The Ryan Guitar Is Really Special
  What should I mention first: the perfect shape of the neck that makes playing so easy, or the wonderful sound of the instrument that fills even large rooms without any amplification, the incredible craftsmanship with so much love for detail? This is my dream guitar! The Ryan guitar is really special. I played so many guitars and always got back to the Ryan. It is hard to describe how great they are, you should try one. The sound is great and it is absolutely easy to play. It is the best guitar I ever played in my life. I have two Ryans, one cedar/rosewood and one koa/spruce, and I have also 20 other guitars that I never play.
— Peter Finger (from an email to a fan)
The music press has included Peter in the pantheon of the World's Greatest Guitarists - Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Splendid Instrument
    I'm glad we got a chance to connect, and I got the opportunity to thank you for what is the most splendid instrument I've played in my life outside of my 1938 D-18. Just think what my Kevin Ryan guitar is going to sound like in 60 years!
— Janis Ian

Balance Between Treble and Bass
    When I first played a Kevin Ryan Guitar, it changed my concept of the steel string acoustic. Here is an instrument with a perfect balance between the sparking treble and warm bass, with a comfortable feel to the neck and body shape. All of this works together to give the player the freedom of expression much like a fine classical guitar, with the sparkle of a fine acoustic guitar. This is an instrument that will surely influence my music in the years to come.
— Muriel Anderson (National Fingerstyle Champion)

“Grand”
Kevin Ryan puts the “Grand” in “Grand Concert”
— Laurence Juber, Former guitarist for Paul McCartney and Wings

Like a Maserati
    Playing a Ryan guitar is like getting out of a Volkswagen van and stepping into a Maserati.
— Tim Sparks (National Fingerstyle Champion)

Perfect!
    I use so many open tunings on stage and recording. My Ryan guitar is best match for open tuning because string tension is a most important thing on open-tuning. My Ryan guitar is perfect!!
— Isato Nakagawa, Japan's Premier Guitarist

Ultra-responsive
My Ryan guitar is ultra-responsive, perfectly balanced, easy to play and beautiful - what more can I ask?
— Pat Donohue (National Fingerstyle Champion)

Ryan Guitars Are Magic
    I fell in love with Ryan guitars the first time I saw one. Kevin has a gift that puts him in the circle of elite luthiers. He molds guitars that beautifully balance craftsmanship and tone. Ryan guitars are magic.
— Charles David Alexander (National Fingerstyle Champion)

Just No Comparison
    I can't describe in words the beauty of playing and working out ideas on a guitar as perfect in every aspect as this. I'm particularly grateful for the physical ease afforded by the low action and neck. But combined with the sonics of a Ryan guitar,
I haven't touched my other guitars since. There's just no comparison! Everybody and I mean everybody, from the knowledgeable musician to the casual listener, can instantly hear the pure beauty of this instrument. I've never been so happy with an instrument in my hands and I have been playing guitars for over 30 years (yikes!!!).
— Cory C.

This One Is Stellar
    WOW! This Ryan is absolutely spectacular!
I cannot begin to express what an incredible instrument this is already. Sound literally explodes out of this thing! I feel so fortunate to have been able to purchase it. It is visually stunning and as I said above, the volume and quality of sound in a brand new instrument simply blows me away! I am simply astounded by what an all around, phenomenal guitar it is! I have played it against some of my other great inventory, and it blows several of them away - not to say that they are not super instruments, it's just that this one is stellar!
— Phil O.

Elusive Elements of Tone
    In my 20 plus years of dealing with business professionals, I rank my experience with you as one of the most pleasurable and rewarding of all. Your attention to detail and the quality of craftsmanship that is reflected in my new Kevin Ryan guitar is a testament as to why many consider you one of the finest luthiers in the business. You have captured not only the essence of the wood and materials that are the ingredients of building a fine instrument, but those elusive elements of tone, sustain, dynamics, volume, and seductive playability that I feel are the hall marks of a Kevin Ryan guitar. I have fallen in love with this instrument. It plays like no other guitar I have ever owned. It is an instrument I look forward to growing old with and then passing down to my son. And I look forward to having you build my next guitar
very soon.
— Joe M.

Fine Art That Beckons
    Although I've played guitar for most of my life, I must sheepishly admit to an astonishing lack of knowledge about the more technical aspects of the guitar. But I do know how wonderful a Ryan guitar feels, how easily it responds to various styles of playing and the range of sounds it reveals to me as I play. Whether it's the guitar alone or hearing it underneath my voice, I marvel at how it makes my songs sound. My Ryan guitar is nothing less than fine art that beckons me to touch, hold, play,
and explore.
— Bob Bennett (Singer-songwriter legend)

Stunning
    Simply stunning, the cleanest, clearest tone I've ever experienced.
— Kevin B.

Volume, Clarity, Richness
    I love the volume, clarity, richness of tone, and the attention to detail of a Ryan guitar. I'm waiting for Kevin to build mine; but I've had the pleasure of playing at least five different combinations of woods, and each one was so uniquely wonderful, I'm having a hard time picking just one for now!!!
— Jeff H.

I HAVE to have one of your guitars, Kevin!
— John M.

A Most Cherished Possession
    Thanks for the wonderful instrument. It has taken some time to really get a grasp on the level of detail on this instrument - it is amazing. The feel of the instrument is beyond expectation, it is a true joy to play. The craftsmanship is amazing - absolutely flawless. This guitar has quickly become a most cherished possession. The longer scale felt just a touch odd at first, but I find I can easily grab chords that are a bit of a stretch on any of my other guitars. Kind of counterintuitive, but I am convinced it's real. I have no doubt I will be a repeat customer - and though I have a voice akin to a frog, I will sing the praises of my Ryan to any who will listen. But I don't seem to be able to get into my studio to see how it mics up, it is such a joy to play, once it is out of the case, I can't seem to get beyond just sitting down and playing. And so much great stuff is coming out of it (thanks for building all those tunes in there, Kevin, it is obvious there are many).
I really need to get it in front of a mic.
— Larry H.

Looks, Plays, And Sounds Magnificent
    Guitar arrived in perfect shape. Looks, plays and sounds magnificent! Well worth the wait.
— Rick B.

What A Treasure
    Well, I finally opened the box this morning. And I opened the very cool Calton case and I just kept saying “Oh My God” over, and over, and over again. Every time I eyeballed a little area, I just went into major gratitude that I now have in my hands the finest guitar on the planet Earth. Perfection!
Then the surprise I didn't expect. The Ryan “R” logo on the heartsick plate was not mother of pearl, but blue paua abalone to match my inlay. Whoa!
How tasteful! How Elegant! Then I played it. Oh yeah!. I took to it instantly and discovered such smooth action and lovely playability I didn't want to put it down. I'm so excited and proud to have this instrument.
    What a treasure to look at and to play. I can now do things on this guitar that I could not do on any other guitar that I have tried. I ordered this sight unseen. I just resonated with the photo in an ad in Acoustic Guitar. It's like the instrument had the perfect proportions or feng shui or something and my intuition said “do it.” Clearly, one of my better decisions of this lifetime. My birthday is in two weeks, and I could not imagine a better present.
I thank you.
— Kent S.

Sound Very Full And Detailed
    Thank you so much for creating such a fabulous guitar for me. The koa is as beautiful as I've seen, the workmanship is flawless. The sound is very full and detailed, and it plays so easily that it seems to make me play better. The neck shape is exactly what I was hoping for.
— Scott D.

Beautifully Crafted
    This is a long overdue thank you for my very beautiful, second soul, Ryan guitar! I just love it!!! Words really cannot express my overwhelming gratitude or my heartfelt thanks for such a beautifully crafted instrument.
— Dorothy L

Finest Instrument I Have Owned
Thanks. This is by far the finest instrument I have ever owned. I sincerely appreciate your patience and hard work.
    Geoff H

Absolutely Wonderful !
    I've played several “high end” guitars, but I've never heard anything like yours - absolutely wonderful! However, I know I'd never be truly happy with any other guitar, after hearing one of yours in the hands of someone who knows how to bring it to life.
— Ben G.

Finely Wrought Interiors
    I forgot to add that, again, your attention to detail truly amazes us. The whole reason we/Al discovered the footprints is because we were admiring how clean and finely wrought the Ryan guitar interiors are .Just superb. Most other folks don't seem to go to that kind of trouble. They don't mind letting things stay rough in there.
— Amy White

So Comfortable and Simply Playable
   I arrived home this morning at 8:10 a.m. and your guitar arrived by 8:35 a.m. The box and the guitar were in excellent condition. I let the dust settle for 30 minutes until I couldn't bear the wait any longer and opened the case. What a stunner!! I played until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, then took a bit of a nap and picked up the guitar again. To date, I have never had the opportunity to see, hear, or play one of your guitars in person. Now that I have, I'm having trouble putting it down. I have never played an instrument that is so comfortable and simply playable. The tone, response, and sustain of this guitar is wonderful. I truly love the warm, elegant look of this guitar. The headstock is simply beautiful. The Madagascar rosewood is awesome. I'm sure you have had countless others gush over the excellence of your guitars and I'm very happy to add my praise and thanks to the list of players. Thank you for your time and effort.
I appreciate your attention to detail, craftsmanship, and integrity.
— Katherine S.

A work of heartfelt art.
— J.D. S.

Dynamic Range, Consistent Tone
    Thanks again for the excellent guitar. It makes me want to practice harder to come up to its standard. From the look, feel, and sound I know that I have a professional instrument, and I certainly feel that you have treated me as a professional musician even though I just play for the pleasure. As I told you over the phone, I was immediately struck by the fact that the guitar was perfectly in tune when I unwrapped it - and this was after a trip halfway across the country with the last 45 minutes in below freezing temperatures. The real excitement came when I began playing up and down the fingerboard and discovered a dynamic range I had never experience before. I could really push, loud or soft, and the sound maintained its consistency. With the lightest touch there was still a clear presence and with the hardest stroke there was no buzz. The sound of the cedar/rosewood combination was impressive, also. The tone was resonant, deep, and strong. And of course, the balance from the high to low end was as good as I remembered it when I played the guitar you had in your workshop two years ago. I believe you are correct that there are a lot of very good guitars being built these days. You can tell a difference between them, though; and I believe the characteristics you put into this guitar are unique and outstanding. I now play guitar every day instead of once every 1-2 weeks.
— Ed M.

Dream Guitar
    What can I say. Perfection!!! Thanks again for building my dream guitar. It was a pleasure working with you and Barb. I'm looking forward to my future guitars. You know it is great when Al Petteway says it is the most beautiful guitar he has ever seen.
— T.Z.

Blue Abalone Is Stunning
   The guitar is wonderful. The workmanship and tone are phenomenal. The blue abalone is stunning. The Cocobolo binding works really well, and the Robinson inlay is perfect. I have enjoyed working with you, and the guitar is one of the nicest I've ever seen or heard.
— Scott D.

Sound Bold And Loud
    Words cannot describe! Thank you for Barb's and your efforts on Friday to get this guitar boxed and shipped. It received a warm welcome Saturday morning and has already been played for hours on end (much to the detriment of my sleep). The sound is bold and loud, and yet is so focused.
I can't wait until she opens up.
— Mark A.