Novo Idris — Light Relic (Ede's Select Order)

Dennis Fano is one of the few builders who has managed to design something genuinely new without leaving the roots behind. His instruments look as though they've always existed, and yet there's no historical model they're copying. That's a tightrope most people fall off.

Novo Guitars build in small numbers in Nashville, every instrument involves a great deal of hand work, and the waiting lists reflect that. Getting hold of a Novo takes either patience or a good connection, which is exactly why the selectorders Meister Ede has put together for the shop over the years are special instruments.

The Idris is one of the most distinctive models in the Novo range. It picks up the offset shape language but shifts the proportions enough to become its own thing. The body is compact, the weight comfortably low, and the balance on a strap is right immediately. Novo are known for selecting light, resonant timber, and you notice it in the response: these instruments move openly and dryly, and they sound alive before you plug in.

An important part of that is the roasted maple neck Novo use almost throughout. Roasting draws the remaining moisture out of the wood and makes it more stable against changes in climate. Sonically it brings a drier, more direct core, and visually you get that warm, caramel tint that makes a Novo neck recognisable at a glance.

The light relic work is judged just right. It takes the new-guitar character away without making the instrument look battered. A few marks here, some knocked-back hardware there, and that's all it needs.

Novos are remarkably versatile at the amp. They have bite and definition without getting thin, and they respond very finely to your picking hand. These are guitars for players who want nuance.