Sipe Spartan
Classical Guitar
A Classical Guitar for the Concert Hall
Starting at $5,500 USD
Based on my Traditional model this is a workhorse concert guitar with simplified aesthetic elements, perfect for concert players or students who need the sound and quality of a handmade instrument without the fuss of adornment. It is spartan only in its aesthetics, while it produces a sound worthy of the stage.
Indian Rosewood, Wenge or Claro Walnut back and sides
French polish on the top only
Matte sheen lacquer or oil finish on the back and sides
Binding with no purflings on the back and sides
Simple line rosette or wood ring
Simplified headstock without ornamentation
Bone inlay on front and back of tieblock only
Standard Case
BRACING OPTIONS
Open Harmonic Bar: This is a 7 fan design inspired by the work of Jose Romanillos and Jeffrey Elliott. This design maintains a lyrical and singing character to the notes with lots of color and a refinement to the overall sound. I mainly pair this design with spruce tops. This design has a brighter character to the bass notes which is great for implied melody lines in the bass in early music, etc.
Asymmetric: This design is an asymmetrical 6 fan bracing taking elements from many Spanish inspired designs; imparting a rich and lyrical tone, especially in the first position, with character and greater overall darker tonality. Beautiful character but a little bit less sustain in the upper registers than some of the other designs. I often pair this design with cedar tops.
DESIGN
This guitar is all about the sound and playability with minimal adornment.
My Spartan model features:
Multi-line rosette
Wood binding
Headstock–Simplified traditional style without adornment
Rosewood Bridge with simple bone inlay on tieblock
Fingerboard of Ebony
TONEWOOD
The top comes standard with European Spruce, Engelmann Spruce, Western Red Cedar or Redwood.
The back and sides are constructed from either Indian Rosewood, Wenge, or Claro Walnut.
FINISHING
The Spartan Series comes standard with a French polish finish on the top. This is a labor intensive finish but pays off because it is sonically wonderful and environmentally friendlier than a water based or nitrocellulose lacquer finish. The back and sides come with a matte sheen lacquer or oil finish on the back and sides I will also lacquer the top per request.
GUITAR TUNERS
Gotoh 510 Machine heads or equivalent are standard.
CUSTOMIZATIONS
20th fret
Elevated fingerboard
Sound port
Sound port with magnetic cover
Traditional Classical Guitar Sound
Built with the same bracing and techniques as the Spartan Model.
FAQs
What IS The Difference BEtween The Spartan & Traditional Models?
1
The differences are strictly aesthetic. The Spartan model is just a less ornate, some might say clean and sharp, version of the Traditional model. Those decorative elements take a lot of time and work and paring them down allows for a cost savings.
Can I add any Customizations to the Spartan Guitar?
2
Yes, all options are available. This is the most base model so every option is available to be added or upgraded. With this model I commonly get asked to upgrade to a gloss finish on the back and sides and even to an all French polish finish. This is also a great model to showcase a really spectacular wood for the back and sides. Without all the extra decorative elements, the main woods chosen for the top, back and side, become the center of attention.
Do You offer a Student Discount?
3
I have been able to accomodate some student and professional discounts in the past. Please reach out to me to discuss it further.
Can I change the scale length and width of the nut?
4
This is one of the most common requests I get asked about. The answer is “yes”, and there is no extra charge for custom nut width and scale length changes. I can easily cut scale lengths in mm of 632.5, 640, 645, 650, 655, 660, and 665.