We build our instruments using the traditional Spanish method using the finest materials available. We use mostly traditional timbers, such as Brazilian Rosewood, Indian Rosewood, European Maple  and European Spruce but also utilise some of the newer materials such as Western Red Cedar, our native Australian Flamed Blackwood and Queensland Maple, as well as the very promising Flamed New Guinea Rosewood.

We begin a guitar selecting the timber it will be built from, we then examine each piece and make judgements on its visual and tonal qualities. Much of the timber we use is hand selected including our Spruce soundboards which are hand picked by us from the source in Europe.

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. 

Each Guitar we build takes up to 200 hours to construct. We have only a few guitars under construction at one time and each guitar is in our workshop for about three to four months. This allows us to give every guitar an extremely high level of attention to detail and a look of traditional hand-craftsmanship. 

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. Each part of each instrument is created by hand, using mostly hand tools

The bracing and tuning of our soundboards is one of the most important stages of the construction of our instruments. The completed soundboard is the part of the instrument that absorbs the vibrations from the plucked strings to produce the sound of the guitar. Therefore, it is very important for us to pay close attention to the construction of each soundboard, to ensure that it gives the guitar the sound we are trying to achieve. 

We finish our guitars completely by hand using traditional French polish on the soundboard. This is an extremely thin coating of shellac, which allows the soundboard to vibrate without impedance. The back, sides and neck are finished using either French polish or very thin lacquer, the lacquer gives these areas more protection from playing wear while having no noticeable effect on the sound of the instrument. After the finish is applied it is allowed to cure and then hand polished to a high gloss. The whole finishing process takes about 4 weeks and 30 hours of labour to complete.

Careful attention is paid to the final set-up, the frets are carefully dressed and bevelled and the action is set for an optimum level of tone and playability.

© Sean Hancock 2002 - 2006. All rights reserved