The term “double top” had been thrown around for a few years now. In its current form, it’s relatively new technology. However, classical builders have been used the original form of the double top for decades. The concept of a double-topped guitar is pretty simple: Sandwich a thin layer of aerospace honeycomb material between two very thin tops (or skins as we call them in our shop). This is done in a vacuum process, which creates a very stiff and stable soundboard. The main advantage to this structure is that the top can be built very lightly braced and still remain structurally sound. A lighter top allows more energy from the strings to turn into sound. The final result, in its very simplistic form, is a louder guitar.

In the hands of a knowledgeable and experienced builder, that volume is carried throughout all of the strings, giving the guitar a rich, loud and even tone.

Currently, I’m in the middle of a very interesting experiment. I sent a double-topped guitar out on the road to be tested, played, reviewed and recorded by some of the finest guitarists around. The goal is to produce a CD of diverse players, playing very different music all on one guitar. I had no idea what kind of response I would get because the sound of a double top is unique compared to a standard “off the shelf” guitar. In my mind, it was a great guitar. However these musicians are playing some of the finest guitars on the planet. It’s a little intimidating to say the least.

So far, the results have been overwhelming.

Following are a few of the high-praise reviews this guitars has seen: