Franciscan Guitars is the name of FCM's acoustic guitar workshop, located in the basement level of the Assisi Center. The workshop produces hand-crafted guitars, custom made to order by Sam Grosvenor. Sam is a veteran woodworker and skilled artisan, who began making guitars about five years ago. All profit from the sale of these guitars is used to help support FCM's other ministries, which makes ordering a guitar from Sam one of the most unique and interesting ways to donate to FCM.

Every guitar that Sam makes is unique in sound and appearance, and is usually designed according to the specifications of the client. In past projects, Sam has incorporated peace signs, shamrocks, and tau crosses into the artwork of his instruments, which tend to be adorned with finely crafted inlays.

According to Sam, "Looks are one thing, but sound is everything," and it is obvious that his greatest focus is devoted to the tonality of his guitars. When discussing his finished products, Sam tends to linger on describing the aspects of the instrument's sound before acknowledging it's beautiful visual intricacies. Both of these aspects owe their character to the type of wood chosen for the guitar.

Sam is familiar with the various acoustic attributes of different wood species, and how they interact with each other. He tends to favor mahogony for the neck, and Engelmann Spruce, Spanish Cedar, and Rosewood for various components of the body, but will deviate from this pattern to achieve a different sound in order to accomodate a client.

Sam's guitars start at $1,900, but may cost more for custom ornamentation. If you'd like a quote on a guitar, or would like to discuss possibilities with Sam, you can reach him at his workshop by calling 315-473-0952 (ext. 313). Or, for more information, visit the Franciscan Guitars website at:
www.franciscanguitars.com