The design and method of construction contributes largely to this but spending a little extra time polishing the frets can make all the difference. I have always believed that quality comes before quantity and this is evident in the fact that my output is between ten and twelve instruments only per year, usually working on three concurrently. Building guitars is very satisfying and I consider it a privilege in this age of 'fast fixes' to be producing something of the highest quality that I hope will give enduring pleasure to players and audiences alike. I use European spruce for the soundboards and Brazilian or Indian rosewood for the backs and sides, though I personally prefer Brazilian for its superior density and visual beauty. I have also used flamed maple and bird's eye maple as an alternative to the rosewoods which apart from being very beautiful when finished, produces a slightly dryer tone in the completed instrument.
Necks are Honduras mahogany or cedar and the heads are fitted using the traditional 'V' joint.
The heads are faced with ebony or Brazilian rosewood and the centre joint is often inlaid with strips of decorative veneers to match the rosette. The head angle to the neck is, at 7 degrees, fairly shallow but combined with a slightly thicker soundboard, creates the ideal string tension which contributes to the ease of playing and allows the notes to 'breathe'. For my standard concert guitar I have adopted a traditional strutting design derived from Torres. In 'La Suprema' the lower harmonic bar has cutouts which allow the outer fan struts to run up to the sound hole reinforcement. The top linings are made up of separate blocks and the bottom linings are of bent spruce.