Fritz Ober – 2010

Description

Fritz Ober was born in 1955 and learned to play the guitar at an early age. He built his first instruments in the ’70s based on guitar building books. Later he completed an apprenticeship with the instrument maker Helmut Buchsteiner and initially concentrated on the construction of lutes. According to his own statements, the skills he acquired were decisive for his current approach to guitar making, which was inspired primarily by old masters such as Antonio de Torres. His workshop is in Munich.

What a gorgeous guitar. It is a striking evidence of Fritz Ober’s deep understanding of the instruments of Antonio de Torres as well as of his own artistic and aesthetic genius. Indeed, there are many construction details in this instrument that are reminiscent of the two masters. These combine with the unmistakable taste of Fritz Ober, symbolized for example by the 3-piece maple and snakewood back. The contrasts of shapes and colours make this instrument particularly captivating. For example, Fritz Ober chose two slightly different coloured woods for the neck and the head, underlining the geometric beauty of the “V”-shaped headjoint and proving once again the perfection of his work.

This guitar is in very good condition, without cracks and has only few traces of playing. A mother-of-pearl inlay has been inserted at the lower end of the sides, where an end pin was previously located. The tuners are handmade by the Italian manufacturer Nicoló Alessi.
The beauty of this instrument is reflected in the elegance of its timbre. It is very light and has a spontaneous tone which shows the characteristic sound-colour of the maple used for the back and sides. The top made of German spruce responds very well, and the last ten years of playing have given this guitar a powerful and colourful voice. It really combines everything you would expect from a traditional guitar in the style of Antonio de Torres, and is one of the most beautiful Fritz Ober guitars we have experienced in recent years.