Up And Coming Luthiers?

[Thin Crust]

There are so many "up and coming" builders around now, either because of a relatively short time as a builder, or a recent increase in presence. As you might guess from my signature, one vote certainly has to go to Rob Bustos and Paragon Guitars. Although relatively unknown a few years ago, Healdsburg 2005 did a lot to get Rob and his work noticed.

[davidyan]

Tom Doerr - Doerr guitars
Bill Wise - Charis guitars

[Rainbow]

Another vote for Tom Doerr (Doerr's guitar)
Definitely a talented young man who will go far with his passion, skills and vision.

C.S

[fsusubdad]

Check out Rockbridge Guitars (www.rockbridgeguitar.com)
Randall Ray and Brian Calhoun started making guitars together (they each had some prior experience) in 2000. They are making some great guitars and are being endorsed by some great players like Jim Hurst, Roy Curry, Steve Kaufman, and Larry Keel just to name a few.

[Symphosomatic]

I've got to put another plug in for Rob Bustos and Paragon Guitars. Rob's building some of the best guitars out there and it seems his name is finally reaching a wider audience. Play one if you get the chance!

Cheers,

[nosleepatnight]

Fabrizio Alberico and Mike Baranik are extremely talented luthiers. I don't know whether they should be considered up and comers or whether they have already arrived.

I believe there are are group that have achieved a sort of superstar level, i.e., Olson, Traugott, Somogyi, Walker, Dudenbostel (sp?), Manzer, Henderson, Claxton and possibly Ryan, Maingard, Greven, Sexauer and Wingert and a few others. The very elite of the elite are those whose guitars are almost cultish and command prices of $15,000 and more.

After this initial grouping, there is a level that includes many extremely talented luthiers, some of whom are young, like Alberico and Baranik, and others who are well established, but who never quite developed that cult-like status. This group includes Bashkin, Shepherd, Petros, Hamblin, Blanchard, Beauregard, Charis, Applegate and others. I am certain that some in this second tier are every bit as talented as some of the superstars. For whatever reason, they have not quite caught on in the same way.

Then there are many luthiers who are even less established. It is virtually impossible to remember everyone when creating a list. What about a veteran such as G. Laskin; where does he fit? What about a Shanti or True North? From this list of artisans that seems almost endless in the array of talent, trying to define and "up and comer" becomes a relative comparison.

[Jarvis]

My vote would be

1. Tom Doerr( Doerr Guitars) passionate, talented, young with a long term plan and goals plus great deep desire to succeed. Having worked with him on my custom ..i have to say...he is very patient and also his design will appeal to the modern crowd..
2. Jason Simpson ( Simpson Guitars)
3. Dennis Scannell ( True North guitars)
4. Bill Wise( Charis Guitars)

[wingtip4]

As someone who's been around a while but hasn't got his due is Marty Lanham of the Nashville Guitar Company. Exquisite work and tone for days.

[Acousticman]

Im going to add Dave Schneider to this list. I have been playing for sometime now ( over 40 years) and was collecting old acoustics. I was trying to get the " holy grail " of guitars and ended up with about 8 vintage guitars. Out of all these I still could not find the sound I wanted. Dave and I had been friends for years and I alway took my new found acoustics to him to look over and to set up. One day after talking about what I was looking for he said let me build you one that sounds like that. So I took him up on it. After building for a year and almost weekly contact it was done and Ill be **** if it didnt have it!!! I turned around that next 2 months and sold my collection and have never regreted doing so!!! I still go to stores and play others just to hear them and compare sounds but I alway leave there smiling about what I am going home too!!! Now we are in the first stages of what sound I would like and what wood to use on a dred that he is going to build for me. Check out his web at www.schneiderguitars.com ( the small jumbo he shows is mine )

[wander24]

Originally Posted by nosleepatnight

What about a Shanti or True North? From this list of artisans that seems almost endless in the array of talent, trying to define and "up and comer" becomes a relative comparison.

I don't own (or expect to ever be able to afford) one of Michael Hornick's incredible Shantis, but I am fortunate enough to have played many of them, as many of the folks I camp with during festival season own one, plus Michael always lets me play his newest Troubadour Festival custom ( the lucky winner of the troubadour contest at Telluride wins a Shanti). These are incredible instruments. The only other true "luthier builds" that I have played were a Devenport, it was nice but not for me, and a Borgeois which is an awesome guitar, but in my opinion wasn't as nice as one of Michael's Shantis. Of course I can't play that Borgeois like Greg Morton can, so there you have it.

[Larry Pattis]

Paul Woolson (doh!)
http://www.woolsonsoundcraft.com/

Rebecca Urlacher
http://www.urlacherguitars.com/home.html

Steve Holst
http://www.pacinfo.com/~sholst/index.htm

[Ovaltitan]

Allan Beardsell. I have one of his nylon string wonders so I'm hardly an objective or unbiased observer. I don't think of him as an up-and-comer. More like an under-recognized, under-appreciated luthier.

If you want to see some real innovation in luthier art, check out his web site: http://www.beardsellguitars.com/

[Ovaltitan]

Originally Posted by nosleepatnight

What about a veteran such as G. Laskin; where does he fit?

William "Grit" Laskin does not "fit in". He resides somewhere in the stratosphere of the luthier pantheon. Mythic and exalted are his guitars. His skill in making and inlaying them qualifies between angelic and deified.

We must speak his name in hushed tones...

[Nort]

Just my .02 worth, talking acoustic steel string guitars,
three guys who have been around for along time, one who is fairly new,
The old guys first

Kirk Sand: is fairly well known for his electric classicals because of Chet Atkins
etc., seems to be overlooked for his acoustic steel string guitars,
which are incredible, fit, finish, tone, all comparable to Ryan/Olson
etc. but price is not in the stratosphere.

Mark Angus: kind of below the radar I think, builds out of Laguna Beach also,
builds very high quality custom guitars. Carl Verheyen has one of
his steel strings, price is reasonable, quality/tone very consistant

Rob Ehlers: around a long time, his older guitars seemed a little inconsistant
regarding setup/action mostly, some lacquer checking also.
his newer guitars are all excellent & action/setup very nice.

Mark Geiger: he's the newer guy, he's been building a few years, his guitars
are very nice, the new ones I've seen/played are excellent,
pricing again is reasonable for a hand builder.

Disclaimer: admittedly some bias on my part, I own several guitars built by
both Kirk Sand & Rob Ehlers, both build beautiful guitars and are
great guy's, Mark Angus has done repair work for me on some of
my other guitars, don't have one of his yet also a great guy
Mark Geiger, I don't know, never met yet, Have played 3 or 4 of
his guitars.

[Markkunkel]

What a cool thread. I have an observation, and some nominations.

I agree that there are MANY talented people building guitars these days, in both the veteran (maybe 50+ builds?) and up-and-coming categories. In the former I have owned and enjoyed guitars by Kent Everett, John Mayes, Michael Bashkin, John Kinnaird, Dermot McIlroy, and others. What a nice time to be playing guitar.

In the latter category (builders whose present level of skill, and the slope of their talent trajectory, predict "up and coming"), I have owned and enjoyed guitars built by:

1. Greg Gwaltney (gwaltneyguitars.com): a wonderful aesthetic and tone, tone, tone
2. Joshua House (houseguitars.com): VERY light and lively builds and those great Canadian woods
3. Simon Fay (fayguitars.com): a passionate and unique approach to building, and again tone in abundance

as well as Trevor Kronbauer and some others that I'm forgetting.

Thanks, folks, for your playable art!

Mark