Thompson DWA-A 2056

Thompson Guitars DWA/A 2056
Type	Guitar
Serial	2056
Year	2024
Owner	Justin Holmes
Tonewoods
Top	Adirondack Spruce
Back/Sides	Claro Walnut
Electronics
K&K Double Helix

Thompson Guitars DWA/A 2056 is the current primary stage guitar of Justin Holmes. It was custom-made for Holmes at the Thompson Guitars workshop in Sisters, Oregon in 2023 and 2024 and delivered to him at IBMA World of Bluegrass in September of 2024. It is a Dreadnought acoustic guitar.

Materials

Wood

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  The headstock is understated, with a simple turquoise Thompson logo.
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  The back and sides are claro walnut from Sunriver, Oregon.
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  Sunlight brings out a three-dimensional appearance to the Claro Walnut tonewood.
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  DWA/A 2056 is the first (and currently, only) black-finished Thompson in public use.

2056 has claro walnut back and sides, and an adirondack spruce top. The wood choice was the product of extensive deliberation and trial-and-error. Holmes wanted wood grown in North America, and the specific choices reflect two of his long-term communities - the Adirondack spruce from upstate NY, where he grew up, and the walnut from Oregon, where he lived for years.

Luthier Olivia Elia said she "had a blast" building 2056. "I think it's going to be a very special one. Walnut is my favorite wood - I think my guitar might have walnut from the same tree."

Inlays

2056 has three fretboard inlays made from red abalone.

The fretboard has three red abalone inlays:

• A bicycle wheel on the fifth fret
• A snake on the ninth fret, representing Holmes' tattoo of Isis, a ball python friend that lived with Holmes
• On the 15th fret, a symbol drawn by Holmes.

The fret dots and rossette, and purfing are turquoise fiber.

Electronics

The piezo and soundhole pickups are routed to separate outputs, for mixing with a floor rig.

It is fitted with the K&K Double Helix, with the piezo and magnetic soundhole pickup each routed to their own jack, which Holmes mixes in real time with a Line 6 Helix Floor.

History

2056 was commissioned and built to replace Holmes' previous stage guitar, Composite Acoustics 0x 003BCJ304-053CW.

In 2022, Holmes and his son, Fibonacci Emery Holmes, visited the Thompson Guitar workshop in Sisters, Oregon, for a tour and the initial consultation that would lead to the construction of 2056.

• Christine Funk shows Fibonacci some of the machines in the Thompson workshop.

Gallery

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  The Adirondack Spruce top began quite blonde before being painted black.
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  DWA/A 2056 at the setup bench at Thompson, showing the rare black top.
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