Testimonials

Otto Tolonen

On my visit to Leuven, Belgium in spring 2019, I had a pleasure of trying out several guitars made by luthier Maarten van Guyse. 

Projection, colors and overall playability of his guitars is of highest class. What also struck me was the variety and consistency his different models present. 

Craftsmanship is beautiful and detailed. Highly recommended.

Otto Tolonen

Concert and recording artist

Professor at Norwegian Academy of Music

Otto Tolonen

Thomas Fellow

The guitars of Maarten van Guyse show a deep embrace of true classical guitar maker craftsmanship with modern sound aspects,  which is very rare. Most of the guitars either tend to a clear traditional sound or focus on a modern folkloristic blend.

For my sound approach concerning the EUROPEAN GUITAR QUARTET (with Zoran Dukic, Pavel Steidl and Reentko Dirks) I was looking for an instrument based on a profound classical sound on a very high level and with all the dynamics, but in addition with enormous flexibility and a real punch. What I found luckily – was his guitar. The second he ever made.

Thomas Fellow

Reentko Dirks

I tried many guitars of Maarten van Guyse, and each of them are exceptional. The one I play is a lifetime instrument. He is a genius.

Reentko Dirks

Fernando Noriega Diaz

I discovered Maartens guitars a couple of years ago not only as a professional guitar player, but also as a master guitar counselor who has played and examined hundreds of master guitars. After such an experience I barely need to open the case to know what kind of instrument I’m confronted with, and as I first saw a Van Guyse I knew there was a passionate and extremely experienced builder with great intuition behind it.
 
Describing the sound in objective terms always melts down to the same words: sustain, projection, loudness, playability and so on.
 
All this is useless to depict the effect of the instrument on the player, which is finally the only thing that really matters, so I will describe his guitars as follows: the feel of the instruments is solid, humble and helpful, as opposed to some guitars you have to ‘force’ or some you will perceive as ‘fragile’; the sound of his cedar & spruce top is a mix of that feeling of depth during an evening walk through the forest, the feeling of transparence after the rain and the feeling of nostalgia and mystery of Ravel’s and Debussy’s music. 
 
His García model is at the same time sweet and strong, like a playful child with great energy and untamed vision; his flamenco guitars are all temperament and spice, having the particularity of not becoming superficial and dry through their characteristic lightness, but preserving a nicely wet reverb without interfering with a clarity that makes you think of the shape of lonely trees during the sunset.
 
I definitely would recommend a Van Guyse to any guitar player searching for an instrument with real personality and capable of understanding what the sound of the guitar is all about.
Fernando Noriega Diaz

Christian Zack

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.