Exciting Fibonacci Curve Rosettes
(January 2009)
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Having worked for many years with sea shells and shell design, I have always been intrigued by the perfect dimensions that exist in all shell skeletons. The Fibonacci curve is found in a myriad places in nature, and for me specifically in sea shells. One only has to look at shell ends to see the fibonacci display.
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For many years I have wanted to break away from the traditional round rosette, and this is an exciting direction. It looks dramatic and affords me a larger area to inlay on the front of the guitar.....
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New Book on Contemporary Guitars
(October 2008)
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Two of my guitars are included in Robert Shaw's new book called "Hand Made, Hand Played", published by Lark Books (ISBN-13 9781579907877), and available from Barnes & Noble and other sources.
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The photography and reproduction quality is superb, and this is definitely one for the guitar conniseur. An enormous range of contemporary hand made guitars are featured, with amazing designs and detail. Click on the link below for the editorials section to see my pages...
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Brazilian Rosewood becoming a whole lot rarer !
(January 2008)
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With Brazilian Mahogany now on a Cites Species list (www.cites.org), it is quite clear to all of us, making guitars, that the woods we have been used to, and are familiar with, are becoming more and more expensive and difficult to source. I have travelled far and wide to find exotic woods, and am more fortunate than most, in that my
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contacts are well established. I have managed to source beautiful aged Mahogany for my necks, Ebony for my fingerboards, and the cream of the cream African Blackwood for backs and sides, and to cap it all, another stash of 30 year old Brazilian Rosewood. This is a HUGE scoop as 95% of dealers, world wide cannot find old brazilian, at any price, anymore. Click the link below to see photographs of my previous pile of Brazilian Rosewood, and the difficulty in extracting useable pieces.
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Bushmen and animal designs !
(January 2008)
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As a South African, I am very fortunate to live in a country that has as it's heritage, ancient rock paintings. From my walks in the mountains, to study these paintings close up, I have been astonished at, and fascinated by, the form and style of them. Unbeknown to many, I've discovered that the forms, shapes
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distances and sizes in this bushman art all conform to dimensions found in the golden mean, and Fibonacci dimensional progressions. As an artist and designer, I'm always looking for interesting, eye-catching icons for my guitars. On the drawing board at the moment is a new rosette design featuring a complete break away from the traditional one dimensional rosette, to one using sea shell shapes in the Fibomacci wave, incorporating bushmen hunting.
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New Agents in USA and Japan.
(January 2008))
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Due to increased demand for my instuments and in an attempt to reach a more diversified playing public, I now have 4 agents representing my guitars in the USA. Each of them, Mike Joyce, Ed Smith, Paul Heumiller and Robin are experts in their field, as lovers of guitar playing, styles, woods etc. They each give me specific instructions, to match the clients and guitars seamlessly. Click on the link below, for the contact page.
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Comfortable Bevelled Edges !
(January 2008)
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Bevelled edges far exceeded all my expectations in the playing comfort offered, permitting use of larger bodied guitars, that would normally be impossible to play for any length of time. Bevel edges effectively reduce the size of the guitar without limiting the sound. Soundboards and braces are carefully thinned to compensate
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for the narrowing of the top. The final result is a guitar with exceptional power, tone, harmonic colour and presence.
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New model "OOO" !
(January 2008)
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The OOO is 10mm or three eighths inch narrower that the Orchestra model guitar. It joins the body at iether the 12th or 14th fret. If desired, it can also feature the traditional slotted peg head. It is the favoured instrument of fingerstyle and blues players and has a smooth base resonant tone that is accentuated by the guitar's centered bridge. Because of it's size, playability and surprisingly large voice, it is as popular as my traditional best seller, the grand concert guitar.
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Incredible Fingerboard Inlay Sequence !
(December 2004)
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This special order guitar, inspired by the beautiful inlay work of Grit Laskin, tells the story of a man who has done much learning, but has managed to preserve and grow, the artist, sportsman, philosopher, healer, musician and man within. This is the storybook of his life to date, beginning on the headstock with the "Book"
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which is this life, and flowing into the "Soccer boots" via the thread that is in all our lives, and that for him, recalls his youth...
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Worldwide Woodbuying Trip !
(September 2004)
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To Europe, and then America, to choose and purchase wood for now, and for harvesting years in the future, my son Nathan and I visited old friends, and made many new ones, as we visited the sources of fine timber. Follow the story and see photographs of this trip, and gain an insight into this industry, and the methods they use in harvesting quality timber.
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