My interest in making things out of wood came from growing up in a farming community in central Indiana where we were surrounded by stands of open fields punctuated by hardwood forest . Every farm it seemed had a woods. I spent a lot of time in those woods growing up. Both my Grandfather and Father had small wood working shops on their properties. I spent many hours watching them work and making things myself. Most of my adult life has been spent working with wood, building and remodeling houses as my Father had. Over the years I have become more focused on the finer details of finish work, cabinetry and furniture As a result the transition from carpenter to fine woodworker to luthier is a plausible one.
I was inspired to build guitars by John Walsh of Cimarron Guitars who had a shop In Ridgeway Colorado when I met him. It was really just a chance encounter. My wife and I were on our way to Ouray for a Yoga workshop and we stopped in Ridgeway on the way down to visit a friend of hers who had an Herb Shop there. John’s shop was next door and I wandered in. I had started playing guitar again after putting it down for several years so there was some interest there. Next year same thing and the more we talked the more the idea that this was something I could do took hold.
At present I have a small shop located in Eagle Colorado . My focus is on building Steel String Guitars, Old -Time Banjos and Ukuleles. I build using natural materials wood, shell, bone, utilizing there natural colors and textures to provide balance and simplicity of design. My intention is to craft both an instrument which provides a clear rich tone is easy to look at and enjoyable to play.