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Eugenio Ligato of Italy

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Eugenio Ligato

Rich Sayage & Eugenio Ligato with Enrico on the right

Eugenio Ligato of Cosenza, Italy just sent me photos of the concert guitar that he has built for the gallery.  It is beautiful.  Simple words for an extraordinary guitar.  Photos below.

Eugenio came to the gallery on Monday, June 11, 2018, to visit me along with his father, Antonio and a good friend, Enrico, which was incredibly nice.  We talked for hours, went out to lunch and talked some more.  It was fabulous.  Eugenio is so very intelligent and quite thoughtful as a builder.  The guitar below was brought to me in person and was more beautiful than I could have imagined.  Simple specs below, listing and my own photos to follow.  Very impressed with this young man, the next generation of superb Italian luthiers.

   
   
   
  
Camillo Perrella - Eugenio Ligato - Giacomo Guadagna - Mario Pistella

Camillo Perrella – Eugenio Ligato – Rich Sayage – Giacomo Guadagna – Mario Pistella (left to right)

Me with Eugenio Ligato

Me with Eugenio Ligato

Bob Desmond and his 4 homage guitars

My visit with Bob Desmond – Orlando, FL – April 24, 2018

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Towards the end of April, I was getting tired of the persistent cold in the NorthEast, looking for a reason to go South (like the birds), visit a friend, play some golf and meet with Bob Desmond at his home and workshop.  He’s been to my home 3 times, never me to his, so boom, here’s my chance.

Turns out to be a wonderful thing to have some limited freedom to travel, and re-connect with great people.  I spent a Tuesday morning with him, then a Thursday morning having a great breakfast, then back to his workshop.   I spent over 4 -5 hours with him, re-discovering what an amazing luthier he truly is and how he has been underrated for a long time.  His time with various luthiers including Manuel Velazquez go unnoticed and unrecognized.  What is recognized is how amazing his guitars are within the traditional techniques of modern lutieria.  They are mindful of the greatest guitars from the likes of Bouchet – Friederich and Hauser and of course the great Manuel.  What is most incredible, is that in spite of the shoddy treatment received by the family, he has nothing but extraordinary things to say about the son and the father, and how grateful he is for the time spent and the knowledge learned.  He has an archive of information on Manuel V. that would and could fill an hour or two long documentary, including photographs and video.

People don’t get it.  Bob is so very kind, and very appreciative of the finer, more important issues, while not being even remotely petty.  He is so knowledgeable, so skilled, it belies his own quiet demeanor.  Much respect, Bob, much respect.

Among other things unknown, Bob spent the time building a railroad in his backyard.  Really very cool, especially for the nerd in me, much like Sheldon Cooper, who’d have flipped his own ornery lid to see such a thing snaking around the gardens and the pool, with bridges, connections, lights and sound effects.  Hysterical and very cool.

Back to guitars, Bob showed me 4 guitars he’s building, each a homage to the great Hauser II – Bouchet – and Friederich and then of course his very own build. You’ll see the photo below with Bob standing in front of them.

He then allowed me to inspect and play 2 very special guitars that he owns.  Historically significant, I’m not going into more detail than that as I don’t have Bob’s permission to do so.  Very cool however.  Most definitely, very cool.   One photo below, you can guess the guitar from the headstock.

I then got the chance to play 4 guitars of Bob’s that he spent a very difficult 3 years minimum building (time issues for various personal reasons) that came out magnificently, including a Steinway Guitar, built from the soundboard of an old Steinway piano, and then among other standouts, the Pearl Beauty II which is simply superb!  Photos below

Photos in the gallery section of the site (haphazardly thrown in below), it was just a very good time for me and most informative.  It bears repeating…much respect, Bob.  Rich

Classical Guitar XMAS – A Sale and Contests

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Classical Guitar by Woodley White

Woodley White Classical Guitar – November 2009

Hi All,

First thing is to say Happy Holidays to all my customers, luthiers and everyone that I do business with as a whole!  Merry Christmas.

So, we have a contest going, where I will pick the winner tomorrow morning.  Updates to follow.  (Note that Tim Tyler from Ohio won the contest, where his guitar is scheduled to be delivered on Xmas Eve…sweet).

I put up a Sale over the weekend, as some may have noticed.

10% OFF our already Discounted or On Sale Classical Guitars – Flamenco Guitars or Acoustic Guitars.

The only limitation here is that the guitar’s price must be $3899 or higher.  So, an Adalid Classical Guitar – Adalid Model goes for $4500, I have it on Sale for around $3900, she qualifies for another 10% off.  Minus another $390 gets you down and around $3500-3550 for the guitar DELIVERED!

Free Shipping to the 50US still applies.

USE Code “XMAS10OFF” – just copy and paste the code into your Checkout Page (you’ll see the box for it when you get there).

My prices are NOT adjusted.  The same price that was there last week is there this week.  (I’m too busy to worry about adjusting prices…I have too many guitars…it would take me forever to adjust the prices anyways).  If anything, I actually lowered a few guitars even further, so this is definitely the time to take advantage.

The sale applies to any guitar over $3899.  So…whatcha waiting for?  Call me, or write, or just buy the guitar you’ve been looking at and couldn’t convince yourself to pull the trigger. Pull baby…pull  LOL

Originally, I had this sale running until December 20, 2013.  But, I didn’t understand that this meant the sale was over December 19th at 11:59.  Nice?  Not.

So, I’ve adjusted it forward 2 days, meaning that this Sale is over December 23, 2013 at 11:59PM.

No rain checks, no back dating, no forward dating it.  This pertains to existing inventory in my stock, in hand, priced at $3899 or higher.  I run a sale like this to move out inventory that might be sitting around.   Take advantage of it.  I won’t be running a sale again for a while.  Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Rich

631-335-5447

rsayage1@savageclassical.com

New Classical Guitars & New Luthiers

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Ashley Sanders June 2012 Spruce Classical Guitar

Ashley Sanders Classical Guitar

Hi All,

So I got to play golf yesterday.  It was fun, it was tiring, I was exhausted when I got home around 3PM.  Out like a light, after some light food and water.  Hurt my shoulder and my left wrist as well.  Po’ baby. Moving on….

Some great emails when I finally checked them last night.  Notably, Daryl Perry, one of the great luthiers of North America, who I met last year at the GFA, asked if I would still like to have one of his guitars in my studio.  ?   I even wrote this to him……let me think…….of course!!!

So, that’s happening and I’m very happy and excited to see his work here.  Time line is still up in the air, he’s busy, but I’ll keep you posted.  He updated me for the build coming Spring of 2014.  I asked (nicely) if he would keep me on his build schedule.  Hopefully he says yes.

New guitars from Kenny Hill, Darren Hippner, Manuel Adalid, Larry Breslin, Douglass Scott, and Ashley Sanders is sending a new Ziricote Guitar to me next week sometime.  I love Ashley’s work.  Very clean, meticulous, always prettier than you might or could expect, and seriously loud and punchy, with an excellent voice.

Robert Desmond (Bob to his friends) is coming for a visit on April 22, bringing 4 guitars with him.  I’ll take at least 2 or 3.  Excited to see what he has in store for us.

On the book side, I’m plowing thru Prelude #12 of the Well Tempered Clavier.  I’m committing to working on these books every day until they’re done.  They have been on my plate for too long and I need them done.  🙂

Updates to follow as the classical guitars come thru.  Best and go do something nice for yourself.  Something that makes you smile.  Enjoy…Rich

Martha and her Angel – Torres F5 Classical Guitar

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Kenny Hill Torres Classical Guitar

Martha and her Angel

One of the most beautiful classical guitars I have ever seen, with a warm silky tone and wondrous voice was sent to me by Mr. Kenny Hill of Hill Guitar Co.  Yes, I said Mr. Kenny Hill, because, holy maple wood, Batman, this guitar deserves some serious respect  LOL

The guitar is his Torres F5 with German Spruce and Quilted Maple #3412, which has a 3D effect when looking at her in warm light.  Gorgeous from voice to appearance.

Martha and I spoke for a bit, wrote back and forth, and a day later this beauty, which she appropriately called “Angel”  was in her hands.  Here’s what she wrote:

Hello Richard,

The guitar just arrived and is beautiful. Can’t believe the voice on her.

Thanks so much for the extra goodies. I do have a question about the Bee’s Wax spray.

Can you fill me in on how to use it? Also are the back and sides french polished? They look like maybe they are.

Kenny Hill Torres F5 Classical Guitar #3412

Kenny Hill Torres F5 Classical Guitar #3412 – Angel

She now has a name. The back and sides remind me of angel wings,and with the beautiful voice she has,her name is ANGEL.

 

Thanks so very much,

Martha

Recording Classical Guitar in the Savage Studio

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Kenny Hill Signature Classical Guitar

Kenny Hill Signature Classical Guitar #3395

Hi All,

Whoo, Spring made an entrance with 70 and 80 degree weather.  I got all geared up to play some golf.  Happy happy….and then some jerky weather from the North part of the country decided to make an entrance and screwed me up.  50mph winds?  Seriously?  When the rain kicked in, I said screw it and decided to work inside today.  So….

I recorded.

Nice.  Got some serious work done.  Manuel Adalid Anniversario #61 and #62Kenny Hill Signatures #3395 and #3408 (3408 isn’t on the site yet…why?…cuz I got a lot o’ sh*t to do).

It’s tax time as well.  This is fun.  It’s like taking little needles and sticking them into the bottom of my feet.  The expenses are the hardest part.  Category after category.  You’d think I’d be good at it by now, but no.  I suck at it and I hates it…hates it I tells ya..lmao

I need a break, so I do music, or I swing a club, or I transcribe some Bach (hear that Chris…yes, indeedy, Chris from Georgia has been hounding me for 2 years to finish my Bach Well Tempered Collection.  Almost there baby  LOL).

So the guitars are recorded and updated.  Also Hill Performance #3388 which is a Spruce 630 but a  7/8 Sized guitar vs. the Torres sized body, which is smaller.  I think Kenny should just call it a 630 Hauser Body, because that’s what it feels like to me, body wise anyways.  Powerful little beast she is…nice.

Also recorded the pre-owned Signature #3004 Spruce Double Top with Lattice Bracing.  All the music files are on the site.

OK, well updates continue.  Recording continues, books continue, and I continue to NOT play golf.  ack….enjoy the weekend.  Rich

Manuel Velazquez Classical Guitar & More

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Hi All,

Richard Bruné with his son Marshall

Richard Bruné with his son Marshall

Exciting news.  Richard Bruné, all round nice guy and luthier extraordinaire from the Chicago area, just finished setting up and maximizing sound and playability on a number of guitars that will be coming my way.

One is a professionally owned, recorded and beloved 1991 Manuel Velazquez with brilliant German Spruce and Brazilian Rosewood.  Used on a number of professionally released recordings, the guitar is out of this world in terms of sound and playability, warmth and clarity.

A Reyes model built by Manuel Adalid using the finest woods is also coming.  Actually 2 of them, one with Cypress, the other with Cedar and Rosewood.

A Hauser model, again, using the finest materials, is en route.  This guitar is not capable of being ordered from Manuel.  It was a special build using his oldest woods.  This guitar will cost almost double what a typical Hauser build would cost from Manuel Adalid.

A new Kenny Hill Signature Cedar with EIRW is en route, along with a few Performance Series guitars to round out the inventory.  I’ll write more about these as they come in to the gallery.

I have a Baroque Guitar coming from Italy, and a few other immensely gorgeous instruments from around the world.  Busy place of late, which is nice, except for my ability to relax and play some golf.  🙂  Best and talk soon.  Rich

 

Recording and Books and Stuff in General

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Manuel Adalid Lacote Classical Guitar

Manuel Adalid Lacote Classical Guitar

Hi All,

I’ve started the recording process for the numerous Manuel Adalid and Esteve Classical Guitars that came to the studio.  I still have a bunch more to do, but I have the Adalid Torres 650 and the 640 recorded, as well as the Lacote, which was a lot of fun.  I went with an old Renaissance piece called “The Cobbler”, fun and light sounding.  What a gorgeous guitar.  I also have a bunch of other new guitars to record in the next 3 days.  Heck, at least I’m playing again.  LOL

I’ve also begun working on the Well Tempered Clavier Books 1B and 1C again, after finishing up all the rebuilding of the home and the studio.  Nice to get back to the books.  I’m also planning a few Weiss publications and finally my Celtic compilation.

I’m also planning on recording an original CD of my own works, Celtic and acoustic guitar, for a hopeful release of October or November of this year.  I hope I get to this, as I have had numerous requests for an original CD for quite a few years now.

I’ve also listed all the variations of the numerous Gotoh Tuning Machines that came in last week.

A very large order was also placed with Nicolò Alessi of Italy.  He should be able to get his gorgeous tuning machines to me by June/July of this year.

Have a great weekend.  I’m about and around the studio most of the weekend.  I have a family obligation late Saturday, but otherwise, I’m around.  Talk soon…Rich   631-335-5447

Happy Easter So why am I working?

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Manuel Adalid Anniversario Classical Guitar #61 Cedar

Manuel Adalid Anniversario Classical Guitar #61 Cedar

I’ll tell you why.  Because I got a lot of sh*t to take care of gotdammit.  Christ, the photography, editing, watemarking, listing, measuring and updates alone are enough to make me feel old.  I found myself falling asleep at the keyboard last night and this late morning.  2PM and I’m still going.  Just finished the first batch of Adalid classical guitars, Kenny Hill Signatures.  4 cups of coffee and still, I feel like I could sleep.

Now I have to photograph, edit, etc all the Esteve guitars as in 3E 3Z 7SR 7C/B 9C/B (and mind you, they all come in Spruce AND Cedar…yikes!!!!), 2 concert guitars that just came on Friday (an Oribe Suprema Classica and a 1971 Ramirez 1A), and update some older photographs, such as the Gil Carnal – Hill Players – Estudios and whatever else I see as I peruse my site.

I also have updates to several pages as I fill in more of the site with my own personality, which many seem to like?   I laugh at myself alot..I guess people can connect to that.  LOL

So, an MP3 page, personal photo gallery, luthier pages, events, a newsletter for April 2013, updates to a gazillion Gotoh Tuning Machines and variants, and whatever the heck else pops out at me that is deficient on the site.  I could work for 2 weeks straight, and not feel like I’m any closer to being done with any of  it.

Fabrizio Alberico 2007 OM Acoustic Guitar

Fabrizio Alberico 2007 OM Acoustic Guitar

 

Manuel Adalid Torres Classical Guitar 650mm

Manuel Adalid Torres Classical Guitar 650mm

Oh yeah, did I mention that I have to record all these guitars?  Videos?  Seriously?  Screw this…it’s Easter Sunday.  I’m gonna shower, watch some golf, and hang out with my buddies Johnnie and Jack, Walker Black and Daniels that is….ha…..ha…..oh yeah, I’m losin’ it….hehehehehe  peace…Rich

Kenny Hill Signature Classical Guitar #3004

Kenny Hill Signature Classical Guitar #3004

Manuel Adalid Lacote Classical Guitar

Manuel Adalid Lacote Classical Romantic Guitar

Gotoh Machines – Tuning Machines for Classical Guitar

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Hi All,

classical guitar

Rich Playing…Summer of 2012

I just received a massive shipment of Gotoh Machine Heads or Tuning Machines today.  Listing these are going to be fun, as I have variants of the following machines with various button styles (such as 2M (ivory ovals) – EN (ebony ovals) – EI (Square MOP Faux) – 2W (Oval MOP Faux))

All of the machines are from there sub 35G510 Series, priced more economically.

All machines are 35mm post spacing, EXCEPT for the 40G2000, which are 39mm.

It will take me some time to catalog and list the variations properly, but in the meantime, you can always write or call me and ask any questions or order them directly from me over the phone.  Best…Rich 631-335-5447 – email is rsayage1@savageclassical.com

  • 35G620
    • 2M
    • EN
  • 40G2000 – 39mm Spacing for older Spanish and Japanese Classical Guitars
    • 2M
    • 2W
    • EN
    • EI
  • 35G1600
    • 2M
    • 2W
    • EN
  • 35G1800
    • 2W
    • EN
  • 35G3600
    • 2M
    • 2W
    • EN