Frequently Asked Questions

Questions:

• What types of guitarists do you build instruments for?
• How would you classify your guitars? Traditional? Modern? You seem to do a bit of both…
• What if I want a design that's not one of your standard models?
• What makes your guitars special?
• Do your guitars require a break-in period?
• What do you need to know in order to make me a guitar?
• I've read so many conflicting opinions about scale length, woods, measurements, design features… that I can't decide what to order - can you help?
• What if I don't like the guitar that you make for me?
• I need a new guitar by next week, can you help?
• How did you learn to build guitars?
• How can I try one of your guitars?
• What is French Polish and why do you use it?
• Do you offer a more durable finish too?
• How do you take care of a hand-made, French polished guitar?
• How should I ship my guitar? Do you think it is in good hands with a courier company?
• Will I have to pay duty when my new guitar arrives?

Do you have a question that is not addressed here? Just ask directly…

A:

All kinds! My customers are usually classical musicians, but some are flamenco or jazz artists as well. I've made guitars for professional concert artists, students in university and conservatory music programs, music composers, professors of guitar programs, collectors, guitar teachers, avid enthusiasts and students of all ages. I'm interested in working for anybody who values the best playability and a truly musical instrument.

A:

To me, it's the quality of the result that matters more than adhering to any particular style of construction. I make only concert instruments that excel in solo, chamber music, or concerto settings. You'll find they are equally at home in the practice room, performance hall, living room, or recording studio. I make them in the way that's been proven throughout history to result in the most complete, expressive musical instruments possible. That said, truthfully, I'd rather be pigeonholed into the "traditional" category than anything else.

The three standard guitar models I offer - standard scale length, short scale length, and modern terz, are all incarnations of one fundamental set of design principles streamlined for different specific players and uses.

A:

It never hurts to ask! What do you have in mind? Trust me, I want to be darn certain that you will like the instrument I make for you - I'll be very honest with you if it's outside of my comfort zone.

A:

I focus on making my instruments stand out by simply making them outstanding. Not through frills, or by following fads. You'll notice many of today's popular features on my guitars (like elevated fingerboards, 12-hole tie blocks, extra frets, additional strings, unusual scale lengths...), and I enjoy collaborating with customers on more unusual features to make truly custom instruments. Naturally, it's important that I offer these options, but they aren't actually the heart of what's unique about my guitars.

Scott guitars are my carefully studied effort to capture the greatest qualities of the finest instruments in history, and produce a sound that's distinctive, yet very classic. Although I've learned that a traditional approach to lutherie can result in the best possible instruments, I don't actually make historical reproductions. Each and every structural and aesthetic aspect of my guitars is carefully considered and dialed in. There is no such thing as an unimportant detail. It's imperative that my instruments are easy to play, show a refined, timeless aesthetic, and above all, have the capacity for the fullest possible range of musical expression.

A:

Yes and no, "require" isn't the right word. My guitars are constructed in a way that they start out sounding fully performance-ready practically right away, but there is still a period of subtle gradual progressive improvement nonetheless (over the first several months to a year especially).

The ways my guitars develop are: broadening of the tonal palette, increased sustain, increased warmth, deeper bass, more present trebles, and general "opening up". I firmly believe that a properly made guitar will always have a playing-in period. And likewise, a properly made guitar will sound as refined and balanced as it ever will when it's brand new. You should never expect the break-in period to completely change an instrument - or to fix qualities that are inadequate when it's new.

A:

To start, I need your contact information:

• name
• email address
• phone number(s)
• mailing address

I have a little questionnaire with a handful of simple plain-English questions that I will go through with you (it's quick over the phone or in person, but email works equally well) and it brings up all the points I will need to know. I like to begin collecting these answers as soon as you place your order, even if I won't begin working on your guitar for several months. Relax, this doesn't mean you should know what fret crown width you prefer - or even the scale length for that matter. In fact, you don't actually have to know anything in particular. It mostly gets you thinking about the kind of information I need, and gives you time to consult with me and consider your options.

A:

Believe me, as a career luthier, I have heard all of those conflicting opinions too. Don't feel bad about not being able to make sense of it all. The thing is, two different luthiers trying their hardest to follow the exact same design will still produce very different guitars. I've spent ridiculous amounts of time studying all the options and figuring out how each one effects my instruments. Let me know what you're after - I can help you get the result that you want.

A:

Impossible!!!

Okay, that was a joke. Seriously though, it has never happened. On customers' guitars, I do what I know and I never experiment. Each guitar turns out exceptional and I'm proud to glue my label into it. But here's the deal: read about my trial period and return policy.

A:

If I have the right guitar for you in my studio and it's available for sale (I always try to keep at least one new instrument on hand just in case), then you are in luck. You send me the payment for the guitar, and I pack, insure and ship the guitar so you get it as quickly as you need it. (Read about my trial period.)

If you want me to build you a guitar within a week? I'm sorry, it's not going to happen. Believe me, you don't want a guitar that was made for you in a week! The best I can say is if you need your guitar done by a certain date, don't wait around. Get in touch with me now and I'll let you know if I can meet your deadline.

A:

Lutherie is a very broad discipline with many different facets for luthiers to be skilled in such as:

• understanding musical acoustics, string mechanics, and other physics principles
• designing and making rosettes and inlays
• woodworking with hand and power tools
• controlling the instrument's sound
• pore filling, French polishing and other finishing techniques
• studying music, music history, and playing technique
• bookkeeping and running a business

I owe a lot of what I know to a broad range of excellent teachers.

I have been playing the classical guitar since age 7, and have a Bachelor of Music degree. I still continue to practice guitar and learn about music - history, theory, performance practice, etc. through my own reading. This knowledge and skill I find absolutely indispensable in guitar making. It plays a big role in the instruments I build and in the way I can relate to my customers.

My first few guitars were made in the 1990's from lumber yard wood with library books for instruction. Some years later, In 2002, I attended a guitar building and repair school called Timeless Instruments where I built my 4^th guitar and received a more formal orientation to lutherie. Soon after, I got a job at a well respected and established stringed instrument repair shop called Old Town Strings, in Victoria BC, where I was living at the time. The owner, Dave Cahill, is an outstanding repair person and in his shop I learned the gamut of specialized guitar making and repair skills.

To continue my education, I studied French polishing and a handful of specific hand tool techniques with the renowned master luthier and teacher of lutherie, Geza Burghart. Finally (and perhaps most importantly), I learned to refine my control over the guitar's tone through several years of working closely with Mikhail Robert, whose instruments are prized by professional musicians around the world for their unsurpassed acoustic quality.

A:

Check my website to see what instruments I currently have available. Keep in mind that it never hurts to contact me too, since I may have something in the studio that hasn't yet been added to the website. I ship guitars frequently and promptly, so you can have one delivered to your door very soon for a trial period.

You could also ask players in your local guitar community if anyone is playing one of my instruments. Also check the dealers Grand salon de Guitar in Montreal and Trilogy Guitars in Los Angeles.

If you are attending the next GFA convention, I'll see you there!

A:

Technically speaking, French polishing is actually a technique for applying a finish and doesn't refer to any particular finishing material. However, in lutherie the traditional and widely used material is a spirit and shellac based finish. The specific recipe I use is unique today, but very traditional as it also includes a number of natural resins that enhance its toughness, flexibility and chemical resistance (and make it smell incredible).

French polishing became prominent on furniture in the 18^th century, and in guitar making in the mid 19^th century. French polishing is really an art in itself, and there is a considerable range in the quality of results different luthiers achieve. I prefer a deep mirror-gloss result since it looks spectacular and also affords the most protection. French polishing has a notorious reputation of being labour intensive, difficult and time consuming to apply, but in actual fact, I think the primary reason why it became so widespread in the first place is that it could be applied so much more quickly than previous alternatives could.

French polish has stood the test of time, and today it's still the preferred finish for hand made classical guitars for a number of reasons. Being extremely thin, it adds the right amount of refinement to the sound without damping any of it away. It also looks gorgeous, smells wonderful, has all natural and non toxic ingredients (shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand), it's fun to apply, and helps keep luthiers employed by requiring periodic touch-ups. As for the down sides of French polishing, there's just one: it's delicate - easy to scratch, and sensitive to moisture and perspiration. You will need to practice specific care habits with a French polished guitar, and since the finish wears relatively easily, it'll require periodic touch-ups.

A:

Absolutely! And I am very excited about it. Before French polishing became prevalent, guitars (and lutes, violins, cellos etc.) were finished primarily with oil varnish, which can be extremely durable and also beneficial for the sound of an instrument. The look of my oil varnish finish is very deep (although the coating is very thin), rich and glossy - it's actually difficult to discern from my French polish. For players who need the maximum protection, the entire guitar can be oil varnished. Alternately, my personal favorite combination is to use French polish on the soundboard and finish the rest of the guitar with oil varnish. The choice of finish does not affect the price of your guitar.

A:

If you are not used to owning a hand built guitar, you'll want to form a few habits to ensure your guitar always sounds and plays its best.

• French Polish

  Keep fingernails, jewelry, zippers, buttons etc. away from your guitar, especially the soundboard. Also wear long sleeves or a protector when you play to prevent long contact with skin. At the end of each practice session, gently wipe off fingerprints etc. with a soft, dry flannel or microfiber cloth. French polish is most susceptible to harm when it's new, so it'll last much longer if you can be extra diligent during your guitar's first 6 months.

  As careful as you are, sooner or later your French polish will show a rough or matte texture - especially anywhere that your body touches the guitar during playing. This is the time (ideally before it looks like bare wood is exposed) to find a good luthier experienced in French polishing to retouch the finish (ask around in your local guitar community for recommended luthiers). Don't worry, it's normally a quick, no fuss, inexpensive operation. This is also a good chance for the luthier to suggest any other maintenance points that you may not have noticed (like worn frets, tuning gears needing lubrication or adjustment...) If you can't find a luthier you trust in your area, I'm always available to do the work for you.

• Oil Varnish

  If your guitar is finished with my oil varnish, I recommend following the same precautions as you would for a French polished instrument. Though oil varnish is far more protective and won't wear through, the outer surface can become dull in the areas where your body touches exactly like French polish does. However, in this case the dulling is only superficial and purely cosmetic - and by French polishing, a luthier can renew the varnish's original lustre in just a few minutes.

• Temperature

  Temperature and relative humidity are actually inextricably linked. You'll generally want to keep your guitar in temperatures that you find comfortable. Easy enough, right? But you also need to be mindful of relative humidity.

• Relative Humidity

  

  I recommend using a digital hygrometer to periodically test the relative humidity where you keep your guitar. The ideal range is between 40% and 60%. Lower relative humidity can cause the action to change, frets to protrude from the edges of the fingerboard, and if not addressed, wood to crack. Below 35% you certainly should humidify - either with a soundhole humidifier, a case humidifier (Oasis humidifiers are excellent) or a room humidifier.

  High relative humidity, on the other hand, is not usually as dangerous (perhaps causing temporary action issues) until is gets excessive, or is combined with high temperatures, when it may cause joints to separate. If your humidity is regularly over 75%, I suggest taking measures to bring it down. Air conditioning usually has the right effect, so consider storing your guitar in a different room. Otherwise it may be worth investing in a small room dehumidifier and using it to regulate the room, or even a closet, where your guitar is stored.

  Some common potentially dangerous locations to watch out for: near heat vents, fireplaces, baseboard or space heaters; in attics or basements, near drafty windows in cold climates, in direct sun (in the case or out), inside vehicles and car trunks.

A:

As long as you pack your guitar adequately, it should be safe in the hands of any courier company or airline. Nonetheless, I strongly recommend having a good instrument insurance policy in place if you expect to travel with or ship your guitar (Heritage Insurance Services, GFA members are eligible for a discount from Clarion Insurance.) On top of insuring your guitar, it will save you some money each time you ship as you won't have to pay the carrier's insurance fee. Never expect a carrier's insurance policy (that you pay for when you ship something) to protect you in any way if your guitar is damaged in transit.

A:

In North America (and many other countries), No. Under NAFTA, my guitars are duty free. I always supply the required NAFTA Certificates of Origin with every shipment across the border so that you do not pay any duty.

Canada also has Free Trade Agreements with a handful of other countries around the globe. Just ask me to find out if your country is included.