August 8, 2005

From Cremona to Campbell: Great luthiers live on

Campbell guitar maker Josh Howell draws famous clients

By Jennifer Robertson
Staff Writer

More than 250 years ago, in the city of Cremona, Italy, Antonio Stradivari perfected his craft as a luthier, or a maker of stringed instruments.

David Forsyth (left) and Josh Howell met at a guitar building class that Howell ended up teaching. Their business will celebrate its one-year anniversary in September.

While he made a variety of instruments, he is most famous for his violins, which are considered the best in the world and have sold for as much as $1.6 million. Today, scientists are still trying to discover the “secrets” of Stradivari’s violins.

If you visit Josh Howell in his shop in Campbell, you might get a glimpse of Stradivari’s world. He makes everything by hand, piece by piece, using methods that are centuries old. But you won’t see him making violins. Howell’s passion is the guitar and perfection is his goal.

“I want to build the best guitars in the world,” said Howell.

Howell’s passion for the guitar stems from his love of blues music. He began playing the harmonica at age 13 and the guitar at 15. He has performed in Oakland and Santa Cruz, and he currently plays the guitar with a band called Moj, which practices once a week.

It’s no surprise then, that he targets people who are “impossible to please,” particularly professional musicians and collectors. Retail prices range from $5,500 – $11,000. Since many of the retail shops do not sell higher-end guitars, Howell sells to “guitar salons” that usually sell by appointment only. He also sells to individuals over the Internet, and anyone can contact him regarding purchasing a guitar.

In addition to building Howell & Forsyth guitars, Howell has his own signature line called J. Howell. Only Howell makes these guitars. The others, sold under the brand name Howell & Forsyth, may be at least partially made by someone working under his supervision.

The mystery behind the music
While many of the stringed instruments produced today are manufactured, Howell uses the traditional Spanish technique of building the guitar by using a solera. This sets the neck angle and has the contours built into it, allowing the maker to build it all as one piece.

And as unique as fingerprints, no two guitars are alike, particularly if they are handcrafted. “Each piece of the guitar is handcrafted and made for that guitar,” explained David Forsyth, co-owner of Howell & Forsyth.

The most common technique is to build the body and neck separately and then glue them together. “This is not as organic of a process,” explained Howell.

When you build it as one complete structure, there are no joints, so the sound is better. But this way is harder and more expensive. Instead of cranking out 400 guitars a month, they can only make four or five, but with the hiring of additional help, the shop should be able to produce eight to twelve.

Each instrument is as unique as an individual person

Howell learned his craft from a classical guitar luthier in Felton and built guitars for five years. He was lucky in that, unlike most luthier apprentices, he was able learn to build whole guitars rather than just pieces. After building at least 100 guitars, he decided to open a shop with Forsyth, who has a background in making furniture.

In addition to technique, the wood also affects the tone and overall quality of the guitar. Howell uses high-quality wood, much of which is imported, such as Spanish cedar, Brazilian rosewood, African and Honduran mahogany and Malaysian blackwood. One of his favorite guitars is made of redwood that was submerged in water for about 200 years.

The top wood is the most important part of the guitar because that is where the strings vibrate, transmitting the sound. To have a good tone, the guitar must be made of a soft, high-quality wood, Howell explained.

Coniferous woods work best, such as spruce. “Loose” woods allow the sound to vibrate, whereas hardwoods, such as maple and rosewood, give the back and sides the durability and strength needed. On a strung guitar, there is about 170 pounds of string tension.

The higher-end guitars are made from Brazilian rosewood, which comes from the stumps of rainforest trees and are therefore much more expensive to make. The top wood is also made from a higher-grade wood, allowing for a better tonal quality. There is more detailed work on the guitar and it is more decorative.

Famed French guitarist is one of Howell’s customers
Philippe Bertaud, a guitarist from France who has won worldwide recognition, is one of Howell’s most loyal customers. He met Howell three years ago at a show in L.A. when Howell handed him a guitar for him to play. The guitar had a “balanced sound, giving the guitarist total control of the instrument, which allows a huge range of expression,” he explained. “I’ve played several guitars with famous names and famous brands, and this was the best guitar I ever played.”

But what makes Howell’s guitars better than other handcrafted guitars? Does he have some secret technique? Bertaud explained that some luthiers have “tricks,” such as special materials that allow them to create a guitar with good projection and tone. But he doesn’t think Howell has a mysterious formula. “He doesn’t have any tricks. He just has a lot of talent and that’s it.”

And now, nearly a year since the shop opened, Howell & Forsyth plan to hire additional help. “Every day, we realize how lucky we are to be able to do this,” said Forsyth.

But will Howell reach his goal of producing the best guitars in the world and follow in the footsteps of other great luthiers? Bertaud thinks so. “He’s already the best in the world,” he said confidently.

For more information, contact Josh Howell or David Forsyth at howellandforsyth@sbcglobal.net.