2007 Gregory Byers "7-string" SP/AR (ex John Dearman)

This 2007 Gregory Byers 7-string is a spruce and African rosewood classical guitar from Willits, California, made for Grammy award-winner John Dearman of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet – his concert and recording guitar with the LAGQ for years.

Built for John Dearman of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet

Greg Byers is one of the most established US luthiers, having been building for over 40 years. Several notable players have concertized and recorded on Byers classical guitars, including David Russell for his album of the music of Torroba and David Tanenbaum for his album "Great American Guitar Solo". This 7-string guitar was built in 2007 for John Dearman, who used it on the LAGQ album "Interchange" featuring the music of Rodrigo and Assad. See John's reflections below for more insight.

Greg Byers' Elongated Lattice Bracing

It features Greg's unique system of stretched/elongated lattice braces, which are actually two sets of overlapping fan systems. For added structural strength, there are two "floating brace" systems that originate from the extremities of the lower harmonic bar, angled towards the foot block, where they attach. This bracing system has a much more traditional sound, and an open, loose and warm quality to the tone that is not found in "typical" (i.e. Australian) lattice-braced guitars.

A 7-String Classical Guitar for Ensemble and Transcription Work

Playability is excellent: it has an elevated fingerboard and 7th-string extension done to John Dearman's specifications, and the set-up is perfect and concert ready. Materials are beautiful, including a gorgeous set of lightly colored African rosewood with some lovely and subtle patterns in the grain. Greg's inlay work is beautiful too – most notably his use of alternating leaves and ears of wheat in his purflings, found in the central part of the rosette, back seam and head strip. Tuners are industrial-strength Gilberts. The guitar is in pristine structural condition with no damage or repairs, only some cosmetic wear in the finish from years on the stage and in the studio. Beautifully built, this is a perfect instrument for a recitalist looking for great projection and ease of play, with some added bottom-end range suitable for ensemble or transcription work requiring a larger range of notes.

In John Dearman's Words

I had long been an admirer of Greg's work – he was a very notable maker in the early 2000s – but I was never knocked out to the point of swapping one out for my 1999 Humphrey 7-string. But I was in the Bay Area at one point and met a guy who was a very good player and composer of his own music, somewhat influenced by the music of India. He had a 7-string spruce Byers that sounded fantastic and when I got a chance to play it I really loved it. So I got in touch with Greg and asked if he would be able to duplicate the exact sound of the guitar that I had tried, he said yes, and he did! I played this 2007 guitar with LAGQ in concert for many years and even played it on our recording "Interchange" featuring Rodrigo's "Concierto Andaluz" and Sergio Assad's "Interchange".

– John Dearman, November 2025

Orfeo Magazine No. 10 - West Coast Luthiers

Gregory Byers: Classical Guitar Maker in Willits, California

Gregory Byers builds classical guitars in Willits, in Northern California. A biologist by training – he holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology – Greg finished his first guitar in 1981, and that same year attended a week-long workshop with José Romanillos. He also benefited from the advice and encouragement of John Gilbert, and over four decades he has become one of the most established guitar makers in the USA. Every guitar is French polished by hand.

Intonation Research and the Byers Lattice

Greg is known among luthiers for his research into guitar intonation: a mathematical model, developed with the help of guitarist Cem Duruöz, that sets the nut and saddle individually for each string. He presented it at the Guild of American Luthiers convention in 1995 and published it in American Lutherie the following year. His early guitars were fan braced, often with an asymmetrical pattern and a treble bar. He later developed his own lattice: stretched, elongated braces that are actually two overlapping sets of fan braces. Compared with "typical" (i.e. Australian) lattice-braced guitars, it gives a more traditional sound, with an open, loose and warm quality to the tone.