Hi Peter,

After hours of testing and comparing with other instruments, I would like to give you my opinion about the instrument you have built for me.

1) The instrument is very loud and responsive. It takes little effort to create a good quality sound. The sustain is also remarkable. Notes sing for a long time. I am surprised that you achieved this without building a heavy instrument.

2) However, once the first impression is gone one is amazed by the clarity of the produced sound. It's truly remarkable for a cedar instrument, and gives a new dimension to the played music. I love this!

3) I really appreciate your efforts towards creating an instrument with some loose feeling in the right hand - its what I feel indeed and I love it.

4) Left hand playability is very good, barre is especially easy for me perhaps because of the way you taper the fingerboard treble to bass. I do feel the difference in the scale length; perhaps 20 years of playing 650mm comes into play. [Pawel's guitar is 655mm] The difference is not that great though, and it's not always for the worse or better, some more spread in the first positions but more space and comfort in the higher position. Overall I think I should accommodate to this fairly easily.

5) The instrument is very even string-to-string and note-to-note (not perfect but really good) and I like this. On the other hand I have expected this - because the Ruck I played was also like that. So my spoiled expectations are met. There is one slightly stronger note - #c on the first and second string, but I have never played an instrument that was 100% perfect.

6) Visually I really love the guitar- the rosette is beautiful and the back and sides wood look awesome, also the bindings are great.

I noticed that the fingerboard itself is tapered - usually it's the saddle that is slanted in order to accommodate the difference in strings' thickness. [Action height] I really like your solution from the perspective of both hands. Now, it's difficult for me to firmly state whether it's the shape of the neck (which is very comfortable on its own), or the taper of the fingerboard or both. The end result is that barre is easier for me to perform.

It's very difficult for me to define sound well, but if you listen to some cedar-topped Spanish guitars like Contreras or Ramirez, there is some extra warmth that I like, some richness and overtones - I am talking mainly about the trebles. Unfortunately, this is often accompanied by some muddiness, a lack of clarity, and boominess, especially in the basses and mid-range. Creating a guitar, with sound that is devoid of unwanted characteristics and still loud and clear, is a challenge and some choices must be made. This is a reflection of the luthier's understanding of his/her design or building system. One has to bear in mind that this is highly personal feeling, and what one likes, another one may find ugly. Also what is nice in say Albeniz, may be bad in Bach, etc.

Now, comparing your guitar to the Ruck, I would say that yours sounds warmer, which is what I like more. It's warmer but still very, very clear even when played very loud, and this is amazing! If I were forced to single out one advantage of your instrument it would be this. It's easier for me to get more tonal varieties out of your instrument than from Ruck's. In this sense I like the sound of your instrument more than that of the Ruck.

The bottom line is that it's a remarkable instrument in many ways. I love it. Thank you Peter for building it for me. All the best in the New Year.

Pawel Bryk, Classical Guitarist - Lublin, Poland, January 2009