Guitar Evaluation at Carmel

by David Russell Young

Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly 6, #2, 1978



The success of violin competitions, like the Southern California Association of Violin Makers’ annual event in L.A. at the Musicians’ Union Hall (well over 100 entries) has led me to promote something to the many serious musicians who attend the Carmel Festival, and as impartial as possible with many instruments being compared together, thus providing a good basis for determining the string and weak points of each individual instrument.

Long-term benefits would include forging a stronger link between builders and players, and pointing the directions in which the technology needs development. (For example, how much of a premium do professionals put on sheer power for playing in large halls, and how much sacrifice of complexity or warmth would be accepted for the sake of a very loud instrument?)