Description

Ervin Somogyi is probably the most respected (and expensive) steel string guitar builder on Earth. Also, his precision is certainly second to none. A friend of mine who collects guitars and plays them well, asked Ervin to build three guitars, identical in every way (back, sides, neck…etc.. all cut from adjacent pieces of the same log) with one difference: the wood used to make the tops. One would be Cedar, one European Spruce and one Sitka Spruce.

What would be the differences? I got the call to be the test pilot. I recorded them all the same: never moved the mics, chair or any acoustic elements in the studio. All were lightly processed in the mix exactly the same way. But the last 3 “bonus” tracks are the same piece with no processing. What would be the difference?

Hear for yourself…

1. Land Of Enchantment…Sitka Spruce
2. Spanish Harlem…Sitka Spruce
3. She’s Leaving Home…European Spruce
4. Cowboy Waltz…European Spruce
5. Beau Fleuve…Sitka Spruce
6. Andante…Sitka Spruce
7. Julia Florida…Sitka Spruce
8. Yesterday…Cedar
9. 2000 Miles Gone…Sitka Spruce
10. Our Town…Sitka Spruce
11. Chant…Sitka Spruce
12. Gavotte en Rondeau…Cedar

(bonus tracks. The same tune played on all 3 guitars, raw)
13. Lagrima Euro
14. Lagrima Cedar
15. Lagrima Sitka