I offer choice and my standard models as presented seem to make the most sense to me.........but you may have special ideas and my goal is to accommodate them if possible. Since I offer several guitars, I like to keep the options fairly simple. I have chosen to not charge extra for a number of choices that you may pay more for elsewhere. I think this makes my price very economical in comparison.

My standard $3850 instrument is offered in dark, master grade East Indian Rosewood and your choice of any soundboard wood, French Polished soundboard, Gotoh Tuners with Ivoroid buttons, bone nut and saddle, double arched hardshell case, digital hygrometer and humidifier. An ownership certificate/guarantee is included.

I ship insured Fed-Ex second day air early in the week to avoid having the instrument sit over a week-end in shipment. I pay shipment within the continental United States.

Typical wait times are 2-3 years.

You could select from any of the options listed below, many at no extra charge.

Double Top Soundboard

This is discussed in it's own section and it is offered as a $1600 option over my standard price.

Acoustic Port

I recommend this option as it seems to broaden the tonal range of the instrument. The design comes from Native American art and is hundreds of years old, it takes a fair amount of handwork to carve into the reinforced upper bout. I recognize that not everyone wishes to have the Acoustic Port with their guitar and so I make this optional for a reasonable charge. ~ $125

Neck Designs

I use a conventional neck attached as Spanish tradition suggests The elevated neck is no longer available. I supply my 650mm scale necks at a standard 52mm wide at the 1st fret on the fingerboard. The thickness is 21mm at the first fret and 23mm at the ninth fret. The shape has been refined over many guitars is what I would describe as a low oval in configuration. The fingerboard is essentially flat with a mild progressive radius as it nears the soundhole. The fret tangs are nipped on the treble side so that they will never stick out from the fingerboard. I typically use a 44mm string spacing with a 4.5mm land area on the outside of the treble "E" string. 630mm and 640mm scales are available .

These shapes and dimensions are well proven over many clients and they represent contemporary preferences of evolved players. I would strongly recommend that you go with the standard for both playability and resale reasons, but if you have absolute must have requirements, I will certainly work with you.

Rosettes

  1. The Spirit Path Native American design
  2. The Art Nouveau, a striking contemporary design in Burled woods

Soundboard Woods

I offer these soundboard woods all in properly seasoned Master Grade:

  1. European Spruce (preferred)from Germany and Italy.
  2. Englemann Spruce.
  3. Colorado Blue Spruce.
  4. Western Red Cedar.
  5. Old Growth Redwood. (Salvaged from the timbers of old Fort Ross built in the early1800's)

Back and Side Tonewoods

  1. East Indian Rosewood. Dark, master grade included in the standard price
  2. Cocobolo is highly recommended as a direct replacement for Brazilian Rosewood. It is available in high quality with beautiful figure. $350 addtional
  3. Brazilian Rosewood is a fabulous tonewood and I carry a substantial quantity of dark, old growth wood. I can send pictures to help with decision-making. If this wood is selected, French Polish is included in the option price of $800-1200 ( yes, I think the good Brazilian is worth it)
I have many alternative woods to choose from. See the Tonewood Guide

Binding/Purflings

I use Ebony, Rosewood or Curly Koa bindings depending on the body woods chosen. All purflings are butt joined in the Herman Hauser tradition. See various examples in the models section.

Tuners

Choose Gilbert and Gotoh (Rodgers copy) tuners as a $150 upgrade to my standard Gotoh set, which is of good quality. (see the peghead section for more pictures)

I offer custom David Rodgers tuners with plates that match my peghead and Black Mother of Pearl buttons. Ruben Romero, the famous Flamenco guitarist uses my tuners on his instruments because of their absolute reliability on stage. I use them because what looks right usually is right. $500

Gilbert All Blacks on a plate. These have custom Black MOP buttons; normally they are in Ebony.

Standard Gotoh "B" Tuners with Ivoroid buttons

Custon David Rodger's tuners from England. Note that the endplate matches my peghead shape. Black Mother of Pearl Buttons.

Cases

My standard cost includes a high quality custom designed double arched case with extra padding in black exterior and dark blue interior . A $225 value.

There is a high quality padded case cover available in Black or dark Grey to offer additional insulation and protection during travels. $85

I have custom-made Calton flight cases to match my standard and elevated/cantilevered neck models (see Concert Grand). These cases offer excellent protection during airline travel and humidity changes as well. $525 (payable when case is received)

See the Calton Web site for details.

Finish

My standard guitar features Lacquered back, sides and neck for durability with a French Polished soundboard in shellac at no extra charge. I use a Special Kusmi seedlac shellac which is the hardest, most durable that I have found. Shellac is somewhat fragile during it's first year but continues to build toughness and will outlast any other finish. Because of the French Polish application method the finish is very thin and therefore acoustically transparent.