A division of Circle Strings in Burlington, Vermont, Iris Guitar Company is a small team of highly-skilled and seasoned luthiers who are dedicated to building a modern instrument that captures vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics. Iris guitars are handmade using a combination of state of the art techniques and old-world craftsmanship. The RCM is a 12-fret 000 with a slimmer body than any other Iris. At the neck block, the body depth is 3-1/4" and it tapers to 4" at the end block. It's a comfortable 12-fret guitar with a lively voice, and it is named after Christian McAdams, Iris' General Manager who joined in 2020. This RCM-000 was made in 2022, and it features a Mahogany top paired with Mahogany sides and back. The Mahogany construction lends a dry richness that pairs well with the warmer, more balanced tone you get from the 12-fret design. The previous owner ordered it from Iris with a factory-installed K&K Pure Mini under the hood, and it has a strap button on the neck heel. It shows some wear and signs of use. The satin Iris finish gets shiny from areas where it gets rubbed, so you can see that on the back of the neck, on the bass edge of the top where your arm goes across, and along the waist. Since there's no pickguard, there's also some pick wear around the soundhole. This 2022 Iris RCM-000 has a nice inviting low setup. It was ordered with a 1-3/4" nut width, but at its widest point, the nut measures 1.728" on the digital calipers—so closer to 1-23/32". It has upgraded Schaller GrandTune tuning machines with snakehead buttons, so with the K&K, this guitar brings a lot of utility to the table. Although it's not a very old guitar, this Iris has developed nuanced sound like a played-in vintage guitar. It's a comfortable, manageable size with vibe and character like a played-in vintage guitar. We love the look of the edgeburst on top of the mahogany, too. It includes its original hardshell case.
