Smallman
Greg Smallman & Sons · 1990
A landmark instrument from the workshop that redrew the modern classical guitar — lattice-braced cedar, rosewood, and a voice built for the concert hall.
The luthier who rebuilt the guitar from the inside out.
From a workshop in Western Australia, Greg Smallman reimagined the classical guitar in close collaboration with the guitarist John Williams. Beneath an exceptionally thin western red cedar soundboard he set a fine lattice of struts reinforced with carbon fibre — a structure that freed the top to move with rare efficiency.
The result was an instrument of unprecedented power, sustain and projection, and it changed what concert audiences expected a single guitar to do. Smallman guitars became the choice of leading soloists worldwide, and surviving early examples are now among the most sought-after of the modern era.
Materials & measurements
Specifications shown are representative — confirm against the maker's label before sale.
A sound that fills a hall without amplification — immediate, singing, and unmistakably alive.
Effortless reach to the back of a concert hall without amplification.
Notes bloom and hold, with a long, even decay across the range.
Each voice stays distinct, even in dense contrapuntal passages.
A light, immediate top that rewards the subtlest touch.
A documented life.
Original maker's label and signature intact. Maintained in concert-ready condition, with full setup and structural integrity verified by a specialist luthier.
Built in the Smallman workshop with the maker's signature lattice soundboard.
Played and maintained in performance condition over its lifetime.
Recently inspected and set up by a specialist classical luthier.
Offered with original label, signature and documentation intact.
In close detail
Private viewing by appointment.
Serious enquiries are welcome. Reach out to arrange a viewing, request full documentation, or hear the instrument played.