My D.E.I., handmade international acoustic steel-string guitar

My D.E.I., handmade international acoustic steel-string guitar

My anti-fascist beautiful sounding D.E.I. guitar

By Lynda Carson - March 1, 2026

Oakland, CA - The convicted felon Trump administration and his misbegotten fascist federal government hates the concept of “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)”, and have been attacking D.E.I. programs in the government, Universities, corporations, and elsewhere. It has been a horrific despicable situation negatively affecting millions of people, and their lives.

Reportedly, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a conceptual framework designed to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly those from underrepresented or marginalized groups. It encompasses policies and practices that ensure diverse representation, fair, unbiased access to opportunities, and a culture of belonging.”

My beautiful handmade guitar that I built around 40 years ago in the guitar workshop of famed Master Luthier, Ervin Somogyi, is a one of a kind handmade D.E.I. steel-string guitar. D.E.I.? It’s made from materials harvested by people from numerous countries around the world, who made this guitar possible for me to create.

Many other beautiful handmade guitars made of wood from many different countries may be found on a website with Dream Guitars.

Unfortunately, presently many of the people in the U.S. from the very same countries that the materials of my guitar came from and others, are being hunted down, viciously terrorized, locked up, killed, and brutalized by the federal government, and the notorious ICE agents.

My Beautiful Handmade Acoustic D.E.I., 40 Year Old, One Of A Kind, Steel-String Guitar:

The guitar top is made of Sitka spruce. Reportedly, “Sitka spruce is the premier, modern "all-around" acoustic guitar top wood, favored for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, durability, and broad dynamic range. Used on ~90% of steel-string guitars, it produces a bright, clear, and powerful sound with excellent projection. It offers superb versatility for both aggressive strumming and delicate fingerpicking.”

According to Wikipedia, “The resonant wood is used widely in piano, harp, violin, and guitar manufacture, as its high strength-to-weight ratio and regular, knot-free rings make it an excellent conductor of sound. The Sitka spruce is one of only three species documented to exceed 100 m (330 ft) in height. Its name is derived from the community of Sitka in southeast Alaska, where it is prevalent. Its range hugs the western coast of Canada and the US and continues south into northern California.”

Additionally, I added some “herringbone purling” around the edge of the top of my guitar to add to its beauty. Reportedly, “A "Herringbone" guitar refers to a premium acoustic, typically a pre-WWII style Martin D-28, defined by distinctive herringbone-patterned purfling (trim) around the top edge. These instruments are renowned for their powerful, warm, and resonant sound, often featuring Brazilian or East Indian Rosewood back/sides and Spruce tops.”

Around the edges of my guitar, I also used Indian Rosewood for the binding, including a thin slice of maple along all the edges, to enhance its beauty.

The back and sides of my handmade guitar are made of Indian Rosewood, all the way from India. Reportedly, “Indian Rosewood is known for its broad frequency response, offering strong bass, clear trebles, and a pronounced midrange. It is often chosen for its ability to provide a well-balanced and articulate sound, making it a staple for high-end instruments. Due to its CITES Appendix II listing, Indian Rosewood requires proper documentation for international trade. Many guitar manufacturers have turned to sustainable sourcing methods, including plantation-grown alternatives, to ensure responsible use of this timber.”

Running down the center of the back of my guitar is a long strip of Brazilian rosewood a quarter inch wide or more, from the country of Brazil. Reportedly, “Old growth Brazilian rosewood remains highly prized by classical and steel string guitar makers, who regard it as perhaps the best sounding wood for guitar backs and sides. It was used in instruments as long ago as the late Renaissance and Baroque eras, when luthiers used it for lute backs (ribs) and various parts of other stringed musical instruments. It was also used in woodwind instruments, such as bassoons, flutes, and recorders. The trees' regeneration rates among existing populations are poor, possibly because the seeds of the few remaining fruiting trees are heavily predated by rodents. In addition it is threatened by habitat loss, since most of the plant's forest habitats have been converted to farmland. Due to its endangered status, it was CITES-listed on June 11, 1992, in Appendix I (the most protected), and trade in it is restricted.”

The neck of my guitar is made of Honduran mahogany, from Honduras, including a thick piece of Ebony from Africa, near that next joint. The neck on my steel-string acoustic guitar was painstakingly hand carved and sanded just the way I wanted it to be. However, Honduran mahogany is also used for the back and sides on acoustic guitars. Reportedly, “Extraordinarily stable and easy to work, Honduran Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) is known for its strong mid-range and its warm, organic tone. It's extremely well balanced when compared to Rosewood, with exceptional projection and good volume. Because of its naturally even voice, Honduran Mahogany is popular in a wide variety of musical styles, from folk Americana to bluegrass and delta blues. It has a well-deserved reputation for creating a superbly balanced instrument. Colors range from light, sandy browns to medium, golden reds, often with ribbon, quilted, flamed, or beeswing figure.”

The most highly sought after beautiful Honduran mahogany wood is from what has been dubbed “The Tree,” which may be seen on the top, sides and back of a guitar, and heard by clicking here.

The fretboard of my guitar is made of Ebony, including some diamond shaped mother-of-pearl inlays running up and down the fretboard, to enhance the beauty of my guitar. Reportedly, “Ebony wood is a premier, dense, and durable tonewood commonly used for guitar fretboards, bridges, and sometimes back/sides, prized for its sleek, dark appearance and bright, crisp, resonant, and articulate tone. It is highly resistant to wear, making it ideal for playability, but its scarcity makes it an expensive, endangered material, leading to the use of sustainable alternatives or streaked ebony.” Additionally, reportedly, “Ebony, is a black hardwood, dense enough to sink in water. A native to Sri Lanka, India, Africa, and Indonesia, it is part of the evergreen tree family. The Ebony tree reaches maturity between 60-200 years and grows on lower altitudes and within tropical rainforests.”

Mother of Pearl diamond style inlays. Reportedly, “Mother of Pearl, or nacre, is the iridescent, organic-inorganic inner shell layer of mollusks (oysters, abalones) composed of aragonite platelets bound by conchiolin. Known for its silky, rainbow-like luster, it acts as a protective, durable, and self-healing shield for the animal. It is used in jewelry, watch dials, and decorative inlays.”

On the headstock, I put a laminate of Carpathian Elm Burl to enhance the beauty of my guitar. Reportedly, “Carpathian Elm Burl is a highly prized, decorative veneer derived from English Elm (Ulmus procera) trees in Eastern Europe's Carpathian Mountain region. Known for its three-dimensional, dense, and clustered, swirling patterns, this wood ranges in color from light tan to deep reddish-brown (brick red). It is frequently used for high-end furniture, dashboards, and intricate cabinetry.”

Additionally, my guitar has Gold Schaller machine heads with ebony knobs / buttons from Germany, for tuning the strings on my guitar.

Considering that my guitar turned out to be an international handmade D.E.I. steel-string guitar constructed from materials from numerous locations around the planet, it appears totally insane that the convicted felon Trump and his fascist misbegotten myrmidons running the federal government, hate the concept of D.E.I. so much. Including the many nationalities of immigrants that help to make this a better world.

For those who may be interested in hearing some of my original solo acoustic guitar music, please feel free to click on a few links further below. Some of the music is played on my “Somogyi Inspired Guitar” that I built in his guitar workshop, in addition to a Martin guitar. Hopefully, the links still work to hear the music.

In times like these, a little bit of music may help to lighten things up a bit… What a world.

Below is a photo of Fatdog the owner of Subway Guitars in Berkeley, playing my handmade guitar.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com


Acoustic original solo guitar music played on my handmade Somogyi Inspired guitar, and a Martin guitar.

(Martin guitar)
Drifting On A Starry Night

Click below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiQKfojKPJEwQofgi

>>>>>>>
(Somogyi Inspired Guitar)
Phantom Visions

Click below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiQqphqmDRxEVr6J1

>>>>>>>
(Martin guitar)
Windy Sky

Click on a link below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiQbRIU59HLsi4Tob

>>>>>>>
(Martin guitar)
Pandemic Blues

Click below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiQSafiwRIkS4IdCu

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(Somogyi Inspired Guitar)
Blue Thursday

Click on the link below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiHqIWBbAVfuFkm0I

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(Martin guitar)
Harmonics On A Rainy Day

Click on the link below...

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiH5_hwp-aK0-1wsW

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(Somogyi Inspired Guitar)
Moonlight Grace

Click below....

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArOL54evbdbLiHVwgiv2QLFfIi1P

>>>>>>>