Please take the time to sign & view my guestbook
Michael Luis
I love to learn how to repay guilter.
Reply Back
Michael Luis
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
rendy
Friday, 23 October 2009
Fitri Arbi
Richard, I saw Peter Newnham on your guest book.
Peter, please find my email address : qiwing.arbi@gmail.com. After Brunei, I moved to US. Please drop me an email if you have sometime to catch up.
Tuesday, 08 September 2009
Ian Wickes
Anxious to learn more about your guitars.
Thursday, 03 September 2009
judi Thomson
Dear Richard,
The new website is amazing, the photos just fantastic.What a guitar maker you are.
Judi
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Peter Newnham
Hi Richard
I saw that Fitri Arbi a very graceful and talented player who I had the good fortune to play with in Brunei has signed your guest book. If you see this Fitri please contact me to catch up via Richards site if you like. I would also like to add my endorsement of Richards guitars the ones I have owned have stood the test of travel in a variety of punishing climates which just points out the wonderful structural integrity of his guitars. I saw a new one 2 months ago which I think is the best guitar I have ever heard
Regards
Peter Newnham
Melbourne
Tuesday, 07 July 2009
Allen Essensa
I was playing my 1997 (number 308) Howell today and thinking about how much I enjoy the guitar and its wonderful tone. I love this guitar and won't ever part with it. You've provided me countless hours of satisfaction through this fine instrument.
Monday, 22 June 2009
Jerry Greco
Richard, I have one of your guitars a 1998 no.324 cedar top.I love that
guitars sound.Are you doing anything with double tops in spruce?
Let me know when you get a chance.
Thanks, Jerry
Tuesday, 03 February 2009
Dr Chetan
I own a Magnificient Guitar no 408-Made in 2007,Cedar&Indian Rosewood-with Alessi Tuners&Thyua Burl Special Decoration.I have never heard such a loud Refined instrument with sweet sound&Delicious overtones.
It is Hyper responsive,and extremely easy to play as well.If one can afford,Richards instruments are the best,Bar None.
I am planning for my second instrument in spruce,and although i have 2-3 Builders in mind,Richard would come at the very top.
Sunday, 07 December 2008
Mauirce
Hey Richard, you know for sure that you are my biggest fan. Love Your guitars, love the one you graciously let me buy. What a work of art. You make not only the best sounding instruments, but you inject your soul into the wood and construction that makes your instruments live, and live beyond their time as trees that may not ever be noticed (or worse still, cut down and chipped for paper...rrr...)
Thanks for being a really good friend, teacher, mentor. It was in God's design for me that I should meet you. Maurice.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Cameron Wylie
I have one of your guitars and it is awesome.
Thursday, 07 August 2008
Paul Quinn
Thank you for the tour of how to make a beautiful guitar. That was very informative.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Fitri Arbi
I hope one day I would be able to own one of your guitars.
Thursday, 08 May 2008
Julian Cornish
Informative and an excellent introduction to the instruments and maker. Thanks.
Thursday, 08 May 2008
Joel Weinstein
I recently purchased a used Richard Howell guitar. Cedar/Brazilian Rosewood. 1997 # 309. I am facinated by the rich sound and playability of this guitar!!
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Robert
I just adopted S/N 277. It is a wonderful guitar. I just don't want to put it down. I enjoy my other guitars but there is something special about the Howell. Thanks for making such a remarkable instrument!
Thursday, 10 April 2008
David Holton
I am currently selling my 1973 Jose Ramirez 1a and have heard great things about your guitars.
Monday, 24 March 2008
Max Tonson Latour
Hi Richard: Still playing number 238 and 240. After 18 years they sound better than ever as I expected given they high quality of your craftsmanship. The introduction of an electric cutaway in your range is fantastic news and with your high standards many professional guitarist wil no doubt appreciate what could possibly be the best in the entire market while being suitable for classical and semi classical/latin american and jazz music trends. Thank you for making guitars that are to treasure for ever and to create instruments that allow the musician to perform at any level. You have made through the years my many hours of practice a real pleasure and could have not reached the standard I have without my Richard Howell's guitars. God bless you and your family for beeing such a dedicated man to your craft and to my opinion the greatest luthier in Australia.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Daniel Ciurleo
Hey Richard,
As the proud owner of the very guitar on your homepage, No.405, I just want to say how happy I am that I am once again playing, and once again playing a 'Richard Howell' ( I also had No.150 as a young and rather naive high school student ).
Thanks again Richard, I have alot to be grateful to you for.
Daniel
Wednesday, 02 January 2008
Richard Howell
You are so much cooler of a Richard Howell than I. The day is yours my friend...for now.
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Lee Sloan
hello Richard, i have a Howell Tores Ornate guitar and have had it for probably 10 years. the number on the guitar is 245 and made in 1992. my dad picked it up at an auction when i was very little. i don't know why someone would have wanted to give this guitar away!! i love it. the sound, its quite pure.
please continue making these guitars, even if mine is quite old. thanks again.
Lee Sloan
Monday, 11 June 2007
Rick Holubnytschyj
The guitars look great , look foward to hearing from you on price
cheers Rick
Thursday, 03 May 2007
Robert Chavez Acuña
Beautiful Guitars !!
Friday, 20 April 2007
Josh Avleling
Thanks Richard! Have been playing No.355 since 2001 and couldn't ask for more! Keep up the good work!
Monday, 16 April 2007
Julian Cornish
Beautiful tone, ( sample tracks).
When I am able to consider an instrument I will enquire further.
Sunday, 18 February 2007
Martin Dunleavy
Thank you Richard! I've been the owner/player of your #63, (built in 1981, Adelaide) for about 20 years now....20 years of pure joy.The sound it produces is totally awesome!Excellence that never ceases to amaze me every day. Thank you!
(Question: When did you stop making your guitars in Adelaide before moving to Victoria?)
Monday, 05 February 2007
Jeff Rinkoff
i have just spent the first week with my new howell torres. while i have never played a torres, this guitar is fantastic!...and it is only a few weeks old, although the timbers are 50 to 80 years old. the guitar has wonderful balance, great separation, a very wide tonal range, incredible warmth, a broad dynamic range, remaining penetrating and dense at piano or less and capable of being pushed quite loudly even with the low tension strings currently on the guitar. i have had the opportunity to spend extended periods of time with hauser II, fleta, friederich, and blochinger guitars, and believe the howell torres to be better than many of these great guitars. if i had to spend the rest of my life with one of these, it would be the howell torres. the workmanship of the ornate model is gorgeous. if you have any reservations about acquiring a howell torres, i would say that if i had not acquired this guitar, i would have missed out on one of the most beautiful classical guitars in my life. i think richard should keep making the torres even when the old timbers are gone. richard you are a genius and i thank you for your commitment to the art and tradition and for making such a wonderful guitar. don't miss it. richard may never make these again.
Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Jonathan Gogh
I feel I have really nothing else to say about your artwork #396,in virtue of a couple of the "big names" I've ever owned up for ten grands USD,I think I can and I must to say,the #396 is undoubted the best one in almost every point,thanks a lot for your hand works Richard,I think I will definitely order the second one from you in this year...
Jonathan Gogh
Sunday, 18 June 2006
Rob Hillerman
Hi Richard and Kate.I know,I know,I'm late in posting this,but at 68 "the mills grind slowly" as the saying goes.Richard,I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the "process and procedures"undergone,since my initial conversation with you in August of 2005.Having been fortunate enough to meet with you and Kate and inundate you with a thousand and one questions,all of which you patiently answered,I found the acquisition of my guitar a journey of great expectation,and an experience and reward far beyond my expectations.From the hours we spent selecting woods, to the discussions of action preferences;to the updates of construction photographs and final delivery....all contributed to the experience of now owning a most wonderful instrument.
Having now,played my cedar top,daily for 9 months I am still in awe of its ability to improve,(particularly after the first month).As with many a fine instrument the initial settling period was on occasions,a little frustrating.You warned me of this and following your advice to be patient,I am now rewarded with an ongoing maturity in all facets of our most loved instrument.It just seems to go on improving.Quite extraordinary really.I had initially thought that a cedar guitar would mature completely in 6 months.Wrong again.It just keeps getting clearer,louder,sweeter in every way.
I thank you for your patience,advice and the friendly manner in which my guitar was created.It has been a privilege to meet up with you and Kate,and to own one of your instruments.I wish I had the ability to extract its true potential.
Please provide anyone who would like to discuss your guitar ,my email.I would gladly tell them of my experience.Fond regards to yourself,Kate and Ben,(who so patiently created some excellent photos of construction stages....Rob H.
Saturday, 21 October 2006
Dr.Chetan S.Khurana
truely a master luthier& an extraordinarly perfect gentleman-very humble despite his status-i have sound clips of at least 50 guitars with me some of them well known names,but i have yet to find such a sound even in the "Enquire" range in fancy hi-end guitar salons.
i would unhesitatingly buy one from him-which i would do after i reject all the"Nice" guitars i would be seeing in europe shortly-NOV/DEC
Friday, 06 October 2006
Bernard Barisic
I have recently ordered Richard's Ornate Torres model. After months of exhaustive research of luthiers, I happily decided on the Torres homage. I fully expect the Torres model to transport me back in time to a more romantic period, the era of Tarrega. I am positive the beauty of the sound will match or exceed the tremedously beautiful look of the guitar.
Like I said it's more than a guitar, it's a time machine. I can't wait!!
Monday, 02 October 2006
Tom Becker (Nebraska)
Richard,
It has been a long time. Your site looks great! Your instruments look fantastic; I could almost smell your shop. I often think of the time we went to Guitar Week together. I do hope you are well.
Your friend, Tom
Saturday, 16 September 2006
Orson Gawne
Great site, great pictures and great guitars...what more could you want?
Tuesday, 22 August 2006
Mark Linton-Smith
Hi Richard! I am the owner of #122, and have enjoyed its beautiful sounds for the 10 years or so I have owned it. My son has taken up guitar and covets it greatly. It is used constantly and always delivers a beautiful result.
Tuesday, 13 June 2006
Steve Bunck
Exquisite
Thursday, 20 April 2006
Rob Murphy
An American guitarist writing on the DelaCamp site descibed his Howell's (Australian) Torres as trully outstanding. I try my hand with a Kim Hancock, and we both seem to like each other but I feel I need to get another guitar if only to keep one at standard tuning - hence my visit. Great site, wonderful guitars.
Rob - Gisborne, Victoria
Saturday, 11 March 2006
Salvatore Di Mauro
Great Site... And incredible Guitars I found this site by accident, looking for Guitar tuning heads, and fell in love with your guitars, and sound they produce. I own a 2004 Jose ramirez 1a and I love Classical guitars. I have seen a lot of great guitars, and yours rank as one of the top instruments in the world. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and please keep making these great guitars....
Sunday, 26 February 2006
Lawrence Tse
I feel extremely priveleged to be the owner of a Howell guitar which is an authentic re-creation of an 1864 guitar by the great Spanish master, Torres. This was only made possible with the true mastery of completely hand-made method and quest for excellence and integrity of Richard Howell. This "Torres model" guitar has a top made from the finest German spruce and the back and sides are premium old-growth Brazilian rosewood with authentic traditional varnish. The resulting sound from the guitar is sweet with singing clarity and, despite its small size, it projects well in an average sized concert hall without amplification. Although this is a brand new guitar (2005) its sound has already opened up as remarked by a great Canadian guitar player and another Hong Kong guitar master recently. I've got relatively small hands and yet the guitar is incredibily easily to play. It is also an amazingly beautiful piece of art and craft!
Friday, 10 February 2006
Alan and Coral
As a guitarist who owns four Howell guitars, I can absolutely vouch for their integrity, playability and exquisite variety of tone colour. I have played and owned dozens of guitars by famous makers, from Rubios to Fletas to Ramirez to Miguel Rodrigues, etc... but when teaching, recording and composing, I return again and again to my Howell guitars as, in my opinion, they surpass all of the others. I bought my first Howell cedar-top in 1979 and my most recent one only last year: the beautiful ornate Torres model. I have appreciated the workmanship and sound of Howell guitars since that very first purchase 27 years ago but I must say that the Torres model is the best instrument I have played anywhere, anytime. Richard, you are a true master! Thank you for being an inspiration: you deserve greater recognition for your contribution to the classical guitar. You truly understand the way it should be made and the way it should sound.
Sunday, 05 February 2006
Rafael Jimenez
I love my 1993 guitar. It's so powerfull and sweet sounding, and very confortable to play.
Friday, 23 December 2005
Joseph Adamson
And the magic of the sound,
like an ancient spell
Turning its way
Distant memories
Once lost
Now found.
Thursday, 17 November 2005
Rob Hillerman
congrats ....informative,interesting and complete.
Sunday, 28 August 2005
Joseph Butler
Dear Richard,
I found your web site to be well designed and very informative. The audio clips and "The Art of Listening" section were especially good.
Regards, Joseph Butler
Wednesday, 03 August 2005
Top
I've now been playing one of Richard's cedar/Indian guitars (#386 2005) for a number of months and enjoy it tremendously. While I will not attempt to describe the sonorous effect produced by this wonderful guitar, as this has been done well by others commenting on his work, I will say that its aesthetics are beyond compare. The proportions, materials, finish and craftsmanship combine to make Richard's #386 a true work of art. And the instrument is a delight to play. I wish my own skill could be improved suffeciently to take full advantage of this terrific classical guitar.
Tuesday, 12 July 2005
Hannah
guiters r great!
well done benny on the site!!!!!!!!!!! from hannah banana
Thursday, 17 February 2005
Peter Morgenroth
G'day Richard
Glad to see you finally got your website up. Nice job Ben! The 10-string still works- Amazing!
Friday, 11 February 2005
Bernd Hermanski
i have not had the pleasure of playing one of your guitars, but would love to try one...
Wednesday, 02 February 2005
David Johnston
Hi Richard I have no.94 from 1983, has had lots of wear and tear but still going strong. Have had many hundreds of hours playing this Baby.
Thanks and best regards, David.
Thursday, 06 January 2005
Daniel Ciurleo
My biggest regret was having to sell my Richard Howell guitar no 157. It saw me through many a performance of Albeniz and Granados. Well, I'm back buying another!
Friday, 12 November 2004
Peter Laimins
Two years ago, a guitarist friend of mind invited me to join him as he visited a local high-end guitar store (GSI in Santa Monica). Though I had very little guitar playing experience, and no plans to buy a guitar, I joined him, and spent three hours sampling guitars by Hauser, Contreras, Howell, Alhambra, Conde Hermanos, Jose Ramirez, etc. At the time, these names meant nothing to me, but I kept returning to Richard's Cedar-top guitar. The richness and balance of sound (and color) were unmatched, and I left that evening with #313('97) in my passenger seat. For almost 2 years, I've been with a great teacher (one of the LAGQ!), and the guitar sounds and looks better every day. Thanks, Richard.....glad to have found your website! Now I look forward to rainy days (like today) here at the beach in So. California.
Saturday, 21 February 2004