"The Studio DD" model, built by Mirko Matic.
"We were in the middle of a recording session here at the studio when one of the session players noticed my late Grandpa's 1962 Gibson on a stand without strings. The old guitar had severe bridge damage and after hiring several Nashville guitar shops to try and repair it, I figured it was best to just put it in the corner on display. He told me about this guy named Mirko (pronounced Meer-ko) who was a guitar luthier and that he could build or repair anything. 'Yeah, sure,' I thought. My friend told me he'd trust Mirko with any instrument, any type, any age, at any value. I gave him a call and after a perfect repair and accomplishing something that a world famous guitar shop couldn't do, I knew this guy was for real.
In the process, I played some of Mirko's guitars and I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. As a long-time Gibson man, I'd said many times that if my acoustic guitar didn't have "Gibson" on the headstock, I didn't even want it. Over the years of struggling to keep my old Gibson in recording shape, Mirko and I got together and he assured me he could build exactly what I asked.
We measured sizes, shapes, and I discussed specific tones, sounds, and volumes that I had to have. We picked out the materials, piece by piece, to accomplish my perfect instrument. Mirko even tapped pieces of wood to seek the tonal differences in them to better suit my needs. I thought he was crazy. It turns out he wasn't...
In the process, I played some of Mirko's guitars and I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. As a long-time Gibson man, I'd said many times that if my acoustic guitar didn't have "Gibson" on the headstock, I didn't even want it. Over the years of struggling to keep my old Gibson in recording shape, Mirko and I got together and he assured me he could build exactly what I asked.
We measured sizes, shapes, and I discussed specific tones, sounds, and volumes that I had to have. We picked out the materials, piece by piece, to accomplish my perfect instrument. Mirko even tapped pieces of wood to seek the tonal differences in them to better suit my needs. I thought he was crazy. It turns out he wasn't...
"The Studio DD" front view.
"The Studio DD" back view.
My custom guitar featured a premium adirondack spruce top with Madagascar rosewood sides, back, and neck. The binding is African blackwood with custom abalone inlays. Since I'm not really into all the 'bells and whistles' so-to-speak, my guitar doesn't have extravagant inlays or artwork, although Mirko's work in that department is also stunning. The top was completed with a rich tobacco burst finish. The shape and design was based on my smaller, parlor-sized Gibson B-25, but a little larger in some areas to better fit me and for tone. Try getting that at a music store...
I was speechless the first time I picked up the guitar and played it at Mirko's house. Was this thing plugged up to an amp? Was there a mic on it? I've played hundreds of guitars over the years and this guitar had the biggest, bigger-than-life tone I'd ever heard. It was literally unbelievable. When trying to describe the sound, the best thing I could come up with was that it had the deep, bottom end of a Gibson, the mid-range punch of a Taylor, and the crisp highs of a Martin, but bigger and better than all three. Seriously.
This guitar was hand built by Mirko Matic from beginning to end. Knowing that this wonderful instrument was built with care and discipline with my needs in mind is better than any famous name on a headstock or one built on an assembly line. I still love and play my trusty Gibsons, but when it comes to creating music in a demanding studio environment, I'll always go to the one that was BuiltByMirko."
--Studio DD Owner, Darren Doyle
I was speechless the first time I picked up the guitar and played it at Mirko's house. Was this thing plugged up to an amp? Was there a mic on it? I've played hundreds of guitars over the years and this guitar had the biggest, bigger-than-life tone I'd ever heard. It was literally unbelievable. When trying to describe the sound, the best thing I could come up with was that it had the deep, bottom end of a Gibson, the mid-range punch of a Taylor, and the crisp highs of a Martin, but bigger and better than all three. Seriously.
This guitar was hand built by Mirko Matic from beginning to end. Knowing that this wonderful instrument was built with care and discipline with my needs in mind is better than any famous name on a headstock or one built on an assembly line. I still love and play my trusty Gibsons, but when it comes to creating music in a demanding studio environment, I'll always go to the one that was BuiltByMirko."
--Studio DD Owner, Darren Doyle