I believe I am not alone when I say, I am in love with my guitar. The bond between guitar and guitarist is forged by hundreds of hours spent together in a passionate discourse. Spouses, partners and parents are often bewildered by this strange relationship and don’t seem to understand how precious the wooden box is to us. It’s no wonder, then, that we don’t want some burly stranger throwing our beloved around on tarmac and that we put up a bloody big fight to keep the guitar with us when we get on a plane!

I have heard horror stories about instruments that were damaged and destroyed from being checked in on flights. From disintegrated cellos that fall off luggage belts to punctured guitar soundboards that fell victim to curious security officers (John William’s Smallman!), fragile and very expensive instruments that have survived world wars and social uprisings stand little chance once ‘checked in’. I almost feel that the fragile sticker is sometimes a red rag to a very bored and angry bag handler. But that’s just me being cynical…

I have clocked up hundreds of hours of flying time by now (being from Australia has boosted my stats) and I have learnt a few strategies for getting my guitar on board. I am happy to share with my fellow guitarists some tips and I hope it means a safer journey for the little pluckers.

Arm yourself with knowledge

Airline policies differ in regards to carry on luggage so do yourself a favor and find out which airlines are guitar friendly. Here are a few examples:

American Airlines

• Small musical instruments may be carried onboard the aircraft providing they meet existing carry-on size requirements and fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. Case dimensions may not exceed 45 dimensional inches (width + length + height), except for guitars which may be brought on board only if they can be safely stowed in an overhead bin or approved stowage location in the cabin.The instrument is considered the passenger’s one allowed carry-on bag. A personal item is allowed in addition to the instrument.

Delta Airlines

• Guitars and other smaller musical instruments, such as violins, will be accepted as your free carry-on baggage item on Delta operated flights¹. These items must easily fit in the overhead bin or other approved storage location in the cabin, based on available space at the time of boarding. If adequate space is not available, then the item must be checked and fees will apply.

United

• You can carry on one guitar or similar or smaller sized musical instrument, which will count as your one carry-on item. The musical instrument, which may exceed 45 linear inches, must be able to be stowed under the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin or another approved stowage location. If space is unavailable prior to departure, the item must be checked as baggage

Continental Airlines

• Musical instruments can be carried on board or checked as baggage. If necessary, a seat can also be purchased for an instrument. Carried on Board: A small musical instrument can be carried on as a personal item. If the musical instrument appears too large or irregularly shaped to fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment, it will not be accepted for in cabin stowage.

Southwest musical instrument carry on policy

Mind your attitude

The people at the airport (flight attendants, security etc.) are the one’s in charge and even if you think you are legally/technically in the right, the buck stops with them. Instead of acting aggresively and demanding that your guitar is worth a bazillion dollars (bad idea, trust me) be polite, courteous and respectful. Airport staff have a tough job and they deal with many grumpy and tired people daily, if you show a little kindness and good cheer they might be inclined to reciprocate the favor (this works for everything else in life too). You will be surprised how far your smile will get you, on a flight I had down to Charlotte NC the pilot actually took the guitar into the cockpit with him!

For example:

Scenario 1

Cordial flight attendant- I’m sorry sir but you cannot take your guitar on the plane, it’s over the carry on allowance.
Yngwie Williams – What?! I just saw that lady take on a giant sombrero and a a chihuahua in nappies and you won’t let me take this on? This guitar is very fragile and worth a lot of money so I need to take it on with me.
Irritated FA – You will have to purchase a separate ticket for your instrument then sir.
YW – You have got to be kidding me, I have taken this with me on hundreds of flights before. I will not take no for an answer.
Cue intimidating baggage handler and security – guitar gets put in the hold with a dash of spite – result: the most expensive set of toothpicks you will ever own.

Fail

Scenario 2

Cordial flight attendant- I’m sorry sir but you cannot take your guitar on the plane, it’s over the carry on allowance.
John Ghandi – Would it be possible to see if it will fit in the overhead storage or in a cupboard? If it doesn’t I understand that it needs to be checked.
Cordial FA – Well, it isn’t a full flight so you can see if it fits. What kind of guitar is it?
JG – Classical
CFA Oh! I love the Eagles.
Cue slight regret that you could have been a rock star if you stuck with electric – get on board and fly with your precious – result: relief.

Win!

Be discreet

You guitar is oversize, there is no way around it, so don’t bring attention to it!
The first hurdle is the check in desk. I know it sounds silly but I will always try to get served by the happiest looking staff member, even if it means letting people in the line go in front of me. Grumpy check in people seem to love sticking to the rules so I avoid them if I can. When you approach the desk have your passport and paperwork ready and in front of you so they have something to look at while you quickly put your guitar on the ground. If they ever ask about your guitar or if you have other carry on luggage, don’t lie – express line to the cargo hold. However, they rarely ask about carry on luggage, they normally ask if you have anything else to check in, which of course… you don’t.

Security is the next hurdle, but to be honest its the least of your worries. The security checkpoints are more interested in guitars that break without baggage handlers, if you get my gist. Just don’t put any prohibited objects for carry on in there. Things like music stands (a.k.a. sniper rifles) will always warrant a luggage search so keep that in your check in baggage if you want to keep unwanted hands away from your guitar.

The waiting lounge can be a minefield when the flight is full, attendants will hover around looking for oversize bags to check early so I advise keeping a good distance from the gate. When presenting your boarding pass make good eye-contact and have your passport and boarding pass ready. Keep your guitar to the other side than the attendant or on your back. When boarding the plane the first thing to look for is the type of overhead bins they have. If they are long , with removed dividers and doors that open upwards, you are set to go but if they are the individual drop down bins you’re in trouble. The only option in this case is to quickly find the first class/crew cupboards. These cupboards are located in different places on different planes but they are always close to the entrance (that’s were the posh people sit you see). If you get it in there, run like the clappers because once its in, its in. No self respecting flight attendant would ever move what they think is first class baggage. If you can’t find it, then politely ask an attendent to help out.

If it doesn’t work out, well, you tried your best.

Practical Issues

Know what kind of plane you are flying on.
Some planes simply will not fit a guitar in the overhead. Small commuter planes can barely fit normal carry on bags let alone your favorite fleta. Look at your itinerary and google the planes that you will be on. If you are on a Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, Airbus A320, A321, A 380 you will be fine. Dash-8, Embraer CRJ-700 or Embraer ERJ-135 save your time and sanity and just resign yourself to checking your guitar in. Of course, you might consider changing your airline/flight in order to avoid smaller planes.

The smaller your case the better your chances.
One of the biggest benefits of fancy shmancy cases like Accord is that they are small and form fitting to the guitar. This means that they look far less bulky than a Hiscox type case and stand a better chance of 1. being accepted and 2. actually fitting.

Insure your guitar
If you have invested a lot of money on your guitar then for heavens sake get it insured! Bad things do and will happen so if you cannot afford to buy another instrument then you cannot afford not to get insurance. There are several insurance companies out there that insure musical instruments and you will want to go over their coverage policy in detail. Be sure to check that your instrument will be fully covered for replacement and repair during all forms of travel.

Have a travel guitar
I am not talking about one of those coat hanger deals, rather, if you are going on a trip that doesn’t involve Wigmore Hall debuts why not buy one of those pink sparkly guitars in the store window to spare you and your guitar unnecessary stress?

Take up the ukulele.

Share some of your own tips and stories below and in the forum

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Ferdinando Carulli

Right hand technique was revolutionized in the nineteenth century with the emancipation of the little finger and the advent of using nails. Several methods around the turn of the century still advocated using the fourth finger on the right hand to support the other fingers and be placed on the soundboard of the instrument. One of the leading guitarists of the time, Ferdinando Carulli, stated in his method: “…the hand must support itself lightly on the little finger which must place itself to the side of the chantarelle, and precisely in the middle of the distance from the bridge to the rosette.[6]” The great Fernando Sor also wrote of the little finger: “Sometimes I employ the little finger, pressing it perpendicularly on the sounding-board below the first string, but taking care to raise it as soon as it ceases to be necessary.”[7] Dionisio Aguado, however, believed that for the right hand to be loose and completely free of tension the little finger should not be propped upon the soundboard. “By no means should the little finger or any other be rested on the table, because the hand has to be free and completely loose”[8] Aguado goes on in his explanation reasoning that full mobility of the right hand is dependant on the freedom of the little finger providing increased facility in speed, power and tone color.[9] Aguado’s rationale is still adhered to today with modern performance technique requiring a free and relaxed hand to perform complex tasks that are necessitated by the guitar’s repertoire.

Aguado and his Tripodaison

Aguado contributed a second innovation to guitar technique that has now become standard in modern performance practice, which is the use of nails for playing the guitar. The debate over using nails, or not, is a long and continuous one with each side having strong points to argue. However, in regards to observing how modern performance practice came about, the idea of Aguado to use nails had a profound impact. The practice of using nails did not catch on immediately and there are notable players who chose to continue playing with the flesh, such as Fernando Sor and Francisco Tarrega. With compositions of the time increasingly employing technical virtuosity, however, nails provided a stronger sound and a faster attack which allowed the showmanship of nineteenth century guitar music to reach new levels of audacity.

Even with virtuosic players writing substantial concert works for the guitar in the nineteenth century, the subtle sonority and small dynamic range of the instrument could simply not compete with the ever ubiquitous forte-piano which usurped the role that the guitar once had. Luthiers, achieving various levels of success, experimented with the guitar and its construction, however, It was not until Antonio Torres (1817-1892), a Spanish luthier, designed a much larger, fan-braced guitar that the instrument could once again be taken to the concert stage with success.

Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909) first met Torres in 1868 at the age of seventeen and upon hearing the young Tarrega perform Torres presented him with one of his finest instruments. With the larger, more powerful and resonant instrument in his hands, Tarrega would develop new techniques and performance practices that had a profound impact on how we play today.

Francisco Tarrega

Tarrega introduced the apoyando stroke into the guitar technique and in doing so completely abandoned the practice of resting the little finger on the soundboard.[10] Apoyando is now a technique that permeates the modern classical guitar technique and undoubtedly at the time it helped boost the projection of an instrument, which was often criticized for its small sound. The large size of the Torres guitar made it more suited to being placed on the left leg in a raised position with a footstool. This posture was first employed from the time of Tarrega and has only recently begun to change with a new found focus on ergonomic guitar supports in the twenty first century. Prior to the posture that was established by Tarrega nineteenth century guitarist were supported by a ribbon, a raised right leg (the guitar was propped up at an angle on the thigh) or in the case of Aguado a specially designed support named the tripodison.

The classical guitar enjoys arguably the highest level of playing ability, musicianship and compositional growth than ever before with no signs of the guitar’s development and refinement slowing down. Just as there were innovators on the vihuela, baroque guitar and the nineteenth century guitar there are scores of individuals who continually push the boundaries of guitar technique today. The classical guitar faces new challenges in the modern age with a variety of music styles competing for attention.

[6] Carulli, Ferdinando, Methode Compette, p. 4.

[7] Sor, Fernando, Method p. 11

[8] Aguado, Dionisio. Escuela, p.3

[9] Cox, Paul Wathen Classical Guitar Technique and its Evolution as Reflected in the Method Books ca. 1770-1850. Indiand University, Ph.D., 1978 p.123

[10] Turnbull, p.106.

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A defining characteristic of the classical guitar and its lineage is the constant development and change it has undergone over the course of history. Modern performance practice, compositional styles and even construction of the classical guitar are still in a state of flux and although there may be a conceived standard for any particular aspect of the instrument at any given time, there have always been innovators and pioneers who challenge contemporary conventions and encourage development and diversity. The influences that have guided the way we play the classical guitar today are as varied in chronology as they are in geography. From the court of Louis XIV in France to the folk idioms of Argentine gauchos, the complex web of influence warrants a substantial treatise that delves far beyond the scope of this article. There are, however, pivotal figures and works that have guided the classical guitar’s trajectory and in this series of articles, I will discuss some of the principal exponents that have shaped the way classical guitar is played today.

From as early as the 16th century, players of the Spanish vihuela were laying the initial foundation of what would one day culminate into the modern classical guitar technique. For an instrument that was popular for a relatively brief time, the vihuela played a substantial role in the development of modern performance practice. The vihuelists of the sixteenth century were innovators on many fronts and perhaps one of their most notable achievements was the cultivation of variation form and art song accompaniment.[1] The variation form arose from a necessity to relieve the monotony of long accompaniments to recitations of medieval romances that could run to over 200 lines.[2] The most famous example comes from Luis de Narváez, who composed variations on the popular folk song Guardame las Vacas. The development of variation form is, in itself, a substantial contribution to the western music tradition, in addition to this, however, master exponents of the vihuela, such as Luis Milán, Luis de Narváez, Alonso Mudarra and Miguel de Fuenllana, made advances in compositional style and technique that can be viewed as initial steps towards how we play the classical guitar today.

Modern guitar technique utilizes all five digits on the right hand with melodic passages being realized through a process of alternation. European lutenists in the 16th century employed a technique of alternation between the thumb and first finger only and it was due the innovation of Spanish vihuelists that both the first and second finger were used in alternation to perform scale passages. At this point in the guitar’s development the third and fourth fingers were still unused, as the fourth finger would be rested lightly on the table of the instrument for support and stability.[3] With this development in technique and a newfound facility of playing available, the vihuelists were able to compose and perform music of great complexity and virtuosity. El Maestro, a pedagogical treatise on the vihuela, contains a variety of works that display the virtuosity inherent in vihuela playing of the time. Far from being just a collection of works for students, El Maestro was the first published book of works for the vihuela.

The process of intabulation on the vihuela was common and drew upon a wide selection of repertoire by renowned composers. The vocal music of Josquin de Prez, Willeart, and Cristobal de Morales and others, provided much of the material that was used for intabulation. This practice produced works that spanned from simple villancicos (strummend chordal music) to faithful representations of motets and masses. Intabulation was a necessary practice due to the high price of music books and perhaps the vihuela possessed the idiosyncratic difficulties in composition that the modern guitar has today, which can deter many composers from writing works.[4] In any case, vihuelists can be seen as some of the earliest arrangers of music for the guitar family. This practice is still very much alive today and has resulted in a large pool of pieces that were not originally intended for the guitar but nevertheless provide an indispensable addition to the repertory. The lute was also used in this manner and we have to look no further that the lute suites of Johann Sebastian Bach to identify arrangements that have endured centuries and inspired the further arranging of other works by non-guitarist composers.

Bass stopping, which is an advanced technique used by modern guitarists to stop open bass strings ringing over one another discordantly, is referred to by Fuenllana in an effort to create a clean performance. Similarly, he advises changing to a higher position on the instrument to facilitate sustained voices in a polyphonic texture.[5] These techniques, which are described in the mid 16th century, have endured with little change to the present day and it is a testament to the artistry and inventiveness of the Spanish vihuelists that their innovations have endured for so long.

The Guitar Player (c1672)- Vermeer

The time of the vihuela was brief, and by the seventeenth century the vihuela was overwhelmed by the newfound popularity of the four and five course guitar. Known today as the baroque guitar, the instrument was easier to play than the lute or the vihuela and became a very popular vehicle for chordal song accompaniment, much like the popular guitar today. The intricate polyphonic lines and the virtuosic playing of the master vihuelists gave way to an instrument that many considered to be inferior at the time. In respect to how the classical guitar is played today, the baroque guitar seems to have contributed little with its performance practices. The tuning, because of its heavy use of rasgueado, was changed to the pitches which we now associate with the five higher strings of the modern guitar (a,d,g,b,e) however, this tuning was often used with reentrant tuning and many players were still using a variety of scordaturas for their playing. The sheer popularity of the baroque guitar and its spread from Spain to Italy, France and the northern countries can be seen as one of its primary contributions which may have helped lead to the next leap in playing technique.

The  Evolution of Classical Guitar Technique Part 2 …

[1] Turnbull, Harvey. The Guitar: from the Renaissance to the Present Day p. 24

[2] Trend, J.B. The Music of Spanish History to 1600, 1926, p. 105

[3] Turnbull, p.27

[4] Turnbull pp.28,29

[5] Turnbull, p.27

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Here are some slur scales that I came up with that really give a good work out to the left hand and also are quite fun to play!

You will notice that the scale takes on a pattern (except in first position) that can be repeated. Once you have completed one slur scale, shift the pattern up one fret and repeat the process. Be careful not to wear your hand out because slurs can be very tiring on those weenie left hand muscles and tendons. If you only want to do a few light repetitions you can start the patterns higher up the fretboard, around the seventh fret, as it will be easier than playing down in first position.

Focus on making a clean, crisp slur with a consistent snapping motion. After a while you will find that these scales start to flow nicely, at that point go and impress your girlfriend/boyfriend/attentive pet with your snappy slurry scales.

If you have some scales or exercises you like to do, let me know and we can share it with everyone.

Have fun!

Simon

Click on the image to see a larger copy.

an extension of the first shape…

a new pattern, you may recognize me from such books as “every scale book ever written“

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New manuscript of Romanza dicovered!

Leading 19th century music specialists have discovered what academics have confirmed to be the original manuscript of the world’s most famous guitar solo, Romanza. Age has wearied the manuscript and the composer’s name remains lost. However, barely legible musical markings confirm that for decades the performance practices of many beginner guitarists have led the vanguard of understanding of this sometimes complex music. Classical Guitar Review would like to thank Andrew Blanch and the Sydney Classical Guitar Society, who discovered the manuscript, for granting permission to publish this invaluable resource.

Download the PDF here and share this amazing discovery with your friends!

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He has appeared on stage throughout Australia, Canada, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom as a soloist and in his chamber ensembles, Zoco Duo (with oboist Laura Karney) and the Australian Guitar Duo (with Rupert Boyd). His solo CD Stélé, recorded in 2004, is regularly featured on Australian radio and was hailed by Classical Guitar Magazine (UK) as “wonderfully sympathetic and highly accomplished… Cordover managing to get to the very soul of this striking and brilliant music.”

Alongside Jacob Cordover’s established groups, he is in demand as a chamber musician and soloist, having worked with ensembles and orchestras including the Ottocento Orchestra, Z.O.O. guitar ensemble, the Leicester International Music Festival and artists ranging from Nicholas Daniel to Dave Young. In 2004-5 he spent nine months as a Resident Artist at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, where aside from his regular performances and masterclasses he met international musicians and composers with whom he continues to work.

Whilst Mr Cordover plays the full range of classical guitar repertoire, he is also active in the development and research of contemporary and 19th century music. His interest in contemporary music was inspired by studies with Timothy Kain, which has led to his commissioning and premiering works for solo guitar and guitar with oboe, a previously overlooked combination. He is proving to be an important figure in the development of new guitar repertoire, having had works written for him by British, Norwegian, Mexican, Spanish, Australian, American and Canadian composers. He also works with specialist Carlo Barone in the application of appropriate performance practice of 19th-Century music, including performing this repertoire on a variety of period guitars.

Complementing his performance schedule, Jacob Cordover has won prizes and awards in international competitions the world over. These include 1st prize at the III Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Festival de Córdoba, Spain, 1st prize at the Sydney Performing Arts Challenge, 2nd prize at the Australian Guitar Competition, Chamber Music Section and 3rd prize at the Performing Australian Music Competition, London.

In October 2008 Jacob Cordover made his debut with the Orquestra Simfònica de Balears “Ciutat de Palma”. His performance of Leo Brouwer’s Retrats Catalans was conducted by Geoffrey Simon and sponsored by the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation. The music critic of Ultima Hora praised him as “an exceptional guitarist”.

Jacob Cordover has been the recipient of grants from the Australia Council for the Arts, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, the Australian National University Friends of the School of Music, artsACT, Swiss Global Artistic Foundation and the Australian Music Foundation.

www. jacobcordover.com

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The kaleidoscope of colors and effects that Funk Pearson employs in his compositions are inventive, capturing and always used with great purpose .  The sound of the guitar, with all of its song like, quirky, and even humorous qualities, is explored and manipulated to the point that, at times, I was wondering just how those exotic sounds were coming out of the guitar! Funk Pearson obviously has a profound knowledge of the instrument and he hones in on the expressive qualities that have endeared musicians around the globe. This album feels as much an homage to the guitar as it is to the composer himself.

From the very familiar and warm sounding Variegations to the alien landscape of Mountain Moor, Funk Pearson morphs and molds his compositions to create unique and distinct objects. Perhaps the most inventive and breathtaking work is an encore entitled ‘Sea Peace’ performed by B.A.M at the end of the album. A wonderfully evocative piece, sea piece uses the violin, guitar and mandolin to create a maritime vision that will leave you ensconced. I have rarely heard such an inventive use of acoustic instruments.

The performances are first rate on this album as are the compositions. Stephen Funk Pearson has made a great contribution to the guitar’s ouvre and if you haven’t familiarized yourself with his works I can highly recommend that you start with Artists Around the World Perform Stephen Funk Pearson.

You can visit the composers website at

http://www.stephenfunkpearson.com/

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I am searching for six guitarists from around the world who have incredible stories to tell. They will form part of the documentary and may have the opportunity to contribute to the music within the film. I am looking to find passionate people who maybe have developed a unique playing style or have an incredible story to tell about guitar music – how it transformed or changed their lives and more about the mystique and influence of the instrument – the more extraordinary, heart rending or radical, the better!

Guitarists can enter their video pitch via their YouTube (or similar) account for an opportunity to appear in the film. The film is being funded by a crowdfunding business model and there are many ways for people to get involved and help out on this site.

I hope you will follow the journey and become involved in the making of this film and to promote the music of the beloved guitar.

James Smith, Director and Writer

http://www.rayafilms.com/sixstrings/

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Carle Costa

Carlé Costa is internationally considered to be a unique and exquisite guitar performer.  He is a poetic and innovative composer, and with his own particular style is renovating the guitar´s language.

Costa has given recitals in Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Peru in prestigious international festivals, often presenting  his own compositions, his performances are received enthusiastically by the public and critics alike.

Carlé Costa was born in Uruguay in 1959, and grew up in Argentina. At the age of 13 years he began his classical guitar studies in Mar del Plata with the italian teacher José Smiroldo. At the age of eighteen he went to Buenos Aires to continue his studies in the National Conservatory of Music.  There he studied classical guitar by Horacio Ceballos.  Later he studied contemporary guitar with Miguel Angel Girollet, and also took classes in  composition, electro-acoustic music, analysis, philosophy of music  and chamber music,  with Guillermo Graetzer, José Maranzano, Vadim von Struckhoff, Mario García Acevedo, Pedro Chiambaretta, Helmut Lachenmann and Ivo Malec.

As a young concert artist, Costa was a pioneer in interpreting and teaching contemporary and avant garde music.  In 1986 he recorded his first album for the label Circe of Buenos Aires, with a selection of contemporary compositions (Brouwer, Tsilicas, Obrovská, Labrouve, Gervasoni and Costa). The recording was highly praised by both critics and contemporary music specialists.  In his own compositions  he developed and created extended techniques for the guitar and incorporated these techniques in his compositions.

Parallel to his artistic activities, Costa developed a treatise to communicate new concepts and spirituality in music, awaking the creativity of young musicians.  He gave courses, seminars and masterclasses in conservatories and universities of Argentine, Peru, Chile, Sweden and Germany.  He organized with others important guitarrists the “Campus of Contemporary Guitar” (2002 to 2005) who inspired the documentation film of Javier de Silvio  “Guitarra Adentro”.   He created and gave the artistic direction of the “International Guitarplayers-Composers Festival in the Cordoba Northwest” (2001 to 2005).

Carlé Costa,  with his compositional work, his quality to perform the guitar, and his unusual and deep vision about art, is considered at the moment one of the most important referents of the new generation of artists.

Since 2006 Costa has been residing in Berlin, Germany.

http://www.carlecosta.com.ar/

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What is the best classical guitar?

It would seem, in an effort to cater to larger performance spaces and help in chamber music situations,  that many luthiers are searching for new ways to improve the instrument’s ability to project.  Greg Smallman was one of the leaders in the late 20th century in guitar innovation and made great developments in guitar projection. His lattice bracing technique, that has now been adopted widely throughout the world, gives a substantial boost in projection, but the resulting change in timbre is too much of a trade for some guitarists who preferred a more traditional , Torres style, sound. Other innovations like the Contreras double top, the Humphrey Millennium Bridge, the Steve Connor sound portal and the Smallman arm-rest are further examples of the new ideas that are being used in guitar building.

With so many differing approaches we are presented with a diverse array of instruments that have very unique and distinct qualities and, in my humble opinion, I think this is more of a blessing than a curse. Hypothetically, it would be nice to have a Stradivarius of the guitar, a singular maker that was renowned to produce a world class instrument. In place of having a consensus on the best classical guitar, however, we are left with an individual mission to find a guitar, a luthier, that suits us.

After being to many guitar festivals, I think I can say the some of the most popular ice breakers are: “what guitar do you have?”, “what strings do you use” and of course… “oh really, can I try your guitar?” It seems like some guitarists are on a mission to either replicate someone else s sound or at least get peer assessment of their own setup. In the end, its not such a bad thing, after all curiosity is a virtue, however, I believe that the sound that is produced from a guitar has more to do with the player and how they wield that guitar, than the guitar itself. It is tempting to think that if we were just to obtain a Smallman we would sound like John Williams, or perhaps a Dammann then we would sound just like David Russell. But its just not the case (I have tried David’s Dammann and, sadly,  my sound was not transformed into something like his . A good instrument will help to create a good sound and you should always aim to have the best instrument you can afford but in my experience a master guitarist can make even the most basic guitar sound amazing.

In response to a comment posted on this site:

Why are so many artists so reserved about recommending guitar brands or makers?
Is it because they are really not all that taken with what they are playing?  I am currently looking for a classical guitar in the 5-6K price range.  I would really appreciate help from more experienced players of classical music.
Can anyone help me?

I will offer some recommendations of what I think are some of the better classical guitars available. Of course, these recommendations are limited by the fact that I have not played all the classical guitars out there, and like I said, ask 100 different guitarists what they think is the best classical guitar and you will get 100 different answers…

Please give your own suggestion by completing the statement:

I think the best classical guitar is …

Mid Price Range – 5-10k

Thomas Fredholm

Paul Sheridan

Joeren Hillhorst

Zbigniew Gnatek

Kenny Hill

Allessandro Marseglia

High Price Range 10k and up

Robert Ruck

Gernot Wagner

Simon Marty

Greg Smallman

Matthias Dammann

Steven Connor

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