Description
New Concert Classical Guitar
Made in Portland Maine United States
Year 2023
Guitar N-94
650mm scale with 52mm nut & 62mm at 12th fret
Canadian cedar top
All wood lattice bracing
African Blackwood back & sides
Elevated Honduras mahogany neck
Gabon Ebony fingerboard with 20th fret
Sound port with adjustable magnetic cover
Brazilian rosewood bridge
African Blackwood head stock veneer & sound port cover
Maple bindings
Gotoh 35G510 series machines heads with ebony knobs
Hand rubbed French polish finishing
Oil varnish on the back of the neck only
“Protege Humicase” hard shell case included
Weight of the guitar is 1.9Kg / 4.2 lbs
Building Approach
The construction of each Rzepka concert classical guitar draws on a blend of art, science and instinct to achieve optimal balance, sound, and feel. My instruments are designed and built for expansive tonal range, lush volume and effortless playability. From materials selection to the final voicing, I combine hard data with my feeling for the “soul” or character of the wood. Each guitar is built to the needs of the individual player, with careful decisions made at each step in the process regarding wood choice, thickness, density and stiffness.
Classical guitar making is an ever-evolving discipline, both for the individual luthier and for the craft as a whole. Design and execution have changed dramatically over hundreds of years of guitar history. To honor the tradition is to continue to innovate while paying homage to those master luthiers that came before. In the spirit of this balance, I combine contemporary acoustic design techniques with classic aesthetics, adhesives, tone woods, and finishes.
The neck shape, fingerboard shape, frets and setup of my guitars are designed for supple, comfortable playing. Players who prefer low action find that they can play more aggressively without buzzing, and the diminished physical strain allows for greater focus on musical expression.
Materials
One of the great joys of guitar making is breathing new life into material that lived for hundreds of years in the heartwood of a tree. I’ve always loved the feeling of connection that comes from natural materials, so I tend to use ingredients found in nature for my work. From the soundboard to the decorative bindings and purflings to the final French polish, almost everything in a Rzepka guitar derives from a plant or animal.
The majority of my guitars are made with woods from the Dalbergia family: these are the “true rosewoods” treasured by guitar makers through the centuries. This genus of tropical hardwoods contains a stunning variety of color, figure and acoustic personality. From ultra-dark African blackwood, fiery cocobolo, violet camatillo, or warm chocolate Brazilian or Indian rosewood, I work together with my customers to choose the perfect set.
Sound boards are chosen from the highest quality of the master grade tone wood available globally. Each set of spruce or cedar is evaluated for stiffness, density, and acoustic efficiency before being chosen for incorporation into a guitar.
Finishes
For classical guitars, no finish can match a fine French polish. Built up by hand over thousands of micro-layers, the process leaves behind a paper-thin shellac coating that allows the tone wood to resonate fully and freely. My guitars feature French polished soundboards, backs, sides and head plates, with an oil finished neck for a satin smooth feel.
