2025 Jialan Chen, Coclea Cedro

Top: Western Red Cedar
Back & Sides: East Indian Rosewood + Mahogany Double Back & Sides
Scale Length: 650mm
Finish: French Polish
Price: USD $8,000

The Luthier

As a standout protégé of maestro Andrea Tacchi, Jialan Chen has deeply mastered the essence and acoustic architecture of the Florentine school of guitar making. His construction process balances immense respect for classical lineage with an intelligent approach to modern projection. This particular instrument is not only a tribute to Tacchi's pinnacle "Coclea" design but also a profound homage to the design and aesthetic language of Robert Bouchet.

The Sound

This Coclea Cedro delivers a deeply expressive, vocal performance that sets it apart from typical cedar instruments:

Silk-Luster Trebles: The treble register possesses highly "singing" melodic lines that carry a refined, shimmering clarity.
Focused Attack: Thanks to Chen's unique internal bracing pattern, the initial attack is round and full. It completely moves away from the muddy, "scattered" acoustic signature sometimes found in traditional cedar tops, providing instead exceptional focus, cohesion, and projection.
Double-Back & Sides Projection: The East Indian Rosewood and Mahogany double back and sides configuration builds an incredibly stable, rigid acoustic reflective foundation. This maximizes the vibrational efficiency of the soundboard, turning string energy into effortless volume.

Condition and Playability

The playability is outstanding, featuring a traditional, highly comfortable round neck profile where everything feels smooth, balanced, and natural. The left-hand transitions up and down the fingerboard require very little effort, allowing the player to easily draw out a massive sound. The instrument remains in excellent condition with absolute structural integrity.

Final Thoughts

Like the other premium works by Jialan, this guitar arrived incredibly open, mature, and powerful straight from the workshop. It presents exceptional singing qualities and highlights the absolute height of his contemporary craftsmanship—easily standing as one of his best instruments yet.