The Classical Guitar of Richard Spross
Two guitars. One is complete, the other is a work in progress
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Design Philosophy
In 1968 I was fortunate to have met the Bay Area guitar builder, the
late, Gabriel Souza. Over the next four years he and
his wife Anita, welcomed me graciously into their home. It was
during this time that I was offered the opportunity to play on all the
playable guitars in his collection. In addition I played on most of the
instruments he built during that period.
Gabe was an extraordinary, craftsman with a genuine
love of the instrument. Every detail was done by hand and by
himself alone. His generosity extended to other people as well. Lester
DeVoe, an aspiring and now successful nationally acclaimed flamenco
builder, was also a frequent visitor. Gabe was Jose Rey de la Torres'
personal luthier and often he and his close friend Jack Buckingham would
be seen visiting.
The instruments formally in his collection and sadly dispersed at this time and which I had the opportunity to play on were: a Renè Lacote, a most superb example of this maker's work, a Manuel Ramirez flamenco, and late Marcelo Barbero classic in mint condition. His Panormo and his Torres were too fragile to be strung up. I also had the opportunity to play on a Hauser Sr. which came in for repair. It was the beauty of the sound of these instruments which subsequently shaped my taste in sound production
In the ensuing years I have sought the opportunity whenever it availed me to play on historical instruments in order to hear as far back as I could the genealogy of sound advancement. Other instruments I've played on have been: Santos Hernandez classical, Ignacio Fleta, Miguel Rodriguez, Henri Bouchet, Daniel Friederich, Hauser II and III, Jose Ramirez II and III, Manuel Contreras I and II, Manuel Velasquez, Jose Oribe, Manuel Reyes, and Masuro Kohno.
In 1975 I demonstrated a Torres for the people gathered at the first Carmel Classic Guitar Festival and years later in 1989 I was asked to come and play a concert for the Carmel Classical Guitar Society, comparing a modern instrument built by John Mello on the first half of the program with a Torres that he had restored on the second half of the program.
Other builders who have encouraged my thought and action are Eugene Clark whom I first met in 1967 at his shop in San Francisco, and who recently I remade the acquaintance. Anthony Murray, whose first shop was also in San Francisco, Jeff Elliot who graciously received me when I lived in Portland, Oregon and Randy Angella and his wife Donna, who likewise welcomed me into his home and open heartedly shared an instrument of his for me to play on once upon a time when my luck had nearly run out.
Other modern makers whose instruments I've played on are John Gilbert, Robert Ruck, John Mello, Jose Rubio, Jose Romanillos, Hermanos Conde (classical), Antonio Marin, Ana Espinosa Rodriguez, M. Tezanos Perez, and many lesser known builders of high quality tradition and craftmanship.
This is what I bring to the table, coupled with my primary collegiate major in Art with a concentration in sculpture. My second major was in Music with a concentration in performance on Classical Guitar.
Many years of listening have gone into my background and many yers of future work to equal the craftsmanship of these great makers. Thus, I treat each instrument as a labor of love and I do not hurry the process. Each instrument also has an original hand-painted scene, which is signed, as its label.
My choice of woods is standard, Indian Rosewood, sides and back, Engelmann or German Spruce for the top and Spanish Cedar for the neck and linings, German Spruce for the braces. Everything remains the same if someone prefers a cedar top. Choice of case and tuning machines are decided by the customer.
As an artist I have always admired the arch and as we know the guitar is famous for arches. The symmetry of the arches throughout Europe, the Middle East and India speak volumes about its spiritual carrying power to Western minds and it is upon the structure of the arch that I design my instruments. This has led me toward some useful innovations which are responsible for the sound which is mine and which I hope will always be an evolving process. How others will view my work only the future will reveal and it has by no means reached its zenith.
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