Why Build Classical Guitars by Hand? I build guitars because I love to create beautiful, useful things – functional works of art. The classical guitar must be made with careful sensitivity to amplify the relatively weak string vibration. For a craftsman living in a modern, industrial, mechanized society, the building of fine classical guitars by hand

Brief History of the Guitar Renaissance Matteo Sellas ca Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY Typically four-course (first string single, the others doubled) Image copyright © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY

Baroque The Sabionari guitar (1679) by Antonio Stradivari (source: – used with permission) Antonio Stradivari ( ) made four guitars. five-course (five doubled strings), baroque guitars which are smaller and lighter than modern guitars. They were usually tuned like the top five strings of the modern guitar--first course e (unison or single); second course b (unison); third course g (unison); fourth course d (octave); and fifth course a (octave). The Sabionari guitar (1679) by Antonio Stradivari (source: – used with permission)

The Early 19 th -century Guitar The six-string guitar emerged in about 1785 Six, single strings Tuned as today’s standard tuning, about a half step lower Joséf Pagés of Cadiz ( ) Louis Panormo ( ) London René Lacote ( ), Paris Johann Georg Staufer ( ), Vienna

George Corsby, London Ca Ladder braced Maple back and sides Spruce on inside of the back 650 mm scale length Baker machine tuners Panormo style head

René Lacote ( ), Paris Six-string guitars that were very popular in the early 19 th century Endorsed by well-known guitarists of the era, including Fernando Sor Made seven-string and harp guitars Developed machine tuners Double-top René Lacote in 1830 (crédits photos : Sinier de Ridder)

Edwards Guitars in the Lacote Style Six-string 630 scale length Maple back and sides Sitka spruce top PegHed tuners Seven-string 630 scale length Rosewood back and sides Sitka spruce top PegHed tuners Asymmetrical bridge for the seventh string

Johann Georg Staufer ( ), Vienna Johann Georg Staufer instrument has a longer scale-length (typically 640 mm) than the Lacote (typically 630 mm), which gives a little more dynamic range. “19th-century sound”—very sweet in tone and fun to play. He used friction tuners, but like René Lacote he also developed machine tuners Some of his instruments also feature an adjustable neck. Johann Georg Staufer trained Christian Frederick Martin ( ) who became a foreman in his workshop, and later moved to America and established C.F. Martin and Company in 1833.

Edwards Staufer Style Guitar Six-string 640 scale length Maple back and sides Sitka spruce top PegHed tuners

Antonio de Torres ( ) Spain Credited as the father of the modern classical guitar. He made guitars in Sevilla, Spain from 1852–1870 (his first period) and Almeri, Spain from (his second period). His innovations were to widen the guitar’s table, deepen the sides significantly, lengthen scale and to employ fan bracing to support the larger table. Fan bracing was not his innovation as it appears to have originated much earlier with Joséf Pagés of Cadiz ( ) and was also used by Louis Panormo ( ). Longer scale-length, greater dynamic range with many new overtones that are not present in the early 19thcentury guitars. Well-suited to the Romantic Era style of music that was contemporary with his work. Most modern classical guitars today trace their design origins to his work.

Antonio de Torres, 1867 (courtesy of David Collett, Guitar Salon International)