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To
speak of an instrument, such as the guitar, is to speak of one
of the elements of human expression in which a melody is the
result and the reflection of the soul. Joy, surprise, love,
sorrow, solitude, adventure are reflected in sounds, rhythm,
through the pulsation of strings. Through these, a unique
relationship is forged between instrument and interpreter that
can only be described by those who understand and appreciate the
art of music.
Generally, in my opinion, there is
usually a misinterpretation about the classification of
instruments. Obviously the sound, and at many times the price
range, are of great importance at the time of choosing but the
worst mistake is to let yourself be guided by the “big” brands
or names of guitars.
For me, the election must be based
on the communication between the instrument and the musician
just as there is communication between people, a relationship,
and an affinity that the interpreter must find with his
instrument that doesn’t need brand or price.
Up until a while ago I was in the
need of a new guitar; my last, an Alhambra 3-C, accompanied me
for many years since the beginning of my career in Chile giving
me supreme results. Unfortunately it was retirement time for
her.
Throughout the beginning of my
quest for a new guitar, I found many good ones in different
places but none that fully satisfied my needs as a musician
The Visit....
Finally during the summer of 2006
I attended an event in Sequim, in the beautiful Washington
penninsula, where I was invited to play. I had the opportunity
of meeting Pete Barthell, a luthier who lived in the area, with
whom I kept in touch after the event.
One day, while visiting his
workshop, I was astonished by the organization of his work,
every detail denoted a touch of fineness worthy of an artist in
love with his work and the simplicity that Pete showed,
demonstrated that behind a noble person, the value of real art
is found because like an interpreter, a luthier gives life to
each of the instruments he creates.
As the evening wore on, Pete was
cordial to show me the process of making the guitars from the
care of the wood to the fitting of the strings; and then, a
touching and exciting moment, the moment to try the guitars
myself. While I was pleasurably playing and admiring the great
quality of Pete’s guitars, I came to play the guitar I felt was
the ideal one that would accompany me from that moment on.
I
was impressed, for the guitar had an astounding sonorous
capability that did not distort the sound when dynamics (fortes-
pianos) were played. I felt that whenever I’d play a piece, no
matter what the technical difficulty was, my hands, specially
the left one, would glide and obtain the perfect, desired sound;
the sound I’d dreamed of and looked for in an instrument. The
melodic lines of any piece would be emphasized by the sonority
of the sharp strings, making the harmonic capacity appreciated
in its totality.
As
a musician, I am endlessly thankful for my Barthell 116 guitar
and very satisfied with all its capability. I highly recommend
Barthell guitars to all colleagues, musicians, guitarists,
students, and music lovers overall.
Technical specifications of
the Barthell 116:
- Soundboard is Engelmann
spruce from the Canadian Rocky Mountains
- Body is American black walnut
from Oregon
- The fingerboard is ebony from
Madagascar
- The tuners are Gilberts
- The rosette is one-of-a-kind,
designed by Pete Barthell.
- The finish is polyurethane,
applied by a craftsman in Chehalis, WA.
If you need more detailed
information about Barthell Guitars, please visit him at:
www.barthellguitars.com |
