Jim Redgate – Australia

Choose between quintessential Australian style lattice braced guitars, or superb contemporary composite (double) top guitars:

My hands down number one selling guitar for years now. Incredible volume, stunning tone, and playability that is so comfortable one has to check just to be certain they are actually playing a Classical Guitar. Ana Vidovic borrowed one to play for a concert and was so impressed that she literally walked off the stage and called me to order one of her own. Jim has kindly selected Classic Guitars International as the sole source of Jim Redgate guitars worldwide…

Odair Assad acquired a new Jim Redgate Cedar Double top guitar to record a solo album. When we spoke Odair was extremely pleased with his Redgate double top, in particular the richly beautiful tone, rapid responsiveness, and excellent volume. He says he plans to play the Redgate for any solo recordings or solo concerts that he may perform. Jim’s double tops are among the finest in the world, and it has taken him years of experimenting and development to achieve this result.   Ana Vidovic on the other hand, favors Jim’s lattice braced guitar, she says: “It is my privilege to announce that from now on, I will be exclusively playing an amazing guitar made by Jim Redgate. Couple of months ago, I played a concert and was given his guitar only a couple of hours before the performance to try it out. I was so impressed with it that I decided to take it onstage and played the entire concert with it. I called Chris Kamen from Classic Guitars International, and ordered one for myself. When I got it and began to play, I immediately knew that this was the instrument that I want to be playing for a long time. The most amazing thing was the sound that had so much power and beauty and that it was so easy to play. I felt like I could just make music and not worry about the projection. This guitar has it all. I’m very, very happy to be able to have an opportunity to play this beautiful instrument and I wish to thank Jim for doing such a wonderful job with it.”- Ana Vidovic   Both Jim and I would like to thank Ana and Odair for their kind words, and we are grateful that these fine artists share our feelings about Jim’s instruments. All of Jim’s instruments are now available exclusively through Classic Guitars International. Please contact me about delivery times, pricing, and options.

Jim has been building for nearly 30 years in Adelaide Australia . His guitars are rich with his own innovations and are extraordinarily unique instruments, creating a style and sound truly all their own. His solid top lattice braced guitars have the braceless, parabolic arched back and sides. This design reduces stress on the soundboard by transferring much of the string force to the body of the instrument which allows the soundboard to move more freely and results in a powerful, rich, even tone. The soundboard is thicker than that of a Smallman, but somewhat thinner than a Fleta for example, and is supported by a highly refined carbon fiber honeycomb/lattice braced system.

Jim Redgate lattice braced guitars:

If you could somehow mate a Smallman with its deep powerful projection and focus, and a Fleta, with its rich Spanish tone, the offspring would be a Redgate lattice braced concert guitar like Ana Vidovic plays. And equally as intriguing is this: if you could somehow mate a Cedar soundboard with a Spruce one, again you would have an idea of the Redgate tone: a soundboard that possesses the qualities of both woods: warm yet bright, excellent sustain yet clarity of individual notes. Very bold and powerful guitars that can fill any concert hall with ease. And, as Ana points out, Jim’s guitars are so easy to play. Jim attended the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide and studied with John Della-Torre and Jason Waldron. This is apparent when you feel the exquisite shape and refinement of the neck- only a player could accomplish this level of comfort and ease.

Jim Redgate composite (double) top guitars:

 Jim’s fan braced double top guitars are light and resonant, powerful and responsive. They have a beautiful tonal character that is pure Redgate, reminiscent of Dammann but not a Dammann copy at all, instead, Jim has created his own unique and haunting personality for these concert level instruments. The top is doubled, joined under vacuum pressure and separated by a thin Kevlar material known as ‘Nomex’ usually. These double top guitars have excellent sustain, warmth and complex ‘colors’ are present in the notes with resonances that harmonize beautifully due to the care with which Jim tunes the tops and the backs of his guitars. The double top comes standard with an elevated fingerboard and twelve hole tie block. Soundboards are master grade Cedar. He builds two composite top models, the traditional composite/double top, and the ergonomically shaped WAVE composite/double top. Both are among the best double tops in the world in my experience.

No wonder I have sold so many Redgate guitars to players and artists all over the world over the past twenty years.