On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to luthier Nate Wood, out of Springfield, Oregon. At last month’s La Conner Guitar Festival, Nate regaled us with guitarmaking tales so we quickly hatched a plan to bring him on the show. Before launching his own guitar and guitar repair...
Jay Rosenblatt's The Kasha guitar, a classical guitar with Indian rosewood back and sides and a Cedar top.
Running through the parameters at Ryan Thorell's table.
A guitarist tries out a Humphrey amp head unit.
Solid Ground Stands in the vendor room.
Thoughtful cutaways–like this comfy one from Ontario's Schwartz Guitars–were something of a theme.
Steve Kauffman was integrating touches of Steve Klein's techniques into his own work before the recent unveiling of Klein/Kauffman Guitars, like the rosette on this Kauffman dreadnought.
Chris Holcomb plays one of his resonator guitar creations.
Tim Farrell putting one of FE Tellier Guitars' creations through its paces at one of the many afternoon 'Mini Concerts' held onsite.
John Carrigan, of Curly Creek Guitars in Port Orchard, WA, was part of a strong local showing.
Full House! That's Steve Andersen chatting with one of Friday night's headliners, Seattle jazz guitarist Tim Lerch.
One of the showstoppers, from Skytop Guitars.
One of the unique double-cutaway instruments–this one an 18-inch archtop–from Portland, OR's Mike Doolin.
Jay Rosenblatt's 7-string Baroque parlor guitar turned a few heads, but that 000-sized 'PF' model in Swiss 'Moon spruce' and AAAA curly maple was mighty impressive, too.
Very pleased to see one of Lamehorse Instruments' Saddle Pals in person. Check out the recent Bench Press for more info on this sweet little guitar.
Speaking of sweet little guitars, Will Bright came down from Bellingham, WA, with this 'Bear Cub 17-inch scale archtop travel guitar, tuned B-B (think 'Capo 7').
A closer look at Michael McCarthy's 'integrally carved curvilinear tone bars'–inspired by the carved-in bass bars found on some instruments in the violin family.
Another nifty cutaway, this one from Jeff Letain, of Letain Guitars, who ferried over from Vancouver Island, BC.
Woolson Soundcraft's maple/mahogany/walnut inlay on a Black walnut 'double back' was a favorite of more than a few attendees.
It just isn't a guitar festival without some stunning work from Larry Robinson. Robinson's work showed up on a few instruments, including this San Francisco-themed archtop from Tom Ribbecke.
Josh Humphrey of Ellensburg, WA's JBH Guitars specializes in 'hybrid' instruments like this 'Raga Guitar,' which utilizes to include three drone 'chikari' strings, and 11 sympathetic 'jawari' (buzzing) strings.
A table-full of beautiful 'bursts from Seattle's David Haxton.
Edmonton, AB's Dion Bews used sinker woods salvaged from the Panama Canal for the back, sides and fingerboard of this lovely guitar.
Pinless bridges were a thing, too. Indian Hills Guitars' Michael Kennedy noted that one of the benefits of the design is that it gives you more space for interesting inlays...
Michael Kennedy of Indian Hill Guitars described this one as an attempt to wed the instruments of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings...
Bustling without being overwhelming, La Conner had that 'just right' vibe from the get-go.
The festival was the brainchild of luthier Brent McElroy, who pulled double-duty manning his own table, as well.
Skytop Guitars' eye-catching guitar sported the holes of a Teredo clam (or shipworm) throughout its Sitka top.
Worth a thousand words...
A two-channel, all-tube, EL-84-based acoustic guitar amplifier head (with real spring reverb) from Humphrey amps.
Portland, OR's Greg Weber shows off the soundhole cutout of this Orchestra model, pointing out the scar from the metal staple that stained the salvaged Sitka top.
Tyler Wells, an apprentice of Tom Ribbecke, built this Sitka and padauk fan-fret flattop. The rosette is made from padauk shavings cast in resin then sliced on the bandsaw with metal leaf attached to the underside.
A Doolin double-cutaway flattop with a stunning rosette.
Some serious figure on the back of this Doolin double-cutaway archtop.
A Red spruce-topped Andersen archtop, and our feature on Steve in issue 36...
Lovely koa appointments on this oil-finished Andersen archtop
Several interesting guitars walked through the doors via attendees, including this Coodercaster painted by artist Terry Turrell, who has also painted some of Bill Frisell's guitars.
A classic Galloup rosette
Another unique item brought in by one of the attendees: a big slab of "The Tree," the famed mahogany tree known for its exquisite color and figure.
A nicely appointed 12-fret dreadnought from Gig Harbor, WA's McAlister Guitars. Happy to say that Roy is back to building guitars full-time.
A closer look at the rosette on this Letain flattop.
John Carrigan of Curly Creek Guitars brought this slick Weissenborn.
A C.F. Holcomb resonator
Inlaid dolphins by John Decker of guitarmasterworks
An RS Muth tenor... Four-strings represent!
Bryan Galloup and an interesting G6 voicing
Yes, it's a harp ukulele, from DL Noble, of Richland, WA
A Wilkie Stringed Instruments archtop–Wyatt came over from Royston, BC.
A classic Klein, with some stunning Larry Robinson inlay
Mind-blowing backlit Fibonacci inlay on this Klein/Kauffman limited edition anniversary model
A nice look at Marc Beneteau's pinless bridge design
Setting up, Friday morning...
Maegen Wells Guitars, Forestville, CA
DL Noble Guitars, Richland, WA
Schwartz Guitars, Loretto, ON, Canada
Woolson Soundcraft, Madison, WI
Boswell Guitars, Bend, OR
Jay Rosenblatt Guitars, West Orange, NJ
Dion Guitars, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Ribbecke Guitars, Healdsburg, CA
Greg Weber Guitars, Portland, OR
Grimes Guitars, Kula, HI
Thorell Fine Guitars, West Logan, UT
McElroy Guitars, La Conner, WA
Beneteau Guitars, St. Thomas, ON, Canada
Letain Guitars, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Klein/Kauffman Guitars, Vineburg, CA/Eugene, OR
FE Tellier Guitars, Windsor, ON, Canada
Wilkie Stringed Instruments, Royston, BC, Canada
guitarmasterworks, Wailuku, Maui, HI
RS Muth Guitars, Hamilton, NY
Andersen Stringed Instruments, Seattle, WA
Sam Guidry Guitars, Big Rapids, MI
Schachle Guitars, Everett, WA
C.F. Holcomb Guitars, Santa Cruz, CA
Haxton Stringed Instruments, Seattle, WA
Indian Hill Guitars, Montreal, QC, Canada
A bit of homemade tortoise backing the headstock of an Andersen archtop.
An attendee putting a Maegen Wells archtop through its paces
La Conner, Washington is a sleepy little town located about an hour north of Seattle. For us locals, it’s best known more for its tulips (the region holds an annual tulip festival that draws thousands), cute little shops and fresh oysters. Guitars? Aside from a few guitar makers who happen...
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