Carsten Kobs, 2025

This extraordinary 2025 concert guitar by Carsten Kobs represents a new high point in his already remarkable body of work. Built specifically for GuitarCollection.com and personally collected by Evan at Carsten’s Hamburg workshop, this instrument feels like a culmination of everything that has made Kobs guitars so sought after, while somehow pushing even further.

Many modern German double tops impress immediately with power and lightness, yet often reveal subtle compromises over time. This guitar does not. It feels complete, confident, and deeply refined in every register, with a sense of balance and responsiveness that borders on the supernatural.

The cedar top glows with warmth and immediacy, and the Indian rosewood body provides depth, authority, and color. From the very first note, it is clear that this instrument was voiced to meet the exacting standards of GuitarCollection.com, with no corners cut and no sonic weaknesses left unresolved.

Key Features

Top: Cedar
Back and Sides: Indian rosewood
Scale Length: 650mm
Nut Width: 52mm
Tuners: Scheller tuning machines
Case: Leona carbon fibre case
Built: 2025
Notes: Built specifically for GuitarCollection.com and collected in person from the Hamburg workshop

Sound & Playability

The first string on this guitar is simply breathtaking. It sings freely and effortlessly, lighting up the entire instrument with a purity and sustain that feels almost unreal. There is a vocal, angelic quality to the trebles that makes melodic playing deeply expressive and emotionally gripping.

The basses are thunderous and alive, moving air and energy in a way you can feel against your chest. They are powerful, rambunctious, and physical, yet never coarse or uncontrolled. The guitar responds instantly to touch, with a dynamic range that invites both intimacy and projection, making it equally compelling in a studio, salon, or large hall.

Despite its immense power, the guitar remains comfortable and refined in the hands, with exceptional clarity across the registers and a natural, organic connection between player and instrument.

About the Luthier

Carsten Kobs has established himself as one of the most respected contemporary German luthiers, known for combining advanced double top construction with exceptional musicality and refinement. His recent instruments have garnered international attention for their power, balance, and responsiveness, and this guitar stands among the finest examples of his work to date.

If you're interested in purchasing, please write to me at evan@guitarcollection.com

Brand new, in immaculate condition.