Michael Spalt Instruments - Carcavelos VIII / 700D - Custom Boutique Hand-Made Electric Guitar - Boutique Guitar Showcase BGS Tour Instrument - NEW!
Michael Spalt Instruments Carcavelos VIII / 700D
Custom Boutique Hand-Made Electric Guitar
NAMM Show / Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour Instrument
The Carcavelos VIII from Michael Spalt is part of the “700 Series” and was on display at the 2025 NAMM Show and included in the 2025 North American leg of the Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour. We are now happy to have it on consignment from Michael Spalt.
What is the 700 Series?
In nearly thirty years of guitar making, Michael Spalt had created approximately 700 instruments. He decided to celebrate this milestone by creating a special #700 piece; however, things were a little hazy in the early days, and not every instrument was properly documented. So, rather than build one guitar, he built a series of 5 special instruments for the 2025 NAMM Show, representing the various design styles he is known for. These became the “700 Series” (700A, 700B, 700C, 700D and 700E). One of them is the actual 700th guitar, but it’s impossible to know which one.
Crafted from 250-year-old, Reclaimed Carcavelos Mahogany
The Carcavelos VIII, which is also #700D in the series, is a special piece indeed. It is crafted from Carcavelos Mahogany which has been reclaimed from massive 2.5 meter tall, 250-year-old wine barrels coming from the Oeiras Winery. Cutting up the boards revealed large dowels used to join the massive planks, which have been incorporated into the build as a design feature. A rare and valuable resource for musical instrument construction, this wood provides a sonic response and special variety of overtones that you rarely find from commercial timber today. Its shimmering, simple elegance is accompanied by a distinctive scent of wood and wine.
This wood is not only witness to the fine wines produced within, but also to the back-breaking labor of the people that made that luxurious indulgence possible. In fact, the boards still bear the marks of the mineral deposit removal process, which was often performed by children who slipped through a tiny opening in the front of the barrel, to hack away amongst the dust and stifling alcohol vapors by candlelight. These rare boards are not only steeped in history, but they also have a shimmering, simple elegance, accompanied by the distinctive scent of wood and wine. Truly a wood for all senses!
By repurposing this wood into musical instruments, it takes on a second life as an agent of joy and pleasure. The wood is old growth, dense and heavy, though the guitar itself is lightweight and extraordinarily resonant – only 7.4 lbs. The one-piece body is extensively carved out to relieve the weight. The top is an assembly of cross sections, laminated together. The design is derived from the "butterfly" shape used on many of Michael’s famed “Totem” guitars and is echoed by the angular design of the headstock.
The guitar bears the Carcavelos Wood Seal, certifying its provenance. Also included is a hard case, various certificates of authenticity, and a Carcavelos wine sample set of 7-, 12- and 15-year-old wine from the Oeiras Winery.
Features and Specs of the Carcavelos VIII / 700D by Spalt Instruments
- Carcavelos Mahogany Body and Neck
- Cocobolo Fingerboard
- 22 Frets
- 24.75" Scale Length
- 12” Radius
- 1 11/16” Nut Width
- Spalt P-90 style BoneTop Pickups
- Master Volume and Tone Controls
- 3-way Pickup Selector Switch
- Steinberger Tuners
- ABR Bridge and Stoptailpiece
- Satin Lacquer Finish
- Hard Case
- Certificates of Authenticity
- Carcavelos Wine Samples
- 7.4 lbs
| SKU: | 700D |
| Serial Number: | 700D |
| MPN: | 700D |
| Product ID: | 9326141440258 |
| Variant ID: | 47535467823362 |
Michael Spalt Instruments Carcavelos VIII / 700D
Custom Boutique Hand-Made Electric Guitar
NAMM Show / Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour Instrument
The Carcavelos VIII from Michael Spalt is part of the “700 Series” and was on display at the 2025 NAMM Show and included in the 2025 North American leg of the Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour. We are now happy to have it on consignment from Michael Spalt.
What is the 700 Series?
In nearly thirty years of guitar making, Michael Spalt had created approximately 700 instruments. He decided to celebrate this milestone by creating a special #700 piece; however, things were a little hazy in the early days, and not every instrument was properly documented. So, rather than build one guitar, he built a series of 5 special instruments for the 2025 NAMM Show, representing the various design styles he is known for. These became the “700 Series” (700A, 700B, 700C, 700D and 700E). One of them is the actual 700th guitar, but it’s impossible to know which one.
Crafted from 250-year-old, Reclaimed Carcavelos Mahogany
The Carcavelos VIII, which is also #700D in the series, is a special piece indeed. It is crafted from Carcavelos Mahogany which has been reclaimed from massive 2.5 meter tall, 250-year-old wine barrels coming from the Oeiras Winery. Cutting up the boards revealed large dowels used to join the massive planks, which have been incorporated into the build as a design feature. A rare and valuable resource for musical instrument construction, this wood provides a sonic response and special variety of overtones that you rarely find from commercial timber today. Its shimmering, simple elegance is accompanied by a distinctive scent of wood and wine.
This wood is not only witness to the fine wines produced within, but also to the back-breaking labor of the people that made that luxurious indulgence possible. In fact, the boards still bear the marks of the mineral deposit removal process, which was often performed by children who slipped through a tiny opening in the front of the barrel, to hack away amongst the dust and stifling alcohol vapors by candlelight. These rare boards are not only steeped in history, but they also have a shimmering, simple elegance, accompanied by the distinctive scent of wood and wine. Truly a wood for all senses!
By repurposing this wood into musical instruments, it takes on a second life as an agent of joy and pleasure. The wood is old growth, dense and heavy, though the guitar itself is lightweight and extraordinarily resonant – only 7.4 lbs. The one-piece body is extensively carved out to relieve the weight. The top is an assembly of cross sections, laminated together. The design is derived from the "butterfly" shape used on many of Michael’s famed “Totem” guitars and is echoed by the angular design of the headstock.
The guitar bears the Carcavelos Wood Seal, certifying its provenance. Also included is a hard case, various certificates of authenticity, and a Carcavelos wine sample set of 7-, 12- and 15-year-old wine from the Oeiras Winery.
Features and Specs of the Carcavelos VIII / 700D by Spalt Instruments
- Carcavelos Mahogany Body and Neck
- Cocobolo Fingerboard
- 22 Frets
- 24.75" Scale Length
- 12” Radius
- 1 11/16” Nut Width
- Spalt P-90 style BoneTop Pickups
- Master Volume and Tone Controls
- 3-way Pickup Selector Switch
- Steinberger Tuners
- ABR Bridge and Stoptailpiece
- Satin Lacquer Finish
- Hard Case
- Certificates of Authenticity
- Carcavelos Wine Samples
- 7.4 lbs
| SKU: | 700D |
| Serial Number: | 700D |
| MPN: | 700D |
| Product ID: | 9326141440258 |
| Variant ID: | 47535467823362 |
Michael Spalt Instruments Carcavelos VIII / 700D
Custom Boutique Hand-Made Electric Guitar
NAMM Show / Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour Instrument
The Carcavelos VIII from Michael Spalt is part of the “700 Series” and was on display at the 2025 NAMM Show and included in the 2025 North American leg of the Boutique Guitar Showcase Tour. We are now happy to have it on consignment from Michael Spalt.
What is the 700 Series?
In nearly thirty years of guitar making, Michael Spalt had created approximately 700 instruments. He decided to celebrate this milestone by creating a special #700 piece; however, things were a little hazy in the early days, and not every instrument was properly documented. So, rather than build one guitar, he built a series of 5 special instruments for the 2025 NAMM Show, representing the various design styles he is known for. These became the “700 Series” (700A, 700B, 700C, 700D and 700E). One of them is the actual 700th guitar, but it’s impossible to know which one.
Crafted from 250-year-old, Reclaimed Carcavelos Mahogany
The Carcavelos VIII, which is also #700D in the series, is a special piece indeed. It is crafted from Carcavelos Mahogany which has been reclaimed from massive 2.5 meter tall, 250-year-old wine barrels coming from the Oeiras Winery. Cutting up the boards revealed large dowels used to join the massive planks, which have been incorporated into the build as a design feature. A rare and valuable resource for musical instrument construction, this wood provides a sonic response and special variety of overtones that you rarely find from commercial timber today. Its shimmering, simple elegance is accompanied by a distinctive scent of wood and wine.
This wood is not only witness to the fine wines produced within, but also to the back-breaking labor of the people that made that luxurious indulgence possible. In fact, the boards still bear the marks of the mineral deposit removal process, which was often performed by children who slipped through a tiny opening in the front of the barrel, to hack away amongst the dust and stifling alcohol vapors by candlelight. These rare boards are not only steeped in history, but they also have a shimmering, simple elegance, accompanied by the distinctive scent of wood and wine. Truly a wood for all senses!
By repurposing this wood into musical instruments, it takes on a second life as an agent of joy and pleasure. The wood is old growth, dense and heavy, though the guitar itself is lightweight and extraordinarily resonant – only 7.4 lbs. The one-piece body is extensively carved out to relieve the weight. The top is an assembly of cross sections, laminated together. The design is derived from the "butterfly" shape used on many of Michael’s famed “Totem” guitars and is echoed by the angular design of the headstock.
The guitar bears the Carcavelos Wood Seal, certifying its provenance. Also included is a hard case, various certificates of authenticity, and a Carcavelos wine sample set of 7-, 12- and 15-year-old wine from the Oeiras Winery.
Features and Specs of the Carcavelos VIII / 700D by Spalt Instruments
- Carcavelos Mahogany Body and Neck
- Cocobolo Fingerboard
- 22 Frets
- 24.75" Scale Length
- 12” Radius
- 1 11/16” Nut Width
- Spalt P-90 style BoneTop Pickups
- Master Volume and Tone Controls
- 3-way Pickup Selector Switch
- Steinberger Tuners
- ABR Bridge and Stoptailpiece
- Satin Lacquer Finish
- Hard Case
- Certificates of Authenticity
- Carcavelos Wine Samples
- 7.4 lbs
| SKU: | 700D |
| MPN: | R1602 |












