The Guitars

        The instruments I make are based on the designs of Antonio de Torres and Hermann Hauser I. Torres and Hauser I instruments have a reputation of being among the finest existing concert guitars.

        Antonio de Torres (1817 - 1892), guitar maker in Sevilla and Almeria, Spain, is generally considered to be the originator of the modern classical guitar. Torres' contribution was of an instrument radically different from the smaller, less powerful guitars that were in use at the time. He established an outline ("plantilla") of the instrument which became accepted as the standard proportions of a good concert guitar. He also established the optimum scale length as being 650 mm. Many guitar makers around the world have taken the Torres design as their point of departure.

        My typical Torres style concert guitar is based on the instrument FE19. This guitar was built by Torres in 1864 in Sevilla and has got the name "La Suprema". It is a large-sized, however lightly built guitar with a typical Torres rosette and herring-bone purfling in light green/light yellow. This instrument is in preparation and will be built with master grade Alpine Spruce soundboard, East Indian Rosewood back and ribs, Ebony fingerboard, Spanish Cedar neck and Rosewood bridge.

        Recently I have started to build a series of small Torres style guitars based on his instrument SE117. This is a charming guitar, very lightly built, with short scale of 604 mm. The instrument is know for substantial sound production, and is especially suitable for the performance of guitar music from the romantic period. The guitar has a simple, but colorful rosette and bindings in Rosewood. The sound board is made from top grade Alpine Spruce, back and ribs from Cypress wood, like the original instrument. The guitar is equipped with old style guitar pegs with planetary gear 1:4.

        Herman Hauser (1882 - 1952) had his workshop in Munich and is regarded as one of the finest German guitar makers. By his work he has influenced many twentieth century luthiers, however, the basis of his design was in fact the Torres guitar. Some players regard his instruments as being superior to those of Torres. Andres Segovia and Julian Bream are but two guitarists who have played consistently Hermann Hauser guitars for many years.

        Hauser style guitars are characterized by a clear balanced sound and clean proportions. My Hauser style guitar is based on the smaller plantilla taken from a 1944 Hauser I guitar. This guitar is beautiful to look at with its classical Hauser rosette and has a fine tone balance with smooth basses and clear trebles. This guitar is available in the following wood combinations: Alpine Spruce top / Flamed Maple- or East Indian Rosewood back and sides, or Cedar top / Honduran Rosewood back and sides.

        In general all wood used for stabilizing struts and bars is quarter-sawn and split from wood billets. All gluing inside the sound-box is performed with hot bone glue at a relative humidity of around 40 - 50%.

        Fingerboard widths, neck dimensions and string spacing can be adapted to individual requirements. Side position dots are optional. My guitars are exclusively equipped with engraved SLOANE machine heads made from cast bronze.

First Step of Making a Guitar...