The guitar felt alive, and as I continued to play it exceeded my best hopes - it was open, spacious, warm, with strong basses, pure trebles and long sustain. It gave me goosebumps!
On top of that the workmanship is superb, the playability excellent (barres are a doddle anywhere on the fretboard). Since arriving home with it I've been playing it pretty much non-stop and the sound is developing further - the trebles are becoming louder and kind of purer. I'm not sure if I'm putting this right but there's a sense of even space and openness in the the sound which I haven't really experienced in other guitars I've played. I want to thank Steve and Sabrina for such a great experience through the whole process of ordering, building and finally receiving the guitar.
{Testimonial extracted with permission. Sean shared his experience online here at https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=153236}
I am really enjoying getting to know my new Cadenza. It is such a high quality instrument, certainly a step up for me and opens up so much in terms of musical possibilities. Thanks again to you both.
I was introduced to Stephen's guitars through a personal recommendation; his work and communication exceeded expectations. I am an enthusiastic but very new guitarist, with coordination difficulties, so to have an instrument built to my specifications by someone whose knowledge and enthusiasm means he relishes checking in with me about my requirements and preferences has been an utter joy. I am playing more and better as a result of the guitar itself and the thoughtful process through which it was made. I recommend the Cadenza and Stephen's craftsmanship wholeheartedly
I have been longing for a Cadenza for several years, but for various reasons it has taken until now to finally get one in my hands.
I am a recreational player, but someone who loves nice guitars. I have had multiple very nice steel string guitars over the years, but only one other classical instrument – it’s a concert guitar made by a well-known Spanish maker but not a handmade single luthier piece and I liked it but didn’t love it.
To say I have been blown away by my Cadenza is an understatement – the combination of tone (particularly as one moves up the neck), playability, volume and intonation is outstanding. It inspires me to pick it up all the time, and encourages me to play more often and to focus more on my sound and touch. It is just so much more than any guitar (steel or classical) that I have ever played.
Not only that but the experience of dealing with Sabrina and Steve has been a pleasure from start to finish, and I felt like my guitar meant something to them as well as to me.
If you are in the market for an amazing sounding instrument (at a very good value price) then look no further – you will not be disappointed.
This is the second Cadenza guitar I have had made by Stephen. My first with a Cedar front and this one of Spruce with flamed maple sides and back. The build quality is superb and the sound it produces is very powerful. It has excellent projection and harmonics, especially high up on the register. It is punchy with great clarity and complements my Cedar guitar beautifully. I am extremely pleased to own such a quality guitar.
The guitar sounds really clear and strong and is a delight to practise on and play. Your skill level is outstanding.
This is my first proper guitar. As I am only 11 I was worried about playing a full size guitar but I found it easy to play and I can barre on it without any problems. I've played two concerts with it in my first week and it's wonderful to not worry about struggling to project the sound and knowing my audience can hear everything I do clearly even in a big concert hall. The best way I can think of to describe how this guitar is to think of it like a drawing. Until now it's like I have always painted in black and white; but now it's like someone has given me a box of different colours and now I can paint everything I see, exactly the way I see it, with all the wonderful colours I was never able to paint before. Thank you to Stephen and Sabrina I love my new guitar
Wow! Just Wow! The guitar is absolutely amazing, it sounds and looks superb.
I would just like to thank you both for making the whole experience of getting the guitar made so pleasurable. From the warm welcome when I came to visit, the time you took to allow me to play and listen to the guitars and being shown around the workshop, the pictures of the stages of the guitar being built to checking I received the delivery ok. The whole experience was a pleasure and you ensured that it all felt special.
I am very pleased with it, you have set it up perfectly and it sounds great. String spacing and action perfect. It has a very easy feel on the neck and strings. Excellent. You've done a wonderful job, it was well worth waiting for!
Many thanks, and thanks Sabrina for all the customer support and keeping me well informed of progress.
Regards and very satisfied customer
I have known Steve since he began life as a luthier. His abilities working with wood impressed me from the start of our friendship. It has been fascinating to watch his development to the heights that he has reached now. The guitars that he makes now are clearly top of the line. I have had a number of guitars by other makers pass through my hands, always looking for 'that sound'. I recently purchased a Spruce Cadenza model from Steve that has 'that sound'. The musicality is highly developed. There is great balance across the strings and an evenness of sound on all frets. I have found no lesser notes anywhere. The guitar has but a few days of playing in my hands and there is clearly much to come as it ages. I chose the Cadenza because it spoke to me on the day. On another occasion I might well have chosen one of Steve's other models, all great.
I looked at a lot of options before deciding to buy a Cadenza guitar from Stephen Eden and I am happy that I have made a good decision. The instrument has been customized with a 63 cm scale and low action making it easier for my fairly short fingers without compromising the sound or the appearance. It’s enjoyable to play and I am looking forward to extending my repertoire.
The guitar sounded beautiful from the moment that I took it out of its case. Its tone is warm and round with deep, lovely basses and sweet, rich trebles that maintain their integrity all the way up the neck. It is also beautifully balanced, which makes it easy to pick out and separate voices; it is extremely comfortable and easy to play for both the left and the right hands; and its dynamic range and tonal palette are wonderful. The quality of the Cadenza surpasses that of instruments that are far more expensive than the price asked for by Stephen and Sabrina, both of whom made the experience of purchasing a Cadenza a true pleasure. The care they took and the attention they provided to the particular nut width, string spacing, action height, and even neck shape and dimensions for which I asked was absolutely unfaltering – and, to top things off, they are also fun to work with! Thank you both for such a wonderful experience and guitar.
It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship that looks superb and feels very comfortable to play.
Thank you to Stephen for his consummate luthiery and your good self for keeping me updated about everything- I shall have to try now to be worthy of such a super instrument!
The Cadenza guitar is just FANTASTIC and I can't stop playing it since I have got back. The balance and warmth is wonderful and it has plenty of projection.
For me personally I have found the Cadenza model very kind on my left hand and this enables me to hold barre chords for much longer, reducing counterproductive hand-tiring on my behalf....definitely an added bonus!
I have worked on my technique to take advantage of the balanced rich base tones and sweet sounding trebles which gives me a better overall sound than with my Ramirez
The guitar is so easy to play and feels alive in my hands.
I can honestly say that this guitar is as good and surpasses many top name instruments that I have played in the past.
I am very happy. A true concert instrument capable of nuances and colour, responsive and clear all the way up the neck .I felt connected to it straight away
Having returned to the classical guitar after a twenty year break, I finally decided to replace my forty year old guitar,. and I bought a spruce Cadenza. The old guitar was fine, so I thought, but the Cadenza has rather shown up its deficiencies. It’s tone is better, the trebles ring clearly and the basses are more full and round. My old guitar had the odd note which always sounded slightly muffled, on the Cadenza they all ring out clearly. The Cadenza overall a bit louder. A small bonus is that the corners of the body are a bit more rounded making it more comfortable for the right arm to rest on the guitar. I also like the simple aesthetics of the Cadenza.
So I am very happy with my Cadenza. It was a pleasure to visit Bexhill-on-Sea to try the spruce and cedar versions, and Sabrina’s cake is good if you get the chance
It is nearly now a month since I collected the Cadenza.
Such a beautiful sounding and crafted guitar, it is a joy to play and I love it.
It plays extremely well and I am sure that it will over time sound even better.
Playing and practicing is such a pleasure.
Thanks again