'The Holy City of Jerusalem Guitar' - A new, one of a kind, handmade guitar for Peace, Harmony and Unity in our troubled times (ecoTrain)

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It's been a long time in the making, but I finally finished this 'Jerusalem' guitar. It sounds great. Very powerful and balanced, responsive, warm and harmonious.

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The inlays are made from cypress wood, olive and almond wood from trees in my garden and shells from the shores of the sea of Galilee. The theme of this guitar is the Holy City of Jerusalem. The scene depicted is taken from the view overlooking the Western wall of the ancient Hebrew Temple and the Dome of the Rock mosque which is built on top of it. It is a very significant place for Jews, Muslims and Christians alike. The script above it is a passage from Isiah which envisions a time when all people will share the city and live in peace together.

The soundboard is made from Western Red Cedar. The body is mahogany with flamed maple and Indian Rosewood bindings. The fingerboard is ebony and the bridge is made from ebony, maple and rosewood. The finish is hand rubbed natural shellac French polish.

As with all of my guitars, this was made almost entirely with hand tools. This is a very long and laborious process, but it allows me to really focus all of my energy, attention and intention into the work. I think this has a very definite effect on the quality of the sound and character of the finished instrument.

A lot of thought also goes into the choice of materials, which are chosen for their tonal characteristics as well as aesthetic appearance. I was happy to incorporate many locally sourced materials in this guitar which I collected from the area where I live in Galilee. These included cypress, almond and olive wood as well as shells from the Sea of Galilee.

This was one of my most interesting commissioned instruments. I'm most happy to work on commissions. The collaborative design aspect makes the process and the finished product very special for the customer. For me, it gives me a chance to explore new ideas that I might not have tried otherwise.

If you would like me to build your dream guitar for you, you can get in contact through my website www.handmade-guitars.com

I also offer courses in guitar making. No woodworking experience necessary. So if you've ever wanted to visit Galilee and the Holy Land, here's one more reason to do so.

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