[Gallopinghost]

I was noodling around with a few guitars the other day and came across a Ken Savage 00. I consider myself knowledgable about solo builders, especially local ones, but I had never run across a Savage before.

Anyhoo, I'd been playing on several Collings, Goodalls, high end new and vintage Martin's--they always have a nice selection--and I pick up the Savage and WOW! It was a sweet little fingerstyle guitar. Responsive, complex tone, balanced up and down the neck. It just felt good. Possibly the lightest build I've encountered--other than a 51 Martin 00 that had been sitting in a barn for 27 years. I have large hands and it had a nice 2 3/8" saddle and 1 7/8" nut. I'm usually not a fan of short scale guitars with super wide necks, but this one was great. Just wide enough to comfortably walk the base with my thumb. No hard V like Martin insists building their smaller bodied 12 fretters with. It was shallow, almost like a Classical, but just enough of a shoulder to leverage vibrato and pull offs.

I was shocked! It was a 2006. If he'd been buiding for at least that long how come I've never heard of the guy? A bit humbling, actually.

I do some research and it looks like he turned a few heads in Healdsburg in aught two or three, but after that he went dark, or at least info on the web dried up.

Do any of you guys have or ever played a Savage? I'd love to get a few opinions if they're out there.

Thanks much!