Ervin Somogyi: Articles

From Chifu Noda: cn@hopper.unh.edu
Subject: My Vacation #1 – Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, TN

I took a few days off and visited a few places. So here is my report.

I visited Gruhn Guitars (yes, the one that takes Mastercard but not American Express!) in Nashville, TN. They literally had a wall-full of guitars (and elec. Gtrs, banjos and mandos). Acoustic guitars included Martins (about 30 of them), Taylors, Larrivees, Collings (two D2H, one OM2, one 12-fret D, one 0002H), one Goodall, Guilds and Gibsons.

I concentrated on small-bodied guitars and found that Collings have a distinct dark meaty sound (compared to Martins). Their workmanship is always meticulous and detailed. More importantly the sound quality seems very consistent and makes me feel comfortable about custom-ordering if I want to get one.

I played a few Martins and they are OK. I am a big Martin fan and have two good ones, so I didn’t get too excited about their Martins.

I loved the l927 0-42 and the l930’s? 0-17, both nicely aged fingerstyle guitars.

I think I played a Grand Auditorium Taylor (RS) and I always felt it is a very fine design, meaning the basic characteristic of the body shape and design works really well achieving a nice combination of projection, sustain, tone and balance.

I also liked a Goodall standard, two Lakewood guitars (one maple, one rosewood), and a flat-top Benedetto.

The store was crowded on Sat. afternoon and it was hard to hear my own guitar, not to mention finding a place to sit. The store people are nice and I ended up jamming with (I think) David.

You can spend a day or two browsing thru their guitars and do a real good comparison shopping within the store. The prices are not shown on the tags and you’ll have to ask someone about them, but I think the prices are very competitive.

Gruhn Guitars
410 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
(6l5) 256-2033

There are other guitar stores in Nashville, too, but I didn’t get to visit them.

Chifu

P.S.: I will post
Part 2 = Gallagher 30^th anniversary concert
Part 3 = Gryphon Stringed Instruments, Palo Alto, CA
Part 4 = visit to Ervin Somogyi’s shop in Oakland, CA

Subject: My Vacation #2 – Gallagher 30^th Anniversary Party/Concert

After visiting Gruhn Guitars on Saturday afternoon, I went to Wartrace, TN, to see the Gallagher Guitars’ 30^th anniversary concert featuring Steve Kaufman and Doc Watson.

There was a report from Bo Parker earlier so I won’t say much, but oh boy o-boy, I was impressed with Steve Kaufman. He showed up on stage alone (no sideman, no bass) –- just him and his 7-string Gallagher dreadnought (with the extra string tuned to B below low E, although he tuned it once to A for a tune in A minor). The most impressive part of his performance is his sense of beat and groove. Without percussion or bass, he managed to keep the rhythm going. He also was very good at mixing tunes –- he did a jazzy swing tune, an Irish medley, flat-out bluegrass fiddle tunes, some singing tunes, etc.

It was great to see Doc Watson, too.

I did get up on stage and played on Open Mic. That was fun. Out of twelve performers, I was one of only two fingerstyle players. I’m mighty glad that I didn’t get booed off stage J

Now, I’m off to California J

Chifu

Subject: My Vacation #3 – Gryphon Stringed Instruments, Palo Alto, CA

I used to hang around here a lot and wanted to revisit for some of the fine guitars they have.

As of August l4, Monday, they had (among others!) four Collings, two Shantis, three Santa Cruzes, two Breedloves, one Goodall, one Ehlers. I started out from the Collings (I got there at 2 pm and stayed until 8 pm). As I mentioned in Part I, I felt Collings have very dark, meaty sound. Again, they are very consistent. At that moment, I felt that I will have to get a Collings soon.

Then I played a Brazilian rosewood Shanti ($3800) and I was shaking. That was a heck of a guitar; very clean loud bass with good treble. I was impressed. I did play a koa Shanti (or maple? $2800?) and this one was good but just good.

I played two Santa Cruz guitars, which I didn’t warm up to. This is my personal feeling and I’m NOT saying they are bad. I think I was then sold on the Shanti.

Next was a Breedlove rosewood C1 (used, $1950). My love for Shanti was gone; I loved this Breedlove. It had a typical Breedlove sound –- a very very strong clean bass. What I come to realize is that Breedlove’s treble is as strong as any maker’s, but they succeeded in producing extremely loud and clean bass no matter what wood they use. I’ve heard Breedlove described as "boomy bassy". What I think is that their bass is loud and clean but not boomy and it certainly will not mask the treble. Yes, you have to be a little careful in your RH and adjust accordingly. But for a small-body such as the C1 (Grand Concert) the bass is plentiful and available when you need it. At this time, I was thinking how I could pay for this used Breedlove.

Since they had another one, I tried it too. A Myrtlewood C5 (which is essentially a C2 with a rounded cutaway, I think), $2850. This guitar was (you guessed it) better than the rosewood C1. It was new but sounded "broken in" already. Again, the bass is very very loud and crisp. The mid and treble seem quiet if you compare against bass, but for Breedlove, you’ll need to discard traditional thinking.

I did play the Goodall and Ehlers but I kept going back to these two Breedlove guitars. What I decided after six hours is that since the new Breedloe sounded so nice (and the store said Breedloves are pretty consistent), I felt that I can order one to my liking and get what I want to get. They are still at the store, if you live nearby.

On the side, I bought some CDs –- among them Peppino D"Agostino’s "Venus over Venice". As I was carrying that CD, the store guy said "Oh, Peppino is here" and I didn’t get it. Then Peppino himself came out from the back (he teaches there on Mondays). I was so shocked to meet him unexpectedly, but had a nice chat with him J

My guitar trip continues. Next stop = Ervin Somogyi’s shop.

Chifu

Subject: My Vacation #4 – Ervin Somogyi’s shop in Oakland, CA

My last item was a visit to Ervin Somogyi’s shop in Oakland, CA. Ervin makes about fifteen guitars a year and his steel string guitars are regularly used by Ed Gerhard, Daniel Hecht, and Pat Donohue plus Alex de Grassi, William Ackerman, Michael Hedges, and John Denver (who own his guitars at one time or another).

I stopped by and was greeted by Ervin and his assistant. He had four guitars under construction, all with Brazilian rosewood in his Modified Dreadnought shape. He showed me his bracing patterns (his braces are very narrow (1/8") and high (l"), He also tapped on piece of Brazilian rosewood to show that tapping produces a clear sound almost like snare drums. He then tapped on maple, which produced a "thud" not unlike cardboard. I’ve never seen it demonstrated and I was very intrigued.

At the end, he pulled out a guitar that he had just completed. That is, he had finished it the last week for a trade show, and he then put on new strings for me, saying "you are the first person to play music on this guitar J "

I was awed but that didn’t stop me from playing a few tunes. And that guitar has its own voice. I had played one Somogyi previously (and that was a great guitar, too), and this new guitar sounded just like the other well-broken in guitar. The tone of a Somogyi is like nothing else. The sound is very dark and throaty (or husky, if you can imagine). The guitar was new but loud and projected really well.

I cannot justifiably compare this guitar to a Breedlove since they are two such different instruments. But I do want to get this Somogyi more than a Breedlove. Why? I can work on my Martins to get a sound similar to a Breedlove, but I cannot in any way produce the sound of a Somogyi. It’s so distinct and different from any other maker’s. If you ever get a chance to play a Somogyi please give it a shot. Unless you play it, you cannot know how different his guitars are (and my words cannot convey the feeling).

Also, this guitar has Brazilian rosewood back and sides. It is a prototype of Ervin’s new design –- a relief carving (in this case a carp) carved out in the upper bout above the soundhole! The carved out portion is backed with an ebony veneer to retain its structural strength. It is pretty. The guitar is dreadnought sized with soft shoulders and a tighter waist. It has all the Somogyi design features (carved headstock, ornate bridge, a volute on the back of the headstock, etc.). The price? $7500. Not cheap, but I think you get more than what you pay for as far as his guitars are concerned.

So on this trip, I played a number of guitars and I have enjoyed Collings’ somewhat traditional sound, Breedlove’s non-traditional approach to guitar building, and Ervin’s custom, fine handmade work. After I came home, I did play my Martins and others. Fortunately for me, my guitars do sound good. Martin sound is different from Collings, Breedlove, Somogyi (and other makers) and I am not going to get rid of my guitars. I only wish I could have some of the guitars I played . . . . .

Thanks for reading J

Chifu