Ray Kraut’s passion for responsive sound and artistic innovation in guitar building developed under a two-year apprenticeship with Master Luthier Ervin Somogyi. From that experience Kraut established methods to create both aesthetically beautiful and tonally responsive guitars.
Kraut’s interest in luthrie first developed while living in Phoenix, Arizona. Curiosity about how to construct a guitar lead him to research educational opportunities in this field. Based on its proximity to his home, and their great reputation, The Roberto Venn School of Luthrie was the natural choice. After five months, John Reuter (Director of Training) encouraged Kraut to apply for an apprenticeship position with Ervin Somogyi. A few phone conversations later Somogyi invited Kraut to come to his Oakland, CA shop to undergo a one-week interviewing process.
Upon his arrival he was given his first task of making a perfect cube out of Mahogany, using only the most basic of hand tools. The purpose of this task was to get an understanding of the applicant’s knowledge level of hand tools and to gauge his mental facility with a complex wood working exercise. Seven hours later Kraut handed Somogyi a completed cube, which to this day sits in a prominent position in his shop.
Through Somogyi’s famed voicing techniques and building styles and with Lewis Santer’s (Somogyi’s shop manager) daily instruction on repair and building techniques, Kraut mastered a unique voicing and visual style that reflects the quality of his luthier education.
Since finishing his apprenticeship Kraut is recognized world wide for the quality of sound, craftsmanship, and art of his guitars. Kraut is annually invited to the most recognized luthier exhibitions such as the Healdsburg Guitar Festival, the Montreal Guitar Show, the Newport Guitar Festival, the Woodstock Guitar Show, The North West Musical Instrument Show, and the Luthiers Showcase Exhibit at the NAMM show sponsored by the Museum of Making Music.
Today, Kraut lives in Eugene, Oregon and maintains a shop in nearby Springfield. He builds twelve custom guitars annually. His guitars are collected world wide, from Japan to Europe, and across North America. Each guitar is entirely unique and expresses the relationship Kraut builds with each of his clients. His border collie, Kees, joins him at the shop daily and is learning how to be the next great canine luthier. (If only he had thumbs.)
