Subjective qualitative evaluation of the sound of factory-made and luthier-crafted guitars

The subjective qualitative evaluation of factory-made and luthier-crafted guitars is an experimental study aimed at presenting research on instrument sound evaluation. The study included both factory and luthier guitars of varying construction, age, and price class. Recordings were made at the recording studio of the Department of Acoustics, Adam Mickiewicz University. In the recording process, a professional guitarist maintained maximum performance consistency while playing short fragments of "Fantasie Dramatique Le Depart" Op. 31 by N. Coste. Fifty-seven listeners, including 29 musicians and 28 non-musicians, participated in the sound evaluation, tasked with choosing the preferred guitar from pairs and selecting subjectively the "best" and the "worst" instrument. The primary goal was to test the common belief that luthier guitars are rated highest, regardless of evaluators' professional backgrounds. The experimental evaluation revealed that both luthier and factory guitars were chosen, with the bracing pattern being the most critical factor affecting guitar sound quality.