Stephen Hill - 2025 - Doubletop Lattice No.294
Stephen Hill - 2025 - Doubletop Lattice No.294
Details
Details
Overview
Overview
Shipping important note
Shipping important note
Delivery times are typically reliable and most instruments arrive within the estimated timeframe.
Should any unexpected delay occur, our team will keep you informed and provide support at every step. For all shipping details and exceptions, please see our Shipping Policy.
Details about GPSR
Details about GPSR
Video overview
More details about the guitar
About the luthier
Stephen Hill is a British guitar maker based in La Herradura, near Granada in southern Spain. He began his musical life as a flamenco guitarist and later trained as a luthier under the influence of masters such as Antonio Marín Montero and Manuel Reyes. Over the years, Hill has become one of the most respected contemporary builders of Spanish-style guitars. He combines deep traditional knowledge with an openness to new methods and ideas, and has mentored a number of successful luthiers through his teaching. After decades dedicated to traditional construction, Hill has recently expanded into the world of modern concert guitars, particularly double-top instruments. His double-top models are distinguished by their elegant tonal character, exceptional responsiveness, and a strong underlying Spanish identity. This development demonstrates his ability to balance innovation with a deep respect for traditional guitar-making aesthetics.About the guitar
This guitar, No. 294 from 2025, is Stephen Hill’s latest double-top concert model. It features a spruce outer top from Switzerland, seasoned for over 25 years and stored in the Sierra Nevada’s Alpujarras region, laminated over a cedar inner layer with a Nomex core. The bracing is a 5×5 wood lattice system, offering both lightness and structural integrity while preserving tonal subtlety. The back and sides are made from beautifully figured Madagascar rosewood, and the entire guitar is finished with French polish. Tonally, the instrument blends a modern response with a refined Spanish voice. It projects with clarity and power, featuring a slightly nasal core in the midrange that creates a distinctive tonal signature and invites complex color shaping. The trebles are vibrant and responsive, with impressive sustain and excellent separation. Players will notice the guitar’s remarkable playability and immediacy, qualities that allow for nuanced dynamics and articulation, especially in fast passages. An elegant, warm, and expressive instrument that offers the best of both worlds: modern power and traditional beauty.Regular care extends the life of the instrument
Even with careful use, a classical guitar may gradually change in appearance or respond to unstable storage conditions. Have a close look at your guitar regularly and be attentif to changes. If your instrument is suffering from its environement, it will let you know.
Protect Your Guitar: Handle with Care
Be mindful when touching your instrument with greasy or unwashed hands: any skin contact is a small attack on the varnish. Of course, a guitar is made to be played, but taking a few precautions helps preserve its beauty: wash your hands before playing, wear long sleeves, and avoid unnecessary direct skin contact with the body of the instrument.
Pro tip: Avoid playing with a button-up shirt, heavy jewelry, or a belt, as these can scratch the guitar. Also, make sure your guitar case is free of any objects that could damage the instrument during storage.
String care
A good habit to adopt is wiping down your strings briefly after each playing session. This small action significantly extends their lifespan and helps maintain a consistent, comfortable feel under your fingers.
Most importantly, clean strings are essential for keeping your instrument in tune. Corrosion, sweat, and dust can affect the uniformity of the strings and interfere with accurate tuning across the entire fingerboard.
Pro tip: If you're having trouble getting your guitar in tune, it might be time to change the strings. A useful test is to compare the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic with the fretted note at the 12th fret; if there's an unusually large gap between them, your strings may have lost their integrity and should be replaced.
Keep Your Shellac Finish Shining!
Got a guitar with a shellac (French polish) finish? Here's a simple trick: Take a clean microfiber cloth and gently breathe on the surface to create a light mist. Then, softly rub to remove fingerprints, sweat, and grease. That’s usually all it takes to keep it looking great, no products needed!
Pro tip: Every few years, treat your guitar to a check-up with a luthier to keep it in top shape.
Storing Your Guitar: Climate Matters
Your guitar can safely stay outside its case, as long as the surrounding environment maintains 42–55% humidity and a temperature between 18–25°C.
Keep in mind that humidity levels can still fluctuate inside the case, especially during seasonal changes.
- Too much humidity may cause overtightened strings and a dull tone.
- Too little humidity can lead to a bulging top, string buzz, or even cracks.
Avoid placing your guitar near radiators, air conditioners, or windows with direct sunlight.
Pro tip: Always close your guitar case while playing. This helps preserve a stable microclimate inside the case, so your instrument is protected the moment you put it back in.