Notes of appreciation

Hey Steve,  I love my new guitarra, I simply adore it!!!

It turned out better then I ever imagined.

Congratulations Steve, you are a very fine artist
Muchas gracias mi amigo, 
Stanton.C.Jack, Guitarist  (British Columbia)

I recently bought an 8 string guitar ("Ocho" ) which you built in December, 1997. The resonance of the instrument is amazing! It has a gorgeous tone and I am very pleased with it......

Thanks for building such a fine guitar.

Dave Lapinski
Jackson, Michigan

Hello Steven,

Read it from my lips, This is the best guitar I've ever had in my hands.

Now after 2 days of quite intensive playing (I was "sick" on the job today in favor of practising, ahum) it has started to sing, to swing somehow. I've never owned a guitar with such a delicate sound which sometimes seems to play by itself. I'm looking so forward to being instructed regularly again - that will be a great jump forward again (years too late, but there are still 60 to come).

Best regards,
Torben (Germany)

Hi Steve,

The guitar looks amazing, I love all the little touches, awesome purfling and rosette, the curves are very beautiful, unlike any other cutaway guitar I've seen. really great job in putting all the colors together, it has a peaceful yet strong vibe befitting of a Capricorn. It sounds really good. very much like the Batuque, which is exactly what i wanted, except not as loud, but i guess that's expected with the cutaway. it sounds really natural in the higher positions, which is really important to me. it's easy and fun to play, thanks for the two saddles! I will be experimenting with both. the setup is great, very easy to play, the shape of the neck is awesome, love the flattened out heel, and the string spacing is great! I appreciate your expertise with the spacing, since i was pretty much guessing in terms of what i wanted. you nailed it. an hour into it, I'm already discovering great new voicings with the new string. ...
Thanks!
Bart Migal (New York)

Hello,
I have recently purchased one of your classical guitars from Marty at world concert guitars. After shopping around all over the new york area, your guitar was a clear winner - i can't put it down. I will be giving the guitar to my father for christmas, and i'm sure it will be the best guitar he has ever played, let alone owned. i am also shopping for a 7 string classical guitar for me. i'm wondering if you make 7 string guitars, and if so, what one of similar construction and wood (but with a cutaway) would cost, and how long the wait would be.

Thanks,
Bart Migal

Steve,

Thanks for the great guitar. The time you put into the rosette, the French Polish finish and the entire instrument was evident as soon as I pulled it out from the case. Everyone who has seen and heard it thinks it looks and sounds great. The highs are crisp the way I wanted them to sound when we first discussed the project. What was surprising however, was how rich the bass sounded when I first plucked that low “e” string. The guitar sounds well balanced across all the strings. Nice and clear. It also projects quite nicely. No need to play hard in order to produce sound and an overall beautiful tone. ...

Thanks again for a great guitar. I will have many years of pleasure playing this instrument.

Regards, Rich Perrotta (left hander)

I have to tell you that the "Prélude" did amazingly well at the
concert. The player still need to improve in order to give this guitar
the caliber of playing it deserves. It was a much appreciated concert. ... Hanh played
like an Angel, The duo part was excellent and my opening act was good. 
The prelude in this intimate atmosphere showed its best side, clarity,
balance, great intonation (I did not tune once not even when we played
in duo!)and an excellent coloratura! When I think that all this is
already hearable, in place, after only 3 months!!! 

Alain Reiher, Guitarist and Composer (British Columbia)

Dear Steve,
Thank you for the guitar. It is one of my favorites to play.  I especially like 
the head stock, the rosette, as well as the sound.  I think that at this price, 
it has to be the best buy around. 
 
The trembles are clear and focused. They have a sweet singing quality that, 
though not loud, project extremely well even in medium to larger concert halls. 
This I verified with my students in the concert hall at Florida International 
University who all commented how clear the guitar sounds.
 
Balance on the inner strings are even and smooth, exposing with ease intervals 
often played, but seldom heard.

The basses are dark in color, well suited for contrapuntal works, or they can 
be pushed to a growl when needed.
 
Steve, again thank you for this guitar.
 
Eric Swanson  (Florida)

I'm doing good. Next year, I will try guitar competition in Japan.
I don't check e-mail so often nowadays, however I can send you a message sometimes.
the guitar i bought from you is good.
I can make a big sound now. it's getting better and better.
I like it.

Takayosh Sakai, guitarist, second prize winner, Northwest Guitar Festival (Japan)

Everybody loves Mani! (I, the first!) It's amazing the way it is opening up, kind of blossoming, like a flower.

I love the guitar. You are a great luthier.

Huayna Jimenez, 11 string guitarist composer (Dominican Republic)

3/18/2003: Hi Steve, The guitar just arrived. Only one word to describe it: awesome. I mean two words: awesome and beauuutiful. Great sound just like you described it once: "velvet". The blackwood is just gorgeous. And the bass? Rich like pure velvet. Thank you Steve for a wonderful and painstaking work. You're a wonderful luthier.

Jean-Hervé Paul

3/25/2003: Last night I got together with a professional guitarist, Roger Bustamante http://home.netcom.com/~rdbflute/lgem4.html . He loved the guitar a lot. He himself actually owns a Casa Montalvo 7 string that simply doesn't compare to "velveteen". He said that himself. He also said that you did a really fine job and that he's happy for me for getting that deal (which has to do with your pricing too).

Jean-Hervé

I was really impressed working with Steve as he built a custom left-handed guitar for me. It was a long-distance, e-mail relationship since I live in Alaska. He was very willing to work with my ideas for a guitar and flexible with my choices as we went through the process. He also gave me great advice and steered me back on course when I had a few ideas that could have been disastrous. I can't imagine that the guitar could have come out better. Steve chose beautiful pieces of wood and fit them together so that the various woods and grain patterns make a complete composition rather than just a guitar. The playability of the guitar is excellent. Steve paid considerable attention to the exact details of fret position and intonation, so that tuning is a breeze and playing in various high and low positions does not make the guitar sound out of tune. Sounds simple enough but very hard to accomplish. The tone of my guitar is wonderful even when brand new. It has a rich, mellow and yet very clear and strong quality with a full range of expression. Steve
calls it smooth. He seems to have come up with just the sound that I was imagining when we started the project. The sustaining quality of notes is amazing. I find myself having to pay more attention to ending notes on time. I am also playing things slower and with more care, just to hear the sound. The simple act of picking up his guitar has made me a better guitarist.
Mark Anderson (Alaska)

My new 8 string (made by Steve Ganz) is the best guitar I have ever played. I love it. .... I have 11 very nice classical guitars and Ocho is one of my good ones. The extra strings are just perfect for me. The whole instrument just vibrates! Wonderful sound - like an organ. Steve is great builder and has the passion for guitar building like no other.

Steve Jones (California)