Michael F. Lazar
Luthier
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Guitar Materials

The materials I purchase for building guitars are almost invariably First or Premium Grade. Most are purchased from recognized guitar building materials suppliers and are properly dried and aged when I receive them. They are seasoned further in my shop and have achieved their equilibrium before I begin to work with them. 

Below is a list of my standard materials. I'm a great believer in experimenting with alternative woods, especially for backs and sides. Like Antonio de Torres, I believe that the materials used for backs and sides have little, if any, influence on the quality of a guitar's ultimate sound. Unlike Torres, I've never built a guitar with papier mache backs and sides to prove this. He has already done that and it's good enough for me. Further materials alternatives can be discussed by contacting me.

My standard guitars include:

    -Tops from Englemann Spruce, Sitka Spruce or Cedar

    -Backs & sides from Indian Rosewood, Pau Ferro, Walnut, Bubinga or Palo Escrito.

    -Necks from Spanish Cedar or Mahogany

    -Fingerboards from Macassar or Black African Ebony

    -Bridges from Indian or Brazilian Rosewood

    -Very high quality rosettes from Tula, Russia

    -Bone Nuts & Saddles

    -Gotoh Premium or Sloane tuners  (your choice)

    - 650 mm scale length

Options (at an additional cost and subject to availability):

    - 665mm or 635mm scale lengths

    - 7 String configuration

    - Euro Spruce tops

    - Upgraded Backs & Sides eg: Brazilian Rosewood*, Cocobolo, Ziricote, Macassar Ebony, California Walnut 

    - Alessi** or Graf ***Tuners

        * Brazillian Rosewood is very expensive and not readily available. If it can be found, the additional cost can be as high as US$ 2,000.

        **  Alessi Tuners are excellent guitar tuners hand made by Nicolo Alessi in Italy. In addition to being very beautiful in their appearance they are highly functional. The gearing is smooth, tight and accurate and the rollers turn on bushings that insert (invisibly) into the center of the peghead as opposed to turning against wood. The additional  cost is the difference between my cost for the tuners less my cost for my standard tuners. As this amount varies with fluctuations in exchange rates I cannot quote a fixed price here. A reasonable estimate would currently be $250.00. For more details, go to www.alessituningmachines.it

        *** Graf tuners are hand made by Jorg Graf in Canada. They have features similar to Alessi  including the roller bearings along with an additional self aligning feature that may accommodate slight inaccuracies in the peghead holes. They are a little more refined  in their appearance and finish and they are more expensive. The additional cost is approximately CDN $500 or US$450.  They are beautifully made with a high level of functionality. For more details go to www.graftuners.com