Ervin Somogyi may be the grandfather of contemporary fingerstyle guitar-building, but we’ve got a 1984 Dreadnought of his that proves his work excels under a flatpick just as well. We’ve even got a few photos from Ervin showing Dan Crary playing this very guitar as proof. This is a gorgeous example of Brazilian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce, plus a Florentine Cutaway and 25.25” scale, that’s a breeze to play with fingers or picks. The shorter scale sweetens up the treble strings without compromising the bass response, and we love how the balanced middle register fills out the voice.
The setup is dialed into a sweet spot for a variety of attacks, and the strikingly Flamed Mahogany neck is a smooth, slim operator for deft lefthand work. This Somogyi Dread is in great shape, especially considering it’s been cruising along for over 35 years!
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, dreadnaught, birdseye, schaller, brazilain