“When
I asked Alan if he would build an 11-string arch guitar, I
was struck by his enthusiasm to confront such a challenging
project. My new guitar reflects that same enthusiasm with
every beautifully crafted line and ornament. The sound is
crystalline and well balanced; I couldn’t be more pleased.”
-James
Kline (11-string arch guitar)
"I
have admired and appreciated Perlman guitars since the early
1980s. I first met Alan Perlman back then, and heard and played
the steel string he had built for himself. I was blown away
by the guitar's overall balance, clarity and purely beautiful
sound. I ordered a Perlman in 1993. I had played my fine old
Martin OO-28 (circa 1925) for nearly twenty years by then.
In designing my guitar, Alan accommodated my ideas and preferences,
blending them into his own design concepts. He appreciated
my love for the old Martin and he examined my playing styles,
which range from heavy strumming to fingerpicking separate
lines. It was a pleasure to be in touch with Alan throughout
these creative processes.
He
built a gorgeous guitar with a spruce top and Brazilian back
and sides. The body is OM shaped. The neck has two added frets
(sixteen to the body) and is wide and shaped in the old 'V'
style. The overall balance of this guitar's sound is fantastic.
It plays cleanly and evenly all over, with remarkable clarity
and separation. Simultaneously moving lines played on this
guitar are more distinct than on any other I have heard. The
volume projection of this Perlman guitar literally blows me
away every day. I recently acquired another Perlman, similar
to the longneck in many ways, although it may be considered
a less customized instrument. All of my descriptions of the
sound and playability of my other Perlman apply to this one
too. No need to repeat them. Both guitars have beautiful one
of a kind soundhole rosettes and my new one has inlays of
lotus flowers in the fretboard. Besides creating remarkable
sounding guitars, Alan Perlman is renowned for his incredible
finish and inlay work. I am indeed fortunate to have these
guitars in my hands every day."
Thanks
Alan.
-
John McCormick (Custom Style 1 Brazilian RW)
www.mccormickjohn.com
"I
had been searching for "THE" acoustic steel string
guitar for about 15 years. I had owned 20 or 30 fine guitars,
many Martins and several high end Taylors. I had never been
able to find the guitar that I knew I would want to keep for
the rest of my life. Then I saw, heard and played John McCormick's
new Perlman guitar and could barely believe the sound. Here
was the volume, fullness and gorgeous timbre that I had been
looking for. The fineness of detail and the precision of the
the construction was beyond what I thought was possible to
build, it was simpy beautiful in every respect, visually and
sonically. Basically I was thrilled, stunned and knew that
whatever it took I had to own a Perlman. In 1995 Alan created
guitar #55 for me, a beautiful, modified Style 1 with a cutaway,
Brazilian rosewood sides & back, spruce top and a custom
rosette. He is currently building a second guitar for me without
the cutaway. So, I will soon own two instruments that I will
be grateful to play for the rest of my life.........I can
only say thank you Alan Perlman."
-
Gordon Burnham (Style 1 Cutaway Brazilian Rosewood Sides
& Back)
www.gburnham.com
"For
the money it took to improve significantly on what I had,
I thought I should be able to get exactly what I dreamed of,
but I wasn’t finding it hanging in the stores. I played
many fine guitars, but none had the exact combination of qualities
I wanted. During this long search, I met and liked Alan before
I discovered he made guitars. When I later played a friend’s
newly completed Perlman, I knew I should talk to him.
Alan
listened to me play my old guitar, and to my description of
what I liked and didn’t from it and the other guitars
I’d played, then described to me exactly what I dreamed
of playing, and how he could create it. When he finished #171,
it was (and is) a dream come true. The combination of Englemann
spruce and Brazilian rosewood produces a beautiful tone, even
response, and tremendous projection. It is the most comfortable
guitar I have ever touched. I gave him only a few preferences
regarding appearance, and with that free reign he designed
a gorgeous guitar. One recording engineer simply calls it
“the uber-guitar.”
Thanks Alan!"
-
Frank Buffum
