Handmade guitars and basses
PRECIOUS CRAFTMANSHIP FROM AN EXPERT LUTHIER'S HAND
KD is a brand founded by the European luthier, Kostadin Dimitrov in 1997. Crafting a limited edition of high quality boutique electric guitars and basses is his specialty, which is why he only produces about ten to twenty instruments each year. His focus and attention to the details of each individual guitar takes precedence over churning out mere mass copies.
KD’s philosophy is to create a product that will last a lifetime. He combines excellence in craftsmanship with contemporary guitar design. Using the finest selection of rare materials, he transforms a bare piece of wood into a beautiful instrument that not only looks uniquely beautiful, but also produces a brilliant, distinctive sound. Each instrument comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty ; this is how strongly KD feels about his product.
A few significant differences make KD guitars and basses distinct:
~No Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) router is used in the building of any parts. There is no argument over the benefits of this method. CNC produced guitars vs. hand-crafted guitars – this is a matter of choice. And KD’s answer is simple: the future is in traditions. CNC machines definitely save a lot of work – and thus, time. Numerous instruments can be put together in the time it takes a luthier to craft one, but the most important thing is what the CNC machine also does -It severs the connection between the luthier’s hands and the guitar and he is unable to unleash his energy and spirit into the instrument. Handcrafted guitars bear the reflection of the luthier’s heart and passion. Instruments built under such a passionate influence and energy are like newborn creatures with an individual character, temperament and soul . . . and they bear names like humans do – “Magnifica”, “Silvia”…and sometimes their story of how they are made become a legend – “Black Magic legend”.
~Rare and mostly local Bulgarian (Balkan) wood materials are used to produce KD Guitars and Basses. These materials carry a significant influence in building the individual character of KD’s instruments. Bulgarian tone wood is highly appreciated among luthiers all across the world due to its amazing sound properties. According to legend, it is said that even the Italian luthier Stradivari used Balkan maple and spruce from Bulgaria’s Rhodopi mountain range to produce his acclaimed violins.
~The hardware and electronics used in KD instruments are provided by the best manufacturers in their field: Haeussel pickups, Gotoh, Noll electronics, Hipshot, Schaller, etc.
KD is considered a one-man company, although two people run it – Kostadin Dimitrov and his wife, Silvia Nikolova. Kostadin is the luthier while Silvia supports him in running the marketing side of things. She organizes exhibitions, handles FB page support, does the photography and videos used in adverts and publication materials via her “Yellow Chick studio”.
“I’ve never seen anyone who relates to producing guitars from a single piece of wood like KD does. His deep appreciation for the material is profound. It’s almost as if they speak to each other. I’ve seen him speaking to a dying log ready to be cut into firewood. I’ve witnessed firsthand how he sees the beauty deep within the wood and then heard him promise that it would live again as a beautiful, newborn guitar. ”
Silvia Nikolova – KD’s Wife and Marketing Assistant
“KD guitars speak your music.”