The Fretboard Journal
Fall 2008 - Number 11
Harper’s Bazaar: The Guitar Collection of Ben Harper
Guitar Collector
Sept-Oct-Nov 2003- Interview with Ben Harper
Dart Bowl Back
and Hawaiian Guitars
some testimonials
On Aug 14, 2012, at 12:07 AM, Richard Leimbach wrote:
Gentlemen and Musicians,
In the course of my recent enamor with the Weissenborn sound, I exchanged several prospective emails with a Mr. Tony Francis, a luthier of New Zealand. I guess (sure, actually) he’s pretty big in the Weissenborn world. Quite a nice fellow. After a brief week or two silence from me, he kindly wrote asking what I had planned, so I told him I had this EBay Dave Dart, made in Mendocino, coming and that I had surely planned to tell him once it arrived intact.
Mr. Francis replied thus:
"Thanks for writing me back. That is a great choice - David Dart is one of the best (and longest) in the business, and I certainly recommend his work, a number of my clients own his guitars in addition to my own.
Congrats on the new guitar!
Thanks again and all the best,
Tony Francis"
Tony Francis is a classy guy.
Meanwhile, I must tell you this little scrawny 4 lb s.-soaking wet Dart instrument has stuff that my 60 lbs. steel resonator only dreams about, though it can’t drive nails, break open locked windows, or ever go to the beach, all useful skills. (The steel body still gets all the camping trips). And hot damn, it is pretty. I’m beginning to find my way around it. Lap playing is a little different from what I know but I’ve been doing open tunings for 40 years or more so it’s coming along pretty readily, and the tone and volume are staggering.
Thanks to John for telling me Dart is a good guy and an artist. I thought I had all the guitars I needed and then this thing comes around and new doors open.
Richard
Hi
David,
I can't
even begin to describe how incredible the
guitar you made me is. When we started to discuss it I said
that
I wanted a guitar that was beautiful and that played better than it
looked. You truly delivered on that. Since picking it up a
number of very knowledgeable people have seen and played it
including some of your friends at the Folk Music Center and the
consensus has been a resounding WOW!!! As for me, I
have
never in my life seen or played a finer instrument, and doubt I ever
will.
By sheer chance while at my mothers, I went to
a friend of hers who plays guitar and she owns a Martin D-35 which is
what I used to have, so I got to play them side by side. In non-
musical terms I likened it to parking a Ford pinto
next to a
Ferrari. It wasn't even close.
Please,
for the sake of the musical world, make more
dreadnoughts
Thank you, Thank you, thank you,
Jerry
Hi David, I'm still enjoying the Hawaiian guitars you made for me, both the koa (#10-156) and the mahogany (#14-160). They've covered a lot of miles since you saw them last and are well broken-in and dinged-up now. Both are sounding great. I couldn't be happier with them. Thanks and best wishes, Tom Gray
David, I am just dropping you a note to let you know how great your Hawaiian guitars sound. I originally became interested in Weissenborns through Ben Harper about 8 years ago. I have played or owned several Hawaiians over the last four years. My Dart Hawaiian style 1 is the best sounding Hollow bodied Hawaiian guitar that I've played. Because it is deeper than the original Weissenborns it is a much louder, deeper and sweeter guitar, than the originals that I played. Recently I played a Bear Creek Hawaiian and a Tim Scheerhorn, and although they are superb looking instruments and do sound nice, they don't compare to my Dart. I am excited because it is only 6 years old and will only get better with age. Take care and thanks for the fantastic instrument,
Shane Johnson in Lansing, Michigan
Greetings Mr. Dart,
I bought one of your 9-course lutes back in about 1979, while I was a student at University of Southern California and you living in Claremont. On Sunday I will play a concert at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, using your lute.
This evening, as I was rehearsing, I thought it would be nice to contact you and let you know that after all of these years, the instrument still sounds brilliant and is in pristine condition. It has brought great joy to me and to those who have heard it. I have never been remotely tempted to replace it with another instrument - it has become a part of me.
I would like to be able to tell folks more about the instrument. Do I recall correctly that it was modeled after an Italian instrument circa 1590? It does look similar to other examples I've seen from that period and locale.
After 25 years, I thank you again for your artistry.
Sincerely yours,
Bill Krause
Hi David, I purchased a style 1 weissenborn from you at the end of last year, just wanted to say thank you again for the great quality of the instrument. Having seen the other koa weissenborns now I can appreciate how beautifully made mine is, I have had many many hours of enjoyment from it! Kind regards, Michael Berryman