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#FJFest: Wyatt Wilkie

Three years ago, we interviewed luthier Wyatt Wilkie for the FJ Podcast. We were floored by his instruments, but also his backstory: Here’s a self-taught luthier who crafted his first instrument (a mandocello) while he was working as a gravedigger. Stints in England and Georgia followed (he apprenticed for a couple years with archtop legend Bob Benedetto at the latter). Now, Wilkie is up on bucolic Vancouver Island, building mandolins and archtop guitars like no one else. 

Wilkie has been a luthier for 20 years and has hand-carved nearly 200 instruments to date. For our stay-at-home #FJFest, he sent us a video tour of his shop where you can see some works in progress, along with a few shots of his workshops and finished instruments (including one featuring #FJFest participant and fellow builder Maegen Wells). Wilkie also sent videos of one of his French-polished archtops in action (yes, Bach played on an archtop!) and one from the archtop master class course he holds regularly on Vancouver Island when there aren’t global pandemics taking place (below).

Follow Wyatt Wilkie here.

#FJFest is the Fretboard Journal’s way of staying connected during these difficult times: Expect to see never-before-seen shop tours from guitarmakers, unique music performances and a ton of beautiful instruments on a daily basis. See our entire, growing lineup of shop tours, exclusive videos and #FJFest surprises here.

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