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Use the form on the right to contact us.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding your instrument, repairs, any instruments we have for sale, ordering an instrument, or any instrument you wish to sell.

1000 North Rand Road No. 224
Wauconda, IL, 60084
United States

847-864-7730

I began making guitars in 1966 in Dayton Ohio, where I worked out of my house. From 1968-1970 I lived in Mexico City, returning during the summers to build instruments at the Dayton location. 

During this time I was studying Anthropology and playing flamenco guitar professionally in various troupes in Mexico and around the U.S. In 1972 I moved to Chicago and worked briefly out of the back of a music store before moving to my present location in 1973. 

At that point I gave up any pretensions of being a professional guitarist and dedicated myself full time to lutherie.

 


My 800 Greenwood Street shop has undergone several renovations and changes over the years, the most recent being the 1995 massive renovation I did of the outside and inside of the building. 

As a result, my building is now climate controlled throughout the entire 4,000 square feet, and it has now acquired a nicer facade, with more interior showroom space than was previously available. 

Consequently, we are better able to serve those who prefer to visit the shop to select an instrument from our extensive inventory, which is housed in glass fronted rosewood cabinets. Being able to play many instruments side by side is very helpful in making a final selection, and we have full repair/restoration facilities on the premises for minor action adjustments to major restorations of valuable collector instruments.

1888 Antonio de Torres No 124

1888 Antonio de Torres No 124 (Spain)  653 mm scale, 50 mm nut, strings are spaced 41.5 mm on centers 1-6.  Spruce top, birds eye maple sides and back, later machines, ex collection of the late Otto Winkler who obtained the instrument from Regino Sainz de la Maza (see interview with Winkler published in Guitar Magazine, April, 1976, p. 17).  This instrument is also shown on page 13 of the Irving Sloane book, Classic Guitar Construction.  Restored during 2014-2015 by the Bruné workshop, this instrument passed from Otto Winkler to Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, proprietor of the now closed Orpheus Music Shop in New York City.  Built the same year as the last Torres owned by Francisco Tárrega (1888, No 114), this instrument is nearly identical save for having maple sides and back and a different rosette.  Internally they are identically braced and assembled.  Original in all its parts and finish except for the fingerboard which we recently replaced, and the machines, which were replaced sometime around WW II, this instrument is an extremely rare example that still preserves its original varnish as applied by Torres, and hence the top, side and back thicknesses are still unaltered, placing it in the 95th percentile of surviving Torres guitars.  The sound is absolutely astounding.  At a recent Guitar Foundation of America listening test, this guitar was compared in the same hall with many modern hi-tech guitars with Nomex tops, and Smallman designs.  The audience audibly gasped when it was first played, it was every bit the equal in volume and projection as any of these modern improvements, and far more interesting to listen to in terms of color and nuance.  There is a reason why Antonio de Torres is universally considered a genius among makers and players.  This instrument also illustrates a second point which is that well made guitars when reasonably cared for do not have a finite life, provided they are not violated by poor repairs or well intentioned but deadly refinishing.  Despite the delicacy of its construction, this Torres is every bit as viable today as a working musical instrument as it was when it was first completed by Don Antonio.  There is a lot to learn from studying this great master.