Etude QI Acoustic-Electric Classical Guitar

The Etude QI features a full-size body that is incredibly responsive thanks to a feather-light lacquer finish. The La Patrie Etude has great dynamic range along with the harmonically rich sound that you usually find in a guitar several times the price.

Etude QI Acoustic-Electric Classical Guitar has a solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides (laminate), mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge with a compensated saddle, gold "lyra" style tuners with pearloid buttons, Quantum I Electronics, and semi-gloss satin finish. Case sold separately.

800 Year Old Trees

All LaPatrie guitars feature solid cedar tops. The wood used in these tops can be found only in cedar trees that have an average age of about 800 years. The tight, straight grain in this wood makes it strong in the direction of the string tension while at the same time flexible across the grain lines. It is this combination of rigidity and flexibility that gives the top its resonance. The vibration of the guitar top is the most crucial element of its sound.

Lacquer Finish

LaPatrie guitars are finished with a special lacquer formula. This finish is light enough to allow the wood to breath and to vibrate freely. The top's resonating capacity actually improves as the guitar is played over an extended period of time. This gradual improvement in the response of the top is often referred to as "aging." Poly finishes inhibit top vibration and are therefore never used on LaPatrie guitars. Many other guitars use a thick plastic finish that smothers top vibration and prevents the benefits of aging.

Classics that are comfortable to play

Classical guitars of the past have typically been made with thick neck dimensions. While this promoted a certain amount of neck stability, it often made playing certain aspects difficult. It is for this reason that special attention was directed to the neck design of the LaPatrie guitars. Neck width and string spacing conform to classical standards, but a new truss rod system allows the profile of the neck to be reduced, producing a neck of extraordinary comfort, while increasing stability. LaPatrie guitar necks are carved from Honduran mahogany. All LaPatrie guitar models feature a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.