Guitar:
Do you want a Classical or Flamenco? This is probably the easiest decision but here is something to think about. If you play a variety of styles such as classical, jazz, popular music, Latin classical, or flamenco, the most versatile guitar is my flamenco negra model. My most popular negra model is with Indian rosewood back and sides and top wood (soundboard) of European spruce. Classical guitars have a full rich tone and can certainly play all styles, but the most noticeable difference is apparent when strumming or playing rasqueados. The rich and desirable overtones of the classical guitar make “muddy” sounding rasgueados whereas my flamenco negra’s rasgeuados are crisp and clean.

Top Wood:
Much has been written about the differences between Western red cedar and spruce. Generally, cedar top guitars sound good right away and improve slightly with age and playing. Spruce top guitars need time and good, strong, regular playing, throughout the fingerboard to “open up” and develop in sound. Usually a significant improvement can be noticed in six months to two years with the reward being worth the effort!

About 80% of the guitars I make have tops of European spruce.

Back and Sides:
The list here is in order of wood density. Cypress’ are light and give a bright, clear tone, immediate and percussive. Rosewoods are denser giving the guitar more depth of tone, with fuller richer sounds. Most of my flamenco guitars are made with Indian rosewood or Spanish cypress. The guitars I made for Sabicas were all Spanish cypress. Paco de Lucia plays and records with both my Indian rosewood negra and Spanish cypress models. Vicente Amigo records exclusively with my negra guitars.

Today, my favorite guitar is cypress, tomorrow it may be rosewood! Each wood combination has its own appeal, character and personality. For recording and concerts Ottmar Liebert has 2 guitars with back and sides of Madagascar rosewood, cedar tops and pegs.

Brazilian rosewood is unmatched in richness and depth of tone as well as beauty of color and grain. My very limited supply of Brazilian rosewood is old and pre-embargo, but no matter how old or dry, Brazilian rosewood is likely to develop hairline cracks, which do not affect the sound but should be expected. For sales in the U.S.A. only. Inquire for availability and price.

Neck:
I have a superb stock of Spanish cedar neck wood.

Rosette:
Your choice of 3 designs: rose pattern, geometric pattern or alternating bands of black and white.

Please look at Steve Kahn’s web-site for beautiful photos of his guitar with rosette of alternating bands of black and white.

Fingerboard:
Macassar ebony is standard, but I have other species that are excellent alternatives. Please inquire. A traditional 19 fret fingerboard is standard.

Tuning:
Machines or pegs? I used to be a big fan of pegs but now am going more toward machines. Pegs require care and the regular application of peg compound to keep them turning smoothly. They must never be forced. After converting some of my guitars from pegs to machines, I have not noticed a difference in tone. Others will disagree. Having said that, my personal guitar has pegs and I would not consider changing it to machines!

Scale:
If you do not know, I will give advice, based on your left hand tracing. Typically, longer scales have more power and volume but the main concern is making the reaches easy and reducing the chance of injury to your hand.

Tap Plate:
My one-piece design covers the critical areas. You may sketch something different if you like.

Sprayed Lacquer Finish:
This is the only finish I offer. I have not noticed a difference in tone from French polish. My finish is thinly applied and that is most important. A French polish finish will not make a poorly constructed guitar sound good; but any finish applied too thickly can deaden the sound of a well made guitar. I tint the lacquer amber on spruce top guitars. The color will fade with exposure to indirect ultraviolet light while the same light will naturally darken the spruce with a warm patina.

Case & Case Cover:
If you do not plan to travel with your guitar, the included standard case is adequate protection. I do recommend getting the insulated case cover for added temperature protection. Light-weight fiberglass case upgrade includes a backpack strap. When I fly with my guitars, I put them in a deluxe Calton case and cover it with the nylon, insulated Case Cover for protection against baggage handlers if I am unable to carry the guitar onboard and fit it in the overhead bin.