2008 Paul Fischer "Premier" CD/CSAR

One of Britain’s most respected builders, Paul Fischer has been making guitars in his own workshop since 1975. Prior to that, he studied first with harpsichord maker Robert Goble, and later built guitars in the famed David Rubio workshop in Oxfordshire, producing Rubio guitars with his initials "PF" stamped on the inside of the guitar, a practice well-known from the Jose Ramirez shop prior to 1971.

This is one of Paul's highest-grade traditional concert guitars which he calls his "Premier" model. This is a traditional version of the "Premier" which, unlike his well-known "Taut" version, features a traditionally fan-braced soundboard, offering a warm, refined tonal palette for which Fischer's conventional designs are equally admired. Materials are top quality including a beautiful, quartered cedar top with extremely fine, even grain and an old-growth, straight-grained set of colorful CSA rosewood for the back and sides with wonderful color and black veining—the kind many luthiers actually prefer acoustically. It is elegantly framed throughout with snakewood bindings, also used for the heel cap. Tuners are Rodgers with pearl buttons. Top materials all-around for this extremely refined instrument.

Playability is very smooth, with a very punchy responsiveness, resulting in great ease of right hand playing. It is in excellent condition with only one small hairline crack on the top just behind the bridge, recently repaired by GV Rubio here in Los Angeles. Otherwise the guitar is pristine with virtually no wear in the finish. Soundwise, it has a plump, warm tone, with a very clear core to each note, and has great balance all the way from the lowest bass note to the highest treble, with impressive power to satisfy the concert needs of any performing guitarist. These guitars have been played by numerous concert artists over the years including the Assads, Eduardo Fernandez and Jason Vieaux just to name a few. This is clearly a great example of Paul Fischer at his absolute best.