There are a dozen registered guitar makers in Norway, all of whom sell acoustic or electric guitars, basses, or other stringed instruments. One of them is Yngvar Thomassen, who has been a guitar maker in his spare time. His story is about guitars – handcrafted in Norway.
“I have been building guitars for over 30 years, but my interest in the instrument began much earlier. Hearing the classical guitar for the first time as a teenager marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the instrument. After many years of playing the classical guitar, I had the idea of building my own instrument – and discovered that it brought me even greater joy,” says Yngvar Thomassen.
Yngvar Thomassen lives in Nesodden outside Oslo and has been building classical guitars since the mid-1990s. He is considered a master of the craft in Norway. Since the first six-string was completed in 1996, the self-taught guitar maker has created more than 70 classical guitars.
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Over the years, he has developed a clear tonal ideal that he strives to transfer to the instruments he builds. Every guitar is the result of many factors that sometimes work against each other, and the art of creating a fine instrument lies in balancing these factors. To shape the guitar to achieve the tonal character he is aiming for, he needs to understand how the various resonances interact within the instrument as an acoustic system.
When he retired some years ago, he said, “I’ve probably made around five guitars a year on average, part-time. It’s been on and off all these years. I will slow down now. You have to spend the rest of your life doing something worthwhile!”
His workshop in Nesodden smells of tropical lumber. The carefully selected and imported woods are arranged like a colorful sculpture.
“I build guitars with soundboards made of spruce or Canadian cedar, based on my own designs but also inspired by historical masters such as A. Torres and L. Panormo. For the sides and back, I most often use Indian rosewood,” says Yngvar.
“Over the years I have been doing this, the sound ideal has developed, just like the interpretation of musicians. The inspiration comes more from within than trying to imitate any specific guitars or guitar builders. I think that is quite common among those who have been involved in instrument building over time, except for those who build replicas,” he adds.
Thomassen maintains strong relationships with guitar builders abroad, particularly in Sweden.
At his website, the price for a standard classical guitar starts at NOK 60,000, including Norwegian VAT, excluding case.
The price may increase slightly if more expensive tuning machines or tonewoods are chosen. Prices for other models are agreed upon individually.
Guitars – Handcrafted in Norway, Tor Kjolberg reporting.
All images © Yngvar Thomassen