Ganz Guitars Blog

Recordings from Ian Hill

Posted on November 22, 2021 by steve

Ian came to Blaine in 2014 to pick up his guitar,

then he took it back to Vancouver. I attended a recital in which he played it. He posted a video. That’s Ian on the right, Saul Domingo Morales on the left.

So a few years go by and now I hear from Ian. He has recorded a bunch of great pieces and published them for download. He is calling the collection “Hobbies and Homebodies” and you can find it here. It is worth finding and having a listen.

https://ianrmhill.bandcamp.com/album/hobbies-and-homebodies

Let’s try this…

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Sj8QPRHevw2feoO52yvq4?si=bf2b255ef3b34e3c

Posted in audio, Recordings, Uncategorized, video | Leave a comment

A visit from another Steve

Posted on October 12, 2021 by steve

Steve Oliver has commissioned a guitar to be built. Actually I’m right in the middle of constructing it. He came to my workshop to visit and check the progress.

Thanks for visiting, Mr Oliver. It’s a pleasure to share conversation about guitar with someone so passionate about learning more about our instrument.

I have to mention that I have been happily busy building instruments for the last few months. Too busy to represent what is up in the shop on these blog pages. Building amazing guitars is engrossing. Forgive me, perhaps I’ll improve.

Posted in sides, top, workshop | Tagged Visit | 3 Comments

Cedar top, 640 scale length, cut-away

Posted on June 14, 2021 by steve

Here is a quite nice instrument. Very easy to play. I wrote about it before on this blog. It is a sibling of the one I built for Pedro Cortes in 2019. It has been here all that time. I take it out of the case every once in a while to keep it awake and lively. I made this video to show the guitar plays well. I had fun trying some video skills I haven’t used before.

Posted in audio, cedar, cut-away, Rosette, sides, Uncategorized, video | Tagged 640 scalelength, cedar, cut-away | Leave a comment

A Post-Covid concert invite to Lummi Island

Posted on May 29, 2021 by ganzguitarscom

Earlier this month I got a call from Eric Warner at Pacific Rim Tonewoods. (PRT)

Eric wanted me to invite me to a concert that Miroslav Tadic was going to perform that evening. PRT has been involved in a project that commissioned 3 steel string guitars from a builder in Australia, and the concert was to show those three guitars. Miro is primarily a nylon string player, so I was invited to bring a couple guitars. He chose one to play with his partner, violinist Yvette Holzwarth. Their duo is special!

It was a fun house concert. After more than a year of virtual concerts, this was a real, in the flesh event! I am so happy to be invited to participate.

Thank you to Pacific Rim Tonewoods, Eric Warner, Steve McMinn, Miroslav Tadic, and Yvette Hazwarth for a lovely evening, along with with honor of representing classical guitar building in the Northwest Washington area.

This is the one that Miro chose that evening:

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cedar, covid, miroslav, pacific rim tonewood, yvette | Leave a comment

Anna Pietrzak plays six small cupcakes

Posted on May 27, 2021 by ganzguitarscom

Seis Brevidades by Sérgio Assad

“The Seis Brevidades were written partially in Chicago and in Paris during 2008 and were dedicated to Odair Assad, a great guitarist and brother of Sérgio. Each of this short composition is very different in character and based on different sources of Latin American music. The whole set reflects brief moments of a journey through a single day.”

Guitar: Ganz Romanillos model

Posted in audio, Uncategorized, video | Tagged Anna Pietrzak | Leave a comment

Rosette evolution

Posted on April 7, 2021 by steve

Brazilian background.

Posted in Rosette, top | Tagged rosette | Leave a comment

Brazilian Rosewood takes over the shop so I can find the set I want.

Posted on March 25, 2021 by steve

Sometimes I just get out all my sets of rosewood and play with them… Sometimes I’m looking for specific attributes, size, color, figure. Today I pulled every set out and matched some backs and sides.

Today I found a set for one of my customers.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Larry, rosewood, video, workshop | 1 Comment

Expressions of Appreciation

Posted on February 23, 2021 by steve

I do get letters/notes/emails/cards of appreciation from players of my guitars.

I have a page on my website that shows many of them. They go back more than 20 years.

Here’s the latest from the new owner of the guitar I sent out last week.

Hi Steve, The guitar is so incredible. The tone is very balanced and full. Round. Definitely a negra. But of course the Brazilian has such a different sound than the Indian rosewood. And the cedar top is amazing. It does play like a dream. So easy and effortless to play. The projection is impressive also. Very balanced and loud.
I’m really loving the full bass and defined trebles. Very warm. And certainly the crossover I was hoping for. So much more than a flamenca.
I couldn’t be happier. … This is a magnificent instrument.
Thank you so much Steve 🙏🏻
(Nolan February 2021)

That’s a different form of payment that makes my endeavors all the more important and satisfying to me. Gratifying. If you go to http://www.ganzguitars.com/Appreciation you can get an idea of how many happy players I have.