 | The Cremona model is about understated elegance and performance at the highest
level. I use wooden
binding and keep the ornamentation to a minimum. My goal with this guitar is to pay tribute to the Cremona
masters of the past. Who could not be in awe of those masters and the
instruments they produced!
The Walker Cremona guitar pictured at
the left
is part of The
Juilliard School's collection of instruments and it is used
regularly in performances. The few times when it is not in use, it
sits in the vault next to the Amati and Stradivarius instruments. This
instrument was purchased by Greg Scholl of the Moses Pond foundation
and generously donated to Juilliard. |
| I hand carve and graduate the top and back plates for
my archtop guitars. While the hand carving is not absolutely necessary
for a high quality instrument, the graduating and tuning process is
the only way to get superior results. Although there are many subtle
differences between fine handmade guitars and production instruments,
it is the graduating and tap tuning of the top and back that makes the
most dramatic difference to the sound. |
| I use aged European cello wood for the top and
American curly maple for the back, sides, and neck. These are premium
materials. |
| For the body binding, I use curly maple. |
| For the fingerboard, I use ebony and bind it with
ebony accented by curly maple purfling. |
| The supple yet durable varnish is applied to these
guitars in multiple thin coats, building up the color, subtle shading,
and sheen. This varnish not only looks beautiful but has a great
effect on the tone. |
| The standard trim appointments for this guitar are
made of ebony. For the front headstock veneer, tailpiece, and
pickguard I use a contrasting curly maple veneer underlayment and
accent it with a beveled edge. |
| Machines are Schaller Mini's with the large ebony buttons. |
| A pickup is an option for this guitar. |
