Guitar News

August 2024 - Bert Kwakkel, in addition to his commissions, is currently working on two new concert guitars, type Merula Special.

Expected availability December 2024.

May 2021 - In 1971 at the age of 17 Bert Kwakkel made his first guitar without any machinery. Then he already knew 'I am going to be a guitar maker!' In 2011 his 500th guitar came out of his hands. He is still building beautiful concert guitars with the same passion and precision. His guitars are played worldwide.

March 2020 - For comparison Bert Kwakkel made two identical concert guitars, only the back and sides are different. For one guitar he used Brazilian rosewood, for the other maple.

November 2018 - Nicolo Alessi has designed an exclusive and ultra light tuner especially for Bert Kwakkel's concert guitars. This very advanced tuning machine is made out of bronze with black horn knobs. The final model has been in use since November.

Autumn 2018 - Guitar association Pro Guitarra The Hague have invited Bert Kwakkel to give a lecture on guitar construction on Sunday the 16th of September. The lecture is open to members and prospective members. 

December 2015 - The British guitarist and composer Vincent Lindsey-Clark released his CD 'Dances and Songs' in December 2015. You can listen to all his guitar compositions, including Fiesta Americana.

July 2015 - The brand new album 'Bidla' of the Agnew McAllister Duo is officially released. The Irish flautist Aisling Agnew and the Scottish guitarist Matthew McAllister are internationally recognised as one of the leading flute & guitar duos. 

February 2015 - Commissioned by an American customer, Bert Kwakkel has built his first guitar with back, sides, neck and fingerboard of Grenadille, also known as African blackwood; the most dense type of wood. Although Grenadille is quite heavy, the guitar weighs 2250 grams only.

October 2014 - On the 25th of October, during the national day of the Little Owl , Bert Kwakkel has been named Little Owl Volunteer of 2014. He received a certificate from the the president of STONE (Dutch organisation for the Little Owl), as well as a drawing specially made for this occasion by the famous illustrator of birds Jos Zwart.

March 2014 - The 22th of March Bert Kwakkel was in Amsterdam for an inspiring workshop by Wim Hof, alias 'The Iceman'. The workshop ended with sitting in an ice bath for one minute.

January 2014 - In the 600th edition of the Japanese guitar magazine Gendai Guitar, chief editor Seiichi Nakazato takes a closer look at a concert guitar from 1993 made by Bert Kwakkel. The four-page article is about the guitar type Luscinia with spruce top and back and sides out of maple.

October 2013 - At the International Guitar Festival Zwolle students of Jacob Vlijm played in public the guitars of luthiers who attended the Guitar Bazaar.

January 2014 - For a client in the USA, Bert Kwakkel made an armrest for his classical concert guitar. From now on the armrest will be a additional option for new guitars.

June 2013 - Commissioned Bert Kwakkel built a 13-string guitar concert with Weiss-tuning (f 'd' a f d A G F E D C B A). Original lute tablature can be played on this instrument without making concessions.

March 2013 - Together with some colleagues from various countries, Bert Kwakkel was at the exposition of the Guitar Art Festival 2013 in Belgrade (Serbia).

January 2013 - Bert Kwakkel drove to Hamburg to collect the most beautiful Grenadille. For several years he has built guitars type Merula Special with finger board and neck made of this rosewood.

August 2012 - The Norwegian guitarist Marius Gundersen has made a new CD with Brasilian music. The disc has been titled Retrato Brasileiro. 

May 2012 - The German guitarist Stefan Schmitz has launched his third solo CD, titled Eterna Saudade. A combination of pure classical guitar sound and jazzy rhythms. On this CD you can hear compositions by amongst others Dilermando Reis, Roland Dyens, Francisco Tarrega and Dusan Bogdanovic.

January 2012 - The Dutch guitarist Frank Lamm has made his first solo CD, titled Garoeda. Frank Lamm recorded compositions of amongst others Gary Ryan, Vincent Lindsey-Clark, Leo Brouwer and The Beatles.

December 2011 - John Mills, Vadim Chebanov, Cobie Smit, Stefan Schmitz, Frank Lamm and Matthew McAllister gave a wonderful concert on Bert Kwakkel's 500th guitar. This special event was organised by the 'Gelders Gitaristen Podium' on the 29th of Octobre 2011.
Click here to see the compilation of the Jubilee Concert.

December 2011 - A very nice compilation of the Jubilee Concert was broadcasted on BravaNL in their TV program 'De Gitaarsalon'. The recording was made by Frank Reijgersberg and Wilhelmien Stam from 'De GitaarSalon' in Enkhuizen.

October 2011 - Six well known classical guitarists gave a concert on Bert Kwakkel's jubilee guitar number 500. This special event was organised by the Gelders Gitaristen Podium. The following guitarist performed during the concert: John Mills , Matthew McAllister , Cobie Smit  / , Frank Lamm , Stefan Schmitz and Vadim Chebanov .

August 2011 - Bert Kwakkel had an interview at 'An de lange Taofel' organized by Herberg 't Hengeveld. He got all kind of questions about his guitars and about the making of guitars. Next to that, Bert liked the delicious biological food they served very much.

August 2011 - Bert Kwakkel joined the Open Day at the pleasant West Dean Guitar Festival 2011. In a very friendly atmosphere a lot of classical guitarists with complete different background came together to get lessons from famous guitarists and to hear them playing recitals as well. 

August 2011 - Bert Kwakkel gave a lecture about his guitars at the West Dean Guitar Festival 2011. Main topic: the necks made of Brazilian rosewood or African Blackwood.

November 2010 - The Dutch guitarist Erna Verhoeven collected her 12-string Brahms guitar with solid neck and fingerboard made of one piece of Brazilian rosewood.

October 2010 - The Irish guitarist Redmond O'Toole plays his new Brahms guitar. It is the first 8-string guitar with solid neck and fingerboard made of one piece of Brazilian rosewood. For Redmond O'Toole it is also the first time he plays a guitar with spruce top!

September 2010 - Abraham Carmelli is the first guitarist in New York who plays a Bert Kwakkel concert guitar type Merula Special, with top of bearclaw spruce and Brazilian rosewood back, sides, neck and fingerboard.

August 2010 - Bert Kwakkel gave two lectures about guitar making in the UK. The first one for the National Youth Guitar Ensemble (NYGE) and the second one at the York Guitar Festival. This wonderful festival was organised by Ruth & Robert Owen and their daughter Amie.

May 2010 - Bert Kwakkel had a meeting with Matthew McAllister after his guitar concert at the Twents Guitar Festival. Matthew plays a Bert Kwakkel concert guitar type Merula with spruce top since 2000.