Each instrument begins with us selecting the tonewoods it will be made from. We use traditional materials such as Sitka Spruce from Canada and European Spruce for the tops of our guitars and European and Canadian Maple for the back, sides and necks. We have also had good success using some of the Australian timbers such as Queensland Maple, a beautiful timber which is ideal for the back sides and necks of the instruments. This locally growing timber can also be used on the tops giving the instrument a bright, loud and rich sound.

Most of our timber is hand picked by us at the source either here in Australia or in Europe.  After selecting the timber an instrument will be built from, we then examine each piece and make judgments on its visual and tonal qualities.

The top and back of each guitar are carved by hand from solid slabs of timber into their finished profile. Once the plates are shaped they must then be tap-tuned, this is an intuitive process in which the plates stock is removed from the back of the plates until they ring at their at their optimum resonance. This is a crucial process as the top and back plates are what will produce the sound when the instrument is played. It is also a process which must be completed by hand. Because every piece of timber is different, they need to be tuned differently. This is what separates hand-built archtop guitars from factory made instruments.

The bracing of the top is also a crucial step. The bracing gives the top its strength and also contributes to the sound of the finished instrument. It must also be tuned, like the top plate, to give the guitar the best possible tone. We also reinforce the centre join of the top and back plates, this is an important step which many archtop guitar makers neglect to perform and is crucial to prevent the seam opening up over time.

Each part of a completed guitar, no matter how small, plays a role in the sound and look of the instrument, it is for this reason that we pay careful consideration to each stage of the construction of our guitars, ensuring that the completed guitar is at its maximum potential. because each piece of timber is different, we make adjustments of each part of the instrument as we build it so that the finished product has the optimum volume and tone.

We finish our guitars using Nitrocellulose Lacquer. This is a very time consuming process in which the finish is sprayed on in about 25 to 30 thin coats. Once the spraying is completed, the finish must be left for two to four weeks to cure. When the finish has cured, it is then polished, by hand to a high gloss. The finishing process of one of our instruments takes about 30 hours of labour in total 

The setup of a guitar is crucial to the instrument's playability. The most critical components in the setup of any guitar are the fretboard and frets. We build our guitars to the have the lowest  possible action. We pay particular attention to ensure that the frets and fretboard are precise, level and free from string buzz.

Each Guitar  takes up to 200 hours to construct. We have only a few guitars under construction at one time. This allows us to give every guitar a level of attention to detail that is second to none and it is this careful attention that gives the instruments a look of genuine quality and an equally beautiful sound. 

© Sean Hancock 2003-2005. All rights reserved