What's New

50th Anniversary series in 2020
SOLD

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We are now accepting PayPal for purchases!

Dake Traphagen Guitars Showcase from Kazuhiro Yoshizumi on Vimeo.

"In all honesty these last few months I was preparing myself in a way to be a little bit disappointed as I thought the guitar could never live up to my expectations and the sound that I had in my head of a perfect guitar wasn't realistic or possible, I was wrong, I'm completely stunned by it. The responsiveness of each string, the articulation and the tone is absolutely gorgeous. The low e string has a 'growl' yet it isn't boomy or muddy, the trebles are rich and fat but with a beautiful shimmer to them. It sounds amazing being played finger style as well as flat picked, I didn't expect that. The ring and sustain sounds like a piano! No sound clip I've heard of your guitars can really do them justice compared to how it sounds in person. The shallower depth is also really welcome as the guitar feels more comfortable, the guitar looks and feels incredible to play. The neck is perfect and so beautiful."

— Derroll McGrath

Tenor Guitar

100 year old redwood top, Spanish Cypress back and sides, 23Ó scale.

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Ukelele

Super tenor with a 17" scale.
Can be made from many different materials.
$1200

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Series 45 Guitars

Series 45 guitars are a batch of four guitars celebrating 45 years of stringed instrument making. These guitars were completed in 2015.

The woods on these guitars are full of unique character and sets that I have been collecting for several decades.

Spruce tops with bear claw patterns or amazing amounts of cross silk, cedar tops with rippling flame patterns.

Brazilian rosewood with spider web grain or other very rare patterns and colors. All the woods have exceptional tonal qualities.

The tuners are either Rodgers or Graf engraved with the traditional Esteso design.

Each one of these guitars will be unique and one of a kind, to be treasured for many years to come.

• Series 45 guitars

Guitars - Click to Enlarge

D'Aquisto Nylon Jazz Guitar

Copy of the 1982 d'Aquisto nylon string jazz guitar. Top is German spruce, back and sides European flamed maple, radiused ebony fingerboard, neck width at nut is 1 3/4". Crisp clean sound with plenty of sustain.

The 'Premier Edition' is the latest advancement to my guitar design. These guitars are sounding even bigger and stronger than before. In these guitars I have lined not only the sides but the back as well. The grain direction is the same for both layers so it is not a plywood. You may think the wood on the outside doesn't matter any longer but that would be untrue. The outer wood still sounds like normal but with some color changes to the over all tone depending on what wood is used to line the inside of the back. I have tried three different woods to line the back, Redwood, Cypress, and Brazilian Rosewood. All three sounded superb but each had it's own color pallet.

In this photo the back and sides are lined with Spanish Cypress.

Nylon String Harp Guitar

Jumbo Baritone Steel-String

Sound Ports

Crossover Jazz- Left-handed, 7-string, Cutaway with sound port

Players - Click to Enlarge

Duo Miric plays guitars by Dake Traphagen.

Welson Tremura & the AHN Trio

Two Traphagen guitars on stage

Michael Andriaccio performing the world premiere recording of "Goyescana", concerto for guitar and orchestra with the London Symphony Orchestra in London's legendary Abbey Road Studios.

Photo by Henry Faulkner

The Castellani-Andriaccio Duo playing in Beijing, China on Traphagen guitars

Quotes

"I must say it is the single greatest guitar I have ever played." - Brett Floyd

"I recently purchased one of your guitars from Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta. Since then I have come to the conclusion that it is the most prized possession I have ever owned. It has a most wonderful tone, and no guitar that I have seen is more beautiful. You are a great artist, and I am honored to possess one of your guitars." - Ron Anthony