My philosophy of guitar making starts with my playing of the instrument, and I believe this is central to the identity of the guitars that I make. My love for the instrument is what informs my philosophy of guitar making. The many years of playing have connected me to the nuance and subtleties of the steel string guitar, and drive me to pull every last drop of potential out of each guitar I make.
Balance. One of the first tonal characteristics to come to mind when considering the tonal signature of a Gerber guitar is balance. Regardless of how large or small the model may be, a top priority for each guitar is perfect balance across all of the strings. Gerber guitars are inspired by instrumental music, with a bias towards fingerstyle playing. The melody is what carries the song, so vibrant and capable treble strings are a must, and a signature of Gerber guitars.
Responsiveness. Lively, energetic, dynamic, harmonious; these are all words that describe the voice of a Gerber guitar. The soundboard utilizes a propitiatory modified lattice lower bout which distributes the load of the strings evenly and efficiently. Soundboards with excellent strength to weight ratio are selected, and lightweight bridges of rosewood are preferred. The three-ply side construction, coupled with a extra supportive neck block structure, sends as much energy to soundboard and back plate as possible. Great attention is paid to the voicing process of the soundboard and the back plate, with an emphasis placed on musicality and harmony in the voicing of the braces and plates.
Consistency. From deflection testing the plates, to selecting brace stock with the ideal density, voicing to consistent levels of stiffness and frequency; these are all parts of the process that lead to consistent results. The note taking for each guitar is lengthy, and I pay close attention to the interaction between the three main modes of vibration in the soundboard, and the relationship between the back plate and soundboard. I watch for “markers” during the voicing process, which are signs along the way which act as a guide, and also tell me when my job is completed.
Hide glue, wood glue, super glue, epoxy, polyurethane glue, are just some of the options when it comes to joining two pieces of wood or other material together. I am mindful about using the best glue for each particular application.
Traditional hide glue is used for all of the joints on the soundboard. This includes the center seam of the soundboard plate, soundboard bracing, bridge plate, and the bridge itself. A joint with hide glue allows for easier future repairs. It is also less prone to creeping over time, which makes it the ideal choice to join the bridge to the soundboard.
Epoxy is used for laminating thin veneers, such as the triple ply side laminations, and headstock veneers. It is also used for joining the fretboard to neck. The reason for using epoxy in these applications is that it does not introduce any water into wood, which would otherwise warp and distort the joint.
Wood glue is used for certain joints which are not susceptible to warping due to moisture, or have little to no tonal implications. The neck block, end block, binding, and solid linings are a few joints that use wood glue.
Quality. The selection of materials is both artistic and practical. I prefer traditional looking back and side materials, with vertical grain across the lower bout. This is both for aesthetic preference, and structural integrity. Thoughtfulness is put into every piece of the guitar, regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem. Weight, grain orientation, strength, and stability are all important when choosing the “unseen” materials.
Variety. It goes without saying that there is no “best” material for back and sides. Is there something absolutely alluring and mesmerizing about the best example of Dalbergia Nigra? Absolutely. But nature doesn’t play favorites, and there are many other options worth considering. Some of my favorites include claro and black walnut from the US, East Indian rosewood, Honduran mahogany, and Koa. If I could convince every client each year to try a new species for the body of the guitar, I would do it.
Soundboards. My material of choice for the past five years has been Swiss moon spruce. I have been sourcing my soundboards from the same supplier over that span of time, and I have come to know the material well. It is very well suited for fingerstyle voicings, with a very good stiffness to weight ratio and beautiful sparkle. The Swiss spruce soundboard is usually paired with the same species brace wood, however, I have also used light weight sitka spruce brace wood with good results.
Info coming soon….
Info coming soon….