An Interview with Master Guitarmaker: Saul Koll

Words & Photographs: Rory Anson

January 2021

For the complete interview, visit Guitar Connoisseur Magazine

https://guitarconnoisseurmagazine.com/pushing-the-lines-in-all-directions-an-interview-with-artful-craftsman-saul-koll

Guitarmakers are craftsmen. At the highest level, they are considered master craftsmen. Seasoned artisans, whose work reflects a refined precision. Sophisticated design, paired with the kind of meticulous execution that only arrives after many thousands of hours in the shop. And while most guitarmakers are craftsmen or even master craftsmen, they are not all artists. In my estimation, Saul Koll is both. 

“I think that much of what I do with guitars is to use my customers ideas as a starting point and then take them to a higher place. I always pause to listen, then react.”

 “I’ll get a laundry list of ideas that I have to somehow process and regurgitate in a way that looks cool and looks like something that I would design…so that it looks like a Koll.”

“My vision for the Glide was that if you were to go into a pawnshop and you saw a Danelectro and maybe a Melody Maker, or whatever the lineup of pawnshop guitars are, I didn’t want mine to seem too far out. I wanted it to kind fit with in its homies, you know? I’ve never been a super flashy person, it fits my personality that I want something to stand apart, but not.” 

“It’s easy to fall back on the tried and true rather than coming up with something fresh and new. Our tendency is to retreat to the familiar and comfortable.”

 “The whole idea behind the Super Cub was; what guitars are fun to play? Like an Epiphone Wilshire, those ‘60s American guitars with thin bodies, the Melody Maker.” 

For more information about Koll Guitars, check out Saul’s website: http://www.kollguitars.com