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“I am truly enjoying your expert craftsmanship, the beauty of the design, the attention to every detail, and the beautiful sound of your instrument.”
I am offering a rare opportunity to purchase and own two of my guitars. These instruments have never been previously owned, and I am excited to offer them at a price worth reaching out to me about. If you are interested, please start the conversation by sending me a direct email at krautguitars@gmail.com.
My MOD-D is Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with a Swiss Moon Spruce soundboard.
Brazilian Rosewood Back & Sides | Swiss Moon Spruce Top | Cutaway | Custom Headstock Inlay | 14th fret to the body | Binding: Ebony with black/white purfling | End graft: Ebony Triangular style | Top braces: Port Orford Cedar | Back Braces: Port Orford Cedar | Nut: 1 25/32” scalloped bone | Saddle: 2 1/4” string spacing compensated bone | Neck: One piece Honduras Mahogany | Back of Headstock veneer: Brazilian rosewood | Truss-rod: light-weight double action | Tuners: Schertler Matt Black with Ebony button | Fingerboard: Ebony with ebony binding and white maple purfling
My OO is Madagascar Rosewood back and sides with a Swiss Moon Spruce soundboard.
Madagascar Rosewood Back & Sides | Swiss Moon Spruce 14th fret to the body | Binding: Rosewood with black/white purfling | End graft: Ebony Triangular style | Top braces: Port Orford Cedar | Back Braces: Port Orford Cedar | Nut: 1 25/32” scalloped bone | Saddle: 2 1/4” string spacing compensated bone | Neck: One piece Honduras Mahogany | Headstock veneer: Madagascar Rosewood | Back of Headstock veneer: Madagascar Rosewood | Truss-rod: light-weight double action | Fingerboard: Ebony with ebony binding and white maple purfling | Fretboard Radius: 20” | Bridge: Ebony | Bridge pins: Ebony | Case: Visenut | Strings: D’addario 13-56 | Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
OO Model Guitar | Tree Mahagony back and sides | Swiss Moon Spruce top | cutaway scoop | custom inlay work on top | custom design and porting on top | option for inlay anywhere on guitar | custom peghead veneers front and back (Tree Mahogany)
“I am truly enjoying your expert craftsmanship, the beauty of the design, the attention to every detail, and the beautiful sound of your instrument. Thank you very much for all the dedicated work that was necessary to build such an outstanding and musical guitar.” -Paul, client
We will engage in a series of conversations to discuss the details and specifications of your guitar. The spec sheet (which I will email to you) clarifies all choices and pricing. The general design (as in material and colors) of the rosette will be discussed, but as the artisan, I require artistic freedom to create a beautiful design I stand behind and a creative process that flows.
TIMELINE | PAYMENT | SHIPPING
My instruments start at $18,000.
I offer a wide variety of customizations and will email prospective clients a detailed spec sheet with pricing.
A $2,500 deposit is due upon agreement of terms of your build.
A 50% remaining balance is due upon the start of construction. The remainder is due at the end of the build before the guitar is shipped.
All instruments come with a flight case.
Shipping is not included in the price of the guitar.
WARRANTY
My instruments have a limited lifetime warranty to their original owner. This warranty does not cover any damage due to extremes in humidity or temperature, alterations or modifications, accidents or improper handling and misuse, and normal wear and tear.
SHIPPING
After payment has been received in full, the instrument will be shipped. Shipping and handling are not included in the guitar price.
CRAIG'S REVIEW | Something remarkable happened when Ray Kraut created this fabulous guitar - both in the way it looks (which you can plainly see in the photos) and its stunning sound. Ray has stepped up and created a next-level build for me, a modern 00 monster of a guitar. This beauty is a guitar that enhances whatever you play without limits. Strum like a madman, and it will roar with every strike. Brush with your fingers, and she'll whisper in your ear. Sonically, it's a 3-D experience. The unique and elegant
sound ports surround the player with an honest and woody tonal mist.
The Nouveau's wood choices are sublime, and Ray's artistic design is a perfect setting for this uber-fantastic set of Tree Mahogany back and sides. Ergonomically, it's a joy to hold. The playability is beyond excellent. I love smaller guitars, I love Ray's work, and I love this instrument. Everything comes together in this remarkable, brilliant Raymond Kraut Nouveau 00.
Photo courtesy of CR GUITARS (Sold)
Photo by Taylor Noel
I currently live and work on desert acreage near the Tortolita Mountain range in Marana, Arizona. In this beautiful landscape, I have built two workshops: one solely dedicated to luthiery and the other for larger woodworking and welding projects. I love sharing the world of luthiery with my family. Living a life where I can wake up, see a desert sunrise, walk into my shop while smelling the shavings of Rosewood from the previous day’s tasks, and be surrounded by my family is all I need as an artist these days.
My journey as a luthier began in 2004 when I attended the Roberto-Venn School of Lutherie —a fantastic school and experience that solidified my desire to further my education and pursue luthiery as a career. In 2004, I was accepted as the third apprentice to Ervin Somogyi after a week-long interview in Oakland, CA. The next two years would forever shape my life and work.
Responsiveness in guitars is what Ervin pioneered, mastered, and wrote about in his published series titled "Making the Responsive Guitar." Among all the apprentices he mentored, I consider myself the one who elevated the mastery of responsiveness while remaining true to my training with the master himself. The physics behind a contemporary acoustic guitar, as developed by Ervin Somogyi, allows for resilience and flexibility in the voicing and structure of the guitar. He developed an unmatched ability to create a genuinely responsive guitar, and I follow in his footsteps with dedication and progress.
What does responsiveness mean? For some, it is feeling; for others, it is tone; for some, it is measurable; and for others, it is instinctual. All these factors contribute to the guitar experience. An optimally responsive guitar isn't just one thing; it encompasses all things. It brings together all these attributes and characteristics: aesthetics, engineering, sound, and feeling.
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