Client Testimonials
Chris Herrod :
"People come to the Healdsburg Guitar Festival expecting to see the best of the best in the world of guitarmaking. Kathy has immerged from being a great builder to a luthier of great distinction, presenting original instruments of impressive beauty and powerful musicality. Her display is one of the few that people clamor to get to first. If she decided not to exhibit with us, we might have to cancel the whole thing!!".
Chris Herrod Director,
Healdsburg Guitar Festival
Bill D :
Kathy, I really wanted to take a few moments and let you know about the wonderful guitar you built for me. It truly is a privilege to hold such an amazing guitar in my hands. When we first talked about the tone I was looking for, warmth but not muddy, chiming trebles but not harsh or brittle, substantial mids but not overbearing, round and warm bass but not overpowering, wonderful balance across all strings, I had no idea how well you would meet my ideal. All I can say is "thank you!" Your recommendation of the swiss spruce top and the brazilian back and sides makes for a guitar that not only met my hopes, it has exceeded them.
I cannot thank you enough for building me such an exquisite guitar. I knew you were building me a very special guitar, and my confidence and trust in you was underscored and amplified when I first opened the case. The swiss spruce top is beautiful -- such a rich and clean color with wonderful silkiness. The brazilian is jaw dropping gorgeous, and I love the flamed koa binding and bevel. It is a perfect combination.
But, not only is it beautiful to behold, it is wonder-filled to play -- and that's the true measure of my Model F--its sound. I continue to be amazed each time I pick it up to play. And when others hear my Wingert, they marvel at the wonderfully rich sound. Thank you for giving my guitar so much of yourself, and selecting just the right combination of woods to create such lovely sound.
Bill D
Portland, OR
Stephen Bennett - Recording artist and much more
"My Kathy Wingert harp guitar is an instrument exquisite to behold and an absolute delight to play, both in terms of how it feels to play it and the sound that flows forth. The tone is fat and rich and round and full and sweet and strong all at the same time. Those qualities are consistent from the lowest sub-bass (tuned as low as an E one octave below the standard 6th string) all the way to the highest frets of the first string (which - thanks to the elegant cutaway - I can easily reach)!"
Pat Kirtley - National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion:
"Some guitars play great, some guitars look fabulous, some have a powerful, balanced sound. Some makers, like Kathy Wingert, create guitars with all those qualities at once. Her designs demonstrate the merging of music and visual art executed with flair, fine workmanship, and superb attention to detail"
Steve Kaufman - Three time national flatpicking champion:
"Kathy Wingert is a luthier whose craftsmanship can only be equaled by her pride in excellence. She builds a heck of a box."
Cosy Sheridan - Singer/Songwriter:
"Kathy Wingert's dreadnought guitars are terrific! I love them! They have a deep, resonant response, they can fingerppick and flatpick, and on top of that they're beautiful pieces of art."
From Jody B,
Kathy, I’ve had my custom E for about six months now, and I don’t think I’ve missed a single day playing it. The entire design process was so rewarding. From the moment you sent photos of that gorgeous cocobolo, I knew I was looking at what would eventually become my next guitar. You led me through all the steps of deciding on a top wood, the binding, bevel, tuners, and so many other things I hadn’t even thought about. You knew exactly what I needed in a great fingerstyle guitar, even when I didn’t! The end result was simply amazing - the perfect guitar for my music.
As I’ve played it over the last six months, I can honestly say I’ve become a better player. Listening - really listening - to the tones and overtones brought out by the beautiful European spruce and that stunning cocobolo has sharpened my ear when it comes to discovering the sounds I want in my music. I have other excellent instruments and each one has its own personality and tone but this guitar is truly something special. I find myself choosing songs that are right for it, arrangements highlight its lyrical voice for the best effect. It’s such a balanced guitar in that the highs, mids, and lows all come through clearly and cleanly. I love playing harp-style arrangements on it as those pieces just ring and fill the air so beautifully on this guitar. The sustain never ends!
Moondream, as I call her, has truly inspired me. I’m composing for the first time, trying to write to bring out the beauty that’s inside this special instrument. She lets me express the sounds I’m hearing better than any guitar I’ve had the privilege to bring home.
As special as her voice and woods are, it was Jimmi’s exquisite inlay made this my guitar. As we discussed, the heron and feather had personal significance to me. I knew I wanted them on the guitar, but I’m far from being an artist, so had no idea how to carry the theme out gracefully and tastefully. Jimmi has that vision, and she outdid herself on this inlay. Every time I look at the design, I see new colors and nuances, and I marvel at how she can create such beauty from so many tiny pieces of shell and wood. Everyone who has seen Moondream is completely amazed by that inlay. Talent definitely runs in your family!
I understand that there are people who don’t get attached to their guitars, who view them as a tool, frequently selling and trading. Though I’ve sold a few guitars as I’ve brought home others, I’m definitely not one of those players. I have no doubt that this guitar is a once in a lifetime instrument but more than that, Moondream is a guitar for a lifetime.
Thank you, Kathy and Jimmi, for transforming a dream into such a perfect reality.
Jody B
Georgia
Good Morning Kathy,
Just a quick note to introduce myself as the purchaser of the African Blackwood FVC from Robin Weber at Guitar Gallery. It is the first guitar of yours that I've owned, though I have wanted one for a long time. It's a special instrument and as I'm sure you hear from all first time Wingert owners, you are an inspiring artist and talent. I have generally sold most of my vintage instruments because of guitars like yours. In addition to it's tone and playability, hummingbirds have had special meaning to my wife and I over the thirty-eight years we've been married. Your daughter's contribution to this instrument's beauty must be a source of great pride for you.
Thanks for what you do
Rick L
I have a 2002 Wingert Model E that I adore. When I decided that I wanted a harp guitar I knew I wanted that Wingert sound in that form. I got my Wingert harp guitar in 2007 and fell in love again. As if that wasn't enough, I found one of Kathy's Model F baritone guitars at Healdsburg in 2009 and fell in love again. The Model F is bigger than her Model E but still quite a comfortable size for me and the sound is huge. It is rich and full but still with tremendous clarity even in the lowest range. If you want to hear a Wingert Model F baritone in action, check out Tony McManus' CD The Maker's Mark.
Frank D
California
I love my Wingert Model E,
Kathy made a 12 fret Model E cutaway for me back in 2004 - I love this guitar in every respect - tone that is both sweet and deep, exquisite playability, and top-notch craftsmanship. I play it every day and it just gets better! Kathy was great to work with and knew what questions to ask me so I could hone in on exactly what I wanted. As a result, I have an instrument that fits me on every level and makes me a better player. And the inlay by Jimmi Wingert on the headstock has added the perfect personal touch I was looking for. Simply great guitars from a great luthier!
Jayne S
California
Best custom build experience ever - highly recommended!!
My custom Wingert Model F is my dream guitar. In addition to Kathy's amazing skills as a luthier, she also has the ability to transform your spoken and written wishes for your custom guitar and form them into a playable reality that exceeds your expectations. My Model F features a beautiful Italian spruce top and Vietnamese rosewood back/sides, chosen because my wife is Vietnamese and I am Italian. Every aspect of my Model F is top-notch, from the grain and coloration of the woods, to its appointments, to its fit and finish, and finally to its tone. Even though I've had my model F for several years, playing it still involves frequently stopping to admire what Kathy made me.
One of the joys of a custom-built instrument is how well it fits the player, which is not a surprise as it was built to their specs. In addition to having proportions that fit my playing style to a T, my model F offers a voice and reponsiveness that are unequalled by my other guitars. It is especialy evident when miked on stage - its projection and range are simply amazing.
I am especially fond of older 12-fret dreadnoughts, and will confess to initially feeling my Wingert Model F was something of a gamble since it was totally unlike my usual or preferred size. Writing to, talking with, and ultimately meeting Kathy gave me the opportunity to see her building vision, which is to give her customers the most playable and best-sounding instruments she can. One guitar at a time. I was able to play several of her guitars and was amazed by the tone and response each one offered across all her body sizes. Once I saw the selection of tonewoods I would be choosing from, I was sold. The Model F just nosed out the Model E for me as my choice, but getting a Wingert Model E is still on my list. I will probably have to wait a little longer this time around, but it will be worth the wait. I also hope my next Wingert can feature some of Kathy's daughter Jimmi's amazing inlay work.
Tony P
New York
I carried the sound of my ideal guitar in my head for years and few came close. My 2002 Wingert Model E actually sounds better than that former ideal. That goal accomplished, my mind wandered to other sounds with which to express myself. The end result brought Kathy's 1st harp guitar and a Model F baritone into my life. All of Kathy's guitars are exceptional in terms or build quality, appearance, playability, and tone. Having Jimmi on hand to provide exquisite inlay work is the icing on the cake.
Frank D
Short and Sweet
I have one of Kathy's model E guitars (love it) and two harp guitars (love 'em). I play them every day and can't live without them.
Pete B
California
Model E
I own a model E with an amazing Cambodian rosewood for back and sides since 2004. I have played it intensively. At home, on stage, in studio. I still remember the first times when I had it. It was a very special feeling. Something like discovering a new universe from which you cannot find the end. I won't speak about craftsmanship. Don't need to do it. What I want to say is that this guitar became a part of my music. Its one of a kind sound is now a kind of Fouquet's sound signature. Music is still coming like flowing out of it, out of me, out of us. Deep, deep emotion. I would never have imagined something like that could be possible.
Philippe Fouquet
France
Wingert Model E Grand Concert Model
After meeting Kathy Wingert and playing several of her instruments at the 2005 Healdsburg Guitar Show, I commissioned a Model E to be made with some Cuban Mahogany that had been in my family' control since 1910. My grandfather served in Cuba during the Spanish American War of 1898 and returned there in connection with his job as a "fine hardwood" importer headquartered in Cincinnati. Cuban Mahogany has been a choice of 18th and 19th Century cabinet makers like Thomas Chippendale and Duncan Phyfe, but it has been very hard to source in America since about 1940. Kathy is clearly a world class wood worker and luthier,so the combination of this extensively air dried material with her guitar building sensitivity yielded an extraordinary instrument. The tone of my Model E amplifies the "sweetness" one expects in Honduran Mahogany because the Cuban is 20% denser. It has power and clarity approaching that of a Rosewood guitar without being "harsh". Kathy had the experience and requisite skill set to make this project a huge success from both an aesthetic and functional point of view, and I would encourage anyone in the market for a special instrument to meet Kathy and play her guitars. After I am finished playing this one, it will be passed along to future generations of the family.
David A
Kathy Wingert's creations
I don't have one of Kathy's E models - not yet anyway! I do have a harp guitar that she lovingly built for me. It's a gem. Period.
Well, actually - so is Kathy.
Stephen Bennett
Wingert E
Over the many (many!) decades I have played guitar, I have had the opportunity to play numerous fine instruments. All of these faded into a dull, colorless background once I played a Wingert E. My particular guitar was lovingly built by Kathy Wingert with Italian spruce top and cocobolo side/back. It was exquisitely enhanced with a unique headstock and rosette inlay, executed with a combination of preternatural artistry and skill by Jimmi Wingert. The guitar practically commands me to take a moment to admire its esthetics before I begin to play. As impossible as it would seem, this instrument "plays" better that it looks! Its responsiveness, unique resonance, perfect ergonomics, and some kind of pure magic still, after several years, make me listen to my own music as if it were being played by a far better musician than I am. I feel uniquely blessed to own/play this guitar. Moreover, I am both humbled and privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Kathy and her daughter, Jimmi. In summary, Wingert E guitar--a remarkable instrument built by a remarkable person, made all the more exquisite by Jimmi (Kathy's daughter).
Doctor Bob
California
The best all around guitar(at least for me)
I own and play a Wingert E since 2003 and it is the best all around guitar I ever played(and I played a lot). It is an inspiration every time I pick it up. Kathy simply builds the most wonderfull guitars and I can´t wait to get my next one!
Michael G
Germany
Kathy Wingert Model E
After interviewing dozens of luthiers and playing hundreds of very hi-end guitars, I decided to have Kathy Wingert build my first custom guitar. Her instruments have a rare and special quality that is supremely resonant, yet surprisingly playable. It's been an amazing experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Skip J
California
My Kathy Wingert Model F
I own an amazing 2010 Kathy Wingert Model F in Cuban Mahogany and Adirondack Spruce. It also sports a one of a kind Jimmi Wingert headstock inlay that Kathy and I dreamed up, but that Jimmi flawlessly delivered. This is a one of a kind dream guitar that delivers on stage and off. Kathy's work is second to none. I'm thrilled to own one of her amazing custom guitars!
Svea
California
From Michael in Oklahoma
What a wonderful (Concert Muse) you have made for your 100th guitar! I am proud and privileged to have it. The first thing I noticed was the Carpathian top. Wow! It is the finest I have seen, too. And I like the Ryan-style bevel very much. Jimmi's rosette is beautifully simple and very liquid. Then I checked out the African Blackwood, which is very nice, indeed. Just as I had hoped for. The overall look is elegant simplicity.
I tuned it up to DADGAD and could hardly stop playing it. The tone is loud, bright, and complex. Tons of sustain. And pretty well balanced for a brand new guitar. This one is fun to play right out of the box! The setup is ideal and the neck feels like an old friend.
It is also surprisingly heavy, because of the AB, and feels very substantial for a small bodied guitar. Because of its playability, feel, and tone, I am not sure what the point is in having a larger guitar."
Michael B
Oklahoma
From Philippe in France
I have a model E Cambodian rosewood/engelman spruce which is really great. It sounds different than any other guitar I ever played. There is always something special happening in the sound while playing. It is always surprising me. It is so much expressive that I find strong emotions with it and a great pleasure to play.
Philippe Fouquet
France
I find it pretty hard to put in words what´s really special about your guitars. What sets them apart from other high end guitars is the playability and neck feel(I´ve never played a guitar with medium strings with such a left hand feeling) and even more important their ability to express what you feel and want to express in that moment without ever loosing their own character.
Your instruments have a female musicality that hardly(or even impossible) any man can ever reach. I always tell my wife that I can feel and hear that your guitars are build by a woman whose heart and soul is filled with life and music.
Michael G
Germany
Fran Guidry:
My E has a big full bass out of proportion to its size. The trebles on my Wingert are thick and round. The other characteristic that Kathy strives for is wide dynamic range. She's a trained classical player and has a feel for building a guitar that goes from a whisper to a full throated shout.
Fran Guidry
Walnut Creek, CA
Mike Crixell - Acoustic Players Magazine:
I loved your work from the time I picked up one of your guitars for the first time. You bring integrity to your builds and signature tone. APM'ers will appreciate what you do as they learn more, and APM'ers are perpetually hungry to learn more.
Stephen H:
I recently purchased #5 of 10 of your Dream series E from Paul at Dream Guitars. I am absolutely in love with the workmanship, the guitar's aesthetics, its sound and its playability. All the best and many thanks for building my awesome Wingert guitar!
And three more stories:
Hal's is the story of a man who had to dig deep to let go of a huge loss, and like many, his guitar was meant for more than just playing.
Jayne's experience of being new to guitar world, but choosing to take a deep breath and plunge right in.
Frank Doucette describes the process of the ordering and building THE FIRST WINGERT HARP GUITAR
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