After decades, the world of classical guitar building has
been going through variety of improvements in terms of tone productions, craftmanship, durability and of course
material used. Until you read this, you will find what sort of improvements
have been made or developed?.. It is literally a blend of beautiful creation of traditional shape classical guitar and
modern 20st century invention. This particular guitar demonstrates how traditional
shaped guitar can be as good as any guitarist would expect...
About The Luthier
Matthias Dammann lives in Germany. He was born in 1957 and
fell in love with the guitar and taught himself to play in his late teens.
After intense preparation and private lessons he attended the music academy in
Frankfurt where, upon completing his studies he became a lecturer for guitar
there.Matthias Dammann played and loved his own guitar, a 1968 Daniel Friedrich,
and was also highly inspired by the guitars of Antonio de Torres, Miguel
Rodriguez, and Robert Ruck. Inspired by these great builders, Matthias had an
image in his mind about aspects of the classical guitar that could be enhanced,
not to ‘change’ the sound necessarily, but to make it ‘more’ of the beautiful
thing that it already was.
The Invention
This restless quest for a combination of volume, projection,
response and tonal beauty all present in one guitar, resulted in Matthias
experimenting with altering guitars in an effort to achieve the results that he
envisioned in his mind. Early on he would institute small experiments on his
own guitar, for example manipulating the diameter of the soundhole. This
penchant for experimenting and testing the limits and abilities of the
classical guitar continued, and at one point Matthias began to experiment on
inexpensive ‘factory built’ guitars to see if he could improve them. After some
very successful efforts exchanging the tops on these guitars he decided in 1984
to settle in Eastern Bavaria and to devote all his time and energy into
creating guitars that he himself would want to play. Even today, when I speak
with Matthias, he remains guided solely by his own internal concepts of what a
guitar could and should be. He has told me many times “I build guitars that I
myself would want to play, so I really appreciate that so many players and
artists love my guitars also”. This unwavering commitment to listening
to his own inner muse has resulted in some of the finest guitars available
today.
At one point Matthias, ever the perfectionist and always
striving for improvement, became dissatisfied with the quality of soundboard
wood that was available to him. He realized that the qualities and character of
the traditional soundboard had inherent limits that would continue to impact
his ability to realize the qualities he had in his mind for his guitars. This
resulted in the conclusion that at that time really nobody else had reached:
“what if I create my own soundboard material: a ‘sandwich top’ with two light
tops, and a central core, functioning as one soundboard that is light and
strong, and that will allow me to gain even more control over the qualities of
the tops acoustic behavior”. Thus
in 1989 Matthias Dammann created the very first double top guitar.
Double Top Soundboard concept
His earliest double tops were constructed of two light and
thin Cedar tops with a central core comprised of thin strips of cedar and then
glued together under pressure. These early double tops were ‘all wood’ and his
decision to utilize Nomex would come later as we’ll see. The interface between
the opposing surfaces of the inner and outer tops, the so called ‘core’, was an
area where Matthias realized that he could also increase his ability to control
the acoustic qualities of the soundboard movement and character. With the
double top, not only could he control the top in the usual manner, which he
accomplished using a wide variety of experimental fan bracing designs, but
additionally, he could quite literally control the actual characteristics of
the un-braced soundboard itself by varying the way in which he designed the
interface, or core, between the two tops. I am aware of at least three very
different concepts that Matthias used in the core between the tops to achieve
his goals.
These guitars were highly successful and Matthias was moving
ever closer to the sound and qualities that he envisioned in his mind. Word
spread quickly about these amazing new guitars and by the early ‘90’s Matthias
already had a waiting list that exceeded ten years. In 1993 Manuel Barrueco became the first internationally
renowned guitarist to play a Dammann double top, and he continues to play a
Dammann today. David Russell acquired a Dammann double
top a few years later, and now many well-known concert artists trust the
expression of their art though a Dammann guitar.
True to his nature, by mid 1995 Dammann was looking to take
his guitars to the next level, as fine as they already were, and he began to
contemplate ways to achieve more control over the weight and actions of the
soundboard. At this time an acquaintance mentioned a material called “Nomex”, a
very stong, light, Kevlar based honeycomb patterned material.
Through intense and highly creative experimentation, a
process that continues to this day, Matthias was able to discover ways to
incorporate the new Nomex material between the soundboards, using extremely
careful technique when applying a glue so as to avoid any additional weight. In
mid 1995 Dammann added the Nomex layer between the two soundboards, applied
with a special glue, and glued the two tops together under vacuum pressure to
achieve the result we know today. Thus,
in 1995 Dammann created the first double top with a Nomex core.
Dammann’s influence to classical guitar
building
Eight years after Dammann invented the double top, and two
years after Dammann successfully incorportated the Nomex core, an acquaintence,
Gernot Wagner, built his first double top guitar, and following Dammann’s lead,
used the nomex material as well. Matthias had generously shared much
information about his practical experiences with Nomex and this detailed
information greatly assisted Gernot Wagner in building his first nomex double
top guitar. I was the first dealer to represent Gernot in the USA and I
personally saw his first double top, a Cedar one, when we attended the GFA
convention in La Jolla in 1997 together.
Exclusive World-wide announcement, September 2013. For the next 17 years Dammann exhibited his tenacious quest to discover the maximum expression of the Classical Guitar, endlessly experimenting and refining and always improving his Nomex core double tops, reaching what many consider to be the 'pinnacle' of what a modern Classical Guitar could be. However, never content with the best, but always striving for 'more'.
Exclusive World-wide announcement, September 2013. For the next 17 years Dammann exhibited his tenacious quest to discover the maximum expression of the Classical Guitar, endlessly experimenting and refining and always improving his Nomex core double tops, reaching what many consider to be the 'pinnacle' of what a modern Classical Guitar could be. However, never content with the best, but always striving for 'more'.
Matthias continued his extensive and complex acoustic experiments
during 2011 and 2012. In 2012 Dammann confirmed his theory that new core
materials, if properly utilized, would bring major new dimensions to his double
tops and allow for significant refinements in the entire system of the guitar. Thus,
in 2012, Dammann created the first double top with the new
"non-Nomex" core material. This newest version is sometimes referred to as 'Dammann 3.0'
indicating that they represent the third major evolution of his instruments
from wood core, to Nomex core, to new core with related system refinements.
These guitars set a new standard by which all double tops will now be measured.
In these instruments Matthias has captured an angelic, refined, complex and
emotional voice, emanating from an instrument that is supremely responsive,
capable of the widest dynamic range possible , and which also possesses
extraordinary power and projection.
Today many fine builders have followed in Dammann’s
footsteps with their own interpretation of the double top guitar, including Robert Ruck, Michel Brück, Dieter
Müller, Jim Redgate, Fritz
Mueller, Andreas Kirschner,
Andreas Kirmse, and Jaokob
Lebisch. As time goes on, others are joining the quest in this exciting
direction of the classical guitar, each builder now adding their own ideas and
concepts such that there are some very fine double tops being created by some
superb builders at this time. Not surprisingly all the builders noted here, who
excel at making fine double tops, continue to build fine traditional fan braced
guitars and one can note a sort of 'synergy' that these builders bring to their
guitars such that attributes of their double tops can be noticed in their
traditional guitars, and attributes of their traditional guitars can be heard
in their double tops. A fortunate and delightful enhancement in both instances.
I have noted before that I am in the very fortunate position
of playing and hearing more double tops from a wider variety of builders than
anybody in the world that I am aware of. I think I understand them well, and I
think I can delineate between superb double tops and lesser efforts. What I can share from that experience are three things :
First, I
think most would agree that Matthias Dammann's experience and knowledge have
established him as the builder of double top guitars that are the standard by
which all other double top guitars are currently measured.
Second, a
few builders have followed Dammann’s invention,who have the talent,
experience,persistence and technical skills to create very fine double top
guitars at a very high level. Often they differentiate themselves, as we have
seen over the years with traditional fan braced guitars, by enhancing various
attributes within the guitar that the builder feels sets him apart from the
others. In this way we now are enjoying a flowering if you will, of the double
top concept as more and more artists, players, and builders, embrace this
style.
Third, I
have had the opportunity to play many double tops from builders who are
attempting to learn the many secrets that one must discover to build a
world-class double top, and while they are on the path, there is much remaining
to be learned. It seems to take many years of experimenting and actually
building double top guitars before a builder unlocks the true potential
inherent in this very challenging building style. Another way of stating this
is that in my opinion, a moderately talented builder can often build a darn
decent traditional fan braced guitar, but they would be unable to build a fine
double top. Building a world class double top requires Herculean commitment, an
exceptional skill-set, and years of effort that only a few very talented
builders have exhibited at this point.
There is no doubt that the double top concept will figure
prominently in the future of the classical guitar for decades to come. We all
owe a debt of gratitude to Matthias Dammann for inventing these magnificent
guitars, and to the talented builders who have embraced this style and are now
striving to take it to even further heights.
As the demand for the best sounding guitars are growing rapidly, the same thing applies to Dammann guitars. The waiting period to acquire one is currently becoming very long (20 plus years) and every guitar he has built is getting sought-after both by collectors as well as advanced players. And the price range is increasing between USD$ 15,000 and USD$ 25,000.
Here are some of best examples of available Matthiass Dammann guitars for sale :
1. The Classic Guitars International
2012 Matthias Dammann Cedar/Double Top
2. Trilogy Guitars
As the demand for the best sounding guitars are growing rapidly, the same thing applies to Dammann guitars. The waiting period to acquire one is currently becoming very long (20 plus years) and every guitar he has built is getting sought-after both by collectors as well as advanced players. And the price range is increasing between USD$ 15,000 and USD$ 25,000.
Here are some of best examples of available Matthiass Dammann guitars for sale :
1. The Classic Guitars International
2012 Matthias Dammann Cedar/Double Top
2. Trilogy Guitars