Gourlay Guitars

My interest in building classical guitars dates back to the 1970s.  While studying classical and flamenco guitar in the mid ‘70s, my curiosity was piqued about the guitar’s history and construction, so I purchased Irving Sloane's book, Classic Guitar Construction.  It wasn't until the late ‘90s, however, that  I actually began dabbling in lutherie, and it was not until I retired in 2001, that I actually began building a classical guitar from scratch.  A most talented and generous luthier, Dave Schramm, had just embarked on the concept of an online course in classical guitar making, called The Online Apprentice.  I enrolled in the course and began acquiring the necessary tools and materials.  I built my own Fox-style bender; attended a Greg Byers workshop on  rosette making at the old American School of Lutherie in Healdsburg; and began building my first Spanish-style classical guitar.  

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Subsequently, I had the very good fortune to meet Mónica Esparza, who not only had studied guitarmaking in Spain with the master, José Romanillos, but also taught a guitarmaking course for a small lutherie guild called Stringed Instrument Makers of Southern California (SIMSCal) www.simscal.com.   I enrolled in the course and built my first Romanillos-style instrument.  When Mónica  decided to give up teaching, I took over the course which I taught for seven years from 2011 to 2017. 

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While I no longer teach that course, I do take on private students from time to time.

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Between 2009 and 2016, I entered a number of my handmade classical guitars in the annual fine arts woodworking competitions at both the Orange County (CA), and  San Diego County (Del Mar) Fairs where I received numerous First Place and Juror's Choice awards,  and in 2012, I was awarded Best in Show - Fine Arts Woodworking  at the Orange County Fair for my Romanillos-style guitar, "Alma Llanera".