About the luthier

Jim Redgate is one of the most respected contemporary makers of concert classical guitars. Working from South Australia, he has built instruments for professional performers for several decades and is particularly known for his uncompromising focus on sound production under concert conditions. His guitars are designed to remain stable, balanced and controllable at very high dynamic levels, a quality that has made them a frequent choice among international soloists.

Redgate builds a very limited number of instruments and approaches each guitar as an individual acoustic system rather than as a fixed model. His work is characterised by careful structural control, precise voicing and a strong emphasis on consistency across the dynamic range. After many years of exceptionally high demand and long waiting times, Jim Redgate has closed his order list and no longer accepts private commissions, which has made new instruments from his workshop increasingly rare.

About the guitar

This brand new double top guitar from 2025 represents Jim Redgate’s modern concert concept at its highest level. The cedar soundboard is combined with a ziricote body and finished in lacquer, resulting in a structurally stable yet acoustically powerful instrument. While visually related to Redgate’s lattice models, this guitar employs a double top construction that allows for highly controlled sound production while retaining warmth and depth. The instrument conveys a sense of solidity that supports its remarkable dynamic capacity.

The sound is full, expansive and exceptionally balanced, even at very high sound pressure levels. The guitar delivers a controlled and rounded tone with long and even sustain, allowing complex textures to remain clear without loss of focus. Notes emerge easily and carry a polished richness that remains stable across the entire dynamic range. The response encourages confident projection without requiring physical force, making the instrument equally suitable for powerful concert situations and refined musical detail. During her visit to Siccas Guitars, Ana Vidović played this very guitar while recording a breathtaking performance, demonstrating its ability to combine volume, sustain and tonal refinement at the highest artistic level.

Watch Ana Vidović’s concert performance on this guitar here: https://youtu.be/lL9Mabl1Hzo

Jim Redgate

Jim Redgate - 2025 Doubletop