# The handmade guitar showcase - Toronto



## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

Hi Everyone!

My friend Allan Gorman has been talking about organizing a small guitar show for a couple of years now. He asked me to put a few feelers out with some of my friends to see if they were interested in displaying ... and I was surprised at how enthusiastic the response was. Allan made a call to the Toronto Jazz Festival to see if they would at least list us in their event brochure, to find out we had missed the deadline by a day. They liked the idea though, so gave us a week extension. Well ... in one week I made a website http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com and a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-H...ax_wizard=true, designed and printed posters, and received a commitment from 25 of the best builders in Canada to display ... whew!

This is very definitely NOT the Montreal or Healdsburg shows ... both which were/are of course extremely well organized and well funded. This small show has a zero dollar budget and will be an EXTREMELY casual gathering of builders in an informal venue ... almost more of a luthier party where the public is invited.

Here's a list of the builders in alphabetical order.

G.W. Barry
Mario Beauregard
Marc Beneteau
Sergei de Jonge
Tony Duggan-Smith
G.T. Gray Guitars
Michael Greenfield
Oskar Graf
Douglas Harrison
Anne Hartman
Pat Hodgins
Anthony Karol
Michael Kennedy (Indian Hill Guitars)
Edward Klein
Mark Kett
Dennis Kwasnycia
William "Grit" Laskin
Chris Lounsbury
Linda Manzer
Luis Feu de Mesquita
Alastair Millar
Sheldon Schwartz
Pete Swanson (Dagmar Guitars)
Peggy White
David Wren (moi!)
Joseph Yanuziello 

Soooooo ... I thought I'd just put it out there ... anyone in the Toronto area on June 22nd is definitely invited! If you're interested at all, go to the Facebook page and put in a friend request and you'll be updated as to the progress. 

Thanks!

David Wren


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

Impressive list of builders on here. Let's hope you get a good turnout


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

Definitely the "Who's Who" of Canadian Luthiers! Looks like an incredible Guitar Show that should not be missed. By the way, A huge welcome to GC to one of Canada's Great guitar creators, Mr. David Wren. His guitars are nothing short of phenomenal.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

Welcome to the forum David. I'm looking forward to seeing these great looking guitars in person.


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

whoa! - wish i could go - next time for sure!!!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*



GuitarsCanada said:


> Impressive list of builders on here. Let's hope you get a good turnout


The word is definitely getting out there ... hope it translates into a great turnout too! This could be the only gathering of this kind for quite some time, so don't miss out!

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Intrepid said:


> Definitely the "Who's Who" of Canadian Luthiers! Looks like an incredible Guitar Show that should not be missed. By the way, A huge welcome to GC to one of Canada's Great guitar creators, Mr. David Wren. His guitars are nothing short of phenomenal.


Thanks so much for the kind words!!!

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snacker said:


> whoa! - wish i could go - next time for sure!!!


Sure hope there IS a next time!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*










TICKETS ARE LIMITED, AND ARE $10. AT THE DOOR ... SO PLEASE PURCHASE IN ADVANCE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

G. W. BARRY GUITARS

Gordon Barry began building guitars 30 years ago with a five year working apprenticeship under one of Canada’s best known Master luthiers. His guitar makers genealogy can be traced back over 125 years through Jean Larrivee, Edgar Moench and Marcello Barbero.

Following his formative years, Gordon applied his skills to the guitar repair and restoration trade which allowed him to study the work of others while developing his own unique line of steel string acoustic guitars. For 25 years now he has built his instruments under the name G.W. Barry guitars. As a one man shop he is involved in every aspect of the design, execution and finishing of his instruments. G.W. Barry guitars are built in a meticulously climate controlled environment using only the finest materials

His instruments have attracted professional musicians and discerning enthusiasts over the years who seek him out for his experience and obvious love of his craft…... 

“ Great guitars are not the product of one or two features, but rather that of a multitude of details and incremental changes arrived at over years of building and observation. After 30 years I remain passionate and committed to building the finest guitars that I can. I look forward to collaborating with you on a project that we can both be proud of.” Gwb


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## Chris Lounsbury (Jun 4, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

I can't wait to see my fellow builders' work and do a little catching up!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*










TICKETS ARE LIMITED ... PLEASE PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

MARIO BEAUREGARD!

Beauregard guitars are 100% handcrafted in a small shop near Montréal, Québec, in the picturesque small town of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu. No CNC’s nor countless jigs are used in the creation of a Beauregard guitar.

Through many years of honing his skills and developing acoustic comprehension, Mario Beauregard’s reputation was earned by producing the very highest quality acoustic instruments. Tone and playability are always his top priorities. Through many trips to the Canadian west coast and Europe, Mario has chosen the finest tone woods which he carefully processes and stores.

It will be Mario’s honor and a pleasure to build an instrument that will suit the very high standard of the serious guitarist.

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TICKETS ARE LIMITED ... PLEASE PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

SERGEI DEJONGE

Master craftsman Sergei de Jonge began his career apprenticing with Jean Larrivee 42 years ago. Since then, he has consistently built instruments of the highest caliber, using his evolving art to craft each instrument to best suit the distinctive needs of the individual player.

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Chris Lounsbury said:


> I can't wait to see my fellow builders' work and do a little catching up!


It should be a fun afternoon Chris ... see you there!

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TICKETS ARE LIMITED ... PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

TONY DUGGAN-SMITH !!!

Born in Canada but raised in the UK, Tony studied Fine Arts at the Canterbury College of Art where he was mentored by Michael Craig-Martin. From there he transferred to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, where he worked alongside some of the most adventurous artists on the planet.

While studying in Halifax, he ordered one of Jean Larrivee's early steel string guitars which through a series of fortuitous events, led to his being offered an apprenticeship with Jean.

Many years have passed since that time but a guitar on a workbench has remained a constant throughout his life, as have the friendships forged with his fellow apprentices.

The guitar is his lodestone and has been since he was 13 years old. In his own words, 'Viva Guitar!'

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TICKETS ARE LIMITED ... PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

OSKAR GRAF !!!

Since 1970 Oskar Graf has been designing and building stringed instruments for an exclusive and appreciative group of musicians. Oskar's extensive knowledge and dedication to his art are reflected in the creation of his guitars.

Raised and educated in Berlin, he apprenticed as a cabinetmaker and studied design. In 1968 he moved to Canada and after a short stay in Toronto settled near Clarendon, Ontario. Here in the quiet of the Canadian Shield he designed and built his home and luthier's workshop. Oskar started with simple folk instruments but soon moved to the more challenging construction of classical and steel string guitars. To date Oskar has single-handedly built over *400* guitars and is internationally known for his exceptional instruments.

His classical and acoustic guitars are valued by musicians for performance and studio work. While Oskar sees himself mainly as a regional builder, he has developed an international clientele and his guitars are played in such far away places as New York, Berlin and Jakarta.

Oskar's instruments are in the collections of the *Museum of Civilization* in Ottawa and the music faculties of *Carleton University* in Ottawa, *Queens University* in Kingston and the *Hochschule fuer Musik*, Berlin.

In addition to building and research, Oskar has conducted workshops in guitar making and its history for universities and guitar societies. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles and has been featured on CBC TV, CJOH TV Ottawa, and TV Ontario.

After 40 years of guitar building Oskar Graf is hanging up his luthiers apron, so this will be the last show he's participating in. Oskar will be showing the last instruments of his long building career.


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

I hope to make this one. I own 2 Tony Karol guitars, a steel string and a nylon hybrid. He's working on a new build for me as well. Great guitars.
Once you play a handmade guitar built for you, it's hard to play a production model again. 
And welcome, David Wren!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*



boomer said:


> I hope to make this one. I own 2 Tony Karol guitars, a steel string and a nylon hybrid. He's working on a new build for me as well. Great guitars.
> Once you play a handmade guitar built for you, it's hard to play a production model again.
> And welcome, David Wren!


Hey boomer ... you're a lucky man to own a couple of Karols ... I just love his work and his design sense!!!

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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*










TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE HERE:
http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*MICHAEL GREENFIELD!!!*

Michael Greenfield is passionate about tone. Great tone. FAT tone. Squeezing every last molecule of tone out of his instruments. Prior to making the commitment to build full-time in the mid 1990’s, Michael spent some 20 years repairing and restoring vintage instruments. Hehas also been a player for over 40 years; so perfect feel, buttery-smooth playability and road-worthy stability are what his instruments are all about.

It is Michael’s philosophy that a truly extraordinary instrument is the result of careful construction and the meticulous selection, drying and aging of the finest tonewoods; along with a clear vision of the end result and a consistency of skills and techniques throughout.

Michael carefully handcrafts a limited number of exquisite acoustic guitars each year in his Montréal shop. His guitars address the needs of traditional and contemporary players of all musical styles. Michael’s goal is that you be thrilled, not merely satisfied with your new guitar!

Michael currently enjoys an international reputation of crafting some of the finest guitars available. Some recent clients of profile include Pierre Bensusan, Andy McKee, Brooke Miller, Colin Hay (Men at work), Tony McManus, Keith Richards, Melissa Greener, Steffen Schackinger, Emmanuel Rossfelder and Philippe Mariotti (protégé of Alexandre Lagoya).


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*Re: The handmade guitar showcase*

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TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*GEORGE GRAY !*

When I started playing guitar at the age of thirteen, I had no idea that guitars would play such a significant role in my life. By the time I was in my mid-twenties, two things had become apparent. I wanted to work for myself and I had developed a love of the acoustic guitar. A chance meeting in early 1976 with Jean Larrivee at a Toronto music store lead to a three year apprenticeship with Jean in both Toronto and Victoria B.C.
In late 1978, I opened my own shop. For the next ten years I was involved in guitar repair and finishing for a number of music stores and wholesalers and was also able to build some of my own guitars. One of the best aspects of this time period was that it afforded me the opportunity to stay in close contact with Linda Manzer, Tony Duggan-Smith and David Wren.

In 1989, life took me in another direction. I packed all of my guitar building jigs and tools into boxes. Somehow I knew that I would return to guitar building.
In 2008, I began building guitars again and was thrilled to see that the atmosphere of sharing and mutual support that existed amongst the luthiers of the early days of the Larrivee shop continues to this day.




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*TICKETS ARE LIMITED, SO PLEASE BUY IN ADVANCE HERE:* http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*OSKAR GRAF !!!*

Since 1970 Oskar Graf has been designing and building stringed instruments for an exclusive and appreciative group of musicians. Oskar's extensive knowledge and dedication to his art are reflected in the creation of his guitars.

Raised and educated in Berlin, he apprenticed as a cabinetmaker and studied design. In 1968 he moved to Canada and after a short stay in Toronto settled near Clarendon, Ontario. Here in the quiet of the Canadian Shield he designed and built his home and luthier's workshop. Oskar started with simple folk instruments but soon moved to the more challenging construction of classical and steel string guitars. To date Oskar has single-handedly built over *400* guitars and is internationally known for his exceptional instruments.

His classical and acoustic guitars are valued by musicians for performance and studio work. While Oskar sees himself mainly as a regional builder, he has developed an international clientele and his guitars are played in such far away places as New York, Berlin and Jakarta.
Oskar's instruments are in the collections of the *Museum of Civilization* in Ottawa and the music faculties of *Carleton University* in Ottawa, *Queens University* in Kingston and the *Hochschule fuer Musik*, Berlin.

In addition to building and research, Oskar has conducted workshops in guitar making and its history for universities and guitar societies. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles and has been featured on CBC TV, CJOH TV Ottawa, and TV Ontario.

After 40 years of guitar building Oskar Graf is hanging up his luthiers apron, so this will be the last show he's participating in. Oskar will be showing the last instruments of his long building career.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE ON LINE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*DOUGLAS HARRISON !!!*

*Harrison Guitars is a one person shop. To insure quality and consistency I do all woodworking, finishing and electronics. Since the mid 1980’s I have built a variety of custom electric guitars and basses. In 1992 my love of archtop guitars led me to build a 16” archtop for myself, orders for similar guitars quickly followed and I have been busy with orders since. *

*In recent years, in an effort to keep up with current guitar orders, I have taken time away from my restoration/repair work to focus on building.

As professional guitar repairman since 1980 I have had the opportunity to study guitar construction in depth. I have also enjoyed a close working relationship with renowned luthiers G.W. Barry and David Wren. 

I started playing guitar in 1972 and regularly perform around the Toronto area in a jazz duo, trio or quartet setting.* 



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TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS ORDER ON LINE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*ANNE HARTMAN !!!*

I built my first banjo in 2007 while living in Toronto, Ontario, under the guidance of Bill Rickard and Hugh Hunter. That got me “hooked,” and over the next few years I cobbled together instruments at the kitchen table and friends’ workbenches. In 2009 I completed Sergei de Jonge’s guitarmaking course in Gatineau, Québec, and was fortunate to spend some time in Joseph Yanuziello’s guitar studio, refining my skills. In 2010 and 2011, thanks to two Emerging Craftspeople grants from the Ontario Arts Council, I travelled through the U.S. and Canada, learning from an incredible community of instrument builders and repair people on both sides of the border. 

My banjos are available as custom orders, and each one is different. I lean towards a late nineteenth-century aesthetic with a modern feel. Each neck is carved by hand, and I finish by French polishing, a traditional and non-toxic method using shellac and alcohol. I also make small-bodied guitars modeled on classic designs. 

Aside from actually playing music, I can’t think of anything I would rather do than build great-sounding handmade instruments."




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS ORDER ONLINE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*PATRICK HODGINS!*

Little Tree Guitars is the realization of my dream to build guitars with local, domestic, and responsibly harvested materials to create beautiful, well-crafted and ethical instruments. I'm proud to be using clear-grained sustainable woods that have excellent tone properties. My first guitar was made with wood that my father cut down at our farm and after building with exotics for many years I'm happy to find myself back where I began.

I focus on simple but elegant design, excellent tone and an uncompromising structure. It is important to me that the player truly loves their guitar, how it sounds and feels, so that it is like an extension of them.

When I was young I used to love taking things apart to figure out how they worked. Almost every toy I had got taken apart and as I got older some of them even went back together. I learned some carpentry from my dad and helped frame walls, sheds and additions. I was always very hands-on and I had been playing guitar since I was a kid, so when Sergei de Jonge offered me the opportunity to build a guitar it seemed like a natural fit.




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TICKETS ARE LIMITED SO PLS ORDER IN ADVANCE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*ANTHONY KAROL!*

After a career in the telecom industry, and a background as an electrical engineer, Tony Karol began building instruments professionally in 2001. Heavily influenced in the beginning by makers such as Larrivee and Martin, Tony began creating his own designs and style as the number of guitars built grew. There are now over 120 guitars spread out over 4 continents, and some of them are in the hands of such guitar playing giants as Bruce Cockburn, Tommy Emmanuel and Stephen Bennett. Currently Karol Guitars builds standard 6 and 12 string acoustics, baritones, harp guitars, resonators, and electric guitars and basses, as well as teaches instrument building in his shop.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*MARK KETT !!!*

I started building in 1997 with master guitar builder Sergei de Jonge. I fell in love with guitar making while taking his course and was fortunate enough to apprentice with him afterward.
I have made my shop and home in beautiful Port Perry, where I continue to build guitars and create custom inlay for some of the best guitar makers in the world.




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TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS ORDER IN ADVANCE FROM THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*EDWARD KLEIN !!!*

Edward Klein has enjoyed designing and constructing innovative guitars for the past 14 years. Having previously studied at Sheridan College School of Crafts and Design in Oakville under the direction of Donald Lloyd McKinley, Ed recently continued his education by attending a master class given by luthier Ervin Somogyi at his studio in California. Beyond the challenge of creating a fine instrument for the discerning player, Ed passionately expresses himself as a visual artist in his work.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS ORDER IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*DENNIS KWASNYCIA !!!*

Since 1988, I found my passion as a Luthier, building and repairing guitars
that inspire the music and soul of all that play them. Using both old,
traditional and modern techniques, my goal is to build every guitar to the
finest detail to meet the needs of every client. My focus is to build that
one guitar: Yours!

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TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*MICHAEL KENNEDY !!!*

_"Form follows function -- that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union."_
_Frank Lloyd Wright_

The above quote has become one of my main inspirations and guiding principles in building guitars. I strongly believe that a cohesive design in both structure and aesthetics is fundamental to producing exceptional instruments. These ideals could most succinctly be described as _clean elegance_. My approach to achieving these tonal and visual goals has continually developed over the course of my career but is rooted in the melding of science and instinct. With a formal education in Mechanical Engineering tempered by a life spent pursuing creativity I strive to not simply keep these forces in balance, but use them collaboratively to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

I currently offer four different models ranging from a small 4-string Tenor to a full bodied Grand Concert. I am always excited about a challenge so please feel free to contact me if there is a new shape or model you are interested in.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*WILLIAM "GRIT" LASKIN !!!*

William “Grit” Laskin – since 1971, builder of performance level steel-string, flamenco and classical guitars. He originated the Armrest and Ribrest body beveling on acoustic guitars; he co-originated the Sideport Soundhole; his groundbreaking Inlay Art is known around the world. For his work he has received the Saidye Bronfman Award For Excellence. In addition, he is a founding partner of Borealis Records and co-founded the Canadian Folk Music Awards. In 2010 he received the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals and most recently was made a member of The Order Of Canada.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*CHRIS LOUNSBURY !!!*

For over twenty years I have been fascinated by the guitar as both a vehicle for expression and as a beautiful physical object. Having had a lifelong leaning toward building things with intricate detail, I became more and more intrigued with the structure of the guitar. Attending Sergei DeJonge’s guitar making course in Chelsea, QC was a galvanizing experience and despite the long hours spent working late into the night, I always looked forward to returning to the shop in the morning. I found this work entirely captivating and decided that I would have to pursue it full time.

Today I am proud to continue the tradition of Canadian guitarmaking in my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. I begin by consulting with the customer regarding playing style, relevant dimensions and the desired tonal response. Then I select from the best materials available, and craft the instrument myself from start to finish using hand and power tools. Each guitar is then French Polished, a centuries-old tradition of applying a shellac solution by hand using a fabric pad. I use the French Polish method as it is non-toxic, non-polluting, and it creates a beautiful, lustrous finish that is physically thin and thus, is arguably acoustically superior.


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*THIS SUNDAY!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*LINDA MANZER!!!*

According to Wikipedia...
*Linda (Jane) Manzer*, b Toronto, is a Canadian luthier renowned for her archtop and flat-top acoustic guitars.
She received her training from Jean Larrivée between 1974 and 1978 and later with Jimmy D'Aquisto in New York. Her greatest claim to fame is that she has and still does build many custom guitars for renowned jazz musician Pat Metheny including the Pikasso which has 42 strings and three necks. Carlos Santana, Stephen Fearing, Julian Lage, Henrik Andersen, Liona Boyd, Heather Bishop, Bruce Cockburn, Mike Francis (Pepe), Marie Lynn Hammond, Sherry Shute, John McGale and Gordon Lightfoot have to be mentioned as special customers too.


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*THIS SUNDAY!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*Luis Feu de Mesquita !!!*

My name is Luis Alberto Feu de Mesquita and my ancestry goes back to Andalusia in the south of Spain where the modern guitar evolved. Coming from this region, I was exposed to the richness and passion of Flamenco from an early age, but the emergence of The Beatles drew me to the electric guitar. After subjecting my poor classical to several modifications, I decided to build my own guitar from the ground up.

I built that first guitar in my mid-teens and ended up making guitars for the other members of our band. By age 18 I had already built and repaired several guitars, ultimately finding that construction was more fulfilling for me than playing.

After moving to Canada in 1970 to attend college I graduated as a mechanical engineer, began my career, married and had children. Throughout this entire period of time, I continued building and repairing guitars after work and on weekends. Later, life changing events made me realize that I needed to nourish my passion for building guitars and LFdM Guitars was born.

I subsequently undertook more formal training with master luthier Sergei de Jonge to further refine my skills. He was a wonderful teacher who encouraged exploration and I absorbed a great deal from Sergei and his entire family.

Engineering has contributed significantly to my approach and brought out the perfectionist in me. I prefer drafting and resolving ideas and challenges on paper first to ensure that the execution is very efficient and surprises are limited.

The result is that each of my guitars is not just hand-built with love and pride; they are also built with great precision. They are unique masterpieces that reflect the individuality of their owners.




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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

THIS SUNDAY! TICKETS ARE LIMITED SO PLEASE PURCHASE IN ADVANCE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*ALASTAIR MILLER !!!*

I developed an interest in guitar building in 1993 when I was introduced to local Toronto Luthier Joseph Yanuziello. After several years of odd jobs and traveling, I had the pleasure of attending Sergei de Jonge’s guitar making course in Oshawa Canada and as a result, was hired by Sergei to work for the de Jonge Guitar Company.

I worked with Sergei for a little under two years before venturing off to start my own shop in Montreal where I spent a year developing my own brand. At the end of the year, I headed back to Toronto to open another shop. I spent the first ear back in Toronto working alone, then had the pleasure of sharing my space for a year with fellow de Jong apprentice Mark Kett.




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THIS SUNDAY! TICKETS ARE LIMITED SO PLEASE PURCHASE IN ADVANCE HERE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*SHELDON SCHWARTZ !!!*

When I was in high school back in the 70s, I set up my Strat with the tremolo down on the body to keep it from going out of tune so much (this is done all the time these days). This threw the intonation off, and not knowing how to fix it myself, I took my guitar to the local music shop to have that done. I explained to the repairman what I wanted, but he was not happy with my tremolo adjustment. He set the tremolo back up off the body and tweaked the intonation. When I picked up the guitar he told me, "that's not the way you set up the tremolo". I was a little frustrated to find he didn't do what I asked. I took the guitar and walked out without paying, vowing never to let another person work on my guitar again.

That's how it all started. I did my own research and learned how to set up my guitar. Things just progressed from there. I was always interested in working on guitars and how they were constructed. At the same time, I was never satisfied with any acoustic guitar I saw in a music store. Even though I wanted to have a good wooden acoustic guitar, what I saw was so abysmal (at least to me) I wound up getting an Ovation to tide me over until I could find an acoustic guitar that I liked. I never did.
In 1992 I decided to pursue a full-time career in guitarbuilding. Not having any real training, I enrolled in David Freeman's guitarbuilding course at Timeless Instruments. That's where I built my first acoustic guitar.

Shortly after the course I rented a space in a cabinetmaker's shop and built three more acoustic guitars. It became clear to me that Timeless Instruments was a good place to learn the basics. Now I needed to find out how people that made guitars for a living really did it if I was to continue.
Luckily, there are some great guitarmakers in Toronto. The first person I sought out was Grit Laskin and next, Linda Manzer. I was very fortunate to have guidance from two of the world's most talented hand-builders in my early days.

My next shop was in the basement of my house. I was there for four or five years before having to get a bigger space. In my basement shop, I really started to refine my skills. After taking Grit Laskin's inlay seminar, my inlays really improved too. I was always a good artist, and took art all through high school and painted in my spare time, but I could not for the life of me figure out how to do the engraving until shown by Grit. Once shown, it came very easily to me because of my drawing ability.

In 1995, at the A.S.I.A. Convention in Easton PA, I met Kent Everett. I was really blown away to learn he made 50 of those finely crafted and great sounding guitars a year. Kent invited me to spend a weekend with him at his shop in Atlanta, which I did. He let me take photos and showed me all kinds of new ways of doing things. He also gave me some great information about tuning the soundboards and boxes. At the time, many of the construction methods I saw were too advanced for my little basement shop, but I kept the photos and the knowledge. I'm still implementing some of the things that I saw that weekend.

That year I began going to the vintage guitar show in Michigan on a regular basis to show my guitars. It was the height of the vintage guitar boom and the show was always jammed with people. Many times I was the only builder there. Other times it was local Michigan builder, Gary Zimnicki and me surrounded by Strats, Teles and Les Pauls. With the huge crowds, business was good and I built quite a following in Michigan through that show.

Now my basement shop was getting a little too small. A friend of mine was renting an industrial unit but only needed half. I sublet the front part where the offices were. I had three rooms plus a spray room. When I first moved in, my jam-packed basement shop barely fit into one room! Eventually it all got filled up with wood, machines, jigs and fixtures.

At the 1997 A.S.I.A. Convention in Vermont, I saw Jim Olson give a slide show of his shop, with all his jigs and fixtures. That was a real eye-opener for me. I was amazed that one person could do so much. Later, when I talked to Jim at his booth, he explained quite a few things in detail for me and showed me his photo album of his shop.
A few years later, I got to spend most of a Saturday with Jim in his shop, thanks to one of my (and Jim's) customers.

I continued making and refining my guitars and my guitar building process. I used the information that I got from the different guitar builders in ways that suited how I wanted to build guitars. I never copied an idea or used it exactly how it was shown to me. I always tried to improve upon it, or at least adapt it to what I wanted it to do.

I also began learning more and more about guitar building from my customers. It seems like the fingerstyle players have really driven the refining of my guitars lately. I've been really fortunate to have some very finicky players with extremely high standards of what they expect a guitar to do. More than anything else, this has made me a better guitarbuilder. This also helped to make my once-too-big shop seem much too small.

In April of 2002, I moved into my new shop. This is an 1800 sq. ft. building, built specifically for guitar making. I hired an engineer to do the architectural drawings to my specs. Its very well insulated and provides an extremely stable climate for guitar building. I have north facing windows, which I have found to be the best light to work in and a clean room with a finishing area. I've got a lot of space... at least for now.


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*PETE SWANSON / DAGMAR GUITARS !!!*

Self taught luthier, Pete Swanson has invented a "never been done
before" way of constructing guitars. His company, Dagmar Custom
Guitars, builds each guitar not with forms but using a string of
mathematical equations and extremely accurate machining. Swanson is the
only luthier in the world who builds guitars in segments (reminiscent
to keystones in Roman Arches) to create a rim that is rounded on the
outside with a complimentary "mini amphitheater like" concave interior.
This perfect fusion of form and function not only creates a completely
original yet familiar aesthetic but is also ergonomic with an
architecture that helps amplify and focus tone. Since his start in 2008
Swanson has been recognized by the Ontario Arts Council 4 times as an
emerging artist in fine craft, been featured in Vintage Guitar, Premier
Guitar, Guitar Aficionado, Guitar Connoisseur, Arabella Art and
Architecture, Just Jazz Guitar and on the HIFI HD network's show
"Guitar Picks". His first commissioned guitar was built to show case
Queen's University's state of the art fiber optics pickup technology
and was featured on Discovery's" Daily Planet" show and on HIFI's
"Guitar Picks". The guitar, affectionately known as Vicky, (named after
Queen Victoria who chartered the school) has been acquired by the
Canadian Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com
*
PEGGY WHITE !!!*

Peggy White is a new builder from Almonte, Ontario, Canada. In 2011 Peggy decided to pursue a lifelong dream of building instruments and signed up for Sergei de Jonge's guitar building course in Chelsea, Quebec. She moved on from there to apprentice with master luthier, Linda Manzer, where she is currently studying and working.

Peggy's years as a singer/songwriter/performer prepared her well in understanding what's needed to make a guitar that's both acoustically full and sensitive and able to withstand the real rigors of being on the road, performing onstage or in a studio.

Peggy has designed and is now building her own line of acoustic guitars and flat top mandolins in her shop in Almonte, Ontario.



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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*THIS SUNDAY (JUNE 22nd) AFTERNOON!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

In 1973 I rode a bicycle from Toronto to Regina, with my only reading material being Irving Sloane's "Classical Guitar Construction". By the time I returned home, this book resembled a well-worn comic book more than the hard cover text it started life as. I was hooked. 

Later that same year I had the incredible good fortune to be accepted as an apprentice by the father of Canadian guitar building, Jean-Claude Larrivee. This one kind act on the part of Jean has been a positive influence on my professional career every single day since. There simply is no better training ground to learn the diverse skill-set of lutherie, than working with one of our generation's greatest guitar builders... Jean-Claude Larrivee. Since that time, I've come to know hundreds of craftspeople, but Jean remains the most naturally gifted craftsperson I've ever met.

During my tenure at the Larrivee workshop I was also lucky to be able to work with a series of extremely talented artisans including Grit Laskin, Linda Manzer, Sergei de Jonge, Tony Duggan-Smith and George Gray.

By 1977, I opened my own guitar building shop and enjoyed some success over the next 10 years, with an annual production of 20 - 24 instruments. During that time period, the foremost internationally distributed acoustic guitar magazine was the Guitar Player Publication "Frets". I was fortunate to receive high marks in their monthly review of handmade acoustic instruments. 

During the seventies and eighties I was privileged to accept orders from performers that included Bruce Cockburn, Jackson Browne and Joan Baez. I produced close to two hundred guitars in the old Elmer Avenue and Oakcrest Avenue shops ... everything from my original Concert body style to Orchestra Models and Dreadnoughts, as well as hand carved archtop jazz guitars.

From 1990 until 2009 I was a partner in the Twelfth Fret Guitarists' Pro Shop in Toronto. My responsibilities included developing the acoustic instrument roster with special emphasis on small-shop and individual luthier brands. From 1996 until 2009 I also developed and maintained all aspects of the store's website.

Working in a retail environment that specialized in high-end acoustic guitars gave me access to a wide array of instruments from all over the world. Studying these instruments in detail ... their dimensions, resonant frequencies, top graduations, plate radius details ... was an education that has been invaluable to my developement as a luthier.

In September of 2009, the call to build guitars again became too loud to ignore ... it was time to sharpen my chisels once again. At that point in time I was able to build an instrument with my friend Sergei de Jonge, who helped me get my woodworking chops back up to speed, and along with his daughter Joshia, taught me to French Polish. The de Jonge family's influence can be seen in my instruments in many ways ... my finish, spalted wood rosette and side port are all from Sergei de Jonge. 

I am currently very busy filling orders, designing and building new prototype guitars and ramping up for my new season of building in 2014!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

*TOMORROW (JUNE 22nd) AFTERNOON!*

TICKETS ARE LIMITED: PLS PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AT THE WEBSITE: http://www.handmadeguitarshowcase.com

*JOSEPH YANUZIELLO !!!*

A native Torontonian, Joseph Yanuziello has spent most of his life living and working in the culturally diverse neighborhoods of Toronto’s west end.

He built his first guitar in 1979 while working in a custom design/build cabinet shop.
Over the years, he has introduced many unique acoustic and electric instrument designs, including guitar and mandolin family instruments, as well as Hawaiian and resophonic guitars.

His passion for North American roots music, it’s history and players, have guided and informed the direction that his instruments have taken.

Yanuziello stringed instruments are played by professional and amateur musicians world wide.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

*JOSEPH YANUZIELLO !!!*

I'll second that. This should be one fun get-together.
In addition to the gorgeous guitars that Joe currently makes, this guitar (#5) will also be at Joe's table:


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Very nice guitar Hammertone. Unfortunately I forgot about this show and missed out. David, is the guitar showcase going to be a yearly event?


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

Well, that was really a lot of fun - a great bunch of people, some amazing guitars, and a bar.


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry I missed this! But probably best for my wallet.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Anyone take any pics?


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

Hi Everyone ... I'll try to post some photos in the next few day. What with organizing the show and displaying at it as well, I was on overload the day of, and didn't document it as well as I could have ... ugh!



















Anne Hartman Banjos and Guitars










Marc Beneteau Guitars










Chris Lounsbury










Dagmar Guitars (Pete Swanson)










Sergei deJonge Guitars










Noemi Schembri (luthier visiting from Italy), Sergei deJonge and Alastair Miller










Michael Greenfield Guitars










William Laskin Inlay










William Laskin Inlay


More to come in the next few days. 


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

And the Academy Award for this year's shakiest video goes to ...

[video=youtube_share;DAqLUMAlggw]http://youtu.be/DAqLUMAlggw[/video]


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

G.W. Barry Guitars










Douglas Harrison GB Model










Douglas Harrison and Peggy White


.


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

A few more shots










Anne Hartman banjo and guitar (left) and G.T. Gray guitars (right)










Katelyn Urquhart, Michael Kennedy (Indian Hill Guitars) and Patrick Hodgins (Little Tree Guitars)










Edward Klein Guitars










Detail of Edward Klein's new Performance model guitar!










Dennis Kwasnycia guitars (left) and Luis Feu de Mesquita guitars (right)










Linda Manzer's Archtop Pikasso guitar!










Mario Beauregard










Mario Beauregard archtop and mandolin. 









Michael Kennedy (Indian Hill Guitars)










Oskar Graf !!!


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

Sheldon Schwartz (left) and Marc Beneteau












Sergei de Jonge!










Sheldon Schwartz Oracle Model









Tony Duggan-Smith










Tony Karol Guitars (left & center) and Klein Galaxy5 (right)










Peggy White Guitars










Wren Guitar Works: Lutz/Madagascar


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Some excellent shots. Thanks for posting


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Wish I could have attended that day Dave. I was planning to, then life get's in the way. 
I hope it was a great success (looks like a lot of people were there) and that maybe you'll have another show down the road. 
thanks for the pix too. 
I'll have to drop by the shop and see what you've been up to recently. 
Cheers
Pete


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## David Wren (May 30, 2014)

faracaster said:


> Wish I could have attended that day Dave. I was planning to, then life get's in the way.
> I hope it was a great success (looks like a lot of people were there) and that maybe you'll have another show down the road.
> thanks for the pix too.
> I'll have to drop by the shop and see what you've been up to recently.
> ...


Hey Pete ... drop by the shop anytime ... be great to see ya!


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