Ervin Somogyi

[pheumiller]

Folks, here is a great interview with Ervin Somogyi we did back in 2010 - dont think many of you have seen this and its a great look into one of the best luthier minds on the planet - hope you enjoy: http://ow.ly/rKdJz

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by pheumiller

Folks, here is a great interview with Ervin Somogyi we did back in 2010 - dont think many of you have seen this and its a great look into one of the best luthier minds on the planet - hope you enjoy: http://ow.ly/rKdJz

Thanks for putting this up! I had taken master's classes with Ervin which were quite enlightening. I use what I've learned from Ervin every day.

Mark

[theEdwinson]

Hi, Paul,
Thank you for posting this interview. I've bookmarked it so I can refer back to it from time to time. Your whole website is a frequent destination for me.

Ervin Somogyi has been a great hero of mine since I first heard of him back in the early '80's, when Windham Hill was putting out stellar solo guitar recordings by people like Alex DiGrassi, Will Ackerman, Michael Hedges... and Ervin's brilliant guitars were frequently played on these recordings. Hearing those ravishing sounds was a life-changer for me. And because of Ervin Somogyi's invention of modern American lutherie, this was the time in my life when I first started nurturing the fantasy of learning how to build guitars.

Though I've never had the good fortune to study lutherie directly under Ervin's guidance, his generous and thoughtful pedagogy has been the single most important factor in my design philosophy and development as a guitar maker. As he mentions in this interview, he isn't interested in teaching people a rote method for guitar making; rather, he prefers to help his students develop their own creativity and critical thinking. That is so important! Ervin teaches people HOW to think, not WHAT to think. That has always been hugely important to my process.

I've met Ervin at several Healdsburg Guitar Festivals, starting in 1999. He has always been generous with his time, advice, craft wisdom, and eccentric sense of humor. What a great man he is. If America had a tradition of honoring its greatest cultural heroes, the way Canada and Japan do, Ervin would be at the top of the pantheon. I consider him to be one of our greatest living National Treasures.

Thanks again, Paul for sharing this with us.
steve the edwinson

[lfoo6952]

America does honor its cultural icons. Its called the Presidential Medal of Freedom award.

[CoolerKing]

Paul I do love your site. Thanks for posting. I also have your YouTube site bookmarked and frequently check out those. Thanks!

And to edit, the Somogyi interview is fascinating. I so respect people with his talent, and can of course appreciate it by playing magnificent instruments when lucky enough, but by far the thing I'm most impressed with is how they have the patience for this while I'd probably get a splinter and promptly give up.

I consider myself good at my job, but it is so radically different in terms of level of patience that if Ervin were to ever meet me, he might assume I have the attention span of a rabid toddler.

Anyway great interview!

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by theEdwinson

And because of Ervin Somogyi's invention of modern American lutherie,

While he has certainly contributed to the landscape of modern American guitar making, few would attribute him with being the "inventor" of it.

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

While he has certainly contributed to the landscape of modern American guitar making, few would attribute him with being the "inventor" of it.

I don't mean to imply that lutherie is solely Ervin Somogyi's creation. C'mon!

But he is indisputably one of greats, and he did do a great deal to blaze the trail and pave the way for the rest of us. When he started, you could practically count small-shop, custom guitar builders on one hand. They were as rare as unicorns. now, we're like ants at a picnic.
It took a lot of courage, vision, and commitment to do what he did. Luthiers everywhere, either directly or indirectly, benefit from Ervin Somogyi's generosity in sharing his scholarship and craft wisdom. We stand on the shoulders of giants like Ervin Somogyi.
And yes, he did invent a lot of the processes and methods that us individual hand-builders use today.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by theEdwinson

When he started, you could practically count small-shop, custom guitar builders on one hand. They were as rare as unicorns. now, we're like ants at a picnic.

I started making guitars in 1978. I attended the only school for guitar making in existence in North America at that time. It was run by Charles Fox. (On a "field trip" we went to visit Michael Gurian and his factory/wood sawing facility, then one of the largest instrument wood suppliers in the world.) At that time, there were literally only a handful of books on the subject, by folks such as Sloane, Overholtzer, Young and Teeter. It was a time before Youtube and Google: CD's and DVD's had yet to be invented.

Yes, there are now many more guitar makers than there were in the 1970's and '80's and Mr. Somogyi has contributed to educating and interesting many people. But, there are also many others who have contributed. In addition to his own books, there are now dozens of books on the subject. There are now hundreds of on-line videos, DVD's and websites, not to mention on-line discussion forums and a plethora of guitar making schools from which to choose. To suggest, or imply, that the increase in interest in guitar making is largely due to a single person is to overstate the case.

And yes, he did invent a lot of the processes and methods that us individual hand-builders use today.

Perhaps I'm less familiar with his work than you, but "a lot" seems like an overstatement. Most of the modern methods commonly employed by today's individual luthiers come from a variety of sources.

There is no question that he is an intelligent, articulate and creative builder. And his work is beautiful and inspirational.

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

I started making guitars in 1978. I attended the only school for guitar making in existence in North America at that time. It was run by Charles Fox. (On a "field trip" we went to visit Michael Gurian and his factory/wood sawing facility, then one of the largest instrument wood suppliers in the world.) At that time, there were literally only a handful of books on the subject, by folks such as Sloane, Overholtzer, Young and Teeter. It was a time before Youtube and Google: CD's and DVD's had yet to be invented.

Yes, there are now many more guitar makers than there were in the 1970's and '80's and Mr. Somogyi has contributed to educating and interesting many people. But, there are also many others who have contributed. In addition to his own books, there are now dozens of books on the subject. There are now hundreds of on-line videos, DVD's and websites, not to mention on-line discussion forums and a plethora of guitar making schools from which to choose. To suggest, or imply, that the increase in interest in guitar making is largely due to a single person is to overstate the case.



Perhaps I'm less familiar with his work than you, but "a lot" seems like an overstatement. Most of the modern methods commonly employed by today's individual luthiers come from a variety of sources.

There is no question that he is an intelligent, articulate and creative builder. And his work is beautiful and inspirational.

I agree with everything you say. I was commenting about Ervin Somogyi because he is the topic of this thread. I also have tremendous respect and gratitude for all the luminaries of our craft, who made what we do today possible.
When I was still in Seattle, I got to hang out with Michael Gurian on the first Tuesday of every month, when the Seattle Luthiers Group had our monthly meetings on Gurian's factory barge in Ballard. Though he seemed like just a regular guy, Michael is a modern legend.
Eugene Smith was also frequently in attendance. Also a man of considerable influence and great talent.
Every time I meet Charlie Hoffman at a Healdsburg Festival, I feel like I'm in the presence of greatness.
Same goes for Bob Bennedetto.
And our own Bruce Sexauer is one of the greats with a long history, who is also very generous in showing us the finer points of his craft here on the forum.

I could go on and on... I do not mean to detract from any one of the Masters of American lutherie. I only meant to express my profound admiration for Ervin Somogyi, without whose influence I doubt I would have had the courage to pursue this highly improbable line of work. It's a personal thing. I met Ervin in 1999 at Healdsburg, and came away from that experience more inspired than ever.
During our conversation back then, Ervin said these exact words to me: "Look, if you are meant to be a guitar maker, it WILL happen. And WHEN it does, I want to see your work."
To me, that seemed like a benediction. And it was the key that unlocked the door for me. At Healdsburg 2001, I showed Ervin my first guitar, and while he was unimpressed with my somewhat rustic aesthetic treatment, he praised the sound and feel of it. He then said these exact words: "I believe that if you keep at it, you may have a future in this work."

[Michael Watts]

Very cool Paul!

[billgennaro]

that was a great read. i've read his books and this interview covers many of the main points in a condensed fashion. Ervin sure knows how to put things into words.

thanks for posting.

[JamesO]

Controversial and well-spoken as always. I love him, too.

Before heading to law school, I actually taught for five years. One of my favorite theorists, believe it or not, was the developmental pyschologist, Jean Piaget. Many people don't realize he had quite the impact on education, along with his peer Lev Vygotsky. They were the original "constructivists." One of my favorite Piaget quotes can be found in his profile on Wikipedia:

"Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society ... but for me and no one else, education means making creators... You have to make inventors, innovators—not conformists"

This is the camp I'd put Ervin in. I think he's a constructivist at heart, which seems to be how he approaches the way he shares his knowledge.