The Masterful Mr Michael Greenfield

[Ben Montague]

The day a new Greenfield guitar arrives at our showroom is a little like Christmas or a birthday, purely because we don’t get many of them in the showroom, and the ones we do get in pretty much sell before they hit the ground in London. So to have more than one Greenfield in the same room is a real anomaly… but not impossible!

But before we dive into the simply outstanding Greenfield Guitars we currently have in our London showroom, let’s take a little look into the life and history or the luthier legend that is Michael Greenfield.

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“While playing music professionally in the 1970s, I began setting up and repairing electric guitars. By the 1990s, this evolved into a career repairing and restoring vintage and antique guitars. Having had the opportunity to examine so many of those iconic pre-war and early 20th century instruments was an invaluable education. I was able to examine, measure, play and HEAR those wonderful guitars!! It also pointed out the issues that typically need service down the road, which I attempt to engineer out of my own instruments. Maintaining the guitars of so many musicians nurtured my understanding of how to address the needs of players with varied repertoire, styles and musical needs. I bring all of this to my craft and my current work. My goal is that you are not just satisfied but THRILLED with your new guitar...” Michael Greenfield

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Michael is without a doubt one of the most dedicated individuals I have ever had the honour of meeting, and his vision for crafting extraordinary musical instruments and squeezing every last drop of tone out of a set of wood is something that blows my mind every time I play one of his guitars. Whether you are a strummer, a singer-songwriter, a bluegrass player, a blues player or a fingerstyle aficionado, Greenfield Guitars will take your music to the next dimension!

Michael's continuous search for the tonal magnificence is a never-ending process, and he still spends hours researching the history, mechanics, dynamics and physics of the guitar in order to cultivate a deeper understanding of what makes it work and how he can continue to advance his instruments.

Making a Guitar | Handcrafting Woodworking - Greenfield Guitars

https://youtu.be/sAeXskZHC2o

experience the exhilaration of playing a truly responsive instrument fashioned to the highest standard. Each commission begins with a personal consultation. The resultant choice of model, specifications, materials and options combine to make your Greenfield Guitar a truly one-of-a-kind instrument – tailor-made, exclusively for you. My goal is to address your musical requirements and/or enhance your collection…” Michael Greenfield

Over the course of the past 20 years, Michael has handcrafted more than 250 guitars and carefully collected and seasoned one of the world’s finest inventories of tonewoods imaginable; many of which were milled many decades ago.

Greenfield G2 in 'The Tree' Mahogany

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Greenfield G1 in Amazon Rosewood

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Greenfield G1.2 in Ziricote

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The GF model was designed and built by Michael to assist the increasing demand and requests from players and musicians who he felt, as he put it “were being left out of the Greenfield picture”, so he wanted to build a more affordable, stripped down Greenfield guitar, and the GF was born!

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“The GF is the essential Greenfield Guitar. Discretely priced, options are limited. The GF is fashioned with elegant, understated appointments and delivers that legendary, piano-like Greenfield tone...” Michael Greenfield

Common Ground by Andy Mckee

https://youtu.be/P4tcFHQJHcA

We are incredibly lucky to currently be the home of three, yes three, mind-blowing Greenfield Guitars. Here is a little bit more info about what we have in our showroom right now…

Greenfield GF Figured Mahogany / Alpine Moon Spruce

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A word from the luthier himself ...

https://youtu.be/DBupaWB7rBg

This utterly stunning Greenfield GF in highly figured Mahogany and Moon Spruce really has stopped us all in our tracks. One of the finest sounding guitars we have had in so far this year.

An incredibly responsive and articulate guitar, with clean and clear trebles, and a warmth and depth that can only come from such a high-grade set of Mahogany such as this. The surprise factor of this particular Greenfield GF, is just how clean clear and crisp the trebles are, which you don’t often find from Mahogany.

This guitar will not hang around and is one every player or collector should have in their collection.

Here are two recent videos of the Greenfield GF, played by Ben Smith:

https://youtu.be/XapPtejfKhE

https://youtu.be/XxVo_Rn_4HU

Here are the Specs:


Figured Mahogany back and sides
Alpine Moon Spruce Soundboard
Honduran Mahogany neck
Ebony fingerboard
Non-Cutaway
Ebony body bindings
75" nut width
25" string spacing at the saddle
Gold Gotoh 510 tuners
Main Stage flight case


Greenfield GF Padauk & Moon Harvested Alpine Spruce - Pre-Owned

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This pre-owned Greenfield GF in Moon Harvested Alpine Spruce and Reserve-grade Padauk is in immaculate condition and comes with a Carlos pick up installed as used by Eric Clapton, worth £1,000!

This gorgeous guitar features a Florentine cutaway, Ebony binding and a reinforced Mahogany neck. The Ebony fretboard is extremely smooth making this guitar a pleasure to play.

Florentine cutaway
Moon harvested alpine spruce soundboard
Reserve grade Padauk back
Reserve grade Padauk sides (Laminated with IRW)
Ebony body Bindings
Contrasting wood purflings
Proprietary Greenfield Spalted Beech Rosette
Compound 16" - 20" Radius, quarter-sawn ebony fretboard
1 3/4" nut width
2 3/16" string spacing at the bridge
Honduran Mahogany, carbon graphite reinforced neck
Ebony peghead overlay w "G" logo
Adjustable, 2-way non-compressive truss rod
Ebony Bridge
Bone Nut and 1/4" saddle
Gold, Greenfield "G" logo 510 tuners with ebony buttons (21:1 ratio)
Year - 2015

Greenfield G1.2-7 String Ziricote & Adirondack Spruce - Pre-Owned

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This simply sensation pre-owned Greenfield G1-7 String Fanned Fret Acoustic Guitar is an absolute powerhouse! The very fist 7 stringed instrument we have stocked here at The North American Guitar and we can tell you, it will not be the last!

Built in a phenomenal reserve grade Ziricote for the back and sides, with Indian Rosewood laminated inner sides, and a wonderful Adirondack Red spruce soundboard makes this guitar perfect for the progressive fingerstyle guitar player.

Delivered in May 2017 this G1 has incredibly versatile capabilities, delivering a sweet yet crisp and articulate voice with bright and colourful overtones.

Model - G1 - 7 String
Serial No. 278
Florentine Cutaway
25.5 - 27.0" scale - Fanned Fret
Adirondack Red Spruce Top
Reserve Grade Ziricote Back & Sides
Indian Rosewood Laminated Sides
Radially Braced back Plate with Proprietary Tone Halo
Laskin Style Arm Bevel
Ebony body binding
Fine violin line, wood purflings
Proprietary Greenfield paua heart abalone and spalted beech rosette
Compound 16' - 20' radius, quarter-sawn ebony fingerboard bound with ebony.
Brass circle fretboard markers with 'magic 8 ball' 12th Fret marker
1 1/8th Nute Width
2 11/16th string spacing at bridge
Spanish cedar, carbon graphite reinforced neck,
heel swoosh
Ebony String through bridge inspired by the designs of Steve Klein
Natural, unbleached bone nut and 1/4" saddle
Gold Green "g" 510 tuners, 21:1 ratio
Natural Finish
Custom, Carbon fibre, Accord flight case.

So for more information on securing your custom Greenfield Guitar or one of the wonderful Greenfield Guitars currently in our London showroom, please call us on +44 (0) 207 835 5597 or email us on [email protected].

Keep warm and have a wonderful weekend.

Ben

[LouieAtienza]

If I won the Lottery, I'd have Michael Greenfield on my short list! Can't wait to meet him next month at Artisan!

[jstroop]

Thanks for the post, Ben. I really enjoyed his video. It was an hour well-spent.

[Diamondave]

RAD POST....!!!

[justonwo]

How does he get his head to float in space like that?

[Ben Montague]

Thanks ...