When Bourgeois Guitars entered a partnership with Eastman Guitars in 2019, the company not only gained a large distribution channel, the move also opened doors to Eastman’s impressive manufacturing capabilities. Plans for a collaborative effort were hatched almost immediately, but the COVID pandemic threw a temporary wrench into the plan to work together across continents. But in 2023, Bourgeois finally introduced the Touchstone series, in which the guitars’ tops are selected, braced, and voiced in Bourgeois’ shop in Lewiston, Maine, before being shipped to Eastman’s factory in China. At Eastman, the guitars are built essentially in the same way that Bourgeois guitars are built in Maine, using the construction and design elements developed by Dana Bourgeois over the course of his 50-year career as a luthier. The finished guitars then return to Lewiston, where they’re inspected and set up before being sent to dealers. We were very impressed with both the Touchstone Vintage and Touchstone Country Boy models, and Bourgeois recently introduced a third line of Touchstones. In this video, I demo the new D Signature/TS with the help of San Francisco Bay Area flatpicker Jim Nunally. Watch for a separate demo of the OM Signature/TS coming soon!

Though significantly more affordable than completely US-made Bourgeois guitars, Touchstones are still considered premium-quality production guitars. And with the new Signature series, Bourgeois pushes the guitars further into the high-end. Built with gorgeous Madagascar rosewood back and sides and a torrefied Alaskan Sitka spruce top, the guitars would be difficult to distinguish from a Bourgeois built completely in Lewiston. Madagascar rosewood’s tonal qualities are often compared to Brazilian rosewood, and the wood used on our demo guitar brings to mind some of the straight-grained, evenly colored Brazilian found on certain vintage guitars. Alaskan Sitka spruce has been the choice for all Touchstones (matched with Adirondack spruce braces), but on the Signatures, the wood is torrefied, meaning that it has received the heat treatment previously reserved for Bourgeois’ higher-end models. The guitar’s appointments include Bourgeois’ original colored-herringbone purfling, a multi-ring rosette, and a mother-of-pearl fingerboard inlay pattern previously used on a run of limited-edition models and which has now been resurrected for the Signatures. Fit, finish, and overall craftsmanship were superb.

Bourgeois dreadnoughts have long been favorites among bluegrass players, so I was happy that Jim Nunally was able to give me his impressions of the D Signature/TS and play it in the video demo. Jim immediately commented on the guitar’s big and powerful sound, while also noting its balance and how it works equally well for flatpicking tunes and playing rhythm. As with the other Touchstones we’ve played, the D Signature/TS has a great setup, and its neck feels virtually identical to US-made Bourgeois dreadnoughts I’ve played. I enjoyed the guitar’s punchy, assertive strumming voice, and found that it delivered fat fingerstyle sounds when played more quietly. 

All the Bourgeois Touchstones we’ve checked out have been impressive guitars that offer fantastic value. Each of the models has its own tonal character, and choosing the “best” one will depend on personal preference. But with its torrefied top and Madagascar rosewood back and sides, there’s no doubt that the Signature series further elevates the line, fitting seamlessly into the Bourgeois catalog. 

SPECS: Dreadnought body with 14-fret neck. Solid torrefied Alaskan Sitka spruce top. Hand-voiced Adirondack spruce X-bracing. Madagascar rosewood back and sides. Mahogany neck. Ebony fretboard and bridge. 25.5-inch scale. 1²³/₃₂-inch nut width. 2.2-inch string spacing at saddle. Nickel Schaller Grand Tune tuners with ebony buttons. Made in the USA and China. $3,999. Bourgeoisguitars.com 

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