KNOWLEDGE • EXPERIENCE • PERSPECTIVE

Guitar Resources

Notes, guides and perspective for serious players and collectors, from woods and builders to specifications, tone, care and the details that make exceptional guitars different.

More Than a Sales Catalog

One of the goals of Artistic Guitars has always been to share what I have learned from years of collecting, specifying, buying and selling exceptional instruments. The Resources section gives that information a permanent home.

This section brings together useful material from the Artistic Guitars archive and Gary’s experience, with additional articles and firsthand perspective to be added over time.

EXPLORE THE LIBRARY

Topics Worth Understanding

WOODS & MATERIALS

Why the Wood Matters

Figured maple, mahogany, Brazilian rosewood and other exceptional materials, what makes them desirable and what they can contribute to an instrument.

BUILDERS

Meet the Makers

Stories and perspective on boutique builders, their design philosophies and the details that distinguish their work.

BUYING & COLLECTING

Choosing the Right Guitar

Specifications, condition, originality, rarity, playability and the questions worth asking before buying an important instrument.

From Gary’s Experience

Understanding Specifications

Neck construction, scale length, pickups, hardware, woods and finishes all matter, but not always in the way a specification sheet suggests. The goal is to translate specifications into useful buying information.

Builder Stories & Relationships

Firsthand experience with boutique builders provides context that is difficult to get from a catalog. Gary’s collection stories already document relationships and experiences with builders including Joe Knaggs, Nik Huber, Tom Ribbecke and Bob Benedetto, with additional articles to follow.

Gary’s Take

Some resource articles will be technical. Others will simply be Gary’s perspective after years of owning, comparing and commissioning fine guitars.

How to evaluate an individual guitar rather than just a model.
What rare woods do, and do not, tell you.
How to think about originality, modifications and collector value.
Questions to ask when commissioning a custom instrument.
What separates a beautiful guitar from one worth keeping.

“The more you understand about a guitar, the better your chances of finding the one you’ll want to keep.”

, ARTISTIC GUITARS

Have a guitar question?

The resource library is a starting point. If you want to discuss a particular instrument, builder or specification, contact Gary directly.

480-299-3790 • TALK GUITARS →