News and Site Update Log - www.EarlyRomanticGuitar.com
Updates by Len Verrett, Editor
Back to Early Romantic Guitar Home Page
6/4/2023 - Added a CD review of Frank Bungarten - J. K. Mertz: The Last Viennese Virtuoso and copied it to the Composers page, Reference Recordings.
2/26/23 - Added David Jacques to the Dealers and Artists pages. After a long remission, I cleaned up countless broken links on those pages.
2/6/22 - Added Gamut music to the Strings page.
7/12/20 - Added information about Tecla's Sor Bio Third Edition 2020, and updated the Giuliani section to include Tecla's 'Variations and Polonaise for violin and guitar, op. 24a' as a recommended work on the Composers page.
4/4/20 - Added a CD review for Gianluigi Giglio, Fernando Sor - The 19th Century Guitar.
3/3/19 - Added a link to Zavaleta's La Casa De Guitarras on the Dealers of Original Period Guitars page. Added mention of the Alto guitar to the Terz page.
11/26/17 - Added information to the Multi-Bass and Composers pages about John Doan's edition "The Lost Music of Fernando Sor: Complete works for Harpolyre" transcribed for guitar. Added a link to the Christof Hanusch (Berlin) gallery page on the Gallery page, More Information section.
9/24/17 - Added a CD review for Alan Rinehart - J.K. Mertz - "Verdi's Guitar". Previously, added a review for Rolf van Meurs - Luigi Legnani - Works for 8-String Guitar.
9/25/16 - Updated the Luthiers page. Added a new luthier: Lehmann Strings. Validated all links, and updated the Simon Ambridge, Tanaka Kiyoto, Jack Sanders, Clive Titmuss, Hans van Löben Sels, Jose Verdi links. Made a minor update to the Moretti sections on the Composers page.
9/20/16 - Added a CD review for "Pascal Valois - Guitar Works of Victor Magnien" and an entry for Pascal Valois in the artists section, on the Recordings page. Added Berben Editions to the Sheet Music page. Updated the section on the composers page for Antonio Nava to mention the works by Berben and add the commonly-recognized deceased date of 1826. I've been playing a lot of Antonio Nava lately after ordering several works from Berben. Updated Federico Moretti's dates to 1795-1838, according to Berben. Added Luigi Moretti and updated the information for Luigi and Federico both.
6/23/16-7/5/16: Trip to Italy I'll never forget. Visited primarily Rome, Naples, Amalfi, Florence, and Pisa.
11/26/15 - Removed a dead email link from the Contact page and mad small profile changes. Added a link to Classical Guitar Library in the Sheet Music page. Added a Pietro Castellani FirenzeItaly guitar from 1817 to the Gallery page. Added James Westbrook to the directory of luthiers.
4/17/15 - Added a CD review for Nicola Jappelli Carulli and made minor bio changes.
10/26/14 - Added a CD review for Pavel Steidl Mertz and made minor bio changes.
5/26/14 - Added CD reviews for Duo Vitare cello & guitar, and Ricardo Gallén Sor Sonatas.
4/18/14 - Added a CD review for Adam Darr German Romantic Guitar Duets - Schneiderman Yamaya Duo.
2/9/14 - Added a CD review and artist profile for Nicola Jappelli and updated the Newest Reviews section. Removed a dead link in the CD Vendors section.
1/5/14 - Updated the artist profile for the late Dennis Cinelli. Added a link to Jimmy Westbrook's Panormo article on the Builders page, Panormo section. Fixed the graphic for Tanaka Kiyoto on the Luthiers page. Added Gil De Avalle to the Luthiers page. Updated the description of Rodgers tuners on the Accessories page and added Rubner tuners from All Strings Nylon. Added All Strings Nylon to the Strings page, General Vendors section. Added Ediciones Eudora to the Sheet Music page. Added Asier de Benito to the Luthiers page. Updated the Nylgut section on the Strings page. Updated the Aguado section on the Composers page.
1/6/13 - Added Martin Hurttig to the luthiers list.
12/2/12 - Reminder - free holiday music available on the site.
10/13/12 - Fixed 2 broken photo links on the Luthiers page.
9/30/12 - Updated the review for Gabriel Schebor to add a link to his web site, and added a link to the Danish voice and guitar duo Duo Suonante.
9/23/12 - Added CD reviews for Gabriel Schebor (South American works) and John Doan (Homage to Sor). Referenced Gabriel Schebor's Carcassi Youtube videos on the Composers page, Carcassi section, and the Period Technique page where I also added comments. Replaced the URL link for Sinier de Ridder on all pages, and added a link to the 2 books "The Guitar" on the Accessories page.
6/7/12 - Added a section on Luigi Picchianti to the Composers page. Updated my bio. Fixed the link for Pavel Steidl's web site on the Recordings page, artist section, and added CD reviews of his Legnani and Paganini CD's. Added a link to VintageandRare.com on the dealers page.
4/1/12 - Added a CD review for Patrick Appello - Last Rose of Summer. Updated a link to the Fair Use Copyright law. Renamed the picture files for the Stauffer & Co. book so that they will load with other browser types.
3/16/12 - Added the 1842 Filano guitar to the gallery, ex Thomas Cole. Added links to the Stauffer & Co. book on the More Info, Accessories, and Builders-Stauffer pages. Changed the accessories link from Modern Case Co. to Colorado Case Company. Added Music Treasures dated instruments to the Gallery: 1810 Monzino, Laprevotte 1844, Baum 1845, G.L. Panormo 1864, Fabricatore 1835, Boulanger 1840.
9/2/11 - Added a CD review for Jerry Willard's Night At The Opera. Revised the Fernando Sor section of the Composers page to add information about Sor's non-guitar works and revise other wording.
8/27/11 - Modified link descriptions on the home page for downloads. Cleaned up broken links on the Luthiers page. Added Duo Historico to Artists section of Recordings page. Fixed broken links on the Martin section of the Builders page.
1/3/11 - Revised the Tarrega section. Added Dodici Corde Early Romantic Guitar Duo to the Artists section. Added The bibliography by Erik Stenstadvold "Guitar Methods 1760 - 1860" to the Period Technique and More Info pages. Updated the publishing practice page regarding cross-national copyright, a tip from Erik. Updated email and web site links for Simon Rovis-Hermann on the Luthiers page.
10/24/10 - Removed the classified ads section. Updated the My Guitars page to add the Panormo and clarify which ones were not for sale. Updated the Torres section on the Builders page. Added the Method Book bio by Erik Stenstadvold to the Accessories page and added RE Brune appraisals. Added Dodici Corde Early Romantic Guitar Duo to the Recordings page.
10/3/10 - Revised the My Guitars page and Multi-bass page Heptacorde section.
9/13/10 - Revised the Components page; minor edits throughout. Added 1840 and 1841 Lacote photos from Jimmy Westbrook to the Lacote Pics page, both showing flush fingerboards. Updated the Multi-bass page 7-string guitars section; split out Raphaella's guitar into its own table row. Added a Wikipedia link listing Carulli's compositions and year on the Composers page.
8/29/10 - Added an 1839 Lorca to the Gallery page. Added Guitar in Art section to the Links page with a link. Replaced the older Coste photo on the composers page with a better photo.
7/25/10 - Added Roseberry Guitars to the Luthiers page. Added photo credit for Clifford J. Lueck.
7/19/10 - Added link to Steve's guitars on the Dealers page.
6/28/10 - Added several new editions to the Composers page that I purchased at the GFA Austin convention and a bio of F. Cordero.
5/9/10 - Fixed the Sinier de Ridder link. Added guitars to the Gallery by: Glaesel, Molino, Caro, Matthes. Added the Juan Perfumo terz guitar to the terz page. Revised the instructions for accessing REX and added photos of Rischel and Birket-Smith. Corrected a statement about frets on the components page.
12/22/09 - Updated the Tree Edition contact info on the Strings page.
9/20/09 - Added a link to Philip Bone's "Guitar and Mandolin" on the composers and more info pages. Added a quote about Staufer to the Builders page. Added an 1816 guitar cited by Bone to the Gallery. Created new JPG's from the Bone PDF and added these photos to the Composers page: Tarrega, Aguado, Schubert's 2 guitars, Regondi, Paganini, Giuliani, Z. Ferranti, Dar, Carulli, Carulli's guitar, Carcassi. Added a few quotes from bone to the Composers page. Updated the Izhar Elias CD photo on the recordings page.
7/20/09 - Added a review of the Semiramide CD by Izhar Elias. Replaced dubious Torres photos with Jimmy Westbrook's authenticated 1864 on the Builders page. Added the 1864 to the gallery and noted that the 1852 and 1857 Torres guitars are not authenticated. Added the 1810 Renault to the Gallery page.
4/6/09 - Updated my bio and the classified ads.
3/14/09 - Added Rob MacKillop's Sor & 19th-Century Guitar Performance Site to the Composers page. Updated Classifieds.
1/3/09 - Added CD reviews of Giuliani complete duo works and Molino trios. Edited the More Info page to change the Bazzotti link to the new Just Classical Guitar link. Changed the classifieds page to text only, so that I can keep up with it. Added a few classifieds.
11/10/08 - Added a review of John Doan's Harpolyre CD.
10/21/08 - Added a blurb about Sor's scordatura tunings on the Composers page.
10/12/08 - Fairly extensive revisions to the multi-bass page to describe the Carulli Decacorde, mention John Doan's Harpolyre contributions, and generally made minor edits all over the page. Updated the Strings page to give example stringings for 8/10 string guitars.
9/28/08 - Updated the classifieds page. Added the Bartolex 10-string to the My Guitars page.
8/15/08 - Improved the fonts of the main Index page. Added several classifieds. Added the 1835 Juan Perfumo to the Gallery page. Added the double cut-away of Vissenaire to the Builders page. Added Eufonium to the sheet music page.
8/3/08 - Re-wrote the Legnani section after having reviewed all of his works in my collection again.
7/6/08 - Added J.C. Lom to the Composers page.
5/28/08 - Added Historical Guitars to the luthiers page and fixed the graphic link for Sanders Guitar. Added a photo of Albert and edited his section on the Composers page. Added a photo of Legnani's (alleged) guitar and updated the composers and builders pages accordingly. Added a note about Franciolini, the Florentine faker, on the Advice and Gallery pages.
3/23/08 - Fixed link for Tablatures de luth - updated to the new URL, and removed broken links for Earlyclassicalguitar.NET and The Spanish Guitar Page. Added a review of the Lorenzo Micheli Aguado CD to the recordings and composers pages. Added Emerson Corp. to the strings page. Added a link to the True Carbon cases on the Accessories page.
2/6/08 - Added a link to Fine Antique Guitars on the Gallery page, more information section. Removed pics from the gallery with dubious authenticity or year (in my opinion). Added several new photos to the gallery: 1794 Filano, 1800 GBF, 1856 Recio, 1802 Guadagnini, 1839 Guadagnini 7-string. Added Huerta's 1828 Panormo pic and a caption to the Huerta section of the Composers page.
2/4/08 - Added a CD review for the Sor duo CD by Arte en Parte.
2/3/08 - Updated the Strings and Tuning page.
1/30/08 - Updated information regarding the Digital Guitar Archive on the Sheet Music page, and reviewed the DGA publications of Mertz, Bobrowicz, and Huerta on the Composers page. Made minor edits in various places on the Composers page, and updated the Legnani opus listing based on new information which has recently come to my attention.
1/20/08 - Added a CD review for Sor Boleras by Diaz-Latorre.
1/16/08 - Updated the Dealers page - removed some dead links, and promoted others into the "specialty" section. Updated the Recordings page with a new link for Arte en Parte.
12/31/07 - Added a new page for my free recordings and added duos. Updated my bio and the contacts page. Updated the my guitars page.
11/11/07 - Added Granary Guitars to the more info section in the gallery, to the photo credits, and added their 1791 Pages. Added "Musurgia" to the Dealers page (from New York), and added their 1846 Lacote to the More Lacote Pics section.
10/28/07 - Removed a Panormo label photo of dubious authenticity. Added photos of Duo Ghiribizzo to the Artists page.
9/3/07 - Added the Early Guitar.com and Harp Guitar Music CD vendors links.
6/17/07 - Updated the Panitz link.
5/13/07 - Updates to the Contact and Builders page.
3/25/07 - Minor edits to the Dealers page. Gallery page: updated the link for www.kockelmans.nl. Minor edits to the myguitars and contact pages.
2/19/07 - Removed the FastCounter link which was discontinued. Added a classified ad.
1/3/07 - Added the Ries instrument to the classified page.
11/26/06 - Added Jack Sanders to the Luthiers page, and fixed broken photo links. Added a classified ad.
11/12/06 - Corrected a detail about H. Albert on the composers page.
11/6/06 - Revised the "my guitars" page and the bio section with some MP3 clips of the instruments.
8/27/06 - Removed the Posters section of the accessories page as the vendor no longer sells this item. Added to the Fabpics page: two 1819's and one 1818. Added the Catalan scores link to the Sheet Music page and added a lute transcription section. Added a hyperlink reference to Agustín Maruri for each CD.
8/6/06 - Added a CD review for Fernando Sor - Minuets - Agustín Maruri.
7/31/06 - I scanned all my pages for incorrect hyperlink URL passing. Fixed hyperlinks that were not correctly updating the URL upon pressing the link on the Builders, Components, More Info, Multi Bass, Panormo Pics, Recordings, Strings and Gallery pages.
7/23/06 - Added 2 CD reviews for Jens Bang-Rasmussen, a review for Russell's Giuliani CD, and a review for "The Romantic Terz Guitar - Original Guitar Duets - Peter Pieters, Micheline Dumortier".
7/5/06 - Mentioned the 5-string Fabricatore on the Evolution page.
6/25/06 - Added a classified ad. Added an 1819 Fabricatore to the More Fab Pics and Builders pages. Added a link to the Soundboard article by Paul Pleijsier regarding Guiliani's Pons guitar, on the Builders page and Gallery.
4/23/06 - Revised the autenticity comments for early instruments. Edited the Adam Darr composers section for publication plans. Updated my bio.
3/25/06 - Updated builders, gallery, evolution regarding authenticity questions of very early guitars.
3/18/06 - Updated the Composers page: a paragraph about Aguado's guitars, added Albert and Eggers as later guitarists contributing to romantic guitar, a section on Dubez with photos, Calegari, and Johann Decker-Schenk. Mentioned Huerta's birth date - more soon. Fixed broken links for the Guiliani guitar and a few misc. items on the Builders page.
3/12/06 - Added information about the incredible Boije Collection of PDF downloads, similar to REX. I am indebted to Louis-Marie Duvillard for pointing out this link. I perused and downloaded much of the collection and updated the Composers page to reflect which composers are available on Boije. Added identification of opus 63 by Legnani to the Composers page, based on a discovery in Boije.
3/5/06 - Added reviews of the James Westbrook "Century that Shaped the Guitar" book and CD and added JW to the acknowledgements.
2/20/06 - Added Digital Guitar Archive to the sheet music page. Added Fine Antique and Classical Guitars to the Dealers page. Changed the wording on the terz page per Brian Jeffery's suggestion: "Most people do not realize that a normal guitar in fact sounds an octave lower than the music is written." Edited the luthiers entry for Alexis Anderson by request. Added Gamut strings and Aquila USA to the strings page. Added a link to the Guitar collection of Brigitte Zaczek on the Gallery page. Cleaned up the Classifieds Page. Removed a couple of guitar pics from the Index page to speed loading.
2/5/06 - My Guitars page - made a few updates and documented string selections.
12/20/05 - Gallery: added 1805 Aldric and fixed the broken links. Luthiers: fixed most of the broken links. Corrected 1 more detail regarding the instrument in the BZ Coste review. Added Brigitte Zaczek to the Artists page.
12/18/05 - Added the Tecla Aguado Method English translation to the composers page. Replaced the Thames Lacote photo. Added a comment about the 1805 birth date (not 1806) of Coste.
12/11/05 - Updated the Anton Staufer section of the Builders page based on a reader's tip. Updated the classifieds for the Thames Panormo sale. Added Jaime Bosch to the Composers page. Fixed the Arthur Robb restoration broken link on the Guitars Menu page.
12/10/05 - Made a few corrections to the Zaczek-Coste review. Corrected the birth date of Coste on the Composers page.
12/3/05 - Added a review of Napoleon Coste: Romantic Guitar II - Brigitte Zaczek. I am really excited about this CD - on a Coste model 7-string Lacote, an 8-string Staufer-Legnani, and played to perfection. Also added Michael Thames to the Luthiers page.
11/27/05 - Re-organized the composer's page and eliminated the "major vs. minor" composers distinction, as I often find fame and quality are not always linked, and it is difficult to draw the line here. Listed the composers alphabetically. Added a review of the new and superb Padovec complete concert works edition. Moved the Russian 7-string section to the Multi-bass page, and added a more prominent link to the harp guitar site, and edited a few minor things, and added a quote by Sor. Corrected the information regarding the instrument used by Padovec.
11/22/05 - Added a paragraph about Lacote label variations. Added a Coste photo. Updated classifieds. Gallery: added 1798 Guera, Mariano Ussano 1859 Napoli, 1828 Genarro Fabricatore.
11/6/05 - Added info from RE Brune regarding Martin X-bracing on the builders page.
11/4/05 - Updated a note about the English guitar and French history on the Builders page. Added a "tricks" section to the period technique page. Added much more in the music review in the Coste section of the Composers page, and updated a few notes based on my recent review of Coste's complete works. Updated the Alexis Anderson luthier photo and caption. Updated the Agustín Maruri artist profile with a new photo of him playing a Lacote 1840. Added a blurb about the Legnani model on the builders page.
10/16/05 - Updated multi-bass page with Stephen Bright's newsgroup and 10-string internet radio station.
10/4/05 - Luthiers page: fixed a broken link to Kiyoto's guitars and added a link to Alexis Anderson for restorations. Added a classified ad.
9/25/05 - I survived Hurricane Rita :-) Updated the composer's page with Carulli editor favorites, after reviewing the works in my collection again. Added a classified ad. Added Ray's Lacote family photos on the Builders page, Lacote section.
8/12/05 - Made 2 minor corrections to the gallery. Corrected the Horetzky bio details.
7/17/05 - Added to Krause instruments to the Staufer Pics page.
7/13/05 - Added more instruments to the gallery, courtesy of Rainer Krause, in addition to several yesterday. Updated the OMI listing with the new web site.
7/12/05 - Added several instruments to the gallery: 1796, 1863, 1852, 1850, 1870, 1913. Added a review to the Recordings page. Updated the Builders page with Paganini's guitar lineage and a further comment about Legnani-Riess. Updated the my guitars page. More to do..
5/14/05 - Added Lavigne circa 1819 photos to the myguitars page. Removed a broken link from the builders page. Added a classified. Builders page: added an English guitar section, moved the "Guittar" section to the builders page, moved Panormo to the English section, and added English guitar examples and text. Replaced the main Lacote photo with a better example. Included some text from Sinier de Ridder.
5/13/05 - Added several guitars to the Gallery from Music Treasures. Added the scripted label Panormo examples to the Panormo pics page, and 2 Lacotes from Music Treasures to the Lacote Pics page.
5/8/05 - Updated Kurt Decorte's reference on the dealers page and made minor modifications to the 1844 Guiot description. Added to the Carulli, Matiegka, Lhoyer texts on the composers page. Added the 58cm string length to the comment on the Rudert terz in the gallery. Added Elias' Guadagnini CD, added Elias as a featured artist, and revised the text of the Starobin Sor CD review.
5/5/05 - Added my "new" 1844 Guiot to the my guitars page and replaced the photo of it on the gallery. Re-wrote several sections and details of the components page, including a major new section on bracing systems, with photos. Updated accessories to add the Pegheds 9mm pegs. Added a section on bridge pin string changing to the strings page.
4/21/05 - Switched the site to the 1GB web hosted site so that all my changes lately took effect. Many additions of graphics, fixed a few things. Added a section about not getting burned to the advice page. Added more information about Panormo.
4/9/05 - Started the major overhaul of the web site. I will soon move to a web hosted area with 1GB - today I have 7MB which is too large of a limitation. I am also extending the time period to all of the 19th century: this triggered updates to several pages to set the web site scope to Segovia instead of Tarrega, whom I added to the composers page. Added a new page: Fabricatore Pics with new graphics and also new graphics on the Stauffer pics page. Added pics to several pages, and replaced remote image tags with local tags, as web sites that disappear or move their files continually break my links. Started a practice of adding new graphics as thumbnails with new links to large files. Changed the Sheet music description to free and vendors, and placed Coldwell's program as the preferred method to access REX.
3/21/05 - Added the Swiss luthier site Philippe Mottet-Rio (Anselmus).
3/18/05 - Added reviews of 2 Sor CD's by Starobin and Jappelli. Added photos of Broca, Arcas, and Darr, and new biographical details for Darr from Norbert Fischer.
3/13/05 - Added the Pepe Romero Giuliani CD review.
2/14/05 - Added the James-Rucco Rossini CD. Updated my guitars collection with terz scale correction and the +HP Strat. Added more about Carcassi and a few more major composers for reference in the timeline section of the Composers page.
2/6/05 - Added the Lawrence Johnson Sor CW series CD review. Updated my bio.
1/14/05 - Added a classified ad and listed another as sold.
1/11/05 - Many changes today. Sheet music: Saul B. Groen Editions and Panitz added. Composers: "Choosing an Edition Type" added, with a link to Robert Spencer's article, updated the Carulli section with some editorial comments after listening to a lot of Carulli lately and doing a recording project. Advice: editorial revisions to the "differences" section, in the "buying" section mentioned a bit about currency. Period technique: added a new section for Interpretation and revised the Summary section. Recordings: added info on the guitar used for Saracino's Legnani Caprices CD.
1/4/05 - Removed the 'Silent Night' info from the main page (taking down the Christmas decorations after New Year's..) Added a reference to Guadagnini on the Italian section of the Builders page. Added a review of Saracino's 8-CD complete works set of Carulli, and added Saracino as a featured artist.
12/21/04 - I haven't logged all the minor changes lately, but the main ones are adding the Mohr guitar used to compose "Silent Night" to the front page for the Christmas season, and today, I re-wrote quite a bit of the Builders page.
10/26/04 - Added Tony Bingham's web site, moved Renard to the specialists on the dealers page. Luthiers page: fixed or removed broken links.
10/21/04 - Changed several of the instruments on the Index page. Sub-divided several year categories on the Gallery; added an 1826 Lacote in its case, credited the 1822 Fab from Edinburgh Univ and linked to their 1829 Staufer-Legnani; edited a few descriptions, removed a dubious 1860's Torres photo.
10/20/04 - Gallery: added 3 Sothebys guitars - Pons 1822, Lacote 1830, Boosey & Sons 1865; & Sinier de Ridder Lacote 1824; added links for Verdi, the luthier who owns and copied the 1827 Guadagnini. Composers: made a minor correction to the Legnani list flute & guitar works per prof. Gazzelloni. My guitars page: Confirmed with Kresse that the Staufer copy is 1840, Lacote 1847 - corrected that on the page.
10/12/04 - Updated the My Guitars page again in several places.
10/11/04 - Updated the My Guitars page with new collection photos and of the newest arrival, an 1888 Torres copy by Hancock. Clarified Lacote's death date as unknown, probably ca 1870 not 1855, and removed the post-humous comment on the 1862 in the gallery, and updated Westbrook's Lacote photo, a guitar possibly owned by Aguado (thanks JW). Composers page: Added a new classified for JW. Added Legnani known works information from Prof. Giuseppe Gazzelloni, Italy; added a Cano bio. Probably failed to record a few updates in the weeks prior.
10/2/04 - Added a classified ad. Several text updates to various pages on 9/22. Added the Huerta CD review.
9/8/04 - My Guitars page - added today and yesterday, guitars I owned in the past, and added my new Torres copy of 1888.
9/3/04 - Terz & Strings page - notified about Ophee's terz guitar strings for ordinary classical guitars to play at terz pitch. Added 2 new romantic guitar luthiers: Jose Verdi of Argentina and Heidi von Rüden of Germany. Added a Huerta photo provided by Norbert Fischer of Germany, and also a link to more information. Gallery: added the 1799 Vinaccia of Portugal provided to me by Dr. Thomas Heck, and credited Jose Verdi for the 1827 Guadagnini shown.
8/16/04 - Multibass page - added Gregg Miner's page links, and a harpolyre section. Gallery: added the 7-string 1829 Italian guitar. Added a new luthier in Virginia. Updated my collection page to reflect recent updates.
7/13/04 - Significant overhaul of the main menu "index" page: placed hyperlinks to all primary sub-pages, added pictures to the secondary menu pages, changed the background color of the menu table, added descriptions, put a border around the logo. Contact page, added the "Copyright and Fair Use" section. Classifieds, used a new photo for the 93 Kresse Panormo. Builders page, added details about the Giuliani Fabricatore and added it to the Fabricatore gallery.
7/2/04 - Artists page: added reviews of the Maccari-Pugliese Duo CD's and updated their artist description, fixed a Maruri photo broken link. Updated the photo credits. Added a classified. Updated the Builders, Stauffer section with new Kresse info. Added "What's New", "Composers" and "Site Map" direct hyperlinks from the main page, cleaned up the main menu page. Sheet music page: added Philomele Editions and changed the REX instructions because the system changed.
6/30/04 - Viennese Quint guitar added to the terz page, updated the Clive Titmuss gallery link from the terz guitar. Multi-bass page, added Terminology and a Lacote 9-string, also added 9-string to the page title links. Added an 1830 Panormo and 1827 Lacote 9-string from MFA to the gallery, added a link to the 1798 original. Added a photo of the MFA circa 1840 Martin to the Builders page as a table for the other Martin info section. Revised the link for Jose Antonio Vallejo and discovered the Felix Manzanero which I also added to the More Info & Links page.
6/25/04 - Many updates to the gallery. Several new instrument photos, removed a couple of dubious photos, added more hyperlinks and comments and photo sources, also alphabetized it. Added a legend and changed the introduction to a table.
6/23/04 - Composers, added "Editor's Suggested Picks" for Giuliani and Legnani.
6/15/04 - Updates to the gallery from Classical Guitar Centre Ltd. and changed the guitars on the main page. Started to add the "Editor's Suggested Picks" for each composer, got as far as Coste.
6/9/04 - Minor updates to the gallery.
6/7/04 - Major updates to the gallery page: tied the photos to the credits (first attempt), added several instruments, added comments.
5/25/04 - Updated the accessories page for Pegheds, Rodgers, Modern Case Co.. Cleaned up html tags on the classifieds page. Minor edit for Kresse on the Luthiers page. Text content minor edits and dead link removal on Advice.
5/23/04 - Updated the guitar collection of Len Verrett page with new photos. Updated the classified ads.
5/17/04 - Added more comparison photos of 19th c to modern guitars, added more Lavigne photos. Added an 1829 Lacote to the gallery page.
5/12/04 - Added my 1820 (second) Lavigne to the My Guitars page, and updated the Sinier de Ridder section.
5/9/04 - Added the terz guitar classified for Fred and removed the 1795 since I haven't gotten replies from the owner. Added the 1829 Lacote and 2 Kresse Lacote copies to the More Lacote Photos page. Replaced the Lacote photo on the Len Verrett's Guitar Collection page with an actual photo of my instrument to be shipped. Linked the Web site by Jose Antonio Vallejo in Spain. Added Italian music publisher UT Orpheus to the sheet music page and linked them on the Composers for the Early Romantic Guitar page. Updated the description field in the Legnani list of known works.
4/19/04 - Added the D'Amore - "Obidos" recording review and Molino trio links. Minor corrections on the contact page. Updated a few minor things on the composers page.
4/18/04 - Added Frett'd Treasures, Inc. (note: this web site is now offline and has been usurped by distasteful content).
4/3/04 - Added the 1785 Westbrook Fabricatore to the Gallery, Builders, and Evolution pages. Added Pyramid and Nylgut info to the Strings page. Added the 1832 Pons to the Gallery.
3/21/04 - Added Matiegka's bio to the Composers page and Kuffner's photo. Edited wording on the trio section of the ensemble page.
3/18/04 - Revised the Decacorde information and corrected it. Updated the 10-string section with Southwell's Scherzer.
3/7/04 - Added bio details of Gragnani's lifespan on the Composers page, new information about early fretted multi-bass guitars from Matanya Ophee on the multi-bass page, added SPES and OMI to the sheet music listing, added an "Editor's Choice Strings" section to the strings page and info how to order Seaguar fluorocarbon and also my opinion of the Lacote tuner superiority, added the CVF developments to the dealers page, added Matanya Ophee's details about Carcassi's guitar to the Builders page, added Alain Bieber's quotes about Savarez development and early 9-string lyre guitars plus the Vinaccia 1779 and updates about the multi-bass probably preceding the 6-string to the Evolution page, placed a link to the Leipzig Museum Guitars on the gallery page, updated Agustín Maruri's new web site link.
3/2/04 - Fixed a broken link in the Gallery for Guiot, added the CVF link and the 1779 guitar. Updated the multi-bass text and added the Renard 18th c. arch guitar. Added CVF photos of Lacote, Panormo, Staufer to the extra pics pages.
3/1/04 - Added the "Instruments used by the great 19th Century Guitar Composers" section to the Builders page. Revised the Torres section to add misconceptions. Added more early Spanish links and FFSI links. Updated the Lacote pics with the FFSI 1836 Lacote.
2/29/04 - Updated the Russian 7-string guitar section on the Composers page based on my first-hand experiences playing this music on an 8-string guitar. Added the new Duo Ghiribizzo - LHoyer-Gragnani Duos Concertans CD.
2/21/04 - Added Renard to the dealers page. Updated my bio with recent studies and a new photo.
2/17/04 - Touched up the composers page. Updated classifieds - Casini is sold. Added luthier Martin de Witte.
2/16/04 - Major overhaul of the Composers page - added much information about "minor" composers, added the timeline to put each one into perspective, added graphic links. Updated the "period technique" page, and re-copied all the HTML files to the server in case I missed one.
1/26/04 - Further edits of the Evolution and Time Period pages.
1/25/04 - Major re-write of the Evolution page, based on important research from Tyler & Sparks.
1/19/04 - Updated the Terz page with learnings from the REX collection. Updated the Composers and Sheet Music pages with new sources of music and the REX download program, provided by Robert Coldwell.
1/16/04 - Added the Maccari-Pugliese Duo to the Artists page and Gallery photo credits, and added a link to the Giuliani Fabricatore guitar.
1/14/04 - Fixed a few broken graphics links. Added CD reviews for Savino and Cinelli.
1/2/04 - Added the Polish composers section and updated the REX instructions.
12/22/03 - Fixed a few graphic links missing due to case sensitivity. Added the composer reference page to the links. Added a review of each principal composer's scope and difficulty level. Fixed the numbering on the sheet music page.
12/14/03 - Back from my REX "sabbatical" - I've spent countless hours researching and downloading. Temporarily changed the main page to show the Mohr Silent Night guitar for the holidays. Permanently changed the main page to make the Main Menu more clear. Added the incredible REX library to the sheet music page, and updated the composers page accordingly (more to come). Updated the known works of Legnani with a few REX discoveries. Updated the text of Carcassi and Carulli based on my experiences with newly-discovered manuscripts from REX.
12/10/03 - Updated the classifieds. Also re-copied all the HTML files back to the web server, as my web provider has inexplicably restored an older version of my web pages.
12/1/03 - Cleaned up the graphics to remove dead files; removed all the files and replaced with only the used files, consolidated directory structures, corrected a few file names, etc.. Corrected the title on the Staufer pics page. Added Richard Savino's Bio and updated my study history based on our meeting in Houston. Accessories page now in alphabetical order with consistent horizontal rules, added the 19th c. plans site. Added LACG's facsimiles to the sheet music page and referenced the sheet music page from the accessories page. Added the 1795 guitar to the classifieds. Corrected the broken photo links on the Panormo Pics page.
11/16/03 - Removed some questionable instruments from the gallery, and added the 1889 Casini. Added the 1823 Lacote from Kresse to the Lacote pics page. Added Ray's Staufer-Legnani and an original Anton Stauffer from Kresse to the Staufer pics page.
11/9/03 - Credited Kurt for the x-bracing info and added his note about an 1819 Lacote on the builders page. Revised the classifieds.
11/02/03 - Added Simon Rovis-Hermann to luthiers. Gallery: Kresse 1823 Lacote and FFSI 1836 Lacote added. Composers: linked many fine essays by George C. Krick and several quotations, corrected several broken links, added Degen text. Strings: added a quote by Krick. Ensemble: added cello + guitar and Degen to this page, Krick's essay about duos. Builders - Lacote, explained about "successor of Martin" and "student of Pons". Several minor changes between 10/17 and today.
10/17/03 - Added more Martin links, HVLS classified.
10/15/03 - Added a new recording. Added graphics to the period technique page, and added Rob's article. Updated the contact page spam policy and links policy. Linked to the spam policy from the main page and referenced the site map directly. Updated the wording on the German-Viennese guitar section to mention more how common this style was; it seems everyone who finds a German guitar with a scroll headstock thinks it's a rare Stauffer or Martin.
10/13/03 - Updated the piano and guitar section.
10/08/03 - Added the Westbrook 1785 Fab to the gallery and evolution pages. Renamed the evolution page description on the guitars menu page. Revised the evolution page content. Added the 1804-5 Pons lyre to the evolution page. Added the 1797 Fab to the builders page, revised the content of the Panormo section, revised the builder dates based on newer information. Moved the builders links to the links page, listed a link to the links page from the guitars menu. Added a few new examples to the gallery and credits.
10/05/03 - Added photo credits to the Gallery page.
9/30/03 - Major revisions and additions to the Gallery page, and also to the gallery shots on the Index page.
9/27/03 - Added the EMC label to the recordings page. Updated the Lavigne description. Updated the site map with the gallery page. Linked artist photos to the artist page. Added Matthias Wagner to the luthiers page.
9/24/03- Added several CD's by Maruri and his artist entry.
9/20/03 - Updated the main page to speed up loading: fewer guitars, but started work on a more extensive gallery of dated, labeled instruments (bigger job than I thought!). Added 3 new ERG specialists to the Artists page. Added Rob's instruments to the classifieds.
9/19/03 - Added appraisals to the accessories page. Revised the Evolution page. Added Mr. Aguado to the Luthiers.
9/16/03 - I changed most of the pictures on the main page. I previously showed many guitars of unknown dates, and the dates were often guesses (circa 18xx). The photos will be only dated, verified labeled guitars or copies thereof, on the main page.
9/10/03 - Further modifications to the new multiple music pages, mostly moving things around. Added the Spam Policy.
9/8/03 - Changed the Composers page into a Music page main menu and several smaller pages. The Composers page was getting too big and really needed to be separated out.
9/2/03 - Revised the Composers page. Added a new section on period technique. Changed section headings. Updated the early Italian guitarist bio link to the new URL.
8/29/03 - Updated minor composer information, guitar dealers page, and other minor edits.
8/9/03 - Added a news section to the artists page. Revised the Lacote facts and Builders page with new information. Added cases to the accessories page. A few minor revisions on several pages.
7/23/03 - Major rewrite of the "Composers" page. Revised the start/end time periods, wrote a section about the reasons, the Torres debate, added Julian Arcas, Jose Broca, Jose Vinas, and organized the composers by 3 generations and by date of birth. Updated the main page to better reflect the content of the sub-menus.
7/20/03 - Added a new luthier, Sebastián Núńez & Verónica Estevez. Updated the new URL for Ian Watchorn - nice to have the new link. Added GSP and Spanish Guitar Centre to the sheet music publishers list.
7/12/03 - Added more information about Rung and Degen to the Composers page. Updated my bio. Added the picture of the Lacote damaged by steel strings. Updated the terz page: added section headings and updated the content, especially of available repertoire, evidence for terz guitar, etc.. Added reviews of CD's by Maruri. Added an "Accessories" page and a link from the Guitars page, and updated the site map - moved the Westbrook book from the Builders page to there and added the Posters. Updated the MyGuitars page.
6/14/03 - Updated classifieds. Revised the Builders page to re-organize it and add new information.
6/8/03 - Revised the classifieds. Added a French auction site Interencheres.
6/7/03 - Corrected some dead links, added a 1797 Fabricatore. Removed some guitars from the Evolution page of dubious origin.
5/10/03 - Added a lot more Lacote photos and text details. Updated the Builders page with additional French builders.
5/4/03 - Added more photo credits, update the Dealers page.
4/26/03 - Updated composers page to add new Mertz edition by Mel Bay. Revised Mertz and Coste sections. Revised the Dealers page for Soundpost.
4/19/03 - Updated luthiers to add 2 new links, and added the country of origin. Updated the terz page with Dr. Buckland's new email address. Corrected a few minor typo's.
4/1/03 - Updated Southwell link. Edited Classifieds page. A few days earlier, updated the main page with new instrument photos, by year.
3/17/03 - Updated the Fabricatore and Stauffer sections on the builders page. Added new information by Makoto Tsuruta and revised the link descriptions. Updated the Stauffer clock-key section per my recent first-hand experiences. Added a review of the Doug James CD.
2/21/03 - Added Early Classical Guitar.NET - a great sister site. Linked my own collection to the classifieds page, and added the Clive Titmuss terz guitar to the classifieds (the second of two prototypes, I own the first one). Added Modern Case Company.
2/17/03 - Added the Zavelitas collection to the Builders page. Updated my own guitar collection page. Small change to a classified. Added Palm Guitars to the dealers page. Added the free Sor download link. Revised the CF Martin section slightly.
2/15/03 - Updated the strings page with new information. Added the Nigerian scam warnings.
2/9/03 - Reorganized the Guitars page to put components and strings in their own separate pages because the advice page was getting too large. A lot of new info about strings added.
2/2/03 - Extensive changes to the text on several informational pages, such as Advice, Builders, Terz, etc.. Added new information about strings, peg winding, etc..
1/5/03 - Added "Other Scottish Composers" on the Composers page, based on Rob MacKillop's excellent website and research. Added CF Martin and early Torres, to show the link between early and modern guitars, to the Builder's page.
12/31/02 - Fixed a few URL links, updated Panormo Pics to credit Guitar Classics. Improved the headings of the multi-bass page, and added my Kresse 8-string Stauffer copy. Added the van Gool site to the luthiers page. Added my own guitar collection. Updated the Gut Strings section with my evaluation of Aquila strings, silk basses, and also edited the Differences article. Added Adam Darr to a new section, Other German Composers. Tweaked a lot of the pages with minor edits. Happy New Year!
12/20/02 - Added a lot of information about Legnani, based on my collaboration with Brian Jeffery, with a list of all known surviving works. Updated the Guitars page to organize it by Information and For Sale. Fixed the photo links on the advice page, I had \ instead of / - IE handles this fine, but Netscape viewers had problems.
12/19/02 - Updated the Classifieds. The Southwell Schertzer sold. I sold my Kenny Hill Panormo; I was sad to see it go, but it was a necessary sacrifice.
12/09/02 - Added the Spanish guitar shop, a new site in Spain featuring early Spanish guitars. Cool!
12/04/02 - Received my Kresse 8-string guitar after Anton Stauffer. I love it!!! Can't put it down.
11/30/02 - Added the 10-string Southwell Scherzer replica to the classifieds page. Updated several other pages with updates and corrections.
11/19/02 - Added a new classified ad and changed up my own listing.
11/14/02 - Added an 1804 Fabricatore photo. The John Williams CD of Schubert and Giuliani on a Guadagnini is killer - just got it. Added a new classified ad guitar, and updated my listing. More CD reviews coming soon. Finished reading the Heck Giuliani bio.
11/03/02 - Made extensive changes today. Updated the Dealers of Originals page, and divided the vendors into categories, with an explanation of each one. Also added my recent experience with the auction houses. Added a new shop: Vintage Guitar Pro, who currently has an early 19th c. or late 18th c. guitar. De-listed Mars Music because they pulled their Vintage on-line section, and are filing for bankruptcy. Added the 1814 Fabricatore photo and corrected the dates on 2 others, all from Kresse. Added several Stauffer photos, including Bengt Wikström's guitar, and an 1809. Added several Lacote pics of known, dated guitars. Re-vamped the Evolution page: added an essay about the earliest guitars, and added 2 museum photos of 2 very early instruments. Re-vamped the Multi-bass page: added a museum 7-string Lacote, and two museum Lacote Decacorde guitars; reorganized the page for more clarity.
10/22/02 - Been away for a while - had a great time at GFA in Miami. A little disappointed at the utter lack of 19th century guitar representation, however. I finally met Mr. Ophee, as well as Kenny Hill, Ricardo Gallen, and several other luthiers, guitarists, and vendors. Bought lots of stuff, now reading the Giuliani biography by Dr. Heck (updated composers page to reflect source). Today, I made many changes. Reviewed "Guitars Through the Ages" on the "Builders" page. Added 3 more Fabricatore guitars - one from Crane, another from Kresse, another from Heck. Updated a few things on the Advice / Info page on necks, bridge ties, scale length, bracing. Fixed a formatting problem on the Builders page. Added the Lyre guitar to the Evolution page, also added the 1700 Stradivarius guitar, and cast my doubts upon the authenticity of the 1778 Vinaccia guitar. Found an interesting lead on custom guitar cases - always a problem for antique guitar - spoke to the company owner; I'll add a link on the site if they do a good job for me.
10/9/02 - Changed out the photos on the main index page. Added several of Zontini's very nice guitars and a link to his site on the luthier's page, and a pic of Bengt Wikström's original Stauffer. Changed the main page description to "About EarlyRomanticGuitar.com" and added the "News and Site Update Log" link to that page. Updated the editor bio.
10/8/02 - This site had 1,000 user hits in the first month I started tracking statistics. Holy cow!
10/7/02 - Received a huge stack of music from Donald Sauter's USA Library of Congress collection. European collection, A-N: as thick as 2 phone books. I will probably buy more from him later. Guitar nirvana! All good facsimiles of 19th c. music, almost all out of print, including a 1-inch thick stack of Mertz all of which is out of print.
10/6/02 - Got back my Anton Stauffer style guitar, made around the 1840's by an anonymous maker. It was in major restoration, saved from death. It turned out unbelievably nice! Guitar bliss! Had a wonderful guitar lesson with Michael Craddock about Giuliani interpretation and right hand technique to avoid shredding gut strings - he's an early music guru who now teaches in Switzerland with Oscar Ghilia - fortunately he has family here in Texas and visits occasionally. Visited with several of the guitar society folks and showed off 2 of my antique guitars.
10/5/02 - Started this news and updates page. Figured it would be nice to have a way to write to the user base and let everyone know what's new. Added hyperlinks for the French Music Museum and the Zavelita's Historic Makers of Spain to the Builders page. Added Wolfgang Emmerich to the luthier's page.
The editor especially welcomes comments and ideas for this web site.
Please send an email to Len if you would like to contribute text, links, photos or information.
Primary Email Contact: 
Mail@EarlyRomanticGuitar.com