Wes is a first-class American luthier working in Portland, Oregon. I commissioned this guitar after seeing his press book which included a photo of a guitar, the back being made from a stunning piece of Koa. Wes told me that he had one piece left from the same board and I suddenly found myself signing a cheque for a deposit! When the guitar arrived, I wasn’t disappointed: not only did it have the most amazingly figured back, gorgeous quarter-cut spruce belly and pernambuco rosette but most importantly, it had what I can only describe as the ‘Wes Sound’. I have played several of his guitars and they all have a similar sound character, regardless of their physical build and volume output. For a steel string guitar, it has in the lower register characteristics approaching those of a nylon string: a certain roundness of tone. The upper register sparkles very nicely and overall, the notes speak with perfect consistency. This guitar is great to record with but very difficult to use live at band volumes. You can hear it on all the selections from The Play Of Light, on The Alchemist and the Catflap from Blue In Black And White, on Prelude from East Coast Joys and on English Elements and To You from Curious Paradise.