Antonius Mueller, 2019

Antonius Mueller is known for cedar; this 2019 spruce doubletop is the exception he wishes were the rule. When we visited his workshop, Mueller told us how much he loves his spruce top guitars and how he wishes more players would order them. After spending time with this one, we understand exactly why.

Most Mueller guitars found in the wild are cedar, which makes a spruce doubletop genuinely rare. It pairs that top with a beautiful set of Indian rosewood back and sides, a slightly raised fingerboard, and Scheller tuners. The label reads No. IV 2019, signed by the maker.

Mueller's guitars are played by some of the most celebrated guitarists in the world, including Sharon Isbin, Aniello Desiderio, Zoran Dukić, and Álvaro Pierri, who has performed and recorded on a spruce top Mueller of his own. This guitar shows what drew him to that combination.

Sound & Character

The first thing that stands out is the evenness across all six strings. The balance is extraordinary; a perfectly weighted chord takes no effort at all, and no single string pokes out of the texture. Every Mueller we have played shares this quality, and every one of them makes it remarkably difficult to produce an ugly sound. Classical guitar is hard enough. This is an instrument that works with the player rather than against him.

Where the spruce top separates itself is in the nature of the attack. Mueller's cedar doubletops can deliver a slightly louder initial burst. This spruce guitar trades some of that immediacy for a clearer, more even, and more natural voice. Notes are less pingy and speak with a gentler, slightly slower response, closer to the character of a fine Spanish guitar. Rather than exploding off the string, each note blooms.

The palette of colors is wide. Played over the fingerboard, the guitar keeps a genuinely woody, organic sound, the kind that vibrates through the whole body of the instrument and is felt in the chest as much as heard. That is a quality we prize in any guitar, and it is abundant here.

Tune the sixth string down to D and the guitar grows enormous, with a full, resonant low end that fills the room. It is an inspiring instrument, the kind that invites the player to explore every sound it can make.

Playability

A 650mm scale and 52mm nut make for a familiar, comfortable concert setup. The fingerboard is gently raised, not dramatically elevated in the Humphrey style, but enough to ease access to the upper positions. Combined with the guitar's natural balance and forgiving response, it is a very easy instrument to sound good on.

The spruce doubletop is the headline, set off by a handsome Mueller rosette with a woven central band in warm browns and creams. The Indian rosewood back is a clean, straight-grained set with rich chocolate and amber tones. The headstock is fitted with Scheller tuners with dark buttons.

Specifications

Number: IV
Fingerboard: Slightly raised

Antonius Mueller is one of the most sought-after guitar makers working today. Based in Germany, he is known for his balsa-cored doubletop design, which gives his instruments their signature combination of power, evenness, and sustain. Demand for his guitars has produced a waitlist that stretches for many years.

His instruments are played by elite concert artists including Sharon Isbin, Zoran Dukić, Aniello Desiderio, and Álvaro Pierri, as well as a new generation of competition winners. His son, Felix Mueller, continues the family tradition under his own label.

This guitar is in mint condition.