Batuque from 2003

Posted on March 31, 2019 by steve

Here is a guitar with a history. It’s been through some emotional and physical trials. It’s nice to have it here in Blaine to be fixed up. Built in 2003, in Bellingham. Brazilian rosewood that I got in the early 1990’s. Beautiful Cedar top. I wish I could get this color and quality nowadays. It’s definitely worth fixing up.

The guitar had been banged around a little, there were two broken bindings in the back. The back braces had come loose. Sometimes things just need to be taken apart in order to put them back together for the best result. Such is the case with Bart’s Batuque.

I remember this time in my life. A pretty good time.
That’s a clothes iron in the foreground. I use it to heat the tools when taking off the back. This takes so much patience. But the back came off in one piece, without disturbing the braces. It just took time, and calm work.
So, there’s a bracing style I haven’t used in quite a while. For as rough as the guitar looks on the outside, it looks beautiful on the inside.
The back needs the braces glued. There must have been some extremes of heat or moisture, or both. After I put it together again, it will sound better without those rattling braces.
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A concert and a walk with Gyan Riley

Posted on March 10, 2019 by steve

Friday night I went to a concert at the Western Front art house in Vancouver. Gyan Riley was playing and it was a total pleasure to see and hear him play for a long set. Gyan’s technique is classical, but his music transcends that. Innovative, creative, sometimes textural and sometimes lyrical phrases offered up with seemingly effortless precision. I have to say that it was the most interesting concert I’ve been to in a long time. Definitely worth the trip from Blaine. Also worth a visit: http://gyanriley.com/

Then today I went back to Vancouver to pick Gyan up for a walk in the sunshine to catch up on each others’ life developments over the past 9 years. We made a quick stop at the nearby sign, so Gyan could make the visual joke.

And then headed up towards Squamish for a pleasant trek.


A fun time in the good weather. Pictures Credit: Gyan Riley

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Kyle takes the cake…. The OC Guitar Festival

Posted on March 6, 2019 by steve

Kyle Khembonjong placed first in the youth division at the Orange County Guitar Festival last weekend. Congratulations Kyle. Here he is holding his certificate and with Manuel Barrueco. These guys can both play guitar pretty well, and it looks like they have the same haircut… Kyle will have to work on the facial hair.

I’ve posted about Kyle before. http://ganzguitars.com/wp/kyle-khembunjong-and-his-100-days-of-practice/


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Three Cut-aways – Tops

Posted on February 28, 2019 by steve

Two cedar, one spruce. All three tops will be what I call “channel top” construction.

  • Layout =
  • Spacers
  • Channels
  • Laminate layers
  • Glue applied

  • Clamp
  • Same for spruce
  • Three times


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I also play.

Posted on February 25, 2019 by steve
Photo credit: Merrilee

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Three cut-aways… Necks

Posted on January 29, 2019 by steve

This gallery contains 5 photos.

On the project of cut-aways… http://ganzguitars.com/wp/new-design-for-cut-away/ I am making a batch of 3 of them. All will be negras, with Indian Rosewood back and sides. Two will be 650 scales, one 640. One will be Spruce, the other two Cedar. … Continue reading →

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Bridge weight

Posted on January 9, 2019 by steve

Here is what happens to a bridge when it gets shaped prior to being attached to a guitar. It loses weight.

  • The bottom of the bridge has an arch.
  • The wings have a rough shape.
  • Some carving around the saddle slot and the tie-block.
  • The bevels on the the ends of the wings.
  • After drilling holes and sanding – The final weight is about 19.5 grams.
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New Design for Cut-away

Posted on December 31, 2018 by steve

Pedro wants a florentine cut-away. I’ve done another style in the past, so I’m making this design … It has to do a few things;

  • Allow access to the very upper frets without putting the thumb on top of the soundboard
  • Be structurally sound
  • Look good and satisfy the designer – me
  • Most important, – Pedro will like playing it.
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Let’s hope this works.

Posted on November 8, 2018 by ganzguitarscom

My web hosting service decided to retire my server.  If you are reading this, it’s on the new server, which I have been told will be much faster, and more secure.  If you visit my blog and notice any changes, please let me know.  Thank you,

Steve Ganz, luthier, repair person, web master… etc.

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Feedback from Players

Posted on September 28, 2018 by steve

I get updates from people who play the guitars I build.  Sometimes I reference them here, on the Appreciation page. It’s rewarding when players do that.  Sometimes they send me pics of OUR babies…  Yes, I build ’em and they … Continue reading →

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