All Kathy Wingert Guitars are built with the finest woods in the world, individually selected for superior tone, structure, and beauty. A standard Wingert guitar is appointed with personally selected top woods, with gorgeous back and sides, all adorned with elegant wood bindings and purfling choices. Cutaways are included. Many fine rosewoods, including cocobolo, Brazilian, Madagascar and Cambodian, some for modest upcharges are available under optional appointments. All fingerboards and bridges are select, dark ebony that has been aging in my shop for a long time. A custom-fit Hoffee flight case is also included.

Cutaways are wonderful both aesthetically and mechanically. All Kathy Wingert guitars include a cutaway with the sides bent smooth to the heel. If you prefer not to have a cutaway, you may omit it.

For strength and structure, standard Wingert guitar necks are laminated from three flawless pieces of mahogany with thin veneers of vulcanized fiber. In addition, there are graphite or hardwood reinforcements next to the channel for the double acting truss rod. These necks are beautiful and strong, and building this way has the added benefit of being very conservative with precious wood supplies. Mahogany has always been prized for its strength-to-weight ratio and also its tonal contribution to the sound of the guitar. I have a large supply of mahogany collected very early in my career and consequently, I will not be forced to search for alternatives to this most beautiful traditional wood.

Every Wingert guitar neck is carved per custom request. You may choose any nut and string spacing and any shape you can communicate to me. If there are any questions, I can send the shaped neck for review during the building process.

The standard for Wingert guitars includes fine African ebony for fingerboards, bridges, and headstock veneers. Because my lifetime output of instruments will be so small, I have been able to acquire the finest and blackest ebony available in the world without leaving a large footprint.

I have enough of the finest materials, and will never have to accept alternatives.

All Wingert guitars are bound with exotic or domestic wood bindings. Standard choices include cocobolo, ebony, koa, maple, pau ferro, and various rosewoods. These are my favorite woods to use for bindings, and there is no upcharge for any of them. Multiple layers of purfling, usually dyed wood or vulcanized fiber, are standard. Shell purflings are extra. Note: In this gallery there are images of some choices that require an upcharge.

It's the small things. I use 2mm dots of mother of pearl on the side of the neck. I personally prefer a plain fingerboard face, but your bandmates may appreciate fret markers so they can follow you. The bridge pins are ebony with paua abalone dots (plain pins are also available). I have enjoyed dying bone to simulate fossilized ivory because I do not use ivory of any kind on my instruments. If strap pins are requested, I prefer screw-in strap pins to tapered pins because of the added safety.

I prefer the tone and predictability of cow bone for nuts and saddles over any other material. It's a very small thing, but I really admire a nicely shaped and polished nut. Done well, it looks sleek and pretty. Not too straight and industrial, not too pillowy, not too flat, and never an edge to distract from the feel of the instrument.

Nuts and saddles are only a small part of the set up process that begins with a fretboard dressed only after the guitar has received finish and the neck has been permanently attached to the body.

Most avid players and guitar techs really appreciate truss rod access at the nut, so most of my guitars sport an ebony truss rod cover. Sometimes an inlay will force soundhole access, but it may be possible to make the truss rod cover part of the inlay art itself. Of course your preference will be accommodated.

Standard tuning machines used on Wingert guitars are Gotoh SGL 510 tuners, commonly refered to as 'contoured tuners.' The Gotohs I use include height-adjustable posts. These adjustments are part of my recipe, are adjusted and set before they leave my shop, and don't require anything from the purchaser. Gold is standard, faux ebony buttons available upon request. I like Cosmo black on the right design, and they are available for a small upcharge.

Custom flight cases are included with my guitars, and they are available in many great colors. I am currently stocking Hoffee carbon fiber cases. Click on the image to go directly to Jeff Hoffee's site. If you prefer, custom fit Cedar Creek cases are available. Click on the Custom Cases link above to go to info about other cases I may have available.