Guitar making combines music, design and acoustics in a fascinating way

My overarching goal while making my guitars is to give them a certain consistency of expression while preserving their unique personality. For me, this results from a cohesion of sound and appearance of each guitar. Both are defined by form and material, which I select according to acoustic, static and aesthetic properties. Especially when choosing material for the soundboard, which is extremely relevant for acoustics, I complement traditional methods like tapping and bending with additional physical measurements.

Sound

My concert guitars have great projection, a wide range of timbres, warm basses and singing trebles.

Design

I give my guitars visual unity by using repeating shapes and materials and a reduced colour palette. I offer my guitars in two different designs: a more modern and a slightly more traditional model. Though nearly identical in construction, they differ slightly in shape, with the main distinctive feature being the rosette.

Construction

The basic construction of my guitar is that of a traditional Spanish guitar. The bracing of the soundboard is a lighter variation of that designed by Robert Bouchet. Though essentially traditional, my guitars come with some features established in contemporary guitar making. The soundboard descends in the upper bout on the treble side only, creating a one-sided elevated fingerboard to improve the playability and sound projection in the high trebles. The sides are thinly doubled to enhance sustain without adding too much weight. The rather small plantilla reduces the area of the soundboard, thus reducing the mass of the vibrating surface, ensuring good response. To compensate, the high sides increase the body volume giving the bass its deep character. My guitars have a french polished surface.

Order

Please inquire for pricing and wait times.

When ordering your guitar, you have several options to choose from. I work with both spruce and cedar tops. Although I enjoy working with Indian rosewood for its colour and subtle structure, I also offer a variety of other materials for the back and sides, including European timber like maple. I’m happy to incorporate personal wishes with respect to scale, neck dimensions and shape. The guitars are set up with Scheller or Alessi tuners.

visit

Their excellent playability allows the player to experience the instruments’ full capacity. Please visit me and Adrian Heinzelmann in our collaborative workshop in Berlin Schöneberg to see for yourself.

Please call or email in advance to make an appointment.