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David Bittner: A Timeless Master of the Guitar

Among the rare names in the history of fine guitar making, David Bittner is remembered as a luthier whose craft seemed guided by an older, almost mystical tradition. His instruments were shaped with patience, humility, and a deep understanding of wood and sound. Yet none of his creations is spoken of with more admiration than his ten-string guitar, an instrument that carries both elegance and remarkable musical depth.

Bittner’s ten-string guitar was designed not merely to extend range, but to enrich resonance. The additional bass strings, tuned sympathetically, allowed the instrument to glow with natural overtones, giving the player a wider harmonic palette and a voice reminiscent of the lute, harp, and Romantic guitar combined. Lightly built with seasoned spruce and resonant tonewoods, the instrument responded to the gentlest touch, offering warmth, clarity, and poetic expression.

Visually, his ten-string guitar remained faithful to a refined, old-world aesthetic. Decoration was graceful but restrained, subtle purfling, a delicate rosette, and a finish that honored the natural beauty of the wood. Like all of Bittner’s work, each instrument was crafted as a unique being, meant to mature with its player. With time, its voice blossomed, becoming more open and expressive, as if the instrument itself learned to sing.

Only a limited number of these ten-string guitars were ever built, making them prized among musicians and collectors. To encounter one today is to hold a piece of living history, an instrument that embodies the spirit of ancient craftsmanship and the poetic sound world that David Bittner devoted his life to preserve.