple \u201cBlues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me,\u201d the guitar held its own surprisingly well in this jazzier context. I wrapped up with a chord-melody version of \u201cApril Showers,\u201d and the guitar handled it all\u2014full chords up and down the neck, dynamic contrasts without tonal loss, and clear single-note lines throughout the fretboard.<\/p>\n

\"Iris
Photo: Mathilde Sauve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

High-End Build, Vintage Soul<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At $5,100, this NAMM-showcase MS-00 is not exactly the budget-minded flattop Iris is best known for\u2014but it doesn\u2019t pretend to be. With its combination of premium tonewoods, vintage-inspired neck carve, and responsive voicing, it delivers the kind of tactile, dynamic feel you\u2019d expect from a boutique instrument. Whether you\u2019re fingerpicking, strumming and singing, backing a band, or taking the lead, the MS-00 proves that Iris can compete at the highest level.<\/p>\n

\"Iris
Photo: Mathilde Sauve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

BODY<\/strong><\/p>\n

14-fret 00; sinker salmon Sitka spruce top; Adirondack spruce ladder bracing; four-piece Madagascar rosewood back and sides; black\/white\/black purfling and rosette; Brazilian rosewood bridge with bone saddle (2-5\/16\u2033 spacing); firestripe pickguard; satin dark burst nitrocellulose finish<\/p>\n

NECK<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mahogany; bolt-on, modified V profile; 24.75\u2033 scale; Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 16\u2033 radius; 1-3\/4\u2033 bone nut; ivoroid binding; nickel\/silver frets; six-petal flower headstock inlay; vintage-style open-back tuners with cream knobs; satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish<\/p>\n

OTHER<\/strong><\/p>\n

D\u2019Addario XS Light Phosphor Bronze Coated strings (.012\u2013.053); TKL hardshell case<\/p>\n

MADE IN<\/strong> USA<\/p>\n

PRICE<\/strong> $5,100 as reviewed\/from $2,350<\/p>\n

irisguitarcompany.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Clora Schewe
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Luthier Adam Buchwald founded Iris Guitar Company in 2018 with a clear vision: to build instruments with custom-shop quality using smart, streamlined construction. Sharing a workshop with its bespoke sibling brands, Circle Strings and Fairbanks Guitars , Iris draws on the same skilled team of builders. It also benefits from direct access to exceptional tonewoods<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":869518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35438,661],"tags":[18349,5992],"class_list":{"0":"post-869517","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-guitar","8":"category-review","9":"tag-guitar","10":"tag-review"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=869517"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869517\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/869518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=869517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=869517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=869517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}