I got asked a few questions as part of an interview for a local magazine… Here are some of the questions and answers.
1. When did you start building guitars and how did you get into doing so?
I built my first guitar in 1970. I was in college in Tempe, Arizona at the time. A friend of mine mentioned that there was a guy in Phoenix who was building guitars in his garage and for $100 he would let you build a guitar along with him. He was a skilled woodworker, but not a guitar builder. Even though I knew a little about forming objects with wood, I learned a lot about woodworking. I finished that guitar in about 30 days, start to finish, including finishing and a coffin case. My youngest son has that guitar, which warms my heart a bit and makes me chuckle.
2. Can you talk about the progression of your skills and how you’ve gotten to the skill level you currently have?
There are many skills that I think are important in building guitars. I could talk about the obvious ones that deal with transforming wood into an instrument, however, there are so many general and specialized skills to develop. It never ends. You have to have knowledge of the great guitars that other people have built, so there was lots of studying. Listening is a critical skill, and it seems obvious, but there are many layers and qualities of sound, plus the terminology to talk about sound. I apply lots of business skills, and develop those every day. Organizational skills, customer relations, time management, product design, information technology, tool making, component sourcing, sweeping the floor; they are all skills and there is always room for improvement. Trial and error after careful thought is how to develop skills. I have a couple of friends who have more experience than I in the guitar building world. I’ve learned skills from them too.
3. What do you do with the guitars you build? Who buys them?
I sell the guitars I build. Most are ordered in advance. The others are sold after they are done. Guitar players often know about me from my reputation, some stumble upon my web presence contact me when I advertise a guitar. Since I build classical guitars, my customers are usually classical guitarists. Some are professionals, but most play as a hobby and a passion. Not all guitarists play similar guitars. I have had customer/guitarists who want extra strings, different shapes, and have different musical goals.
4. Do you ever make a guitar that is too good to let go so you keep it for yourself?
I often play a guitar for a while. I am a decent player, and I enjoy a good guitar, but I want my best work to go to the best players. I get to make a guitar for myself between orders. Those often get snapped up by players. I would like to build a guitar to keep someday.
