Ervin Somogyi - The Father of the Modern Acoustic Guitar - Luthier Stories - Michael Watts
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- Опубликовано: 31 дек 2018
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Like all good things, my Luthier Stories series has grown completely organically over the past few months. It's been a real pleasure and a privilege to spend time with some of the finest guitar makers in the world. I knew from the start, however, that this series would never be complete without an interview with a man whose work has shaped the acoustic guitar to a huge degree, my dear friend Ervin Somogyi.
In the 10 years I've known Ervin I have found him to be a thoughtful and thoroughly entertaining human being whose instruments absolutely changed my idea of what was possible in a steel string acoustic guitar. It was a real pleasure to catch up with Ervin at his workshop in Oakland California for this episode of Luthier Stories and I hope you'll enjoy the results!
All the best
MDW
#ervinsomogyi #somogyiguitar #luthierstories 
Видеоклипы
Nice Guitar Sir.. That Sound so Amazing..
Please talk About Alip_Ba_Ta..He is Fingerstyle player from Indonesia..He is so uniq and So Talent..
Please Comment About Guitar His Used..Thank You
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Thank you. I am an ophthalmologist and a lover of somogyi guitars. Watching this video again today makes me regain confidence in my bleak career. Everything starts with you wanting to do it really well.!
That’s a great combination!
When I was in my early teens Ervin generously continued a correspondence with me that led to a moment at the the Woodstock guitar show where he had me walk around the show to find instruments with designs and proportions that spoke to me. This led to a discussion of line, proportion and design not unsimilar to yours in this video. That moment has not only inspired my sense of design in guitar building but also how I view nearly everything in a design and aesthetic capacity. So great to watch this video showcasing a great teacher, guitar maker, and human being
If this is the golden age of lutherie, then he must be the Stradivari of this craft. Thanks Michael for going there and bringing these insights to us.
I couldn’t agree more! Without Ervin Somogyi the guitar landscape would be very different... thanks for watching and have a wonderful 2019!
Michael, and Mr Somogyi, I am a guitarist (of sorts) and my instruments are fine examples of the traditions of Martin and Gibson building standards, BUT - well, I needed to be somewhere 30 minutes ago, but I could not stop listening to this conversation.
I am someh5ing of a history buff when t coes to the evolution of the steel string guitar, and yet I have learnt so much more from this video, which apart from that, was a delight in just hearing two intelligent, warm, knowledgeable and inspiring gentlemen. Thank you both.
Silly Moustache Thank you for watching Andy, your support means a great deal! I hope you’re well and I look forward to catching up with you at some point
I'd have been happy with 'lies and hyperbole' but honesty, humour and wisdom shone through. Great interview; a credit to both of you.
Ha! Thanks Ray! I’m very happy you enjoyed it!
Halo Michael, salam kenal dgn Basuki - Tangerang, Indonesia.🙏
Berbicara tentang gitar bersama Bapak Gitar Modern Acoustic Ervin Somogyi, rasanya kurang lengkap tanpa mengikutsertakan ALIP BATA "The Fenomenal Guitarist Fingerstyle from INDONESIA"🇮🇩 in RUclips this time🙏.
Saya harap Bro Michael meluangkan waktunya utk mereaksi permainan gitar Fingerstyle Alip Bata, bahkan Guitarist Queen - Brian May memberikan pujian kepada Alip Bata utk cover song "BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY".
Thankyou so much Brother Michael & God Bless You🙏😇🇮🇩🇮🇩
Very much enjoyed this conversation, Michael! Thanks a lot!
Thank you Bernd! Your support is greatly appreciated!
Thank you,Michael. A legend,for sure. Happy New Year 2019!
Recently discovered Somogyi guitars, absolute pinnacle of guitar making imo, beautiful pieces of art which sound amazing.
Couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching!
Such an absorbing interview, a privilege to hear Ervin's story. His last sentence just overwhelmed me with emotion. Thank you Michael, hope you have a very happy New Year.
DrustIV to be honest I felt the same way when I was editing it. It’s a very moving experience to hear someone talk with such love about what they do.
it is a great pleasure to hear two great people having this conversation 👍
THANKS ✌️
Oh man. I love these. May you continue with these for as long as possible! That MD is a beast!
Thanks for your support Dom! You're right, the Diospyros is off the hook!
so great to see how this legend started out, very motivating, thank you so much!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Ervin is a very inspirational character
Makin' my day totally ! Thanks ! And Happy new year Michael + Ervin ; ) Best, T.
Great to hear from you Thierry! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, there'll be more to come in the series!
Fascinating interview. Entirely captivating. Thank you both.
MJ H Thank you for watching! I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
Oh my such a treat Thank you. Lord of The Hundreds and the sound (even through RUclipss compression) shows how much of a voicing master Ervin is. Happy New year.
al mohr Happy new year to you too! I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. RUclips’s audio compression is better than it used to be but you still need to experience a guitar like this under the best conditions to fully appreciate its majesty. I can think of no other word to do it justice.
Loved that last sentence Michael - summarises the whole interview
Michael Letchford I think so too! I got goose bumps at that point - what else was there to say?!
There were numerous Finger style players before Windam Hill. Mark Spolestra and bunch of guys like Happy Traum. Lennie Breau played a Dreadnaught steel string in the 1960s and you don’t get more finger style than Lenny. Of course you had Merl Travis /Chet and Jerry Reed. Travis played primarily electric and Reed a Nylon. There was John Fahey and all the Bluesman like Lightning. Windam Hill brought about a focus on Airy steel string instrumental recordings. Which did kick start a finger style craze. Phil Keaggy being a early one 🇺🇸
Oh absolutely - Windham Hill was the first time that a certain aesthetic was used on recordings of steel string guitar but there had been a real scene on both sides of the Atlantic - while Lenny, Chet and John were doing their thing over in the USA we had Davey Graham, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn amongst others
Nice that you mentioned Mark Spolestra. I did an occasional duo with him in NYC in 1962.
One of the closing statements by Mr. Somogyi stating that he really doesn't know where the innovation is heading ( or something to that effect ) compels me to share the following: If ya wanna see the most amazing innovative creation to come along in quite some time when speaking of steel string acoustic guitars, I strongly urge anyone who doesn't already know, to have a look & listen to Master Luthier Ben Wilborn's latest guitars, known as his "Comma series".......which consists of 3 or 4? sizes. All have the same gorgeous and innovative design that flat out works in every way, both aesthetically and especially musically. Each size has been assigned a different name ( of course ) by Ben Wilborn. The three I can think of off the top of my head are: the Ibex, the Arum, and the Nautilus. His little Ibex is no larger than a parlor guitar, and they are louder than 98% of the very best dreadnoughts being produced by today's boutique builders, I kid you not. But "volume" isn't everything of course, as these guitars have the most stunning tone I've ever heard in any acoustic......save for a very few individual guitars. Before Ben invented this series of acoustic guitars, he had been custom making traditional designs for quite some time. But since he has "worked his way" onto his latest design, Ben states he doesn't even want to build any other designs. When you first see, hear, and FEEL one of his acoustics from his "Comma" series, you'll be blown away, I guarantee it. Nothing else looks like em.........they feature the most beautiful lines I've ever seen on any acoustic guitar. And I'm not alone in saying they sound better than anything else available to us right now. But be warned: these are 100% custom made guitars, and demand has grown so much, Ben was forced to close the door on new orders........until he has the ability to take more orders. He builds every guitar from scratch all by himself, with no help, in his own little workshop. His Comma series acoustic guitars start at a base price of $15,000.......and that price goes up according to tonewood choices and other appointments. Be sure to check out his youtube channel: "Wilborn Guitars" to see and hear these incredible instruments......as well as his website of the same name. You can thank me later..........trust me.
I've seen a couple of Ben's guitars in action. Good work
Hi Michael. Thanks for all you do! Can you recall if either one of Mr. Wilborn's guitars you saw & heard were his latest creation as I had mentioned? I would love to see you do a review and especially an interview with Ben Wilborn sometime. Like you, he is a wonderful human being who is very passionate about acoustic guitars. I know I would appreciate and enjoy it very much! As I'm sure many other viewers would as well. @@MichaelWatts
Great insight, wonderfully articulated.!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Jeff!
loved to hear him talk about Puerto Vallarta, from all places in the wolrd, where I spent all my childhood holidays
great video!!
Ha yes indeed! Nice to hear from you André! Have a great 2019
He's a legend. Best builder and human being. I've learned nearly exclusively by reading the responsive guitar. Mod d sound stunning
Great interview with the Master. Ervin's influence is profound.
Paul Boden very true Paul. Thank you for watching and have a great 2019!
Great interview, thanks!
Thank you for watching Justin!
Wow, amazing.
If you've ever built a sound box and you say you dont admire irvin's work, you're kidding yourself.
Great video, thank you Michael
I couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I'd like to spell the legend's name right
Safely so many makers of guitar shaped objects don't even know of his work!!!!
Such a funny, deep, wise and vibrant person he is, thank you for bringing us this jewel from your traveling! Aronne
SonansaBorda thank you for watching! Yes, Ervin is a very special human
That was very, very enjoyable Michael. Excellent!! Regards, Phil.
MrPCT57 thank you Phil! I’m very happy you enjoyed it
Great video and a fascinating story!
Thanks for watching Andy! Glad you enjoyed it!
It’s really nice to know the path of evolution one master guitar maker/ artist took on. All the almost ‘quirky’ yet magical design started to make sense when you revisit his work.
Absolutely right!
Really enjoyed it.
Thank you Richard! Glad to hear it!
I know this is weird, but Mr. Somogyi is someone i'd really love to meet (more than pretty much any ultra duper famous folks).
I have graduated in law, worked as a lawyer for about 4 years of my life and found out that I didn't like doing what I studied to do.
Back when I was still in law school I decided that it'd be a nice hobby to build a guitar, so I invested myself on building one, studied a lot, read through a lot of forums and then my baby number one was born in 2015 or 2016 (idrm the exact date), but I do recall that it took me more than 3 years to complete this project.
Loved the experience but at the same time I was becoming more and more depressed as I dived deeper in my job...
So I decided to build my guitar number 2 and for some weird reason Somogyi became someone i'd really love to meet and just have a chat, since building guitars really lift my spirit and makes me want to keep pushing forward.
Great interview Michael!
Victor Matsunaga everybody should meet Ervin at least once!
I met him in Brighton when he visited a few years back. We spent some time sounding and talking about the guitar he had built me. Lovely fellow. Fascinating interview Michael.
Wow so humble,so humble.
Andrew Bowen yes indeed, for a man who has had such an impact on the instrument and its music Ervin’s humility is inspiring
Thanks for a great look into the mind of a creative builder
Glad you enjoyed it Brent!
Hi. Is Ervin there? My husband David Steinhahart many years ago was studying guitar making with Ervin. And they were perfect classical /flamenco guitars ❤ and had lots of students himself.
Just found this , absolutely riveting . Subscribed in an attempt to reduce my ignorance of the world .
Thank you so much for watching David and welcome along for the ride! I hope you enjoy the other videos on my channel just as much
Spring, 1974! Wow! That’s when I was born!
The unfortunate girl's loss is the guitar's gain. Thanks for a spellbinding interview.
Merlin R ha ha yeah! I guess we all dodged a bullet there!
'I'm trying to leave something beautiful in the world which I've seen an enormous lack of that'
Absolutely right
Very very inspiring 😊
Thank you for watching! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful.
Thank you!
Legend God Bless👏
Marwan Ghaith couldn’t agree more! Thanks for watching!
What a gracious man.
Very true! Ervin is a legend
Tnks you Michael...Happy new year2021.god Bles you.Alipers Alip Ba ta.kopi mana kopi...mantap
Things like this should be on Netflix.
Thank you! But this way you don't have to pay for it!
@@MichaelWatts Its a very good point. By the way, i recomend some guitar players from Argentina (where I am) Juanjo Dominguez and Juan Falú, and a trio called Bosión (which lider is no longer). I give you some links, hope you like it.
1_ ruclips.net/video/bhktsWyeEXc/видео.html (J. Dominguez)
2_ ruclips.net/video/xi9au8FLQL0/видео.html (Bosión trío)
3_ ruclips.net/video/JXa0tqrKf9w/видео.html (Juan Falú)
4_ ruclips.net/video/x7qJvG37794/видео.html (Eduardo Falú)
5_ ruclips.net/video/O8ezkoTf2PI/видео.html (J. Dominguez)
6_ ruclips.net/video/UPyhHnGJ_0s/видео.html (J. Dominguez)
Recently came to know of him and you through Acoustic life channel. What an amazing person! 8:40 that's true friendship
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching Joshua!
@@MichaelWatts thank you, that was a great interview!
amazing sound！汹涌澎湃的声音 never heard before on a guitar
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Michael and Ervin for the beautiful video. Some infos about this third book ongoing?
I'm looking forward to sharing more details at some point soon. In the meantime thanks for watching and stay tuned!
Reviewing this . Ha , my first guitar is a wall hanger . Looks very nice , perfectly intonated and sounds absolutely terrible .
Bless you silly chaps
Good discussion.... Ervin seems a bit dismissive of the classical community, however, which I find strange for a guitar builder... He probably is right that a lot of classical players may be "snobbish", probably because of their intense training and commitment to a large degree, which he acknowledges. The music they play is written for that type of guitar, and keeping to that tradition or keeping it alive is not necessarily a bad thing. The classical guitar design is a good one and quite versatile and comfortable....of all my guitars it's the shape I find most comfortable, and I'm a fair size. There are some classical makers now who do offer cutaways so there is some change happening there, albeit slowly as is with most "established" art forms. I like his explanation of the cutaway he designed, although I think it might sacrifice some of the tone of the guitar. ( seems to be a trend now for larger, sharp Venetian cutaways that almost completely remove the upper bout on the treble side.). I believe for a modern, well rounded player not stuck in one genre probably a minimum of three body sizes both with and without cutaways will cover most things ( even experimental music ) quite well, which I guess means owning a minimum of six, eh?! As with any instrument, there's no one design that will cover all the bases. My bias is always to what improves the tone/sound/projection which I guess why bling ( fancy inlays, exotic bindings, engraved headstocks ) just don't do it for me.....I'd rather the luthier would put that effort into the aforementioned.
Hi Mike.... You should see a very famous finger stylist called Alip Ba Ta from Indonesia.
The guitar is so responsive that it keeps humming when they speak. Listen carefully the guitar is trying to resonate to the notes in their speaking voice.
Yep. That's a Somogyi guitar for you!
Well, of course, the "fingerpickers" were well etablished in the UK by the mid-60s, and writing their own material. Of course, by the early 70s, Kicking Mule Records ( which well preceded Windhall Hill) had a group of fingerpickers who also wrote original guitar pieces.
Absolutely true, the defining differences would be the quality of the recordings and the demands that the players were making of their instruments which highlighted their foibles.
Hai brother....salam from alipers Indonesia....❤️❤️
Please brother reaction a fingerstyle guitar from Indonesia Alip bata in channel Alip_ba_ta....
Thank's and peace...👍👍
Since a Casimi is a bespoke guitar, do you happen to know why Brazilian rosewood is absent in the option for the back & sides? For some ecological reasons maybe?
@@NewEddyGuitar you know I didn’t even ask if they have Braz available - might be an idea to open up a conversation directly.
Actually Brazilian rosewood is an option but the standard of wood we insist on can be very hard to obtain here in South Africa but everything is possible. We would be be happy to chat on email
@@casimi-guitars Thanks Casimi Guitars for the speedy reply. You guys make great guitars.
What's not to love...
IRIFOY
Absolutely right! IRIFOY!
i wanted to buy his guitar, i have a fanfret Greenfield, 2 serracini custom 1with ebony top, 1 is classical with red spruce + rosewood, an olson dreadnought, and a lowden (Ed Sheeran replica)
to be honest, ervin's pricing is a bit wild, but cosidering that you have a BR rosewood, i think it's kind of fine
Gold 999 it would be worth it if it was made out of cardboard and tofu. The man is a genius!
Any info about Mr. Somogyi making lutes? Any help greatly appreciated!
None that I know of - although I think he made a lute guitar at some point of that helps - probably best to ask him through his website
@@MichaelWatts Thanks Michael! I have contacted him through his website. I currently have a Renaissance Lute labeled inside with his label and signed made in 1980. I have it listed on ebay. Thanks for your reply!
Michael who is your altime favourite guitarist..
That’s a huge question - I can’t narrow it down to one but Isaac Guillory, David Russell, Baden Powell, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, Michael Hedges, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Pass, Paco de Lucia, Pierre Bensusan, Clive Caroll, Jon Gomm, Alan Gogoll, Guthrie Govan, Jeff Beck, Atahualpa Yupanqui and Kelly Joe Phelps would be on the list in rotation
@@MichaelWatts ta.....
Thanks Michael for passing on my message to Chris about one of his guitars you where playing ...he got back in touch ..25,000 dollars ! well it is a great sounding guitar and work of art ...if you have time take a listen to ..if tomorrow wasn't such along time Bob Dylan cover Keith Wigley..that guitar cost 300 pounds I am trying to play..no pick up..played through just a small amp using a Shure 120 pound Mike.? Bit of reverb on amp ? So sound wise..yes different.but how much better is the 25,000 pound sound ?
Using
And you missed out Richard Thompson..all the best now..
did I hear it right ? is it Wyndemhil? or wyndelhim?
Windham Hill! Close though!
I’m confused as to why he’s the father of modern acoustic guitars?
Have you played one of his instruments? That will help clear any confusion
I came to here through TNAG after listening to Carl play Ervin's MD
ruclips.net/video/1X9RiNDG_vA/видео.html
What a pricelss interview... great story... Thanks for shraing Ervin with all of us Michael
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing Mr. Michel Watt..show beautifull..., to day you will have the New friend in music, whould you please check link . Ali bata finger style from indonesia..give suport for a friend...thank you.
This is not a traditional guitar style element design of the stock head of the spanish guitars. I'm from Spain and play guitar for more tha 45 years. The spanish guitar stock head is not such a pointed like this
Gracias Carlos! Por supuesto tienes razon, este instrumento represente solo un paso en la evolución de las guitarras Somogyi.
try finger style reaction from Indonesia Alip ba ta
C.F. Martin is the father of the modern acoustic guitar. There's not really any controversy in that statement. Somogyi is among many great individual builders that emerged in the 60s, but his designs and techniques are not in any way unique.
That depends what you mean by modern... And I’d say Ervin’s approach especially with the Modified Dreadnought was truly groundbreaking
@@MichaelWatts In what sense? I own his books - he does his craft very well, but not differently from other luthiers.
A better TITLE [The GodFather of the Modern Acoustic]
spanish guitars doesn't have X brace inside. Never. Also, always have a freetboard plain and wider. The body, on the other hand, is not as big, and more curved, like a woman's waist
nothing justifizes a $40,000 guitar
RUclips Admin. The law of supply and demand does exactly that! I know many people who would agree with you and many who would not.
Stop yelling.
Thank you,Michael. A legend,for sure. Happy New Year 2019!
greekflatpicker good to hear from you, thanks for watching and have a great 2019!