FOR THE MUSICIAN THE SOUND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING !

Many have tried to talk about SOUND without ever describing it. In my opinion the instrument should speak
for itself.
The WOOD, mature and valuable, is the most important raw material in all my instruments.
I use only well seasoned wood. 35 years is the minimum. Some of my wood is antique, and has been waiting
125 years for this destiny.
It’s been waiting for me for so long, that the thought of it sometimes sends a shiver down my spine, not of
fear but of respect.

Mature wood has a history its sound has a future; I am the medium between the two.

Often the wood in my instruments isn’t visible. Sometimes usability and composition are too important.
But you can ALWAYS hear it.
The hardware is an essential part of the design. Great Artists sometimes don’t even notice the technical
details that make life easier for guitar and bass "technicians". But they are important. These details are
the basis for more innovations and inventions on AUERSWALD Instruments.
Things that were invented for the famous are also of great benefit to other less famous, proficient
working musicians.

My basic idea is that the instrument is a tool. The instrument is a transport medium for the artist’s creativity
and for that reason I lay great stress on his individual prerequisites. Everything has to be in just the right
place and harmonise with the musicians physique and ergonomic needs. Every hand has its own unique
language and because my "tools" should be "useable", serviceable and survive "on the road", high strength
and low weight are appropriate axioms - not only for aircraft construction...

AN INSTRUMENT’S SOUND IS THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

Very special sound-character is dependant on the careful selection of exclusive, harmonising materials.
Vibration ... carry ... development ... timbre. Immediacy and the development of the tone in the body;
the result of this combination of attack and sustain is richness of sound with its unmistakable bouquet.

Sound is, a matter of taste... to explore it and to make it is my passion.

The search for sound leads down untrodden paths into unexplored tonal worlds. "No art without science,
no science without intuition."

The better I get to know a musician’s needs, the more the finished instrument reflects his or her
personality. Recognising a musician’s needs is one thing. Putting them into practice is another. It takes
time and experience
to process all the information, all the details. Making the right decisions for the musician can be a
lonely task.But If I listen carefully enough, a voice inside me finally shows me the way and tells me
what I have to do.
The main ingredient of a handmade instrument is the time spent working on it. That being the case,
why use anything less than exquisite material? The instrument’s foundation should be irrefutable.
Don’t get me wrong, this is no dogma.
It just means choosing the best possible and most appropriate materials for each individual project.
Traditional tenets aren’t appropriate. There is never just one solution.
And solutions are never the ultimate goals, just steps along an uncharted road. Ultimately the artist
will decide, if was the right road.

WOOD is a living material &emdash; and an intelligent one. Wood is one of the few materials that can
construct itself. (Who tells a tree growing in the mountains where it should stand and what steps it should
take to survive the harsh climate?)

As a guitar builder, its important for me to have a sensitive approach to this wonderful material.
I must be able to see inside it, to listen to it. Only then can I choose the right piece for the job.
Fulfilling musicians’ expectations is an exciting. Exceeding them is magical.
My ability to combine unconventional solutions and shapes keeps me sharp.
Sometimes I even amaze myself,a wonderful feeling for any creative person.

If you stop getting better, perhaps you’ll soon stop being good.

THE ROAD TO CONSTRUCTION

The medium between the musician and the instrument has to be able to almost fade into the
background without losing his insight on the essentials. An overburdened or exaggerated product reduces
the joy of playing the instrument. I prefer functional, elegant solutions, no gimmicks. In my
experience an instrument that lies easily in the hand increases not only the enjoyment of
playing it but also creativity.
The instrument remains a tool,nothing more.

In the right hands though, the tool can become a magical weapon. As long, that is, as the musician
and the instrument harmonise with each other.

Give someone a good instrument and he can get better. Build a virtuoso HIS/HER instrument and
he/she will conquer the next dimension.

Instruments are like children, they must be nurtured. Sound only happens when fingers caress the
instrument and bring it to life. The musician and the instrument must fit together, if each of them
are to reach their limits. Anyone who can follow my line of thought is a gain for me and for music.

All of this, of course, has its price. Beauty and intent are invaluable,
an AUERSWALD is, you might say, a little expensive.

SOME THOUGHTS ON CONSTRUCTION

There is no point in just listing off the specifications to which I build my instruments. A design can be
influenced by different sorts of wood and any number of parameters. There is enough freedom there.
But: what about the SOUND? Creating THAT relies on conceptual decisions.

So lets take a look at some AUERSWALD concepts.

1. The Sustain Bow

Often copied and just as often misunderstood. The Auerswald Patent No. ??? ensures longer sustain.
The extra rigidity helps the sound to develop - the overtones harmonise better with all frequencies and
have a stabilising influence. Frequencies can either add together or, at the right moment, extinguish
each other.

These Instruments possess enormous attack. Adjustable connectors between the neck and the
sustainbow allow a whole variety of adjustments; but that would be giving away too many secrets...

2. Resonance-Chamber Instruments

This construction principle originates in traditional instrument making. A hollow instrument
reverberates differently than one with a solid body.

Today’s music business demands highest performance from instruments, often in a difficult environment.
An uncomplicated, easily processable, authentic acoustic sound is expected even under conditions where
high temperatures, humidity and unpredictable changes of all kinds are the rule rather than the exception.
Many acoustic instruments have therefore been subjected to radical and often pointless conversions,
which in the end only reduce their playability and the stability of their tuning.

So a new concept is needed. Resonance-Chamber Instruments: Pure acoustic sound for the next
millennium.Rich and sonorous. The top and back of the instrument contain open chambers which "catch"
and hold the tones and, vibrating like a membrane, amplify and enrich them. The harmonic co-operation
between the differently sized and formed chambers develops a distinctive and very special timbre.
The use of various materials, chosen according to individual taste, finishes off the instrument and gives it
its own personal touch.
The piezo pickup-system used has been specially developed by AUERSWALD for these instruments.
The tuneable/harmonisable bridge is also an AUERSWALD innovation.