Subjective descriptive evaluation of instrument timbre – factory-made and luthier-crafted guitars using the semantic differential method

This study aimed to subjectively evaluate the timbre of factory-made and luthier-crafted guitars using the semantic differential method based on auditory stimuli. Eleven guitars of different constructions, ages, and price classes, both factory and luthier-made, were included. For each instrument, three short fragments of "Fantasie Dramatique Le Depart" Op. 31 by N. Coste were recorded. The listening experiment involved 57 participants (musicians and non-musicians) who assessed the instruments in pairs of timbral descriptors. The recordings were made at a recording studio. A guitarist performed the fragments on each guitar as consistently as possible. The goal was to verify the hypothesis that participants, regardless of education, would most frequently choose guitars with a warm timbre and prominently sounding bass strings. The hypothesis was confirmed regardless of listeners musical education. Results obtained by non-musicians did not significantly differ from those obtained by the musicians.