2024 Carsten Kobs Cedar/Double Top

Top: Cedar/Double top
Back and Sides: Rosewood
Scale: 650mm
Origin: Germany
Pride: Please inquire

German luthier Carsten Kobs has been building double tops in the ‘Dammann style’ that have garnered the attention of several guitar luminaries the past few years and with good reason. This guitar is feather light, like a Dammann, and has a similar elevated fretboard, exceptionally comfortable to play as well. The notes are crystal clear, round and full, with nice sustain, the basses sing and you can ‘feel’ them as you play as the body itself is quite responsive to vibration. The volume is excellent, and the notes are very even across all registers. After hearing/playing/selling more double tops the past 30 years than anybody I know of, I am always open to luthiers who build in this style and who seem to be building exceptional instruments. Formerly in this general price band for double tops I was a fan for many years of Dieter Mueller’s guitars, also from Germany. But over time I have come to appreciate that as good as Dieters guitars can be at times, Carsten Kobs has taken his double tops to heights greater than that, and I would say he is now hands down my favorite German double top builder in this price range. Very nice guitar.

This guitar is in what I would call near new condition, one or two light marks on the top, same on the back, nothing really to note, it presents ‘as new’ when you take it out of the case. Lovely to hear and play, a fine example of a German Cedar Double top in fantastic condition. I do not expect this to be in the shop long…