Iris Guitar Company D-WH Square Shoulder Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Adirondack Spruce/Mahogany

The Iris D-WH is the company’s squared-shoulder take on the dreadnought blueprint, bringing 12-fret construction into the equation without abandoning the broad, traditional frame. Built in Vermont with the same hand-driven process as every other Iris model, the D-WH quietly carries the torch of mid-century American flat-tops while defining its own lane in the modern boutique field.

This model features a solid Adirondack spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides, assembled into a square-shouldered silhouette that favors a bold presence. Its 12-fret neck joint brings the bridge closer to the center of the lower bout, subtly shifting the feel and response under the hands. Internally, the top is supported by scalloped Adirondack spruce braces, kept light and responsive by design without the addition of complex or excessive detailing. The visual aesthetic leans intentionally minimalist, with tortoise body binding and a matching pickguard that offers contrast to the natural finish.

Neck construction includes a classic C-profile shape carved from mahogany, topped with a 16" radius Indian rosewood fingerboard set with plastic dot inlays. Players will find 19 frets in total, with 12 clear of the body. The scale length extends slightly to 25.5", offering a different tension and string feel than the shorter 25" Iris OG models. Hardware choices lean vintage as well: brass open-back tuners with cream buttons, a 1 11/16" bone nut, and a rosewood bar-style bridge with 2 7/32" spacing.

There’s no electronics included, keeping the instrument strictly acoustic by design. The finish is an open-pore satin nitrocellulose, leaving no vibrations or overtones trapped under a heavy lacquer.

Like all Iris guitars, the D-WH isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel—it just insists on building the wheel with tools you can trust.