Luthiers Expo
We welcome back many of our esteemed luthiers to our Expo each year. In this ever-popular event, running June 17-19, festival participants can meet new luthiers, try their excellent hand-built guitars, and perhaps go home with a brand-new instrument.
Over the years we have welcomed luthiers from all over the world, including the guitar shop of Johnson Strings, Stephan Connor, Joshia de Jonge, Jeroen Hilhorst, Jeremy Cooper, Alan Carruth, Bruno Boutin, Michael Anthony, Jeremy Clark, Steven Walter, Sergei de Jonge, John Slobod, Harris Musical Instruments, Guo Guitars, Benoit Pierron, Aaron Ringo, Bruce Thompson, and nail specialist Miro Simic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience some of the world’s best handmade instruments and meet the master craftspeople behind them.
Noe Zalapa, 2016 Performance Competition Prize Guitar
Born in 1976, the son of luthier father Luiz Zalapa Rodrigez, Noe Zalapa is a third-generation luthier from a family with a history of guitar players since 1930, originating in Michoacan Mexico. He has been a luthier since the age of 20, and has dedicated himself to the construction of stringed instruments such as classical and flamenco guitars. He is winner of several awards in the contest of guitar builders in the Nacional de Paracho, Michoacán México, including first and second place in 2012, best stringed instrument nationally in 2012, second place 2013, and first place in the state contest of the stringed instruments in the city of Uruapan 2016. He has shown his instruments internationally at the Guitar Fair in the city of Malaga Spain. In 2014, he was appointed ambassador Luthier of Mexico.
Jeremy Clark
Delicately balancing tone and structural integrity, each instrument is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Using only the highest quality materials available, traditional methods, and hand tools, every instrument I build is unique and individual. I spent a number of years under apprenticeship to internationally renowned guitar maker Sergei de Jonge and can consequentially trace my pedagogical roots back to such historical figures as Marcello Barbero and Jose Ramirez. Generous with the wisdom he has gleaned from years in the art, truly inspirational are about the only words that suit Sergei,and I am very honoured and eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.
Steve Connor
Connor Guitars are among the finest classical guitars available for the professional performer and student. These guitars excel in delivering outstanding power and projection while offering clarity and a beautiful voice. All this is coupled with an elegant classical aesthetic and custom options.
www.connorguitars.com
Joshia DeJonge
Building a limited number of guitars a year allows me to focus all of my attention on each instrument. In every guitar I build, I aspire to achieve a sound structure with a clean clear tone. Most of all I hope that my instruments inspire the player.
www.joshiadejonge.com
Kenny Hill
Kenny Hill is one of the most accomplished, experienced and versatile classical guitar makers in the world today. He is recognized as a fine maker, player, teacher and innovator. He began building guitars in the mid 1970’s, first in Santa Barbara, CA, then later in the Santa Cruz area. Kenny continues to develop the Hill Guitar line in Santa Cruz, building fine classical guitars for the world market. These include the Hill Guitars, Signature and Performance models, for professional and discriminating players. And, also the New World Guitar Line, which features the Estudio and Player models for students and amateur players. Joe Burros, a Hill Guitar dealer for the East Coast, will be showing Kenny’s guitars at Luthiers Expo this weekend.
http://www.hillguitar.com
http://www.neworldguitar.com/catalog.html
The Guitar Shop of Johnson String
The Guitar Shop of Johnson String has refined its offering to bring you the highest quality instruments at the best price. Our brands include Cordoba, Guild, Eastman, and the JSI exclusive AJ Series guitars.
www.johnsonstring.com
Patrick Mailloux
Patrick Mailloux am a classical guitar-maker from Québec City, Canada. He has been making guitars since 2003, after an apprenticeship with luthier Serge Michaud. In 2009, he started experimenting with the double top concept, first by using Balsa wood, and then switching to Nomex as a core material in 2011. All his guitars are concert level instruments totally handmade using top quality woods.
Franco Marino
The luthier, Franco Marino, made his first instrument for his son who was studying guitar in the conservatory of Messina, Italy. So was born his passion. Enthusiastically and tenaciously he reached 2015 having constructed 100 guitars. Admired by Italy’s guitarists, Franco Marino met great interest in the international field where several musicians and guitar teachers, play and appreciate his instruments. The luthier began his career following a “Hauser” project but eventually made several innovations personalizing the project. He enjoys creating with different types of wood, especially the Mediterranean varieties; including mulberry wood (Morus Nigra) which has great tonal characteristics: sweet sound, great lyricism, and projection. Since 2016, Franco Marino, has lived and worked in Marblehead, MA.
Michael Schreiner
Michael Schreiner’s romantic era guitars are closely based on models by René Lacôte and Johann Stauffer that he has examined in European museums and private collections. His guitars are responsive, balanced and big voiced. These guitars express the intimacy and fervor of the the romantic era. On display are two 7 string replicas from the 1830’s.
Maxwell Sipe
Max has been building since 2005 and is located in Portland, OR. He is a player first and luthier second which gives him an understanding of what is needed to satisfy the most demanding players. Each instrument is crafted to the individual and every aspect is considered with regard to ergonomics, aesthetics and sound production. The goal is to build a meaningful, superbly functional and aesthetically pleasing object… something to make music with and ultimately inspire.
Bruce Thompson
I was introduced to Spanish guitars as a child, and began trying to build similar instruments while in college, many years ago. I continue to use the older Spanish style of construction, but with recent modifications for custom instruments (and for my own curiosity). Since no two pieces of wood are identical, I do not try to make the same instrument over and over. Part of the challenge and joy is selecting the right component pieces and designing the instrument to make effective use of the characteristics of top, back, bracing, neck, and bridge woods. Chiefly, I make classical and flamenco guitars. Laúds are used to accompany traditional Spanish folk music; and I consider the 12-string guitar to be deeper-voiced, multi-stringed cross between a harpsichord and a flamenco guitar(!)—I build them very light and open-sounding, for D tuning or lower. www.brucethompsonguitars.com
Mark Usherovich
Mark Usherovich started building guitars as a self-taught in Jerusalem, Israel, 13 years ago. Later on, he moved to Ontario, Canada, where he established his shop. His instruments are built in traditional way using his own construction technique that helps to keep traditional quality of the sound and modern requirements for playability and dynamics. His instruments are known for their beautiful, lyrical and singing voice, deep warm and clear tone, and perfect balance. His guitars are also quite powerful with comfortable playability.
Mayo Pamploma
Hailing from Rio de Janeiro to Boston in the beggining of 2016, Mayo has been building 6 and 7 string classical guitars and cavaquinhos for the past 10 years. Focusing on Hermann Hauser’s concepts and using traditional techniques, Mayo’s goal as a luthier is to make an instrument that inspires the musician with great dynamic range, colors and responsiveness.
Woodley White
Our instruments are individually hand crafted for serious musicians and professionals according to the principles and techniques proven by master builders. Woodley and his son, Tristan, use the best materials and finest craftsmanship of the luthier’s art.
Woodley has been building instruments since 1992.
