2019 Matthew Chaffin "640" SP/CSAR

A 2019 "640" classical guitar by Matthew Chaffin, with a spruce top and CSA rosewood back and sides – our first Chaffin in this combination of woods, with a 640 mm scale.

Spruce and CSA Rosewood

Matt finished it with a maple head veneer and a rosette with a "square wave" motif, a favorite of Domingo Esteso. It came out stunning.

Sound and Playability

The sound is firm and refined, clean and stable, sometimes reminiscent of a Hauser, but open and charming and eager to be pushed hard, with bass and treble always in balance. The 640 mm scale, smooth neck and easy action make it a pleasure to play, with all the power a concert player needs.

Matthew Chaffin: A Michigan Maker in the Spanish Tradition

Matthew Chaffin is an American classical guitar maker based in Orion, Michigan, a fourth-generation woodworker in a family line that began with his great-grandfather's fine furniture. For more than two decades he has studied the construction methods of the great Spanish makers – above all Antonio de Torres, Santos Hernández and Domingo Esteso – and he builds his guitars entirely by hand, often with turn-of-the-century tools he restores himself.

Light, Responsive and Lyrical

His aim is a lightweight, responsive and lyrical guitar with a classic, understated look – firm and refined in sound, at times reminiscent of a Hauser, yet open and charming and happy to be pushed hard, with excellent balance between bass and treble and a smooth, comfortable neck. GSI is his only dealer in the USA.