ANTONIO
TESSARIN

... the art and tradition of Brazilian Classical Guitar Building

by Richard Boukas © 1999

As the large setting sun casts a vibrant orange glow on the sprawling urban expanse, we halted finally at a modest house, that of Antonio Tessarin- undoubtedly one of the most celebrated luthiers in all of Brazil, and based upon the growing international demand for his instruments, arguably the world.

When I was inquiring who in São Paulo I might approach to build a classical guitar, the names heralded by top players I consulted were but few: Muñoz, Passos, Batiste, Tessarin.

Ultimately, the criteria for choosing among these master luthiers was less an issue of quality and more individual playing style and budget.

Born 1960 in São Paulo, Tessarin's interest in building grew out of his appreciation for his father and brother, both serious classical guitarists. By contrast, he played very little, taking rather an avid interest in woods and the principles of instrument construction.

Tessarin builds only the six-string classical, o violão. His designs are rooted deeply in a rich Brazilian luthier tradition, yet accommodate the rigorous demands of today's player who performs frequently across diverse and contrasting climates.

To address this issue (and in the process reverse the red-flag stigma of cracking tops bemoaned by foreign owners of Brazilian-made instruments), he has devised and perfected inventive compensation strategies to account for differences in humidity between São Paulo and owner destinations as far as Europe, Japan and Brasilia, the country's dry interior capital.

To date, Antonio reports humbly that not a single incidence of climate-related top cracks has been brought to his attention. Given the meticulous measures he takes to ensure against such a fate, this comes as no surprise to those who know his work.

During our extensive three-hour visit and copious hits of cafezinho (rocket-fuel Brazilian coffee served in tiny plastic cups), apparent became not only the beautiful sound, solid construction, elegant details and impeccable finish of his instruments, but the absolute dedication and selfless spirit he brings to his craft.

What follows are excerpts from our extensive discussion, one which in midstream became the first interview I ever conducted em portugues. To say I was flying by the seat of my pants was putting it mildly. In that light I want to thank Tomati for his assistance in articulating some of the finer questions I posed.

"Each instrument I build takes its own way, its own life. Its maturing process is defined a great deal by the person playing it. For some, the growth of sound is very rapid- they know how to articulate their lines and bring out the full sound of the instrument- these guitars will mature more quickly; In any case, it takes one to two years for a guitar to mature to its full sonority.

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AT: For the tops, I use either German or American spruce. My fingerboards are made of ebony from India or Africa, and the necks are a combination of Brazilian rosewood (jacarandá da Bahia) reinforced underneath with Brazilian red cedar. This is a great wood, very light but stable. The sides, back and bridge are Brazilian rosewood of different ages and quality.

RB: Some classical luthiers use cedar for tops. What is your preference?

AT: Cedar is a great wood, and for certain things I like it as much as spruce. I use it for my entry-level guitar. The advantage is that it gives a guitar a big sound even when it's still very new- but after that point the sound does not progress very much. Cedar also has a much darker sound- I find that most concert recitalists prefer spruce for its brighter, clearer tone.

How old are you now?

RB: How long do you let woods age before you build- and do you store them in a particular place or climate conditions?

AT: If I have woods which are cut and already very old, then I wait five years. For new woods, I wait at least ten years. In general there is no one specific climate condition for storage- the weather variations here in São Paulo are just too great- we will get a lot of rain, then have long dry periods- it's all very interesting.

RB: One thing about any new acoustic guitar is the initial "break-in period" until the instrument "opens up" into its full sonic richness. Is this the case with your guitars as well, and if so, how long is that period of time?

AT: This is all very relative. First, each instrument I build takes its own way, its own life. Its maturing process is defined a great deal by the person playing it. For some, the growth of sound is very rapid- they know how to articulate their lines and bring out the full sound of the instrument- these guitars will mature more quickly; then there are those who play with a "dirtier" sound, and their instrument's growth is delayed. In any case, it takes one to two years for a guitar to mature to its full sonority.

Finishing Touches

RB: What can you tell us about the final assembly and detailing?

AT: For the binding I use a combination of jacarandá da Bahia and American maple. The rosetta work (inlay around soundhole) is by Hausa and the tuners I use are Schaller, both from Germany.

RB: The finish on your guitars is spectacular. What kind of finishing materials and techniques do you use?

AT: For some models there is a goma-laca (shellac) layer of about three hundredths of a centimeter. Others are polyurethane. Here I apply many layers with sanding in between each coat. When complete this thickness is three-tenths of a centimeter. You can measure these small thicknesses easily by first masking the bridge area before applying any coats to the top.

Shoptalk: Cutaways, Pickups, Strings

RB:With your cutaways is the construction the same as a regular classical? What pickup systems do you use?

AT: Since my cutaways are used mainly in popular music, they are built usually with a pickup system installed. The only real difference in construction other than the cutaway itself is I try to control the dispersion of harmonics coming from the top. This focuses the sound better for the pickup system. I prefer the RMC system by Richard McClish (see end for info).

RB: The RMC system uses individual piezo elements (not unlike a tunematic bridge) rather than a single element under the conventional saddle. Do you think such a setup can compromise the original acoustic response of a luthier-made instrument?

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I think that most serious players in Brazil have found Hannabach to be the best, a German company. They have four different grades of tension to choose from low to extra-hard. The sound of these strings are big, they play perfectly in tune and are well-constructed.

RB: Although you do not build the sete-cordas (seven-string guitar used in Chôro), is there any difference in construction from a normal six-string?

AT: The main difference between them is adding reinforcement in the guitar's internal structure to handle the added tension from the 7th (low C) string. Also, the fingerboard widths are different: fifty-two (52mm) for a six-string and fifty-nine (59mm) for the seven string.

RB: What about flamenco guitars?

AT: Here there are many differences. I think in general the sound of a flamenco compared to the classical guitar is not as rich. The woods used are much softer and this makes for a less stable and durable instrument. I find also the tuners are often not very reliable either.

No More Blues: the all-climate classical

Anyone interested in a Brazilian-made instrument must accept the reality that if woods are grown, cut and aged in a humid climate, the

final assembled guitar will not tolerate drastic changes in climate/humidity because the very molecules of the wood are climate-encoded. We can't fight mother nature after the fact.

However, the good news is that we can ensure the components used for our dream guitar are cured before assembly. To deal with the perennial problem of climate-sensitive cracking, Tessarin has developed an ingenious yet common-sense process to prepare woods for owner climates which are far less humid than most of Brazil- by confining the components to a space which maintains the average humidity levels of the guitar's ultimate destination.

To that end, Tessarin sectioned off a small corner of his main studio with plexiglas and wood, installed humidity control and reporting devices (usually a dehumidifier). During the two-to-three weeks it takes him to craft a guitar, the unassembled components remain in this space during any down-time from building. The final gluing is done in the control room so that the moisture levels trapped in the glue joints are in spec with the guitar's destination- otherwise they would surely come apart.

I was surprised to find out that this short period of time was adequate to prepare the woods for life in a totally different climate. In reality, if you look at an unassembled shell and top, the woods are extremely thin and thus quite permeable to any changes in moisture. Tessarin told me that the shape and character of a component could change in just fifteen minutes after being outside the humidity-controlled room and into the more humid studio- so you can imagine what a

finished guitar will endure as it follows a busy concert recitalist around the world in a littany of climates.This careful and essential process has allowed Tessarin to build for people in Arizona, Japan, Europe and Brasilia, the country's capital which sports a bone-snapping 15% humidity. Again, no one has reported an incidence of weather-related cracking- so the over-publicized myth of Brazilian-made guitars remains one.

Reflections of a Master Craftsman

RB: What is your overall opinion of luthiers in Brazil?

AT: Here in Brazil we have many great luthiers, such as Sergio Abreu. This is work that is very individual in nature- the luthier, the kinds of players they build for, the actual construction of the instrument, choice of woods and so on. With all those factors what else could I really say about other luthiers? If you put this question to them they would say the same thing.

RB: Describe what your work is like, how much you build and the waiting list for commissions.

AT: I work totally alone and do nothing else to support my existence. I build three guitars a month and my current waiting list is about twelve months.

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Closing Thoughts

Tessarin's soft-spoken, unassuming nature bears an irony to his devout vigilance in building top quality classicals. At 38, he is already recognized as a master luthier within the highest of classical guitar circles in Brazil and now around the world.

In a time when today's global economic challenges and exploding U.S. luthier industry have forced makers to develop marketing and PR chops equal to their craftsmanship, Tessarin leaves appropriately the real speaking to the instruments he sires- borne of hands and spirit that knew their destiny and mission since earliest childhood memories of his father's playing.

Muito obrigado, Antonio pela sua generosidade e dom único em fazer os violões!

Contact info:

Antonio Tessarin/Luthier
Phone/Fax: 55/11/6942-0717 (country/city/local no.)
Rua 29 de Outubro, 340
Vila Matilde, São Paulo SP CEP 03510-00 Brasil
email: atess@uol.com.br

When contacting him, it's best to do so in Portuguese- although he does have one or two American friends nearby who might help in translating. For any "snail mail" please be sure to include the beefy postal code.

For latest info on RMC Pickup Systems:

Richard McClish/RMC Pickup Co.
1739 Addison #15 Berkeley CA 94703
510-845-9130
e mail: rmcpickup@california.com
web: www.rmcpickup.com

Here I am with master São Paulo luthier Antonio Tessarin in his studio. I am holding a work in progress; Antonio, the real deal- his top of the line concert classical with German spruce top and Bahian rosewood back and sides. To hear these instruments is to want one.

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