2017 Tobias Berg SP/IN

This 2017 Tobias Berg is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, built in Germany with his trademark double sides.

Spruce and Indian Rosewood

Here is another exceptional guitar from Tobias Berg. It sounds as elegant as it looks, with a rich, velvety quality in every register - very sturdy, powerful basses and smooth, creamy trebles. The design carries his trademark touches: a headstock, rosette and bridge inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, whose understated elegance and perfect lines and sharp edges Tobias has delicately made part of his own unique style.

Double Sides and Neck Reinforcement

As in all his guitars since 2011, the sides are doubled - see our blog post for how Tobias does it. The tonal reward is a deeper, almost "cathedral-like" presence, reminiscent of modern Friederich guitars. The neck is reinforced with an ebony strip - hidden inside, unlike on many Madrid-school guitars - which noticeably enhances sustain. A fantastic concert guitar by any standard - bold and beautiful in sound, unique and classy in looks.

Tobias Berg: From Sweden to Germany

Tobias Berg was born in 1972 in Helsingborg, Sweden, and grew up in the fishing village of Viken. After building his first classical guitar in 1995, he set out to learn the art and craft of guitar making, with courses and diplomas in Canada, England and the USA and time spent with top luthiers including Robert Ruck and Jeffrey Elliott. In 1998 he settled in Germany, where he worked for six years at Lakewood Guitars before earning the German master title (Meister) in Mittenwald in 2004 and opening his own workshop. Today he works in Kirchhain-Anzefahr, in Hesse.

Light, Compact Guitars with Double Sides

Tobias builds traditional, lightweight guitars with a slightly compact body, in the spirit of the Spanish makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and since 2011 he has built them with double sides - a practice known from Madrid builders and from Daniel Friederich, whom he holds in very high esteem. His headstock, rosette and bridge designs reflect a fondness for traditional Japanese architecture. GSI has been working with Tobias since 2005, when he sent us his 20th guitar; in 2026 he built his 50th guitar for us.