Recognized as being one of the finest archtop guitar makers in the world today, Theo Scharpach has been at the forefront of innovative archtop instrument design. The instruments he designs are the very essence of artistic expression, reflected in the subtle, but challenging marriage of form and function. For close to four decades, Theo Scharpach has been pushing the boundaries of luthiery design with a consuming passion for elegance and style. Producing instruments of great tonal expression is Theo’s mission.
As he puts it, “I want my guitars to offer many tonal colors, great dynamic range and yet have an intimacy, as I feel that is the true sound of the instrument called the guitar. I see my task as giving the guitarist a “voice”. Whatever the musician is able to produce in terms of sound – dynamics, timbres, load-bearing capacity and power – its acoustic origins are found in the resonances of the instrument. These qualities are the handiwork of the guitar maker. The actual work of art is not the design, but instead the sound sculpture we hear. This is the result of the encounter between the musician and the musical resonances they play. What is your dream guitar? We can build it together. A truly one-of-a-kind instrument tailor-made to match your musical expression.”
Theo was born in Vienna and has lived in the Netherlands for most of his life. The son of a watchmaker, Theo graduated with a diploma in the fine arts and a diploma in the restoration of antique furniture. He knew he was going to go on to build guitars. His exclusively handmade guitars feature some of the finest, incredible, European old-stocked woods, most of which is over 80 years old. The attention to detail is incomparable in every way.
Additionally, his classical and flamingo guitars are legendary. His classical guitars go by the name of Concertura. Currently, he offers two versions: a true traditional build and a double-top version.
His guitars have been played by some of the greats, including Al di Meola, Steve Howe, Chieli Minucci, Randy Bachman, Ahmet Kanneci, Camillo Sauvalle, Andreas Dombert, amongst others, as well as famous collectors like Scott Chinery.
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