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2005 Somogyi Jumbo Quilted Maple/European
If you haven’t had the chance to hold and play a Somogyi Jumbo, you really need to do yourself a favor and make friends with someone who has one. Ervin has earned his reputation as a master craftsman over decades, starting with his work making instruments for Windham Hill and continuing through to our present day. His guitars have garnered worldwide renown and Ervin continues to further his name by training some of the finest luthiers alive on our planet today.
Meticulously crafted, the supremely figured Quilted Maple and straight, strong European Spruce pair to make a Jumbo with ideal balance to the voice. This refined instrument has an air of history about it, a classic European style body with a beautifully framed, Japanese aesthetic that lets the wood do all the talking. It is at once an art piece to be appreciated from afar and an approachable, appreciable, living, breathing work of art. A guitar that once played will not soon be forgotten.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce - European, Maple 2009 Somogyi OM Brazilian/Sitka
Ervin Somogyi is one of the most sought after builders in the luthiery scene today. He has helped blaze the trail for what we now consider to be the modern guitar, so when we get word of a Somogyi coming in everyone in the shop puts down what they’re doing to take a look and a listen. When this OM arrived we were having a house concert. Steve Baughman was in the room warming up when we brought the box in and when he found out what was in the box, he immediately stopped playing and said “Open that thing up!” That’s the kind of weight a Somogyi can pull.
This OM in Brazilian and German Spruce is exactly what we have come to expect from Ervin. The aesthetic is one hundred percent Somogyi, from the segmented rosette to the beautiful bridge and body shape. Everything about this guitar is enticing, but it’s when you play the first note that you see what all the fuss is about. The tone of this guitar is like no other, fat and clear, full and ringing. The basses are huge and thunderous and feel like they could be coming from a grand piano, and the trebles, bell like and meaty, make a perfect match to the bass. This is a wonderful guitar that not only sounds and looks incredible, it is also a great representation of a luthier whose work has changed the way the industry thinks about what a guitar should be.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.9 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian 2006 Somogyi OM Brazilian/European Custom Radial Back Bracing
Ervin Somogyi was a pioneer in fingerstyle guitar. His designs emphasizing the qualities that fingerstylist need were a big part of the acoustic guitar phenomenon that started with Windham Hill Records. Several of the top artist of that period played Somogyi guitars including William Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, Daniel Hecht, George Winston and others.
Today Ervin Somogyi is one of our true Masters and passes on his knowledge by teaching voicing to many well-known modern makers. Playing just a few notes on this Brazilian Rosewood OM you realize just how unique and special a Somogyi guitar is. This is unlike anything else you’ve ever played. It’s magical, somehow Ervin manages to get Bass that rivals a Dreadnought alongside the sweetest trebles you’ve heard and the trebles strings are as loud as the bass. It’s remarkable really. No doubt the custom radial back bracing on this one is part of the secret. We’ve seen many a players jay drop when they play a Somogyi… this guitar is that kind of guitar.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.31 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian Somogyi OM Brazilian/Euro. Spruce
This Somogyi has one of the most amazing sets of Brazilian we’ve seen from Ervin. The figure is almost like a stack of feathers and the color is deep and rich. It’s topped with European Spruce and dressed in Ervin’s famous segmented rosette and linear abalone fingerboard inlays. The voice is huge and can morph to handle a wide variety of styles. While writing this we played fingerstyle, single line Jazz and flatpick tunes and they all sounded right at home. The big, juicy treble strings make melodies jump across the room and the bass is much bigger than you expect from an OM. The midrange is rich and complex but very articulate with a clear fundamental note. A masterpiece from the Somogyi shop.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian Somogyi Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/European Spruce
This is a custom Somogyi that Ervin actually built for himself. It incorporates his multiple X-braced back and is voice for the utmost response. This guitar is alive! The tone is full of character, all the rich low-end that Somogyi is famous for and big, fat trebles that we love. The artistic touches are unique and this guitar comes with a letter from Ervin about the aesthetic. The Brazilian Rosewood is simply amazing and the Spruce top is voiced to perfection. Don’t miss a rare opportunity to obtain a Somogyi that Ervin built for himself.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian Somogyi Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/Sitka Spruce
This custom Somogyi Mod D sold before we could list it on the website. A lucky visitor to our shop was the first… and last…. to play it. He bought it immediately and ran home to play it some more. It is a thunderous Somogyi with amazing power and clarity. Call us to get your Somogyi!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian Somogyi Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/European Spruce
We’ve been waiting a long time for this custom Somogyi Modified Dreadnought. We ordered it over 2 years ago, but it was worth the wait. Every time we play a new Somogyi we are reminded that Ervin is an original, one of the true masters of luthery and one who has created a voice rather than replicating others. This is one of the very first Somogyi guitars to offer Ervin’s new Stone Path inlays and we find it nothing less than striking. It’s the perfect accent for this extremely dark and rich Brazilian Rosewood and perfect European Spruce top. This is as fine a guitar as we will ever have, it’s breathtaking to behold and to hear, simple magic from the hands of the master….
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian 2005 Somogyi OM Brazilian/European
Ervin Somogyi somehow creates instruments that are magical. They possess intangible qualities that make them more than instruments, they are musical partners that inspire you to find your voice. This OMC is crafted from lovely quartersawn Brazilian and European Spruce with stunning details. The bass is big and open and the trebles have that piano quality to them, great separation and clarity. This one also has several unique features including a bordered fingerboard and linear lines inlay, a ribbon perfling and laminated and scalloped nut. Somogyis are something all together different and extremely special.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian 2014 Somogyi OM, Brazilian Rosewood/Sitka
In what ways will the guitar’s sound change, given a different species of wood for the soundboard? Faced with one of the oldest questions in the business, Ervin Somogyi embarked on a project to build three guitars for a client in an attempt to answer that landmark question. In order to isolate the different tonal properties of Sitka Spruce, European Spruce, and Cedar, Ervin controlled for the other variables by using matching Brazilian Rosewood sets which were sequentially flitch cut from the same log, and using the same neck dimensions and scale length.
Once built, Ervin knew that a musician of a certain calibre would need to bend their ears to The Trinity in order to best glean the differences, if such they were, or their similiarities. Enter: Michael Chapdelaine, the only guitarist to win first place in GFA International Classical Guitar Competition and the National Fingerstyle Championship. Chapdelaine was so enthused by the prospect that he recorded a series of videos and an entire album worth of material highlighting the nuances of The Trinity, titled The Somogyi Incident (but there’s nothing incidental about the rigors of this project).
The Cedar OM, #455, was predictably the warmest of the three, but in addition to that warmth the bass and middle registers had a dark tinge that seemed to color the overall tone with a brooding, emotive force. Not as loud as the other two, #455 nevertheless had an easy projection and sustain. The treble overtones in particular were fat and lingering. The Sitka Spruce OM (#457) was drier than we expected, and that also meant that the bass response had an aggressive bark. The trebles cut very well, and boy would the Sitka top howl if you dug in with a heavier attack! Lastly, the European Spruce OM (#456) also featured a dry tone, but this one erred more on the side of breathy and mellow. While quieter overall when compared to #457, the European Spruce OM offered the best note separation of the three, and we found that the string-to-string balance was the best for fingerstyle arrangements in lowered tunings. The bass response was more focused and defined than the other OMs as well.
The Trinity, The Somogyi Incident, and our own videos stand as a unique opportunity to observe firsthand the particulars of these time-tested tonewoods from one of the world’s finest luthiers. Alas, the Sitka and European Spruce OMs have already found new homes! But the Cedar is still available.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.88 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian Brand New Sonic Replica R, Mahogany/Italian Spruce
Livewire! We just landed a brand new Sonic Replica from Galloup Studios that’s a force to be reckoned with. A copy of a particular ’39 D-18 in Bryan Galloup’s collection, this Sonic Replica is light as a feather (under four pounds), and oh so snappy and quick. See below for more info about the process behind their Sonic Replica project.
The Sonic Replica Guitar Project is a research initiative undertaken by Galloup Studios with the aim of reverse profiling vintage acoustic guitars. For a sonic replica model to be created, an actual example of the instrument must first be meticulously studied and reverse profiled within the Galloup Studios Department.
Once a guitar is considered appropriate for reverse engineering, each instrument undergoes a CAT scan to gather essential density information for reverse profiling. Subsequently, the instrument is inspected for not only standard specifications but also finish thickness, top thickness, and back thickness, ensuring accurate model replication. Additionally, each working model not only replicates exterior measurements but also replicates air resonance, top resonance, back resonance, and top deflection.
The project aims to emphasize that in order for a sonic replica model to exist, there was originally a vintage version of that guitar. To date, we have reverse profiled a 1937 D18, a 1939 D18, and a 1930 OM. The serial numbers for sonic replicas incorporate the actual serial number of the original instrument, followed by “SR” to denote Sonic Replicas.
As such, the Sonic Replica Project ultimately serves as a research endeavor where the derivatives are sonic replica models used to prove theories and measurements with fully functioning models. Thus, sonic replicas are not merely model guitars; they represent an ongoing research and development of the American vintage flat top guitar.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.688 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Mahogany 2023 Spohn OM, Ebony/Swiss Moonspruce
This Spohn OM comes to us nearly new from 2023, coupling a straight-grain set of Ebony for the back and sides with a tight-grained Swiss Moonspruce top. A fantastic example of modern lutherie, we’d pair this OM with any kind of player, but in particular a modern fingerstylist or someone who needs maximum clarity and separation across the registers. Great headroom allows for a range of attacks; this Spohn has the gears for light play and more driving stuff too. Short scale and a 1 3/4” nut width make for an easy playing experience, as does the fantastic weight balance between neck and body. All wrapped up in a lightweight BAM case.
Other keywords/misspellings fingerpicking, ebany, max spohn, 52
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Moonspruce, Ebony Brand New Spohn OM-C 12-Fret, Swiss Cherry/Swiss Moon Spruce
Where to begin? This instrument is vibrant, in every sense of the word. The choice of woods, the color of those woods, the pink appointments, and the clarity and immediate response from this are unparalleled. Not many folks do deconstructed rosettes, and absolutely no one does them like Max Spohn. It comes with Evo frets, Scheller tuners, the whole shebang. This creature also sports a Manzer-style wedge, laminated sides, and a gorgeously executed fingerboard extension. We love every detail about this guitar. If you need a guitar to cut through the mix, sonically and visually, look no further; we have what you seek.
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, bespoke, germany, fingerstyle, alternative woods, swiss moonspruce, swiss cherry
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Moonspruce, Cherry - Swiss Brand New Spohn 00 12-Fret, Birdseye Maple/Swiss Moonspruce
We just love Max Spohn’s contemporary flair, his expressive voicing, and great eye for tonewood. Even more, we love collaborating with Max on custom builds for our clients like this bespoke 00 12-Fret. Lovely figuring across the Birdseye Maple back and sides (matching up with the headstock veneers); Swiss Moonspruce on top with an offset geometric rosette and Ebony bindings—plus a sweet cardinal inlaid at the heelcap. Brass Scheller tuners round it out.
The voice is a delight. Small body roundness to the trebles, and there’s a meaty midrange (much more than we usually find on smaller bodies) that really fills it out. Note definition is crisp and smooth, with great balance across the registers. In short, it’s a helluva lot of tone from a petite package. It’s headed to its eager new home now! Give us a shout when you’re ready to commission your own.other keywords: fingerstyle, 2021, handmade, lutherie, rosette, spohn guitars, mainstage, 34, 12 fret, fingerstyle, luthier, guitarbuilding, custom guitar, bespoke guitar.
Brand New Spohn OM, Cocobolo/Swiss Moonspruce
Our own Max Spohn’s latest build comes to us as a bespoke piece for one of our clients! We settled on pairing Cocobolo with Swiss Moonspruce and a 25 inch scale on Max’s OM body for a balance between intimacy and power—both of which this beauty has in spades. We love the smoothly executed and colorful geometric inlays at the soundhole and headstock, which set this Spohn apart from the crowd in a polished, professional way that catches the eye. German Scheller tuners offer silky operation, and the setup is velvet, too. This instrument is just easy, from tuner to tail.
We deeply enjoy working with our clients and our builders to bring about custom builds. It’s one of our favorite aspects of this whole enterprise. Interested in one for yourself? Give us a shout!other keywords: fingerstyle, 2021, handmade, lutherie, rosette, spohn guitars, hiscox
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Moonspruce, Rosewood - Cocobolo Brand New Spohn OM-C, Cocobolo/Swiss Moonspruce
Powerful in an effortless-playing package: our latest OM-C from Max Spohn of Germany. This is a fantastic instrument for fingerstyle work, can hold up for strumming and flat picking too, and is oh. so. lovely to behold both visually and acoustically. Gorgeous Cocobolo back and sides for richness and overtones, Swiss Moonspruce on top for evenness and clarity—the voice is quick, crisp, smooth. An excellent candidate for open tunings. Scheller tuners set against a Spruce headstock veneer, and geometric inlays of purflings and horn. You’ll find that ringing in the soundhole as well (itself with a flat edge on the bass side to parallel the rosette). Tight waist, and pinless Ebano bridge with a scalloped saddle.
This Spohn OM-C stands apart from the crowd of modern guitars with Max’s particular aesthetic, and exceptionally precise voice.Other keywords: fingerstyle, fingerpicking, moon spruce, swiss spruce, modern guitar
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Moonspruce, Rosewood - Cocobolo