My Guitars

Most of my career I have performed on instruments built by the German luthier Matthias Dammann.  I have had the good fortune to own several of his instruments and currently play one built in 1996.  These guitars have a wonderful, dark sound that many have described as “cello-like.”  I also love the way they respond so easily to the players touch and are capable of seemingly unlimited sound colors and dynamics. 

I also play a 2013 cedar top instrument built by Antonio Marin of Spain.  This guitar is not the Bouchet pattern that many are accustomed to seeing and hearing from him, but is instead based on his own design, which is rather similar to Miguel Rodriguez guitars of the 1970’s.  This guitar is very powerful, has a fast response, but is also exceptionally clear and beautiful in tone.  It, like my Dammann guitar, is a dream instrument.

I have owned or played many other guitars in my life, most of which I regret letting go of, but alas, there is only so much time to play, and each guitar deserves attention!  Some of the instruments I owned were: a beautiful spruce/Brazilian guitar built by Eric Monrad in 2009; a 2011 Paco Santiago Marin spruce/Indian guitar; a cedar Daniel Friederich from 1977; a 1998 Manuel Velazquez in spruce/African Blackwood; a couple of Matthias Dammann guitars from 1990 and 2003; a spruce Koyla Panhuyzan; a cedar Roland Sharbatke; a few Ramirez guitars; and a Paulino Bernabe.  I’m guessing that there were a few more, but that is enough reminiscing for now.