I'm often asked, "What Tone are you trying to achieve with your guitars?" I usually reply with the common luthier answer, "I build guitars to produce piano-like bass, clear sparkling treble, and balance through the midrange." This seems to be a satisfactory answer for most and is an honest statement but I'm not sure this addresses the real question. I think the real question may be, "What Timbre are you trying to achieve?" Allow me to explain. "Tone" does refer to the balance

Much of the luthier's time and thought is in pursuit of that "sound in his head." Approaches to capture this magical sound are one of the driving factors in the advancement of the craft. How does one achieve this sound? The pendulum of opinion swings from the artistic/intuitive side to the purely empirical. My own pursuit is leading me down a road of discovery that I expect will continue for as long as I live. It is what compels me to the shop each day eager to take chisel t