I grew up in Marshall, MN. My father was a science professor and my mother was a physical therapist and a visual artist. I was always encouraged to be creative and to try to understand how things work.
As a child in the sixties I remember hearing music that opened a whole new dimension of expression. Bands like Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix and Crosby Stills Nash and Young. This attraction has led me to work with music for much of my life. In high school I worked with a mobile sound system that traveled to small towns for schools dances. With money earned, I bought a used electric guitar. In college I studied broadcasting and I worked as a DJ for a radio station. After college I worked in a machine shop by day and in the evening as a DJ at a nightclub.
In 1986 I moved to Ohio to attend school at the Recording Workshop studying sound engineering. After graduating I moved to Minneapolis and worked as a music buyer for a record store called The Electric Fetus. I formed a band in 1988 and began modifying guitars for myself and others, trying to make guitars sound and play better.
In 1992 I enrolled at the cabinetmaking program at Minnesota State College Minneapolis Technical. Soon after that I worked as a professional craftsman at a custom cabinet shop. I was there for over twenty years. During that time we worked on the homes of some of the most prominent families in the state. Our work appeared in publications including Architectural Digest, on the cover of Midwest Home magazine, and on the TV show "Home Time".
In 2004 the idea of making an acoustic guitar interested me. That urge led me to the guitar building and repair program at Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing, Minnesota. Looking back it seems that all of the experiences of the past were helpful steps for me to becoming a Luthier. It really has combined my skills as a woodworker with a passion for music, and the science and art that I learned from my parents.
My goal is to create instruments that are beautiful, have amazing sound quality and are a joy to play. I enjoy the diversity of the guitar family which is why I make a variety of instruments. From historic designs to guitars with modern features, each has its strengths and purpose. When it comes to guitar construction you could say I am a traditionalist in some ways. I use hot hide glue because it is acoustically transparent. It dries very hard, allowing vibrations to transfer cleanly. I am also pushing guitar design by adding elements that add comfort, versatility and increase sound quality.-
Over the past seventeen years I have exhibited at many custom guitar shows across North America. I have contributed to the Sonic Sitka project, the Blue Electric Guitar Exhibit in Florida, and to The Art of the Guitar exhibit at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND. My work has been featured on the cover of "Guitar Show and Custom Luthier" magazine, in a book by Michael Heatley called "Guitar" and a book by John Fellman called "Meeting the Makers, Minnesota's Finest Guitar Builders". I was also featured on CBS televison in a segment called "Finding Minnesota". My guitars have appeared in several Candyrat videos.
In 2015 I began teaching guitar making at Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing MN.
