Background
I first became interested in building musical instruments in 1966, while visiting the Canadian National Museum in Ottawa where I stumbled across an exhibit of antique plucked and bowed stringed instruments. In the early 1970's I read Irving Sloane's book "Classic Guitar Construction" as well as "The Classical Guitar: Design and Construction" by McLeod and Welford. Shortly after that, I began to study the classical guitar. Over the years, woodworking and guitar playing remained two of my key interests.
I'm a self-learner. Most of my skills are acquired through hands-on experience, based on what I've learned from books, from visits to luthiers' shops, from articles in American Lutherie and other journals, and from videos. I attended the 1992 and 2011 G.A.L. conventions, and exhibited my 6-Course 12-String Classical Guitar at the 2011 convention.
Today
I consider myself an amateur, but with the goal of excellence in each instrument. I build them because I love the process, and for the challenge of mastering the art.
With respect to guitars, I focus on building Spanish (classical / nylon-string) instruments. I believe that the Spanish guitar is already an instrument of perfect beauty and proportions, and although there are some things we can do to maximize that beauty, excessive attempts to stylize the instrument are detrimental to its appearance. I enjoy using alternative tonewoods for guitar backs and sides, breaking away from the traditional preference for dark rosewoods.
Since my wife Shirley, a piano teacher and artist, has recently fallen in love with the ukulele, I've commenced making them as well, borrowing from the skills I've developed in classical guitar construction.
