Words from the Musicians

Rafal;
I have been meaning to write to you. I wanted to let you know that your guitar is a wonderful, truly amazing instrument.

Your guitars are beautiful and they are the best I’ve ever played! If I ever get another, it will be from you!

Michael Lindsey – Classical Guitarist

It’s rare that a guitar is a work of art, which is what one can expect from the workshop of Rafal Turkowiak. Each guitar is carefully crafted with exquisite precision and innovative approach,

Guitar number 562 is an extraordinary instrument. It possesses a powerful, warm tone that excels particularly in large venues and when collaborating with musicians playing other instruments.

I haven’t been able to put down my Turkowiak Nylon-String Jazz Guitar since I first pulled it out of the case.

The guitar’s construction is sturdy and beautiful. From the woods used to the unique look and function of the off-set sound hole make this guitar such a unique creature. Rafal was wonderful to work with and even helped make the customs process–which was new to me–quick and stress-free. Right out of the case, this guitar felt like it was built for me. It’s the instrument I didn’t know I was waiting for.

Oscar Suh-Rodriguez – guitarist, composer, music-educator, founder of and lead producer for the indie record label Kidokoro Records

When I decided to order a custom ukulele, I could never have known that I was about to acquire a masterpiece. While most people immediately associate the ukulele with Hawaii,

I just wanted to send a note of appreciation for the excellent craftsmanship and design execution that you put into my #412.

Rafal Turkowiak is one of the best living luthiers in the world, and his guitars will be likened to that of Fleta’s and Torres’ in 60 years time.

It is from the first note that one recognises a great guitar. Easy to play, balanced in sound, powerful and rich, as well as sensitive and responsive, these are just some of the qualities of Turkowiak’s guitars.

After a few months, I received from Rafal Turkowiak a Guitar, and the waiting was worth it. But this one is not only a simple Guitar, I have “ The Queen of the Guitars”, and the name say it all.

The Turkowiak Queen guitar is exquisite. The moment you pick it up and lay your arm over the integrated armrest there is a comfort as if you’ve found your best friend. The tuning gears are smooth as silk and the neck is shaped so gracefully that the left hand merely cradles it. The notes ring out effortlessly with lingering sustain making each chord meld into the next. There are so many additional features. I’ve had the guitar less than a week and I can say with confidence that my chord transitions and playing have already improved because of the comfort of the guitar and because of its musical qualities. I have finally found my dream guitar. This guitar is elegant and the craftsmanship is superb.

It has been a pleasure doing business with Rafal. He is truly an innovative artist!

Marge Browning;

Flower Mound, TX

Amazingly, in a mere 8 days I received a beautiful classical guitar crafted by Rafal Turkowiak from his shop in Poland to my business address in the State of Georgia, USA.
Rafal was a pleasure to deal with and promptly answered any question I had regarding price, construction, and shipping. The instrument was well packed in a very nice hardcase and its appearance and quality exceeded my already high expectations.
I have played acoustic guitar for several years, but I am relatively a novice when it comes to classical guitar with nylon strings. I must say that this instrument has much more volume and sustain with great sound quality when compared to my Cordoba Hauser model that I am currently playing.
I highly recommend guitars crafted by Rafal.

I have been the lucky owner of this wonderful classical guitar for a month now. The wood is of excellent quality and only the best cuts are used. I chose the guitar with sides and back in Kauri wood (a wood 45,000 years old, certified) and top in Fir from Tyrol. The inlays are made of Ebony and Mammoth bones with anti-static paint (to avoid dust). This guitar is a jewel, even looking at it you have the feeling of something extremely valuable. The sound is even better than the looks, with the innovations patented by the ingenious Turkowiak the guitar sound is utterly unbelievable. The sustain notes are much better compared to any other guitar that I ever heard or tried. When playing bass notes it seems almost to play on the Pink Floyd’s pad; this characteristic applied to classical pieces can give the impression of playing multiple instruments together. The sound is so malleable, wonderful, crystal clear and round that is possible to make it sound like a harp or to render the melodies dark or bright, depending on how you feel. All of this happens very naturally and it’s very easy to play this guitar. The sound is always very, very easy to control; The loudness is homogenous on all the strings and also when playing full chords it’s possible to hear every single note, without any of them prevailing on the others. Before this guitar I have played for 18 years a Ramirez Concierto (the top instrument in the Ramirez brand), but from now on I won’t use it anymore; my first choice is Turkowiak’s guitar, that for me is the Ferrari of the guitars.

The guitar made by Rafal Turkowiak is sheer joy of the sounds both to a musician who plays the instrument and a listener who receives the music. It’s a great feeling for those who in their dreams want an instrument to be more than just a tool to produce a beautiful sound, to be a unique masterpiece. What’s more, there’s no doubt that when you have this guitar, you have the major part of the heart of the man who leaves his heart in it. Both phenomena – the guitar and its creator – Rafal Turkowiak – are unique. When I met Rafal Turkowiak, I met a man who passes his passion on to others and one of very few people who, along with their work of art, pass on a part of themselves to the lucky user: class, proficiency, honesty and great pleasure.

It was on a classical guitar-web site that I saw for the first time the work of Luthier. It’s beauty was first surprised me. I was able to understand the high degree of guitar at a glance although the site photo. If we do not try to play and we do not understand its value thing called musical instrument. The thing about e-mail exchange with Rafal ,I was able to understand, but there was a shade of anxiety until the instrument arrived at hand.

Every ‘new generation’ of guitars made by Rafal Turkowiak is very interesting. The latest cedar instruments feature warm and meledious sound of the treble. Rafal Turkowiak pays much attention to visual sphere, that’s why the guitars are so carefully made.

Giving a review of Rafal Turkowiak’s instrument is a unique opportunity because it gives you a chace to have a contact with a real luthier’s masterpiece. I have

recently become a lucky owner of his classical guitar.First thing that comes to my mind when having to give an opinion on that instrument is an old saying: ‘The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.’

The above sentence may become obvious to every musician who at least once managed to grasp the guitar holding the title ‘Queen of guitars’ – an instrument made in Rafal Turkowiak’s Artisic Workshop.

It’s high time we looked objectively and critically at classical guitars manufactured by world-renowned companies. As an amateur musician I have had loads of opportunities to test guitars made by  famous companies like Antonio Sanchez, Ramirez, Alhambra, Admira, Rodriguez, Martinez and others. It seems to me that all above companies will have a huge problem in competing with Rafal Turkowiak’s instruments. Recognition of the class and unique quality of the latter is just a matter of time and appropriate analysis of the issue.

It’s really worth bowing down to technical innovations coming out of Rafal’s workshop. These are revolutionary solutions resulting in wonderful sound and offering extra technical features (asymmetric neck and elevated fingerboard).

I don’t think that even the most descriptive opinion on the Queen of guitars will ever replace the real impressions a guitarist may get when playing this instrument. Such instruments must be ranked appropriately among other luthiers’ masterpieces.

In 2010 I bought a classical guitar – ‘the Queen of Guitars’ with III type ‘WAVE’ resonator (the top shelf model). Rafal Turkowiak delivered the guitar to me on his own.

He is a great man with huge experience.He told me a lot about the guitar and instructed me how to play it properly.

The luthier’s service during and after the warranty period is very important. I have used the guitar in my concerts for two years and that’s why I can easily compare it with other guitars.

Mine stands out among other guitars in terms of the sound power, softness and ‘sweet’  tone of the treble strings  and clear deep bass.

I recommend ‘the Queen of guitar’ series – you won’t regret it.

Dear Rafal. I am very proud to be albe to play your guitar. However, for the first 6 months I couldn’t get on with it very well but now it rewards me all the time.

Rafal Turkowiak’s guitars have not yet received world renown as most who know of him reside in areas that are a bit off the beaten track in the guitar world.

My name is Vadim Gavva and I’m 43 years old. I have been playing the guitar since I was 8. Withing the last 35 years I have played a lot of instruments

An instrument’s inherent function is to offer a musician the opportunity to comfortably produce a beautiful sound.

Rafal Turkowiak’s guitar is an instrument like no other, very interesting sound, visually attractive, an interesting alternative worth considering

Hi to all that reads this review. My name is John Shaw from Scotland. I have just received my custom built guitar from Rafal Turkowiak a luthier from Poland. I can honestly say this is the most beautiful and sounding guitar I have ever heard it’s absolutely stunning. The workmanship is amazing I’m so honoured to own one of his guitars. My advice to anyone out there that is looking to buy a guitar is buy a Turkowiak Guitar. You will love it. I honestly can’t praise it high enough.

Rafal Turkowiak’s guitars are fantastic instruments. The quality, attention to every detail, and most of all, the sound of the instrument make the most

important features of his masterly work. I strongly believe that the future guitars will be as perfect as the present ones and the consultation with famous artists will help him produce even better instruments. I do recommend. Slawomir Dolatito Dolata

President of Duende Flamenco Foundation – a guitarist

I have been playing my new Turkowiak Luthier’s jazz guitar no. 47 for two weeks now and my enthusiasm for this highly impressive instrument has continued to grow during this period.This nylon-string guitar has an incredible bell-like sustain, while every note retains its own clearly distinguishable voice in chords or arpeggios. The unconventionally shaped neck plays beautifully, while still allowing for correct classical guitar technique. The unusual cut-away allows for precise and relaxed playing in the instrument’s highest registers.

Despite the fairly large body (almost as large as Dreadnought), the guitar’s ergonomic construction makes it extraordinarily comfortable to play. The unconventional body-construction and the integrated armrest contribute to this very balanced character of the instrument.

With its premium quality parts and workmanship, the Turkowiak Luthier’s jazz guitar no. 47 is a splendid instrument, a perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. For me, it is the ideal instrument for early 21st century fusion music. It is indeed a ‘Queen of guitars’ built by a King amongst luthiers.”

Conrad Bruch

Luxembourg composer, singer-songwriter and guitarist

Hi, I am a jazz guitarist. I have been looking for an instrument which would sound perfect both on stage and in the studio. An instrument with a warm sound and high dynamics.

I have been playing a guitar for over 30 years. The friend of mine has one of Rafal’s guitar and invited me for trials. I have to admit I have never

Rafal Turkowiak made a custom-built guitar for me. Its sound is phenomenal. Both the high pitched notes and the low ones give the guitar an exceptional timre

I am an onwer of a flamenco guitar made by Rafal Turkowiak in 2009. The instrument has beautiful sound and it’s very well made with the use of top class materials.

Welcome, In February my parents bought me a birthday present – ‘the Queen of Guitars’ from your workshop. This gift was wonderful – the guitar is

absolutely beautiful with extraordinary sound. After a few months of playing the instrument I think it sounds better and better, has exceptionally deep bass and beautiful treble. My demanding tutor in music school after checking the guitar advised me to use it along with the school luthier’s guitar during my auditions and exams.Today I passed an exam and I got  a five.  It was the first time that I used your guitar during my exams and I got an impression that the jury really liked it.

Therefore, I would like to thank you very much for making such a wonderful instrument. I am really happy to have it and play it.

Instrument – a dead object without a soul. A thing! Is it only? Maybe an artifact? It’s also a thing, an object. It’s a dormant and mysterious thing. Patent. Ready to act and hoping to be moved. Then it gives the sound. It takes years for the sound to express human feelings and emotions. Love, hatred, joy, sorrow… all within easy reach.

I’ve got your artifact, Rafal, and I am still learning how to move it.

I have had the classical guitar for over a month now and I, an absolute amateur, may say plainly: I am dreaming of having enough skills to be able to fully use the virtues

 of the instrument.  In comparison to all other guitars that I have played, it’s absolutely new quality in terms of beautiful bass, selective and sounding treble and wide articulation possibilities. And it’s only the beginning, the guitar is not well played yet. I should point out that the new instrument gets tuned almost perfectly and you can easily get rid of minor imperfections during the first ‘service’ visit at Mr Turkowiak’s. It is a top quality instrument  both technically and aesthetically with ‘extras’ such as mammoth bone and black bison horn which give the guitar more glamour.I hope it will serve me well for a long time.

Strong attack, quick response, clear and bright sound, clear and strong high frequency sound. It sounds like silver when getting into Tremolo Flamenco, sharp accent at Picado. Rasgueado – strong and selective. Do you need anything more than that? Perfectly made instrument impresses me every time I reach for the hard case.  Undoubtedly, the guitar has got a soul. It appeals to me. I recommend it.

I had a few guitars before my first meeting with the one carved by Mr Turkowiak. It was an amazing meeting for me. the depth sustain and clarity of the sound seduced me right away and I felt the instrument had no equals. You play it like the best grand piano. Guitar Stradivario – I immediately thought of Rafal – and I fell In love with the guitar at once and though I didn’t have enough money, I knew that it was the only instrument to satiate my artistic desires. With no doubt, this master piece has pleased me for almost two years and the instrument itself, which still matures, shows richer and richer depth of its soul given by Rafal. Congratulations Rafal, my delight is endless and the love you put in your guitars is contagious like the exhilaration of the crowd at a concert, the smell of spring flowers or Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile. There’s nothing else that I can recommend with a clear conscience but your guitars. Congratulations.