"As a professional musician, the guitar is my most important tool. I've played countless flamenco guitars and have been lucky enough to personally own over 20 guitars from the top luthiers all over Spain, the United States, Canada and Mexico. I'm a working musician, so unlike a collector, I play all of my guitars and know the importance of personally finding THE guitar that would fit my own style of playing for live performance and studio work. In my opinion, Tom Blackshear's guitars are among the VERY BEST that I've owned. His extensive knowledge and background in luthiery extends over 40 years, and his passion for the art of flamenco exceeds those years.

I personally find the understanding of this complex musical art form to be an important aspect in building flamenco guitars. Intuition plays an important part in flamenco music and, in retrospect, also plays a major role in a guitar builder's or "Guitarrero's" work. Tom's never ending quest to perfect the sound of his instruments through years of dedicating his life to studying the work of the genius maestros (Manuel Reyes and the late Miguel Rodriguez - both of Cordoba, Spain) is an overwhelming task. This has gained him popularity and recognition with his peers and players from around the world. Through this, he has implemented his own design and "fine tuning" techniques to give each and every guitar its own personal character and to be the best guitar possible before it leaves his workshop. I have had the opportunity to own two Blackshear guitars and they are both without a doubt on the same level in class, craftsmanship, and in my opinion exceed the tone and capabilities of the most popular-named guitars that I've owned. I consider Tom Blackshear a world class luthier and include him in the top echelon with the very best luthiers in the world today." - Don Soledad (guitarist)

"Spanish Sound"

When Man ponders his past, he is made aware of the many influences that have shaped his destiny. In a similar way, the country of Spain has developed amid romanticism, war and religion. Cultural influences as diverse as Hebraic chant, Christian devoutness, and Islamic architecture have become embedded over many centuries in the Spanish culture and have forged Spain's proud tradition. Unique among its many remarkable masterpieces is the Spanish guitar. This instrument has truly stirred the very depths of emotion.

The intricate construction methods of this fine instrument have been handed down from father to son. Many of these proprietary methods were quietly kept in families of artisans for generations, only to slip into the hands of the few talented apprentices who acquired enough intuitive skills to possess it for themselves. In the hands of these capable and enterprising luthiers, the Spanish guitar was born. It still sounds, looks, and feels much like it did from the beginning, and very few non-Spaniards have been able to capture its essence. To this present day, some of the instruments of these master craftsmen are highly prized and sought after.

In the 40 years of my search for the unique voice in this instrument, I have come to the conclusion that the Spanish guitar builders appear to have reached a balance between tradition and design and are moving no further with it. Their understanding is that the traditional guitar is a completed work, and they deal with it in an appropriate manner, contenting themselves with making small adjustments on the inside to find ways to improve its tonal quality.

The practice of fine-tuning the sound has existed for centuries in Spain but has been overlooked by most American luthiers until just recently. Because of this, guitars closer to the traditional Spanish sound have been appearing from American workshops. This has brought the guitar to another level for the American luthier. Now, with new technology we can take a closer look at the work of the old Spanish masters and gain insight into what, at least according to some, were closely guarded fine-tuning secrets. Whether by using this technology, we can actually find the ultimate value of these secrets remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: It has widened the supply side of the market with some remarkable sounding guitars.

One wonders what the Spaniards may think of it. I doubt that they feel threatened, for they understand that technical efficiency is incomplete without certain intuitive skills. Science can create and assist the element of design but is incapable of the human touch. With practicing the art of fine-tuning, builders will sometimes think that they have arrived at perfection, only to find it to be elusive. I can recall times when I made an adjustment inside the top, and the sound would be next to perfect. I would attempt one last adjustment, reaching for a little more and lose it. I would have to spend days trying to find the sound again.

Just thinking how to gain clarity with "the perfect sound" drives us to search for a way to capture its essence. Sometimes clarity comes in unexpected moments and is lost in the same breath. This is what makes guitar building challenging. When the fan bracing of the top communicates in perfect sequence, the instrument responds in total harmony. But we must first gain exposure to the most valued examples of guitar sound before we can achieve this tonal purity. I have spent years experimenting with fine-tuning, and although there are alternate ways to tune a guitar, there is but one way to achieve greatness: poco a poco.

In this age of instant gratification, it's difficult to imagine spending so many hours learning rudimentary guitar building skills. But it is my belief that if guitar builders are thoroughly equipped in learning the basics of the historical luthier's standard designs, they can then move on to alternate designs with more proficiency. Understanding the past will help us gain clarity for the future. With each instrument that he builds, the luthier grows to understand more completely his calling.

With this information, I'm willing to share my techniques with others in the hopes of building a lasting impression of the necessity for the Spanish arts. Certainly we can go on to other things, but first let us learn from those who have set a foundation for excellence.

Tom Blackshear Email: tguitars@texas.net