About Me/Contact
How to Fall Asleep While Playing
Who Am I?
Nobody special. Just a player who appreciates fine and distinctive - unusual - instruments, an enthusiast, not an expert. I can build simple furniture and cabinets, but my woodworking skills stop there. My playing is good enough to get paid for it once in a while, but not nearly of a quality to consider earning a living from it. I write some music, strong on the melody and the feel of traditional American music, weaker on poetic expression. I think about musical things a lot - and I like to write.
In every build I have been involved with, I have taken a very active part and have been extremely careful to thoroughly research each and every step before we take it. And I have been uniformly pleased with the results. A person who feels he has to consider every option first, and then objectively narrow and winnow the field down before making a final decision on any major acquisition, I have made graphs and charts galore for various purchases over the years - much to my wife’s amusement. On the other hand, I am almost always pleased with my acquisitions. Coupled with a strong interest in the mechanics, design, and engineering of fine guitars, it has all led to what you see here (click on "My Axes").
Each instrument sees the light of day regularly. Every time I have had one built, it was for a particular reason and each time I have told the luthier to never let me interfere with what he thought was best, to always keep in mind that sound and playability was far more important to me than looks. Looks are the thing that I, as a customer, can most easily influence, but I always wanted to make the luthier understand that my focus on this should not cloud the judgment of the man actually doing the build, nor should it compromise the things that are really the most important. Let's not take the brush away from the artist. And, with one exception, it has been a load of fun and a big high for me. It can be for you, too. In the process, I have met and communicated with a great many luthiers and a lesser number of wood sellers, and each one has been a real pleasure to get to know. I sincerely believe these folks are the finest folks, as a group, that I have ever met or come across.
I welcome your comments, corrections, suggestions, and additions. Please contact me.
You may be interested in this: we were featured on "Acoustic Tuesday" a podcast by Tony Polecastro: https://youtu.be/tCkloO_TqbU It is not exclusively about us, but check between about 14:30 and 17:00.
Nobody special. Just a player who appreciates fine and distinctive - unusual - instruments, an enthusiast, not an expert. I can build simple furniture and cabinets, but my woodworking skills stop there. My playing is good enough to get paid for it once in a while, but not nearly of a quality to consider earning a living from it. I write some music, strong on the melody and the feel of traditional American music, weaker on poetic expression. I think about musical things a lot - and I like to write.
In every build I have been involved with, I have taken a very active part and have been extremely careful to thoroughly research each and every step before we take it. And I have been uniformly pleased with the results. A person who feels he has to consider every option first, and then objectively narrow and winnow the field down before making a final decision on any major acquisition, I have made graphs and charts galore for various purchases over the years - much to my wife’s amusement. On the other hand, I am almost always pleased with my acquisitions. Coupled with a strong interest in the mechanics, design, and engineering of fine guitars, it has all led to what you see here (click on "My Axes").
Each instrument sees the light of day regularly. Every time I have had one built, it was for a particular reason and each time I have told the luthier to never let me interfere with what he thought was best, to always keep in mind that sound and playability was far more important to me than looks. Looks are the thing that I, as a customer, can most easily influence, but I always wanted to make the luthier understand that my focus on this should not cloud the judgment of the man actually doing the build, nor should it compromise the things that are really the most important. Let's not take the brush away from the artist. And, with one exception, it has been a load of fun and a big high for me. It can be for you, too. In the process, I have met and communicated with a great many luthiers and a lesser number of wood sellers, and each one has been a real pleasure to get to know. I sincerely believe these folks are the finest folks, as a group, that I have ever met or come across.
I welcome your comments, corrections, suggestions, and additions. Please contact me.
You may be interested in this: we were featured on "Acoustic Tuesday" a podcast by Tony Polecastro: https://youtu.be/tCkloO_TqbU It is not exclusively about us, but check between about 14:30 and 17:00.