In the first issue, Connoisseur talked to UK luthier Tom Sands about finding inspiration, apprenticing with Somogyi, and a special TNAG build for 2022 using tonewoods he’ll “never see again in his career”. As the date of delivery nears, and while we have another very special guitar of his in the shop, we're sharing this delightful chat with Tom. Enjoy! Tom Sands is a revelation. He’s honest, forward-thinking, doesn’t take himself too seriously (and is an excitable guitar nerd at heart). He talks openly about his way into guitar making (via electric bases, funk-metal band Primus, and of co ..read more

With a family steeped in both traditional music and violin making, Zach Lefebvre’s journey into guitar building was so natural, it almost sounds inevitable as he tells you about it! The young Canadian builder's instruments are a perfect reflection of his unique life experiences. In addition to studying under the great Sergei de Jonge, Zach uses his aptitude for math and science to troubleshoot design problems, and draws on his years of experience performing in various acoustic settings to hone in on his ideal sound. Conscientious and ecologically minded in all his pursuits, he lives and work ..read more

There’s a palpable magic in the air when you speak to Richard Hoover, founder of the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. A magic that intensifies the moment you smell, hear, or touch one of his guitars. With true West Coast coolness, Hoover speaks to Connoisseur about founding the world’s greatest custom shop. Enjoy this interview from Volume 1! Speaking from his home in the early morning Santa Cruz sun, Richard Hoover answers on the third ring. “I’m so blessed by all accounts to have landed where I did, you know, the way I landed here,” he reflects. “But you know, it might never have happened becaus ..read more

"Just joy, every day." That short sentence sums up luthier Brice Roggero's approach to life and to guitar making perfectly! The impressively self-taught guitar maker grew up in France, with a musical stepfather who gave him an appreciation for fingerstyle guitar through James Taylor and other 70s folk-rock legends early on. After a decade of working in education, he discovered a documentary about Michael Greenfield and the light switched on. We discuss the wonderfully open, collaborative nature of the luthier community, and how he brings advice and inspiration fro ..read more

Mark Gaiero's unique resume includes time spent learning from legendary builders Ervin Somogyi and John Greven, as well as making puppet armatures on a popular stop motion animation movie! From LA to Portland, Mark’s history is a fascinating blend of complementary crafts and disciplines, with everything seeming to dovetail logically into the next project or pursuit, all of course leading him to making amazing guitars. Check out Mark's photos below for a peek into his history working for Laika Studio and other projects! More than many luthiers, Mark has a particular focus on using alterna ..read more

Just in time to receive a brand new model, Texas luthier Stephen Marchione sat down with us for a long chat about his history, influences, "archival building", and what drives him as both a musician and artist! It doesn't take much to get Stephen going when it comes to guitars. While he may be driven by his own artistic vision to create his proprietary designs, the studious instrument maker is a passionate lifelong learner who has dug deep into the history and legacy of makers of the past. Get ready to dig into his philosophy and wide-ranging knowledge in this chat! Stephen, thank you so ..read more

This summer we had a wonderful talk with Canadian builder Dion James, whose guitars are noticeable for the strikingly minimalist design, where the focus is on the true essential and inherent beauty of the instrument. Dion is a builder very much of his own making, with his original designs and use of uncommon bracing patterns. But it'll come as no surprise that like so many Canadian and European builders, he cut his teeth in Montreal, learning from and building alongside Michael Kennedy and Jeremy Clark before heading back west. In Alberta, he established his own shop and founded a cooperativ ..read more

Skytop luthier Eric Weigeshoff may not be the only one out there exploring the concept of soundports > front-facing soundhole, but his guitars are some of our favorites that utilize that design. The New York-based luthier is getting some well-earned extra attention these days through the rising fame of guitarist Yasmin Williams. Her unusual playing style suits his guitars well, plus it visually highlights his naturalistic aesthetic approach. Given his unorthodox style, it's no surprise that Eric is well-suited to taking on custom builds. He just finished an Auditorium model for one of our ..read more

In this Talking Guitar interview, we chat with Swiss-born luthier Julien Sublet, who took his passion for guitars down the pragmatic route of cabinet making before pursuing the lutherie dream in Quebec City! Much like his fellow builder and shop-mate Loïc Bortot, Julien cites the Art Deco movement as an aesthetic influence, and crafts guitars geared towards adventurous modern fingerstylists. (Though, as Carl Miner proves, his guitars work stunningly well for the sensitive, precise flatpick player, too.) Julien keeps a clear focus in his acoustic models, with just an OM and Grand Auditoriu ..read more

On this round of Talking Guitar, we chat with French-born luthier Loïc Bortot about his journey into guitar making in Quebec City. He shares his sources of inspiration, from fellow modern luthiers like Michael Bashkin to Matsuda, and how listening to players like Don Ross, Dustin Furlow, and Tommy Emmanuel drove him towards crafting fingerstyle-centric instruments. Featured performers include Stuart Ryan, Bill Cooley, Lindsay Straw, and Carl Miner on both in stock and previously sold models. Though he wasn't a die-hard fingerstylist himself coming into building, Loïc has found that crafti ..read more