MODERN BUILDER VAULT
Krusa Guitars
BY JOE CHARUPAKORN
PHOTOS BY BO MAY UNLESS NOTED
Though Kipp Krusa went through a punk-rock phase early on, his love of
acoustic artists like Doc Watson, Mississippi
John Hurt, John Renbourn, and Jorma
Kaukonen ultimately led him to form
Krusa Guitars and build acoustic guitars
exclusively. With more than 20 years of gui-
tar-building experience now under his belt,
Krusa has become a formidable presence
in the world of custom acoustics. “Guitar
guru” George Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars has
said, “I have never been so intrigued with
the sound of a new guitar design,” and
respected artists like Russ Barenberg sing
praise for Krusa’s instruments as well.
1. Sonora Photo by DHR Creations
The Sonora baritone brings Krusa’s sound to the sonic sphere just between guitar and bass. With 27. 5" as the
standard scale length, players with more specific needs are able to request a scale length from 27" – 28. 5"
that best fits their playing style. For fingerstyle players that lean toward chordal playing, Krusa recommends
the standard length for the best possible playability. But for jazz players with a single-note oriented playing
style, he suggests a longer scale of 28" or 28. 5" as a better fit. The Sonora’s neck is reinforced with carbon
fiber to accommodate the longer scale length and extremes in tuning ranges that baritone guitars are often
subject to. “Baritone players seem to be intrigued with stretching tonal boundaries,” Krusa explains. “The
carbon-fiber reinforcement allows me to be confident that a baritone will do whatever is asked of it.”
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2. Fat Cat
Russ Barenberg is a notable user of the Fat Cat, Krusa’s
most popular model. It features all of Krusa’s modern
approaches to the steel-string guitar, including the offset
soundhole, elevated fretboard, and modified fan bracing.
These design elements are meant to create an immediate articulation that gives the player a bold and vibrant
single-note response all the way up the neck. Shown
with a German spruce top, koa back and sides, and
bloodwood for the binding, fretboard, and bridge, the
Fat Cat exudes an understated elegance that marries
traditional aesthetics with a subtle, contemporary twist.
premierguitar.com
3. Sierra
The Sierra, which has the distinction of being the
sole nylon-string instrument in Krusa’s lineup,
offers all of his modern design elements with an
elevated fretboard, offset soundhole, and modi-
fied fan bracing. The base price for the Sierra
includes either a Sitka spruce or Western red
cedar soundboard, but Port Orford cedar (shown)
or German spruce are also available as top op-
tions, along with several wood options for the
back and sides. 3
184 PREMIER GUITAR JUNE 2012
