This is a fantastic guitar from Vladimir Druzhinin, who currently lives and works just outside of Moscow, Russia. Just a look at this instrument reveals a very tasteful and skillfully executed style that is highlighted in his classic rosette, elegantly carved headstock and beautiful selection of materials – including a quarter sawn spruce top and a striking set of African rosewood used for back and sides. This guitar is the second of three “special” models in an exclusive series of instruments which marks an important milestone in Vladimir's work (15 years as a guitar maker) and explores the shared principles in the larger "stringed instrument" family. The primary influence behind this came from Vladimir's long-time colleague, close friend and long-term mentor Timofey Tkach (1966-2026), who passionately passed on his deep knowledge of instrument building in the violin-making school he had established many years ago in Moscow. Tkach was convinced that the art of lutherie should be driven from a knowledge base that could be suitable to build any acoustic stringed instrument - the lute, harp, guitar, violin family, etc. For this instrument, Vladimir's second in this series, he drew primarily from the classical guitar and violin traditions, seeking to fuse the strengths of best qualities of both into a single instrument. To do this, in summer of 2025, Vladimir spent three months immersed in Tkach's classical Violin school and built a violin, side-by-side with Timofey.
From this experience, Vladimir next turned back to his primary vocation - guitar making - with the enterprise of uniting these two seemingly different schools of instrument making into what would become this series of 3 instruments he has named his "Special" models. Features of these guitars include a reworked body shape and building method, classical-style inlays, and the development of a ground and oil varnishing technology based on traditional 17th-century violin techniques which gives the guitar a warm amber tone, enhances the contrast of the wood grain, and creates a vivid visual depth that shifts subtly with changes in light and viewing angle. Sound-wise, this guitar (No. 2 of 3) has many qualities already found in Vladimir's prior work, where the primary aim is beauty of sound - singing and lyrical trebles with smooth, lush yet firm basses. It is lightly and efficiently built, with very focused and fast attack to every note. Volume is excellent for any concert setting - either solo or with an ensemble. And yet there a sense that this is a "musical instrument" first, and a "guitar" second - it has a unique harmonic steadiness in the sustain especially in the trebles, and rich, resonant quality in the mid and lower registers that is both dark and luminous at the same time. Vladimir has achieved something remarkable here and it reminds us of how very pleased we remain to be working with such a thoughtful and fine maker as his exclusive representatives in the USA. We believe his unique approach creates a beautiful, nuanced and highly satisfying instrument to both player and listener alike.
Photos of this guitar taken during construction, background info on the model and music performed in the video (also link for FREE sheet music download)
