Chartwell Guitar

2024 Turkowiak double top

Woods: Bolivian rosewood back and sides, cedar over cedar double top, Aspen neck, ebony bindings, satin/matte oil finish.

Specs:  650mm scale, 52mm nut, 44mm string spacing at nut, 58mm at saddle. Just under 4mm bass string height at saddle.  Custom Turkowiak tuners and hard shell case.  Raised fingerboard, 12 hole tie block. Asymmetrical neck is carved to better fit the left hand playing position, making the guitar remarkably easy to manipulate.

Condition: new

Comment: this feather light double top guitar delivers a powerful output. The Turkowiak family has been incorporating interesting design features that augment one’s appreciation for their craft, such as a hollow neck with sound ports, raised armrest, Baltic amber highlights, which are not in evidence here. But what I consider essential to their brand is the comfortable feel of the asymmetrical neck, and the sweet, warm voice that is present in all of his work. This “estudio” model is intended to provide an impressive concert level guitar at a price point for nearly every buyer. After hours of enjoyable play on this guitar, I rate it as highly as his “Ancient Queen” model, which is nearly twice its price. I’d call it the working class Turkowiak.

It is my contention, after sampling the full range of double top guitars on the market, Rafal Turkowiak’s work is as fine as any.  The wonderful balance between bass and treble hits the middle point between dry/punchy and wet/round intonation.