Say Hello to my Little Friend...

Cubist terz guitar, a special project for Phil

     This little beauty is a perfect example of why one might choose to commission an instrument from an independent luthier. My friend Phil is a great musician who enjoys composing and singing in the key of A. For his second Sanzone guitar, he wanted a short scale 6 string guitar tuned A-to-A, a modern version of the terz guitar. He had been playing a factory made instrument but it was having issues, and generally wasn't inspiring.
     So I set out to completely redesign the concept of the terz guitar, in the interest of better balance and tone. A small body was necessary to raise the pitch of the sound chamber. A more dramatic dome on the top to add punch and power. A 12th. fret neck joint balanced the guitar perfectly. That aged red spruce top from the Tippin era would do the trick. A carbon fiber truss rod to save weight. A Brazilian rosewood bridge plate to add richness. I drew a new parlor shape and got to work.
     A few days later I was looking at the bent sides on my workbench. With no blocks glued they sat there misaligned, in a beautiful cubist-inspired outline. The treble side shifted down, forming a subtle cutaway, allowed for better access to the upper frets. The more I stared, the more I knew it was meant to be. The angles of the end block and sound hole completed the thought, a broken form frozen in time.

speaks for itself.    

Cubist parlor terz guitar 2016. It has a standard 1 3/4" nut width
and can be tuned to either G or A.

I really like the logo on this one. Paua abalone with copper and brass accents       

A study of lines. Aged Red Spruce soundboard, parisian eye inlays.

Eastern black Walnut is one of the most beautiful woods in the world,
and it sounds great too.

     

The Monte'cello and Musings on 20 years in Lutherie

     It's hard to believe 20 years have gone by since I took up the art of Lutherie. It hasn't been a easy path, and most days I wonder if I would have been better off doing something more conventional with my career. But then I always find myself in the workshop late at night, fueled by a desire to create something unique and special. In these quiet moments things become very clear and the self-doubt erodes, leaving only excitement and inspiration.
     When I was just starting along this path in 1995, I remember seeing an amazing instrument by John Monteleone called the "Montequisto". This was John's tribute to one of his heroes, the late James D'Aquisto. I was struck by it's simplicity and elegance, the use of sculptural wood fittings in place of traditional metal ones. It kind of blew my mind.
      My latest creation borrows heavily from this timeless instrument - the D'Aquisto sculpted ebony bridge, the carved tailpiece of macassar ebony, the elliptical side soundports. Rather than make another archtop guitar, I decided to make this with a mandocello neck. Seldom seen these days, the mandocello is a instrument that gained popularity in the early 1900's, when mandolin orchestras were all the rage. Tuned like a Violoncello with a low C, it has a thunderous bass and haunting sound. It is a surprisingly versatile instrument, with a unique voice that is great for accompaniment and songwriting. Thanks to Mr. Monteleone and Mr. D'Aquisto for the continued inspiration, and to my friends and family for their unwavering positivity.
      This is the Monte'cello, celebrating 20 years of Sanzone Guitar & Mandolin!

Sanzone Monte'cello 2015 - available at www.dreamguitars.com

An X-braced one piece Sitka spruce top sourced from doublebass wood, D'Aquisto style bridge, and Monteleone inspired tailpiece. All are carved by hand.

Peghead in macassar ebony with a hand-cut Paua abalone logo

Elliptical side soundports help direct the sound to the player's ear, and they look way cool.

A sitka spruce backplate transmits a lot of energy, in this case contributing to the big bass response.
This is a nod to Lloyd Loar, who experimented with spruce backs in the 1930s.
Koa bindings frame the macassar ebony rim beautifully, and the all-natural shellac finish adds a warm color while optimizing tonal response. 

   

The "Stratzoni" 2014

     A long, long time ago in 1996 BC (before children) I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with a beautiful 1929 Gibson L-5 guitar. Simple appointments. 16" non-cutaway body. Acoustically sensitive. I was in love. In the end, a suitor with deep pockets stole her away, leaving me with only a simple blueprint and a wheelbarrow of inspiration.
     For this latest creation, I dug deep into that old wheelbarrow of 1929 L-5, mixing in a shovel-full of Jimmy D'Aquisto hot sauce, a splash of 1950's Gibson blonde Super 400 extract, and 3 tablespoons of 1962 Strat neck powder. After slow-cooking in the schoolhouse for awhile, the Stratzoni was born into this world and christened by it's new owner. Thanks to Mike D. for being inspired by this piece and feeding my passion for creating unique musical instruments.
   
   

One-piece birdseye maple neck with relief carving 

Relief carving on back of peghead. Inspired by an old hood ornament.

A spectacular piece of European maple. 

African blackwood fittings, bindings.

Hand-carved bridge made of black & white ebony

The Waterfall Guitar to benefit Stowe Adaptive Sports 2014

    The Waterfall Guitar made music for the first time this week! Built on my popular Orchestra Model plantilla, this instrument features rare Santa Maria (Cuban Mahogany) back & sides, a stellar Adirondack spruce soundboard, and Macassar ebony trim. The peghead inlay pays homage to one of my favorite pitches at Stowe Mountain Resort, a 20 foot cliff drop beneath the gondola.
      Thanks to a scholarship from FOSAS, my son Charlie had another great year skiing at Stowe. As an adaptive coach at Stowe, I have seen first-hand the importance of this program to the children in our community. Adaptive skiing & riding builds self-confidence and bridges social gaps. It strengthens muscle tone, and develops balance & coordination. Best of all, it gets us outside to enjoy the natural beauty of the Green Mountains!
     Paying it forward is it's own reward. I am blessed to have a wonderful family and support system, who are always there when times are tough. My hope is that the Waterfall Guitar will allow FOSAS to award more scholarships to individuals with disabilities next year.
     I would like to thank Cynthia Needham, president of Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports, and Keja MacEwan, adaptive supervisor at Stowe Mountain Resort, for their kindness and guidance this year.
   
   

The Waterfall, March 2014

Orchestra Model, Adirondack Spruce soundboard, mother-of-pearl rosette, striped ebony bridge

Rare high-figure Santa Maria (Cuban Mahogany) back & sides

hand-carved heel detail, ebony bindings. 

A great traditional Orchestra Model, October 2013

It's the best when a client designs such a classy instrument that you just can't wait to show it off. Such is the case with this Brazilian rosewood Orchestra Model with a Colorado blue spruce soundboard. Brazilian rw fingerboard, bridge, and landscape figure headplate. Flame Koa bindings really set off the rosewood. The blue spruce gives off a nice open tone and Brazilian provides it's trademark richness and complexity. I make my OM a bit deeper to bring out more bass, but otherwise it is very traditionally designed with light pre-war inspired bracing. A great fingerstyle guitar, I love this thing.
25.34" scale
1 3/4" nut, 2 3/16" bridge

Traditional OM 2013 

Stump salvaged Brazilian Rosewood, dramatic figure

A particularly nice Braz. RW peghead veneer with Hawaiian Koa bindings,
  hand-cut paua abalone logo, a Waverly tuning machines. Magnetic truss rod cover.

Simple and beautiful. An abalone ring and Brazilian rosewood bridge
 with bone bridge pins for clarity and sustain.

2013 A model Mandolin

I really enjoyed making this new A model mandolin. The top is carved out of moon-harvested Swiss spruce, a wood that produces a lively and responsive tone with a round bass. Since carved top instruments are inherently punchy, I used an X-brace to warm up the sound even more. The back & sides of this mando are birdseye-figure African Blackwood, a rare and desirable tonewood widely considered to be the best substitute for Brazilian rosewood. Blackwood imparts a reverberant, haunting tone quality that works beautifully in conjunction with the carved top. Lush chords and lyrical melodies are the strengths of this instrument, perfect for the O'Carolan music that this client enjoys. This is the third time I have used this crazy peghead wood, which is book-matched endgrain from a block of rare black & white ebony. A lot of work for a peghead veneer but it's totally worth it.

 Striking stuff, that black & white ebony. Waverly tuners, hand-cut logo

Birdseye African Blackwood w/sapwood. One-piece black walnut neck harvested by Mez' Dad.

X-braced for a warmer tone.

The new A model mandolin, carved European spruce (moonwood)  and African Blackwood back & sides.

Summer 2013

The green mountains have come alive for the summer! Flowers are blooming everywhere, wildlife is on the move, and I am finishing up two beautiful Brazilian Rosewood flat top guitars for some great customers.
     The first, a cutaway Della Volpe model (16" jumbo), is a gift of brotherly love from Greg to Steve. Steve builds shaker furniture, and designed a simple and elegant guitar with a timeless look.  I am inspired by my customers' enthusiasm and am looking forward to delivering this fine instrument, which has a moon-harvested Swiss spruce (picea abies) soundboard. For centuries foresters have harvested high-altitude spruce and maple trees during certain moon cycles in winter. This wood is less susceptible to change in humidity and has incredibly tight grain. The back & sides are of exquisite quartersawn old-stock Brazilian rosewood (dalbergia nigra) and has a clear and powerful tap tone.
    The second instrument is a fantastic Orchestra Model for a fellow who raced for Lotus in the 1960s. Rob's an easygoing guy who appreciates quality workmanship, and he has designed a classy guitar of Colorado blue spruce and salvaged Brazilian Rosewood. Blue Spruce (picea pungens) makes a great soundboard - responsive and balanced with a quick break-in time and powerful bass.  The back & sides of this OM are special, salvaged from a giant stump in the Amazon rainforest. Shades of blue, green, and violet in a converging grain pattern make for a dramatic backplate. A bit of abalone and flamed Koa bindings add striking contrast and beauty to this piece.
    I am also pleased to report that Advance Music in Burlington, Vermont will be showcasing one of my guitars this summer. This is a great store, so get on down to beautiful Burlington and go check them out! http://www.advancemusicvt.com  Many thanks to Mat, Mike, and Jeff from Advance for supporting Vermont-made musical instruments.
    Stowe is an amazing place to be in the summertime, so come on up for a visit!

inside a Della Volpe top