While on track to begin graduate studies in Virology, Simon Fay made the rather unusual transition to instrument building.
In his own words, “I think the most promising characteristic of a great luthier is a drive for perfection. It makes no sense to spend 150 hours on an instrument just to make it okay. And I think that is why I love lutherie so much. It is a great expression of spontaneous creativity and purposed design.
It is both intellectual and hands-on. And it is more than just fine woodworking because it is a blending of those skills with the mediums of art and music. In summary, I have found few things more satisfying than stringing up a guitar for the first time – knowing that all my hard work will be passed on to another to be used as a springboard for their own passion and creativity.”
Simon Fay chooses to focus his efforts on just one model — the Modern OM. This model is a contemporary redesign of the traditional Martin OM that is heavily influenced by the elegance and beauty of the classical guitar.
Simon builds with a strong emphasis on clarity, note separation, and balance but not at the expense of tonal complexity and warmth. The response is lively and vibrant with excellent volume and projection. This design is versatile and can accommodate a wide variety of playing styles from melodic fingerstyle to heavy strumming.
