Fernando A. Jaén is a master luthier based out of Cuenca, Spain. His instruments are a blend of true old-world craftsmanship mixed with the passion and desire to build the most functional and forward-thinking guitar designs possible. To Fernando function is always the most important part in the design process. As you look over a Jaén Guitar, it quickly becomes evident that no stone has been left unturned. Nearly every part of this guitar was thought up and built by Fernando himself.

The Siracusa 16R is a fully carved and hollow Archtop with a 16" waist. It features X braces and a single (splittable) Jaén wound hum-bucking pickup and and a myriad of switching options, that are easy to wrap your head around. The guitar has one Jaén-wound magnetic neck floating humbucker pickup. This is not what most players think of when they imagine a floating humbucker. Most floating pickups can leave a lot to be desired, due to their small footprint and narrow bobbins; which can only have so many winding on them. This Jaén-wound humbucker is big and robust, yet clear and dynamic.

This 16R model incorporates a piezo / acoustic pickup as well. You can use two instrument cables for dual mono inputs into the same amp or have each pickup routed to two separate amplifiers with separate cables. Lastly you can use your own (or the included) mono input to dual TRS cable to use both the magnetic pickup and piezo into separate channels of the same amplifier or to two amps (such as a tube amp & PA system)

The bridge is made of ebony, it is fully height adjustable and pre-compensated. Within each saddle there is a piece of graphite to increase stiffness. The tailpiece is floating and has brass reinforcements where the strings are inserted.

The sound hole is located on the Siracusa's bass side; as traditional f-hole designs weaken the top quite a bit. Due to the thinly carved top on this model; it was necessary to put the sound hole in a different location. The end result looks classy and sophisticated, while making for a joyful experience when played acoustically. This is one loud guitar unplugged.

The playability of this instrument is off the charts. The action is setup nice and low and the fretwork is phenomenal. This guitar practically plays itself. So rich in harmonics; notes seem to just leap off of the fingerboard. The workmanship throughout is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The Siracusa 16R is truly a masterpiece that will bring much inspiration to its lucky new owner. Please take a look at the Jaén Guitars website, as there are many other fascinating details and features to learn about there.

Specs:

Body: European Spruce

Back / Sides: English Walnut

Neck: Multi Piece Maple

Fretboard, peghead face, bridge and tailpiece: Ebony.

Pickguard: Ebony w/ carbon fiber core

Pickup: Jaén Humbucker w/ Ziricote cover (Neck)

Piezo / Preamp: Custom individual mino piezo crystal saddles w/ custom charge & battery check circuit

Binding: Ovangkol

Purfling: Fiber

Finish: Nitrocellulose lacquer

Carbon Fibre: Truss rod access cover and tuning machine covers are both made of carbon fibre with glued laminations of ebony. The peg-head has two internal carbon reinforcements where the tuners are attached. There is also a carbon skeleton inside the bridge saddle that stiffens it. The bridge feet are hollow, made of carbon fiber and ebony, and joined by two carbon fiber rods. The pickguard has a carbon core hidden below its wooden skin.

Frets: Jescar FW47104SS Stainless Steel

Nut: Cowbone / 1 & 11/16"

lnlay: "Willow Tree" inlay at 12th-Fret & side markers (both wood)

Tuning machines: Schertlers, modified so that their mechanisms are hidden inside the peghead

Tailpiece bracket is made of aluminum with an ebony cover

Main pickguard bracket is made of blackened steel

The neck bracket is made of brass

Potentiometers: long rotational life (100.000 cycles), conductive polymer

Measurements:

Scale length: 25.5”

Nut width: 1 11/16”

Radius: 12"

Lower bout: 16"

Controls: Magnetic pickup volume pot, Piezo vol pot (both beside the neck humbuckers pickup cover), Humbucker / Single Coil mini toggle switch, Magnetic Pickup tone pot, Master volume pot (located on pickguard)

Dual inputs: See above description of electronics

Includes: HSC, Cable & Users Manual

Weight: 4lbs 11.6oz