Making headlines...
The "Abraxas" model by luthier Erich Solomon is featured on the Winter 2006 cover of Guitarmaker magazine, one of the foremost trade publications for luthiers and a beautifully produced magazine by the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans. A special THANK YOU to Bill Moll, fellow archtop maker and editor of Guitarmaker magazine for selecting my work to be featured, and to Nadine, the ASIA coordinator for all of her help. If you are at all interested in luthierie, then you owe it to yourself to check out the Association of Stringed Instrument Makers and the Guild of American Lutherie. If you are already a builder, then you probably are already a member! See them online at www.guitarmaker.org and www.luth.org

Look for an upcoming feature article on Erich Solomon in November's issue of Just Jazz Guitar magazine, the premier magazine for archtop guitar enthusiasts.  Beginning in August's issue there will also be full page advertisements for Solomon guitars.

2007 Healdsburg Guitar Festival
I will be exhibiting my instruments at this year's Healdsburg Guitar Festival in beautiful Santa Rosa, California on August 17, 18, and 19, 2007! The Healdsburg Guitar Festival is one of the premiere events of its kind, and is the best place to meet many talented luthiers and view their latest and best creations! As I have greatly limited the number of commissions that I am accepting, the best place to see what I am building is at one of the festivals like Newport, Healdsburg, and the New York Classic American Guitar Show. It is also the best place to purchase one of my instruments, as you have the opportunity to actually play the guitars and see which one is right for you. Being in a setting with so many fantastic builders and their guitars is humbling, but I also enjoy seeing what everybody is up to, and making sure that my guitars are among the best being made today. I will be displaying 4 guitars at this years show: the prototype 15.5" Phidelity Oval Hole model, a 15.5" Imperial model (Deluxe grade with Quilted Maple), an 18" Abraxas model and the 2006 Exhibition Grade 18" Grand American model (EX grade with Snakewood binding, and Lapis, Gold and Ivory Art Deco inlays) Prices on these instruments range from $4999.00 to $15,000.00. Of course, if you see anything that you really like in the ON THE WORKBENCH section, you can contact me at (603) 679-8082 for more information, and place a 50% deposit if you would like to reserve it. If you have reserved an instrument, you may take possession of it after the Healdsburg Festival. Please check out the Healdsburg Guitar Festival website. I hope to see you there in August.

2008 Production Schedule
I am opening up exactly TWO slots in the 2008 production schedule for custom commissions. Contact me for more information. I suspect that they will be taken very quickly after Healdsburg, so remember, the Early Bird gets the worm.

Erich Solomon and Lie Nielsen Toolworks Collaboration
This year, I designed a special woodworking plane especially for archtop guitar and violin family instrument makers for Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, the Rolls-Royce of production hand planes. It is a beauty of a tool, and Lie-Nielsen will be able to do it justice. In addition, I will also be featured in an instructional DVD produced by Lie-Nielsen on how to use the plane and carve the exterior arch of the top of an archtop guitar. The plane is scheduled to go into production next year, with the DVD to follow shortly after. I am hoping that a limited edition of the first planes will be individually numbered and signed by myself and Thomas Lie-Nielsen. If so, the limited edition tool would be guaranteed to become a Lie- Nielsen collectable. (The 500 limited edition 25th anniversary planes from last year have already doubled in value in one year!) Be sure to check out Lie-Nielsen online at www.lie-nielsen.com If you are a luthier, L-N has a NEW, absolutely MUST HAVE tool, the Boggs Concave Spokeshave. It is the PERFECT tool for carving necks! BTW, one of my necks is featured on the L-N Boggs Concave Spokeshave web page. :)

2006 Erich Solomon Weissenborn slide guitars
In 2006, I built two identical Weissenborn style guitars of my own design. They are possibly the best sounding instruments that I have built to date, and I am proud to say that both of them went to two exceptional musicians, Nicholas Petumenos and Tom Doughty. Good luck to both of them, and be sure to see them play if they come to your town.

Nick Petumenos is a gifted multi-instrumentalist from Alaska, who graduated at the top of his class at Berkley School of Music. He is currently performing with Alaskan Native American Tribal Funk World Rhythm Band, Pamyua. They recently toured Europe and performed at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival this year, and also won the Native American Record of the Year in 2003. Nick also happens to be my best friend!

Tom Doughty is a fantastic slide player, songwriter, and vocalist from England. He has recently released a CD "Running Free" which has a following that includes some of the top slide players out there. Check out www.tomdoughty.com and his MySpace page to hear a live version of Eleanor Rigby played by Tom on my instrument.

Handmade Instrument Museum Exhibition and Specialty Auction
I am in the process of planning for a world-class museum exhibition of modern handmade instruments and subsequent specialty auction of high end hand built stringed instruments only. More details to come soon.