About my experience with Maarten van Guyse
Maarten’s instruments are truly amazing.
In 2020, I came across one of his 2016 García models, and I immediately knew it would be a huge step forward—not only for me as a performer, but also for my audience. At the time, I was searching for a guitar with a wider dynamic range for both solo concerts and chamber music. The moment I played it, I was overwhelmed.
The guitar has an incredibly strong personality, remarkable clarity, and an inspiring richness of tone. If I had to describe it, I would say it is extraordinarily versatile and highly responsive to every nuance of my touch, with outstanding projection and beautifully resonant basses. It has enough power to compete with many double-top guitars while preserving the warmth, depth, and complexity of a traditional instrument.
During its first year, the guitar had a bright, focused, and punchy sound, which I already loved. Still, I was curious to see how it would mature over time. It has exceeded every expectation. After almost six years of being played in virtually every concert, the instrument has developed beautifully. The top has taken on a wonderful golden patina, and the sound has become deeper, sweeter, and more poetic while retaining its remarkable projection. Especially when I perform with a classical double bass, it has no trouble matching the instrument’s volume without ever sounding forced.
To this day, it remains my main concert guitar. It is an uncompromising instrument that reveals every detail of my playing—every strength as well as every weakness. It constantly encourages me to refine my technique, improve my tone, and become a better musician. That is perhaps the greatest compliment I can give any instrument.
As a guitar maker myself, I have had many conversations with Maarten over the years. He has generously shared his knowledge and offered invaluable advice on guitar making. We had talked for a long time about meeting in person, and after six years I finally had the opportunity to visit his workshop. I was able to play every guitar he had available and, of course, show him how beautifully my own instrument had developed over the years.
Meeting Maarten confirmed everything I had hoped for. He is an incredibly kind, humble, and thoughtful person, and those qualities are reflected in his work. Every guitar has its own distinctive voice and character while maintaining an exceptionally high level of craftsmanship.
I have now added a second van Guyse guitar to my collection—a cutaway model with enormous potential. I’m convinced that, as it matures, I will love and play it just as much as my first one.
Maarten’s guitars are truly world-class instruments. I recommend his work without hesitation to any guitarist searching for an instrument with character, beauty, and uncompromising craftsmanship. He is a true master of his art, and I couldn’t be happier to play his guitars.