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There are those who believe that building instruments from parts is not the same as building from raw materials.
They are right.
My customers require instruments as tools and not "objects' d'art".
I use available materials and parts to make what they need without the cost of my artistic ego. The instruments I build from parts are treasured by their owners.
I can and have made instruments from original materials and designs, but only when a unique instrument and design is requested.
Eating sawdust and smelling paint are better left for those times when a unique instrument is required.
                                                                             
One of the last instruments before the fall of the empire. Jarrell Lamar has done quite well for himself. I always knew he would.
 
Check out www.myspace.com/jerrelllamar.
 

It is good to see one of the babies. Bartolini P/J pickups/Badass Bridge/Schaller Tuners.

Dear Ed,
    I am so happy to find you again. I hope you remember me from Dallas when you built one of your 5 string basses for me when I was doing "American JukeBox" in Dallas around mid 80's.
   I have been living overseas since 92 and currently in Lisbon. I go to Houston as much as I can, but Dallas much less, but do miss the time when things were better then.
   Many years I tried to reach you, but this was before the internet thing took off and I stopped trying. Until today looking at the bass you built I realized it would be nothing to find you now.
   So I'm reporting to you that the bass did serve me well for many years, I did have some problems with constantly adjusting the neck because of the extreme temperatures in Belgium.  I thought it had a great tone, even when I went to Japan in 91 the techs at the "Bayside Club in Yokohama loved it and wanted to know more. Do you know how hard it is to impress the Japanese with a product they didn't make???!!!I could only tell them that you built it and it was a prototype.
   Any way I included what the bass looks like today painted (sorry)............................
.. excerpt from e-mail contact from Jerrell.
 

Clint Riddle of the band Ahead of the Wake is playing one of the more exotic creations. The band is out of Decatur, AL and Clint promises to be a working musician for a long time to come. This instrument has an ebony fretboard over a maple neck, Bartolini pickups and just keeps playing and playing and playing and playing and .........................

Fred Boekhorst
Fred Boekhorst is a Nashville cat who keeps surprising the establishment and himself.
Each guitar has a name.
His MySpace site is:  http://www.myspace.com/fredboekhorst
 
My Personal Guitar
 
 
 
 
My personal guitar, built at Vermont Instruments, with George Morris instructing.
Bernabi
The Bernabi
 
 
 
 
 
The Bernabi family of Rochester, NY has this one. The son is a prodigy and his dad, Frank, wanted something as unique as his son.
The Star Guitar
Star guitar back
Star guitar front
The Steve Azar "Star Guitar". Talk about unique.
Note the lack of pickups and the LR Baggs piezo bridge.
 
Fred Boekhorst's Baritone guitar
Mike Solle and Fred Boekhorst's baritone guitar. Mike Solle
Not all guitars stories have a happy ending.
This one no longer exists as a unit.
Great guitar and great sound, but just not lucky.
It happens.
Joe Gavito's Favorite
gavito
beaver full
 
 
 
 
 
Custom made for Johnny Boatwright of "Canyon".
 
Now owned by a Texas player.
Kyle Wilson from Nashville Tennessee, doing me proud!
This is him at the Cadillac Ranch.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
How about BJ Golden, Texas boy gone bad!
This is  him while he was with The Low Cash Cowboys.
He has gotten sophisticated now. No hat!
Hunter Carmichael, Nashville's "Prince of Tone", with a couple of my instruments.
Kevin Williams with this Barden loaded Stratobeaver.
Kevin is the most unafraid guy I have ever met.
No macho, no bravado, just pure, sweet, love and integrity.
He kicks with his music and  does it for the love.
Nude photos
(Kevin says his hits on MySpace have increased since I posted this. Once again, nude wins over news every time.)
The SGThe SG
The SG had been brutalized by previous repairmen to the point the truss rod was ruined and the neck angle had shifted due to poor routing and planning until the guitar was unplayable.
 
Dan Cielinski, a former apprentice, helped me on the SG until he finally gave up.
 
When I finished it, it played great sounded great and the owner and I felt we had done something beautiful.
 
The Guild
Lance Wascomb
 
 
The Guild had a built in guitar stand that was missing.
 
It ended up being a shredder guitar!
One pickup and all speed.
 
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