What do your guitars sound like?

Try listening to CDs recorded with my guitars. This can be very deceptive, though. If you don't have access to a recent guitar (try the dealers listed above), here is my two cents on sound. Recording conditions, player technique, and when the instrument was made all have mitigating influences on what you hear. Here is what I work toward: a big sound, very even and sustaining, of great clarity and depth, yet warm and dark. I look for a quick lively response, fundamental support for every note, and the ability to easily shape the sound, both with vibrato and color. It should also have a shimmering brilliance when called upon, that carries to the back of the hall. I want the sound to come out effortlessly, but there should be enough headroom to really push the dynamic range. Do any of my guitars have all these qualities in spades? Perhaps not, but this is what I strive for as I build, and for which I make conscious design decisions. Some of these qualities are often thought of as representing tradeoffs, such as volume and sustain; or clarity and warmth. It is often possible to overcome these limitations, though sometimes at the expense of other qualities. Designing and constructing a guitar with a full plate of desirable attributes is a subtle balancing act. I approach it with whatever advantage experience and intuition has bestowed upon me.

Do you teach guitar-building?

I'm glad you asked! I teach a one-day course in rosettes and decorative marquetry at the American School of Lutherie in Healdsburg, California. I also teach a six-day lutherie course at ASL (the latest one was August 5-August 10, 2002). During these six days I construct a guitar while I discuss and demonstrate all aspects of the craft as they pertain to my personal approach. Since time is limited, I am not be able to start from "scratch", but everything of importance is covered, including soundboard design, decorative purfling and rosettes, elevated fingerboard design, intonation, and setup. In addition I make it possible for participants to have hands-on experience with some marquetry techniques, French polishing, and an exploratioin of intonation. Time permitting, we also consider the use of frequency spectrum analysis to aid design and evaluation of guitars.With a little bit of luck we string up a new guitar at the end of the course. It is a very focused, intense week but we have a lot of fun too. I look forward to doing it again.

What about strings?

I typically use D'Addario J-46 (hard tension) or J-45 (medium tension) strings. String choice is highly personal. However, my guitars usually work best with medium or medium-hard tension strings. Too stiff and the sound is "choked". I set the intonation for medium to hard tension nylon strings. Savarez Alliance, and Hannabach or HenSe "carbons" will be slightly overcompensated with my normal setup, though you may not notice a difference. If you are in love with these strings, let me know in advance and I will make the appropriate adjustments to nut and saddle intonation.

Why French polish?

O.K. Here's what's wrong with French polish. It's not as smooth and shiny as glass (usually). It is so thin that it gets scratched just by looking at it. It degrades where it comes in repeated contact with skin and perspiration. It is labor-intensive to apply. Now here's what's right with French polish. It has a warm, non-industrial appearance that is compatible with, and enhances, the organic nature of the underlying wood. It is very thin and, of all the finishes, it gives the most transparent quality to the sound. With time (months to years) it becomes less susceptible to scratching and chemical degradation. It is also very easy to "refresh" and make "new" again, though scratches that have damaged the underlying wood will not be completely eliminated. It also has the merit of being the traditional finish of guitars for hundreds of years. Not least, from my perspective, is that the solvent, alcohol, is relatively benign. I have used water-borne urethane and acrylic lacquers in the past. I can't say I won't use them again, at least on back, sides, and neck, but neither can I say when that might be. I am now experimenting with some proceedures that I hope will increase the durability of the finish. By adding some resins that are slightly miscible with oil, I make it possible to incorporate a drying oil like walnut. I should have a better idea of the effectiveness of this approach soon.

Spruce or Cedar?

It has been my observation that players who are used to spruce find it more to their liking; and vice versa. Part of this seems to have to do with the sound we expect to produce. Part seems to be that different techniques are required to obtain the best sound from each. It often takes some time to adapt the appropriate right hand follow-through to compliment each wood. There is a tactile difference here, perhaps related to the generally quicker development of the note in cedar. Beyond this, the sonic differences are subtle. For many players it is not hard to feel the difference but as a listener it is easy to be fooled. In general, spruce is clearer, yet with a denser, more complex sound and longer sustain. Cedar is "punchier", often with more headroom and is sometimes described as "darker". It may seem louder to the player but in large halls spruce often carries better, perhaps because of its clarity. Spruce is usually more colorful. These distinctions are subtle and not always apparent. Both woods can make great guitars. I generally prefer European spruce, but North American spruces, particularly Adirondack and Engelmann, can be very attractive. Likewise, coast reduwood and Port Orford cedar can make excellent guitars.

How fast do you work?

Slowly. I build about 12 guitars per year. Normally I work on one or two at a time; rarely three. I prepair neck blanks, fingerboards, bridge blanks, linings, heel and tail blocks, purflings and rosette materials, as well as a few other parts in advance and in bunches. I usually plant rosettes in half a dozen tops at a time. This gives me the advantage of a certain economy of scale, but when it comes to putting it all together and producing a guitar, there is no substitute for one-at-a-time. I suppose I could build faster but to try to industrialize the process much more than it already is can give no greater quality, and in the final analysis quantity has to be subordinate to quality (as long as it continues to put food on the table!).

What about scale length?

I build most of my guitars to the standard 650 mm scale length. In addition I build short-scale guitars, typically at 630 mm and 613.5 mm. There is a great range of hand sizes among guitarists. Finger length and width of spread can easily vary 25% between a man with large hands and a woman with smallish hands. Yet the difference between 650 and 613.5 is less than 6%. I commonly encounter the belief that scale-lengths of 645 mm or 640 mm are sufficient to accomidate players struggling with 650. There are surely players for whom these lengths are optimum, but I think the value of even shorter lengths is underrated. Take a guitar of 650 scale and capo at the 1st fret. You now have a scale length of 613.5. If your hands are small and you are having a struggle with 650, try this. In addition, if you can have a local luthier make a new nut for your guitar with closer string spacing, you might find an even better fit. (The normal string spacing at the nut is about 43-44 mm, E to E, center to center. A person with very small hands might benefit with spacing as close as, say, 37 mm. It is usually best to keep string spacing at the saddle unchanged, since no matter how small the hands, free-stroke playing requires about the same amount of space between the strings.)

I have great faith in shorter scale lengths and feel they have been unjustly "belittled" for having reduced power and volume. For people with smaller hands the increased playability could far outweigh any perceived loss of power. This loss can occur, in theory, because of reduced string tension or reduced box dimensions. Yet by using higher tension strings the first objection is overcome, and as for the effects of reduced box size, bigger is not always louder. Every design will have an optimum box size and shape to maximize volume, but a smaller box may actually increase projection or quality of sound. Some of the smaller Torres and Hauser I guitars faired quite well in the concert hall. These sizes are easy to adapt to shorter scale lengths. I reduce the size of the plantilla by only about 3-5 mm around the perimeter for both my 630 and 613.5 scale guitars. The sound can be very lovely and without one of my 650s for direct comparison, diminished volume is not obvious. Beyond compromised enjoyment, discomfort from too big a guitar can be a precursor to a repetitive stress injury. Without wishing to cause undue alarm, I think this possiblilty should not be taken lightly, and may often be obviated by playing a short-scale guitar. End of rant!

What options are available?

• Standard Classical model: elevated fingerboard design with Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) back and sides, mahogany neck with headstock joined by a V-joint, 20 fret ebony fingerboard, and bridge with double-hole tieblock.

• Flamenco model: traditional geometry with spruce soundboard, mediterranean or domestic cypress back and sides, cedro (Cedrella mexicana) neck with headstock joined by a V-joint, 19 fret ebony fingerboard and bridge with double-hole tieblock. Sloane machine heads or wooden tuning pegs.

• The following scale lengths are available at no additional charge: 650 mm, 630 mm, and 613.5 mm.

• Soundboards are available in cedar, European spruce, Adirondack spruce, Engelmann spruce, Port Orford cedar, and redwood.They all have merit, though the great majority of my guitars are in Eurospruce and cedar.

• Back and Sides are also available in various other rosewoods, and maple (both Western bigleaf and European). Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is available, with an additional charge of $4000. Madagascar rosewood and cocobolo rosewood are available for $1000 extra. African blackwood is available for $3000 extra.

• Sloane tuners are standard. Rodgers are optional at about $1000 extra. Graf tuners are also available at about $500 extra.

• Standard finish is French polish.

• The standard case that comes with my guitars is a good quality double-arched plywood case. As an option I can provide a custom-fitted Calton case for a very reasonable additional charge.

How do I order a guitar?

• To place an order, call, e-mail or write. I need to know your contact information (phone, e-mail and snail-mail) and I will send you confirmation.

• A non-refundable deposit of 10% ($950 for a standard 6-string) is required.

• Any estimate of the waiting period is just that: an estimate. The future is beyond our control, and I ask for your understanding should your guitar be ready later (or sooner!) than predicted. However, if I cannot fulfill your order within a year of the predicted date, I will refund your deposit upon request.

• I will contact you when I am about to begin construction of your guitar. At that time we can finalize the details of construction, payment, and delivery.

• Full payment, including the cost of shipping, shall be payed in advance of taking possession of your guitar.

• Once you receive your guitar you will have a week to decide if it is right for you. If you are not completely satisfied with it you can return it for a full refund (less deposit). However, return shipping is your responsibility and I may also deduct from your refund an amount commensurate with any damage incurred while it is in your possession.

• The foregoing term does not apply to special orders that have non-standard features. In these cases the guitar must be paid for in full before construction begins, and there may be no return option.

• I will guarantee your guitar to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for one year after you purchase it, unless I have specifically stipulated otherwise. For example, if a crack should appear within the first year, and reasonable precautions were taken by the purchaser to avoid this problem, I will repair it at my expense. The owner, however, is responsible for shipping costs.

• At the present time, the price of my standard Classical model is $9500. Please enquire for information about my Flamenco guitars.

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