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A Bit Of History
It started with a love for music and a fascination with guitars. Working with wood at a young age eventually steered me to wanting to build musical instruments. I purchased the few books available at the time on acoustic guitar making (Teeter and Cumpiano) and joined the Guild of American Luthiers.
In 1991 I enrolled at Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery and spent a year in their acoustic and electric guitar building program.
Upon finishing school I worked as an apprentice for one year with an archtop guitar maker in southern California.
Immediately following my apprenticeship I was hired at Taylor Guitars and spent two years there. My time at Taylor introduced me to manufacturing processes where I was exposed to the use of jigs, fixtures and CNC technology. It was an eye opening experience going from an apprenticeship and school that used mostly hand tools to a state of the art manufacturing facility.
In 1995 I moved to northern Michigan where I began to raise a family and set up a shop next to my home and where I stay focused on steel string acoustic guitar making.
Build Philosophy
My process begins with gathering as much information from the client as possible. It is imperative to know the client’s playing style, their aesthetic desires and what format the guitar will be used in. I believe this information is necessary in lofting and building the instrument and helps ensure the client’s satisfaction.
As a Luthier my focus is the steel string acoustic guitar. I could spend a lifetime on just the subtleties that go into building one. I can sometimes spend a day just voicing the top which I believe to be the biggest contributor to the guitars tone. It has always been my belief that the people who choose to make one thing and make it the best they can, normally produce the best product.
My hope is that the tone and playability of my guitars will inspire musicians in their artistic process. I find great satisfaction in the idea that these instruments can be passed on for generations to come.
Ultimately I want to honor God in my craft and thank Him for helping me in this process with unique ideas and inspiration, without Him none of this would be possible!