BIOGRAPHY

I have been repairing stringed instruments since 1972. It was at about that time that I built my first instrument in Lyons, Colorado; a copy of a funky little turn of the century mandolin with the encouragement and guidance of Ray Chatfield, craftsman, luthier and banjo guru. Ray also instilled in me a deep respect for the artistry and workmanship of the fine instruments of bygone times….what is now called “Vintage”.

In 1980 I moved to Port Townsend, Washington built a house and a small shop and began Llewellin Guitars, building mandolins and counterfeit banjo necks and repairing part time…lots of violin family instruments, guitars, banjos mandolins, ukes and the occasional rogue concertina. There were and still are a lot of musicians around here. Lots of great instruments passed through my shop and when anything particularly interesting or great sounding came by, I would draw up a “blueprint” of it for my records and as a reference point and means of comparison.

I’ve always been a fan of the guitars and mandolins of the Kalamazoo school between the 30’s to the late 50’s, finding them, to my eye, having some of the most pleasing and elegant shapes and comfortable necks. When I began building guitars in 1998 I emulated those shapes and included what I considered to be the best ideas structurally, tonally, and aesthetically of all the ones I had handled, played, owned and coveted over the years. I was not disappointed in the least with the results. I have settled on two of my all-time favorites, the J-185 and its little brother, the L-00.