Murray Kuun: ‘I made violins long before I made guitars but, being a designer, I got bored making exactly the same thing over and over. Moving to guitars gave me more scope for design work.”
Murray continues: Sophia is an evolution of my early Norma Jeane archtop. Similar shape but Sophia is quite different, in that she is very slim. She has a Swiss spruce carved top and a hollow kiaat body (kiaat is a very pretty and versatile African wood). African mahogany neck and imbuia fingerboard. Unusually, I opted for a hollow headstock – no particular technical advantage, other that a bit of weight saving. The peripherals (bridge, finger rest, knobs, fingerboard inlays and part of the tailstock) are birds-eye maple. As in my Roxanne archtop, I have added side “fillets” which are one of my few concessions to ornamentation. I try to let the overall design do the talking.
Sophia
Sophia has a Schaller floating pickup. I like the idea of using a floating pickup so that the soundboard can move freely, as it does in violins and cello’s. My contention is that the strings “hear” the sound the cavity + soundboard transfer through the bridge.
Est. 2018 | Jazz Guitar Today... Today, Tomorrow & Tradition. JGT is where jazz guitarists come to learn, level up, and stay inspired. From world-class lessons and legendary artist interviews to trusted gear reviews and trend-setting content, we’re shaping the conversation around modern jazz guitar. Editor, Bob Bakert
