Simple design is enough…  Let the wood do the talking

Form follows function. If it feels right, it is right. These are the tenets I follow in my designs. Within these boundaries I go as far as I can. Here are some of the elements you will find in my guitars.

Asymmetric Body

An asymmetric body shape works for many reasons. It is beautiful, intriguing and organic. Nature is never perfectly symmetrical and acoustically it makes sense. I’ll spare the discussion and just say that it works – I make no claim it is better it just works for me. The waist is offset so the playing position is that of a much smaller instrument increasing player comfort. The integrated “cutaway” is not an afterthought and allows better access to the upper frets.

Elevated Fret Board

The elevated fret board is reinforced with carbon fiber and is very stable. This allows the top to move with changes in humidity without affecting playability. It also facilitates changes in neck angle and action height without major surgery. My necks also have a double acting truss rod and carbon fiber reinforcement.

Other Design Elements

Tapered body depth improves playing geometry yet allows the body to be large enough in volume to achieve the desired resonant frequency.

A domed top and back provide greater strength without mass.

My bridges do not have pins and the strings are inserted from inside the guitar through the soundhole. This prevents all the issues with pins, is actually very easy to do and gives a more solid anchor to the strings.

Bracing… I use a variety of bracing patterns depending on the goals of a particular instrument. My steel string guitars have an “X” based pattern and my nylon string, bambino and baritone guitars have a Kasha inspired fan bracing pattern. The fan bracing gives a huge tonal palette and responds well to a light hand. All the brace wood is white or black spruce from my neighborhood and is hand harvested, split and air dried.