Back and Side Sets Currently in the Workshop

I've added a new photo gallery to the site showing all the back and side sets that I currently have in my workshop. I love to work with a wide variety of tonewoods, so I intentionally keep any surchrages very modest. Customers' choices are by no means limited to these sets. I encourage my customers to browse the websites of my suppliers too. When ordering a handmade guitar, choosing tonewoods is a really fun part of the process.

Don Alder's Optioned-Out Baritone

I've just finished building the soundbox of Don Alder's Bearclaw Sitka Spruce and Sapele Baritone. This one's got (almost) all the options. It's the first guitar I've built with the beautiful and comfortable Ryan Armrest Bevel. I've fielded many requests for this feature and I'm so pleased to be offering it to my customers now. Other options on this guitar are the Multi-Scale Fingerboard Geometry, the Manzer Wedge, the Side Soundport, and of course, the cutaway. I've just added an Options Page to the website that reviews the benefits of the Ryan bevel, these other features, and 7- and 8-string guitar possibilities. Next I'll be building a Grand Concert for Don. I'm thinking that bloodwood binding with a bloodwood bevel will look real nice next to that bubbley sapele.

A Cedar/Koa Baritone for Healdsburg!

What's more beautiful than a dazzling set of koa? I decided to trim this cedar and koa Baritone with beautiful red bloodwood. It's a really sumptious combo. I'm looking forward to getting some studio shots of this beauty, which I'll have with me at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in August. I brought this to the South Bay Guitar Society's classical guitar festival in San Jose last weekend and the classical guitarists really loved playing it. Happy Birthday #42! :)