Bernhard Kresse Modern Classical Guitar, 2003

The Bernhard Kresse Modern Classical guitar blends elements of modern guitar building with traditional practices and techniques, delivering a superior concert grade instrument.

This example was built during 2003 at Kresse’s small shop in Köln, Germany and features a Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the sides, back, head plate, backstrap and bridge. Mahogany is used for the body blocks and back braces, Maple for the neck and Ebony for the fingerboard. The scale length is a standard 650mm, but the nut end of the fingerboard is slightly wider at over 53mm, 2.1 inches.

The headstock is built using a V joint, as found on 19th century guitars; Kresse also restores historical instruments like those by Stauffer, Panormo, Lacote and Fabricatore as well as others by Hauser, Torres and Arias. The neck joint involves a mortise, tenon and bolt. The nut, saddle and tie block trim are Bone. The finish is French Polish, a thin hand-applied shellac coating that imposes minimal restriction on the wood’s vibration.

From a direct front view, one might not notice one of the key features of the Bernhard Kresse Modern Classical guitar, an elevated fingerboard. This design element lifts the fingerboard off the top, allowing more of the top to vibrate and allowing significantly improved access to the upper registers. Kresse implements this in two ways. The first is that the body becomes thinner towards the neck block, and the second being that the fingerboard extension uses the same design as a traditional archtop guitar, and does not touch the top at all.

There is very little wear, and the guitar has been well cared for. There is a mark on the top near the 15th and 16th frets, which appears to be a drop-filled dent. It plays well, and has a full, robust voice.

This Bernhard Kresse Modern Classical guitar is sold with its original, older style Hiscox light weight hard shell flight case.