My dad passed away in early 2018. He would have loved this guitar, in particular, given its gentle nod to Victorian era instruments. I’m only able to pursue this career change into guitar lutherie because James Thomas Hart (Tommie) left behind, much to my surprise (as he never, ever mentioned it), a modest sum of money that was enough to simply buy the tools I needed to get started, spend a week with a professional guitar builder in a workshop, and to take a few months out of life without a bi-weekly direct deposit into my bank account. Thanks, dad. I’ve never used money more wisely than I am right now.
I chose to go with a special bracing system for this guitar (pictured above), which added a lot of time to the process. Also adding more time was learning how to use new tools I’ve had to buy along the way. I’m still very much in the learning curve of my transformation into this profession and I have countless hours ahead of me as a hermit in a cave with my books and woodworking forums.
This guitar, as the others, is solidly mellow in its tone with resounding bass that vibrates into your belly and pleasant highs that will fill your space. They’re ideal for playing any style: in your living room for your sweet thing, as a solo guitarist or with another one or two, acoustically with other finesse players on instruments of complimenting sonority, equipped with a pickup and sound to play a show in your favourite venue, or at your music lesson because it’s such a joy to play. Now, I’ll say what this guitar and all the others I make is not good for. It’s not built for competing with 10 other instruments around a campfire or down at the bluegrass hootenanny. After all, it is a nylon string guitar. If you need your guitar to be LOUD more than anything else, go get yourself a steel-string dreadnaught. Now, get yourself one of these and melt the hearts of everyone you play to.
I have agreed to a deal with a local guitar shop, Big House Guitars, Atlanta’s Finest Selection of High End Vintage Guitars. They like my guitars and want to sell them. So, I’m putting all of them (except the special one) for sale in their store. What a nice bunch of folks and they have a complete luthier shop downstairs. Fingers crossed for a successful launch.
