The Esoterik DR1 part of its new affordable 2015 series

If we said to you that you could have a brand new Esoterik DR1 for less than $1000 you'd think we were crazy, right? What about under $900? Well, you can, but only if you hurry.

The Esoterik DR1 is the first guitar in the company's new affordable 2015 series and it sells for $1036. But the first 60 are available at a discount meaning you could pick one up for $850.

The DR1 has a mahogany body and thru-neck. That neck, plus the string-through design at the the bridge, means you should get great tone and sustain. The thru-neck design makes the guitar stronger too, meaning it can withstand more abuse (not that we recommend you abuse any guitar, but hey, we all get a little carried away sometimes) than an instrument with a bolt-on or glued-in neck. Here's what Esotoerik says on its website: 'The neck woods extend from the headstock (with no scarf joint) through the center of the body. This is where the majority of the instruments tone is created. This provides unmatched tone and sustain. This keeps the instruments in tune better and keeps a smooth continuous playability when reaching the high notes without interference of a clumsy heel or bolt on neck.'

There's a spoke nut truss rod too, accessible just above the neck pickup – there's no cover to unscrew. The 24-fret, 16in radius neck has an ebony fingerboard with pearl dots. There are glow in the dark fret markers on the side. The headstock is topped in ebony too, and has a mother of pearl logo inset.

Esoterik DR-1 hardware

Hardware-wise there's a TonePros tune-o-matic bridge with graphite saddles and a GraphTech nut, Gotoh 510 mini tuners and Seymour Duncan Distortion/Jazz pickups.

The three control knobs – neck and bridge pickup volume, and master tone – are placed, along with the selector switch, as far away from the strings as possible so they don't get in the way when you hammer the strings with the pick. 

Check out the video on the Guitar Hive blog, and pay special attention to the contours on that gorgeous mahogany body. 

Like all Esoterik guitars, the DR1 comes with a hard shell case included in the price.

Esoterik was founded in 2010 by Ryan Cook. Cook designs the guitars, having previously worked with KB Custom Guitars, Ernie Ball, and National Reso-Phonic Guitars. They're then manufactured in Korea, before being shipped back to California to be set up by Cook.