The Guitars of Dake Traphagen

Dake Traphagen
P. O. Box 724
Bellingham, Washington 98227

Phone number: (360) 671-1017

Email: dake@traphagenguitars.com
WebSite: http://www.traphagenguitars.com

Models:

Concert Classicals
19th Century Guitars
Baroque Guitars--French and Italian

Projected waiting period for delivery:

Approximately 4 to 6 months

Sound the luthier is seeking:

I like a powerful, rich, strong bodied sound with clarity and even separation between notes. Singing trebles and deep bass.

Preferred sound wood:

Spruce and Cedar. I like both--they are very different in character.

Optional available sound woods:

I use Engelmann Spruce, European Spruce, and Red Cedar, only.

Preferred back/side wood:

1) Brazilian Rosewood
2) Honduras Rosewood
3) Indian Rosewood
4) Cypress

Optional available back/side woods:

Honduras Rosewood is excellent: a little darker than Brazilian in sound, yet it has more tonal character and color than East Indian Rosewood. Difficult to get in good quality.

Cypress is wonderful for classicals. Very rich and colorful in tone.

Preferred scale length:

65 cm

Optional available lengths:

I have built guitars with scales lengths from 63.5 cm to 66.5 cm.

Neck width (at nut):

53 mm at nut, 61 mm at 12th

Optional available neck widths (at nut):

Whatever a customer requires.

Thickness of neck (at first fret):

22 mm at the 1st fret, 24 mm at the 8th fret

Optional available neck thickness (at first fret):

Whatever a customer requires.

Other available options:

I usually use either Gilbert or Sloan tuners. Rodgers on special request.

I do make cutaways and occasionally install saddle type pickups.

Other comments:

I also build eight strings on a regular basis. My instruments are considered very powerful on stage and easy to play. They also record easily.

I have been building for over 20 years. I studied violin making for several years and worked in Europe with renowned lute and guitar maker, Nico van der Waals, and in Spain with Miguel Rodriguez. I've also made many steel strings. I currently concentrate on classicals, however. Mostly current, but some 19th century and Baroque guitars.

Visit the Traphagen web page for more information on his guitars.
Click here to visit Dake's personal page at http://www.traphagenguitars.com.

This page was originally created on 1/31/96 and was last updated on 4/28/08.

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