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Frederich HOLTIER

Olmstead Falls, OH, USA, 2002
European Spruce Soundboard, East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
Ebony fretboard with 650 mm string length
$ 5500

Mr. Holtier has become in the last six or seven years recognized as among the best American guitar makers. Bringing an engineering background to the luthier's art, Holtier is ever curious and inventive. His extensive research into the construction techniques and materials of the world's most famous guitars, such as Hauser, Fleta, Romanillos, Smallman and Damman, has given him insights which he employs in his own guitar building.
This new model (not pre-owned) has a fine grained spruce soundboard and East Indian rosewood back and sides all finished in light violin varnish. It has a traditional look and a fresh, clear, bright tone with great carrying power.. It also features a 20th fret and top grade Sloane tuning machines.

You may request an mp3 or aiff sound demo of this and/or any other guitar as an email attachment.

Frederich HOLTIER

USA, 2005
Cedar Double Top Soundboard, Brazilian Rosewood Back and Sides
Ebony fretboard with 650 mm string length
$ 7000

It is always a pleasure to receive a new guitar from American luthier Frederich Holtier whose instruments we've been carrying now for seven years.

This is the first double top guitar we've gotten from him and it is very impressive. It has a matt finish on the soundboard, beautiful Brazilian rosewood back and sides and Rodgers tuning machines.

The double top of fine grained western red cedar delivers powerful projection with a dark and warm tone. A magnificent concert instrument in all respects.

The laminated double top model was introduced for the first time at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in August, 2001 where it enjoyed a great interest from players and builders alike. Since then, this innovative design has evolved into a series of constructive solutions from which the newest simulates a honeycomb-like pattern created through a machining process that can be applied to a full or partial surface of the guitar top.

The result is a soundboard, lighter in weight than the traditional solid ones, with an increased stiffness requiring minimal bracing, mostly for the purpose of voicing the instrument. Notable for this model is its great projection, evenness and sustain, while still preserving the tonal quality of an all wood top.

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