J. Burda Guitars

J. Burda Guitars Maker and seller of string musical instruments. Hours by appointment....phone. Martin warranty repair center

private music instruction....repair of stringed instruments....maker of individually handcrafted guitars, banjos, violins, mandolins , and harps....full service C.F.

06/02/2021

Final assembly/binding of a Martin "look a like", made w/ Brazillian Rosewood I purchased in the 60's, and Norway Spruce, shipped to Chicago from Germany, in the 50's. The only "new" wood, is the Black Walnut in the neck, I cut from my woods, in the 90's...all air dried/aged. I'm even using old Martin herringbone purfling and marquetry. When finished, it will already be aged, and more resonate that any factory product, at any price. Modern treatment (kiln dried/terrified torrified) the weakening of tone wood, is a bad move, sales gimmick, and myth.

06/15/2018

My 50 years of making guitars, which started in the second week of June '68, is continuing it's celebration with 5 special instruments only....a jumbo guitar in extra-ordinary Brazillian Rosewood, a 30's Martin copy D-28, in very fancy Brazillian Rosewood, a 00-12 fret... in "19th Century Martin-ish" Brazillian Rosewood, and today, I've bent the sides on the 4th...a very fancy Juglans Nigra/Bear Claw Sitka...using Walnut that I personally cut in December '70. Not sure if the 5th will be a custom order, or one for spec...tomorrow is promise to no one. Still fun...and assuring, that people still value a fine instrument over their big screen TV, or a fortune in body jewelry/illustration.

06/02/2018

June 2, 1968, a friend (Steve "Doc" Scantlin) and I started making guitars in my dad's workshop. Although I had a job offer, teaching 6th grade, in the Benton Harbor Schools, the MLK assassination had a significant influence on me not working in the 'normal' vocations. I would teach for a year, while burning the midnight oil in the workshop, and then the following June, leave America... going to work in an alternative world (music). I chose the branded name "Dove", which. to me, represented peace, and was indeed, the name of the white dove I had as a household pet. I certainly was not prepared for the news, four days later. Fifty years later, while making my 177th guitar, I haven't forgotten much of this journey's start up. To mark a 50th...five guitars are being built...2 already cortracted/custom ordered, 3 awaiting. One of very fancy Black Walnut, the others of Brazilian Rosewood...the fanciest from my stash. I still look forward, each morning, to heading to the shop, and the cutting, scraping, sanding, gluing of some of the world's best tonewoods.

03/20/2018

Always fascinated by connectivity of things in life, I traced the chaos of the past, to find a plausible explanation of why I chose earning a living making instruments ("you call that a living, Jan?). I've been making pretty good guitars, etc. since June of 1968, as a full time occupation (minus the hours teaching). I've been able, so far, to trace the fateful factors that directed this, to a news article, in a March newspaper, about Lewis Hershey, the blind,aging, general, that was appointed to head the selective service system (draft). Hershey had been getting negative coverage in the press, and an idea came to mind, that I might get him to come/speak at the school I was at....and I could get the opportunity to express myself against the war in Vietnam. He was to be in San Antonio in early April, for the annual convention of all the draft boards, and with connections I had/used, I got a "yes" from his staff...to come to Corpus to greet/speak in a safe/church school environment....and get good press. They jumped. Two weeks later, Hershey shows up, we meet (I was the acting head of the "student body govt.), and I get a private meeting/interview appointment, with him, at his hotel suite. The next day,I bring Jim French, the school paper's editor along. And as we/meet again, and start our "private" interview....in comes TV crews from Houston, to report this meeting with good, young, Christian Soldiers...making good, positive war news. Intimidated, I stated my/our views, which certainly were seen/heard, by officials of the Southern Baptist Convention, who owned/governed my school. I think what I said, did not go well with Hershey and his staff. I had planned on graduating (with some honors) in June. Fate was about to step in, and alter things. TBC

10/27/2017

As 2018 approaches, J. Burda Guitars is planning on introducing something I never would have dreamed. A series of events took place 50 years ago that changed the course of my history (my life), for better or worse...the next 12 months will keep my mind in wonderment, and busy. Posts to follow.

10/04/2017

They know my number.

09/27/2017

I suppose this is an official "go ahead", but I don't trust 'em. An inquiry to Fish and Wildlife, regarding rosewoods being used for new instruments...I asked if it was OK to use Nambian Rosewood (Dalbergia Donaldo), and not be in violation of the amended Lacey Act. The response, in so many words, stated the list of controlled rosewoods did not include Nambian Rosewood (Dalbergia Donaldo,spp). I'm going to think real hard about this. I may find the wood 'capital' for guitars.

09/06/2017

Pretty busy on 4 guitars...sorry I don't have time to post. Stop in the shop if you want to here why my instruments are different than what the factories try to sell you.

10/12/2015

It's a new age, for sure. I've been searching my 10th ed. Merriam Websters Collegiate Dictionary, for the two modern buzz words in the "luthiers" chatter ("Addy" Spruce and "Torrefied"), with little success. I take it that Adirondack (Red) Spruce was meant. To help those, with limited understanding of history, the use in stringed instruments, by the factories (Martin/Gibson), had to do with the fact, that the price was right. World wars brought an abrupt end, to the importation of Norway Spruce, from the German vendors (the tone wood of choice for centuries). The best domestic Spruces, Engleman (Rockies), and Sitka (Northwest coast), were a bit salty, but Red....CF Martin II, clearing land outside of Nazareth, had to cut giant 'Addy' trees growing right in Martin's back yard! Now everyone in the biz knows, Martin was so tight they squeaked, and to their credit, that got them through the Great Depression. Using local Red Spruce, was a no-brainer. The other big guy on the block, Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Co., Inc., was even cheaper/tighter. Unlike the Martin family, with conservative ethics, Gibson was shareholder driven, almost from the beginning. Corporate decisions, starting with giving Orville the 'bum's rush', was to cut cost at every opportunity. As factory specs were being recorded, even Lloyd Loar noted "West Virginia" spruce, for the top echelon Master instruments. Why do those old instruments sound the way they do? Beats me! Why are they so expensive?? I have no idea! Why are manufacturers promoting these silly words??? I'm at a loss! The tales of terrifying tone wood, by threatening by torrefication, later.

09/22/2015

Facebook has reminded me, that I haven't posted in 475 days. I so happens that time is at a premium. I've been busier than a bumble bee in a tar bucket...I'll get a Round Tuit, in due time.

06/03/2014

So, you think that newly manufactured guitars are better than ever? Do you understand what "kiln drying" is? Guitar makers such as Martin, used to obtain tone wood, and warehouse it for years, before using it. "Air dried" wood is the only tone wood that vendors to master instrument makers supply. With the advent of "Just In Time", a Japanese concept, and updated taxing on warehoused materials, the era of storing/air drying of wood has ended. Martin,Taylor, Gibson....every manufacturer....uses kiln dried wood, just in time, to use it. Recently, I related an analogy to a recent guitar customer, that kiln drying is akin to cooking a carrot in a pressure cooker. The superheated steam penetrates the carrot, the cells rupture, the steam in the cell is released, the carrot is different (cooked). The very same thing goes on in the wood placed in the kiln....the result is expedient removal of moisture....and a cooked/mush of the wood cells. Air drying takes years of warehousing.....No manufacture will undergo that cost....only the makers who know the difference, and who serve demanding clients. Wonder why some will pay outlandish fortunes for those old Martins?

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105 W Ferry Street
Berrien Springs, MI
49103

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