One of the most popular
guitar types in today's world is the concert sized OM, and the similar
000 sized instruments used by virtually all fingerstyle players, and
many other stylists as well. We take these for granted, but the truth
is the type nearly died out just 30 years ago. The Martin Guitar
Company created the Dreadnought in the Early 1930's , phased out their
other long scale guitars. They replaced the OM with a short scaled
version and called it a 000, dropping the 12 fret 000 at the same time.
Then along Came Eric! About 30
years ago he came into possession of an original OM and recognized that
it rendered his fingerstyle ragtime music in a way that surpassed his
previous experience. As he was an excitable young man he made a lot of
noise about it for a long enough time that he is still associated with
the Concert Guitar resurgence to this very day. Not only was he vocal
on the subject, but on discovering how few of these OM guitars had
actually survived, he tried to talk Martin into putting them back into
production. He succeeded at creating a relationship with the factory
where in his then associate, Dana Bourgeois, would brace up the
soundboard, and then Martin would complete the guitar. They had some
assistance from another luthier, T. J. Thompson, who took over that
part of the operation when Dana went on to other things. T.J. also
built a number of complete instruments, and then he too went of to the
next thing.
A few years went by and then Eric
discovered the latent talent of another builder, Julius Borges. Along
with a financial partner, they created a factory to make Schoenberg
Guitars in Littleton, Ma. Several luthier associated at one time or
another with Bourgeois Guitars worked in this operation, keeping it in
the family to a degree. While this was happening, Eric and his
wife, Debbie, moved to Tiburon, Ca. Surprisingly few instruments got
completed before this venture too became history.
An architect of my acquaintance,
David Spurgeon, helped Eric with the design details of the new store he
planned to open, and referred me as someone who could actually create
the store. I recognized the potential for me as a builder, of course,
and set out to learn to make guitars that would make sense to Eric. At
first I used my designs and made the bracing and some of the trim in
the 30's Martin style. These I designated ES (Eric Schoenberg), as
opposed to FT (Flat Top) as I call my standard line. After the dust had
settled from the Littleton venture, I began to contract with Eric for
instruments that more directly reflected the Schoenberg concept.
At this point we have made the OM
based "Soloist", the long scale 12 fret 000 based "Standard", 12 fret
00 based "Standard" and 14 fret 00 base Soloist (00 OM), 12 fret long
scale 0 sized "Standard", and the "Advanced Rosewood" inspired by
Gibson's AJ.
I have encouraged Eric to develop
relationships with a number of luthiers at the same time. No two will
really build in quite the same way, and is gives his customers choice
within the conservative parameters that define the "Schoenberg" guitar.
Choosing to have his guitars made by one off builders like myself
instead of more practical means like the Martin factory or the
Littleton facility means that there will be less of them available, and
they will have to cost more dollarwise, but it also means more
flexibility for personal appointments, and, depending on the builder of
course, the possibility of a truly superior instrument.
