My guitars are constructed in a controlled, dry atmosphere using only the finest and carefully selected seasoned tonewoods. I use European spruce for the soundboards and Brazilian or Indian rosewood for the backs and ribs, and occasionally flamed or bird’s eye maple as an alternative to the rosewoods.

I make the necks from either South American mahogany or cedar (Cedrela) and the heads are fitted using either the traditional ‘V’ joint or a splice joint in the case of Torres copies. The heads are faced with ebony or rosewood and the centre joint is often inlaid with strips of decorative veneers to match the rosette.

The wood I use for struts and bars is quarter sawn, and cut from split billets. Struts are glued to the soundboard with hot glue using a solera (dished work board) only when the ambient relative humidity is around 40%. This ensures that the correct doming of the soundboard is achieved in the finished instrument. The top linings are made from separate blocks and the back linings are either kerfed or solid.

I adjust my ebony fingerboards so that the bass side tapers down slightly towards the soundhole. This allows the height of the strings above the soundboard at the saddle to remain the same and improves the guitars' playability. I cut my fret slots on a slitting saw using templates produced with the aid of computer technology.

The fret positions are therefore consistently accurate and intonation is as perfect as practically possible. I use the 12 hole system for tying strings to the bridge. The obvious improvement is that a constant break angle is maintained over the saddle maximising energy transference to the soundboard.

I make all my inlays by hand and individually, and they sometimes differ from one guitar to another, though there are decorative themes running throughout all my guitars such as the fine wheat sheaf herringbone reminiscent of Torres. I tend to prefer natural woody inlays though I’ve been known to splash out with colour now and then!

Having experimented with various finishes over the years, I am satisfied that French polish of shellac is unquestionably the most beautiful sounding and looking finish for a fine classical guitar. It is also relatively easy to repair and maintain. I fill the pores of the wood with pumice and apply the finish in the traditional way using only freshly mixed pale shellac polish.

I can tailor my guitars’ fingerboard widths, neck dimensions and string spacing to individual requirements and offer other options such as a 20th fret and side position dots. I provide Rodgers machine heads as standard on all my guitars, which I consider to be the finest available.