For me and my personality type, aesthetic is incredibly important. I’m driven to create things that are beautiful, that resonate with something inside me. But I've also learned the deep importance of having things that work, that fit their intended purpose. I approach my guitar design, not by valuing form or function over the other, but by finding that balance between them - drawing the beauty out of the mechanics of it all.

I’m also a minimalist in some ways, learning to be an essentialist. I’ve learned over the years that having bells and whistles gets in the way. I like my guitars and basses with one pickup, but a responsive one that sits well in a mix. I’m less about “how many tones can I get out of a guitar” and more about “how can I connect with an instrument to draw out the expression I’m seeking”. That’s why I try to keep things simple. I find a few things that work well, and I make the most of it.

That’s why I have limited options available. I’m putting all my effort into making the best guitars and basses I can build, to know how all the bits fit together, and keeping the variables smaller helps me do that.

Vintage or Modern?

I think for a while I’ve tried to find a balance between the two, as from a glance my instruments have a modern appeal. But the more I progress, unearthing what it is I’m trying to achieve, the term “Modernist” seems fitting.

You only have to look at my house and it’s furnishings to see the style I gravitate towards - mid century, or what they call Modernist. There’s a timeless simplicity to it, striking a balance between the crisp lines of modernity, and the warmth of natural materials.

So where does this fit into my instruments? My designs share these ideals - they’re late 50’s modern. They’re seeking to bring a sense of humanness back into 21st century guitar craft. You’ll see it in my pickup choices, in my less-than-perfect finishes. I’m not trying to build purebred, modern shred machines, I’m seeking to build reliable, playable, classic sounding guitars that look like they might’ve been built in another time.

Unhurried Craftsmanship.

Culture tells us to hustle, to make more, get more, be more. It’s a frantic way to live, trying to live up the success we see other people living, and I’m not sure that we were meant to live that way.

I’ve learning that to make anything of meaning in this life we have to slow down, pay attention, be absorbed in the process. So that’s what I aim to do. I don’t build a lot of instruments, but I intend to build each one with my full attention, to make them as perfect as my skill allows, but each with a story and character.

Considered Impact.

Everything has an impact, on our environment, on ourselves, on the people around, and I believe it’s our responsibility to decide for ourselves whether we’re comfortable making that impact.

Over the years I’ve become less comfortable following the standard way of making instruments, creating waste that I could otherwise avoid, and using chemicals that affect my health and the environment.

I use natural finishing products, work with suppliers who pack parts with reusable/recyclable materials, and try to reduce the amount of individual parts orders I make per year. I also aim to eliminate or change processes that create waste. Binding is a good example of this - I’m no longer offering plastic binding because of the chemicals used to fix it in place, and the sheer amount of tape required in the process! Faux binding produces a great result without the impact.

I’m continually looking for areas to improve on.