Zimnicki Guitars

Here's an interesting contrast. Two of my current projects are a 1960ish SG style solid body electric guitar with a glued in neck, and an 1830ish Viennese, Stauffer- style classical guitar with an adjustable neck.

Making the slanted bridge and getting the string spacing right is a big challenge, but this multi-scale dreadnought is almost ready for lacquer.

Here is another chance to win a guitar built in my shop. It is an old Martin 000-18 kit, which is no longer available. The kit was an extra from one of my last classes at SBWI.

Friends of the school and Zimnicki Guitars lovers know what time it is. 🎸

We are raffling off a stunning, handmade acoustic guitar crafted by luthiers Gary Zimnicki and Jeffrey Kline.

Tickets are just $5 each or 5 for $20, with proceeds supporting SBWI programs. Valued at over $4,000, the guitar is on display at SBWI, where tickets can also be purchased in person.

The winner will be drawn on May 30 at 7 PM during the 2026 Wood Design commencement ceremony. Ticket link in the comments.

At the Artisan Guitar Show last weekend, I again had the honor to build and present a guitar to the Bucky Pizzarelli Award recipient This year 's honoree was the legendary John Sebastian, whom I have come to know as a warm, funny and fascinating person, in addition to being a humble icon of the 1960s music scene. John told me he wanted a baritone guitar for the Award, which I was very happy to build. I love baritone guitars and think every serious guitar player should have one. The instrument I built is a big one: 17" wide, almost 5" deep, with a 27 5/8" scale. It has a Sitka spruce top and sinker mahogany back and sides.
Here are a few pictures.

Gibson introduced the L5 model in late 1922 or early 1923. It was a revolutionary guitar, in that is was the first production instrument to feature f-holes, a graduated carved top and back, an elevated fretboard, and a floating bridge with a trapeze tailpiece. At its introduction, the guitar had a 16" lower bout and the soundboard was "parallel" braced. The design is credited to Lloyd Loar.
I just finished this, my second 16" early L5 style guitar. It is not intended to be an exact replica of a Gibson--unlike the Gibson, my sunburst was sprayed, plus the bindings are Satinwood instead of plastic and my pickguard is ebony, not nitrocellulose--but it is intended to pay tribute to these early archtops that established the standard for some many guitars to follow.
I will be bringing this guitar with me to the Artisan Guitar Show this coming weekend in Harrisburg, PA. It is 16" wide with a parallel braced Adirondack spruce soundboard and curly yellow birch back and sides. (George Gruhn told me that all of the Loar-signed L5 guitars had birch backs and sides, so I thought I would give it a try.)

Attaching the rosewood back for a new classical guitar.

Sound hole for a new guitar. Ceylon Satinwood with black and maple lines.

Ceylon Satinwood binding with ebony, maple and mahogany purflings against a sinker mahogany back and side set.

Here are a few more pictures of the dreadnought in progress