Like all good things, my Luthier Stories series has grown completely organically over the past few months. It's been a real pleasure and a privilege to spend time with some of the finest guitar makers in the world. I knew from the start, however, that this series would never be complete without an interview with a man whose work has shaped the acoustic guitar to a huge degree, my dear friend Ervin Somogyi.
In the 10 years I've known Ervin I have found him to be a thoughtful and thoroughly entertaining human being whose instruments absolutely changed my idea of what was possible in a steel string acoustic guitar. It was a real pleasure to catch up with Ervin at his workshop in Oakland California for this episode of Luthier Stories.
I also had the honour of spending some time with the 500th Somogyi Guitar - The Diospyros. This extraordinary instrument takes its name from the Ebony that forms the back and sides. It is a glorious example of Ervin Somogyi's original design The Modified Dreadnought. I'd recommend headphones for this one...
Until next time,
stay tuned
MDW