Luthiers
Mike Ponce enjoys managing the Suhr Guitar factory at JS Technologies Inc. in Southern California as the job allows him to apply his expertise in all aspects of guitar building. Mike was a master builder at Fender before developing an acoustic line of guitars for Rickenbacker. His inspiration to...
Roman Zajicek was born in Kolin in the Czech Republic, where for several decades the government made it difficult to do business as an independent luthier. In 2003, when he had the opportunity to open his own guitar shop he did. Based on his first name and his favorite wood to use for guitar...
Darren Webb has played a key role at Santa Cruz Guitar Company since joining the team in the 1990s. With a focus on the service and repair of older Santa Cruz instruments, most importantly their lifetime warranty, he ensures quality and consistency in each instrument that is sent back to the shop...
Paul Hostetter’s career as a luthier dates back to 1963, although his passion for music may have been born when he was. He started by giving guitar lessons before he began building instruments. Paul played on recording sessions for Motown, including on hits with his personal friend, Marvin Gaye....
Adam Rose is a luthier and guitar designer for Santa Cruz Guitar Company and has worked with the company's founder, Richard Hoover since the 1980s. Adam's passion for the woods has been key to the construction and integrity of the instruments as well as the reputation of the company. Adam was...
Roger Giffin is a master guitar luthier whose guitars have been played by musicians around the world. He began building guitars as a teenager in London and went on to work for Gibson in the Custom Shop in Los Angeles. In addition, he has created his own line of instruments under the Giffin name...
Bill Rickard is the founder of Rickard Banjos – banjos featuring a classic design with modern innovations. In the early parts of his life, he fell out of touch with music. Following a tragic motorcycle accident, which took an arm and a leg from Bill, he reevaluated his whole life. He began...
Jimmy Gravity was setting up a newly made electric guitar as he talked with several of his customers gathered around his work bench. Holding court comes easy to Jimmy because he views his customers and co-workers as friends coming over to hang out. The topics range from baseball to politics and...
Siggi Jäger is a founder of Human Base. He specializes in hand crafting bass guitars. Sigge started making instruments in the mid 1980’s at Hoyer Guitars in Tennenlohe near Erlangen, Bavaria. There he specialized in making basses for the company and finished his apprenticeship with the master...
Jason Berg is a guitar tech at Union Grove Music in Santa Cruz, where he was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program to discuss his involvement with the Supro Guitar line as well as other parts of his career in the industry. As a repairman for Union Grove Music, Jason rents a space in the...