I’ve been a full time, professional bass player since 1992 — bars, clubs, touring, airplanes, buses, and sessions…you name it. I've had the opportunity to play all over the US, in a handful of other countries and even in another hemisphere. Through the years I’ve owned a lot of basses. A few I’ve loved, a few I didn’t and plenty that were somewhere in between. There always seemed to be something that just “wasn't quite right.”
A little over 15 years ago, while off the road, recovering from a back surgery, I decided to turn a long-time interest into action and start building instruments.
I'd say this passion started in '96 when I got my 6-string Warwick Streamer Stage 1. That bass was everything I’d been wanting — it played like a dream, sounded amazing and had a beautiful unpainted oil-and-wax finish that let the natural beauty of the wood shine through. Seeing that raw wood up close made me stop and wonder, “How in the world is this thing built?”
Like a lot of professional players I've met, I didn’t know all of the fine details about the fundamentals of the basses I played — scale length, fretboard radius, neck relief, action, and all the little details that make a bass feel and sound right. I just knew what I liked and what I didn't. But…that Warwick lit a real fire in me. It sparked a genuine passion for understanding what makes a great instrument work.
I started spending time at a local luthier's shop. (Rick Shaw - Shaw Guitars) The first few months I basically just sanded wood and swept up the sawdust I’d just made, but I soaked up every bit of knowledge I could, from Rick. It quickly became an obsession.
Eventually I decided to build a bass for myself — just to see if I could actually do all of the work. When it was finished, it looked awesome, played great, and held tune. I was FIRED UP!
By then my back had healed and I was back on the road with a touring country band. I took my new bass out for its debut one night in a club somewhere in Kansas. It instantly became my number-one instrument. My old Fender Jazz V looked a little sad sitting in the side-stage stand watching me — but I was hooked.
Before long, bass players in other bands started asking, “Hey man, what kind of bass is that?” Sound guys were saying how great it sounded. Pretty soon those questions turned into “Could you build one for me?” My answer was always the same: “Hell yeah, I can!”
What started as an interest, became a hobby that I spent time on between shows and road-trips. I built basses whenever I wasn’t on the road spending hours in the shop making sawdust. Now, many years, a couple of bands, and quite a few basses later, building custom basses is my full-time gig.
I still love building ‘em and I love seeing the look on a player’s face when they finally get their hands on their new bass. I’d be honored to have the opportunity to build one for you — or even just "talk bass". If you’re looking for something special or know someone who is, hit me up!
NEVER STOP GROOVIN’
Owner/Luthier
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