To give an idea of where I’m coming from as guitar maker :-
From the outset I had a particular kind of instrument and sound in mind – inspired by the brilliance of Julian Bream whom I first heard as a teenager, I wanted to produce instruments capable of responding well to an expressive player like him (although there is no-one like him). I was, and still am beguiled by the musicality of his playing. I was impressed too, by the clarity of texture in the guitars Bream chose to play, the beauty of tone and range of colour he produced. This was my starting point, and consequently I researched traditional Spanish guitar making techniques rather than proceeding down the contemporary style route.
Sound is subtle as well as being very subjective and cannot be pinned down – there is no one kind of good guitar sound, but an infinite variety,. As a maker, I produce a certain characteristic style of guitar sound, which I find pleasing. Whichever model I am making, and whatever the particular sound I’m aiming for, I always look for certain attributes in my guitars – musicality, beautiful sound, flexibility of tone, good balance, evenness, clarity and projection through well-focused notes with a strong fundamental and good separation of voices.
In addition to those things, playability is a prime consideration. Due care is given to making sure the customer is choosing the scale-length, neck width/shape, string spacing and body design that will enhance their playing experience.