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My friend Elmore came and picked up his drums today. Another satisfied client.
04/04/2026

My friend Elmore came and picked up his drums today. Another satisfied client.

Back to Memorial HS today to deliver the latest 2 repairs. The 6 string was a loose and shorting output jack. Fixed that...
04/02/2026

Back to Memorial HS today to deliver the latest 2 repairs. The 6 string was a loose and shorting output jack. Fixed that and put on new strings.
The 12 string was in critical condition. The only thing holding the headstock in place was the strings. Compound fracture you could say. Luckily, I was able to glue it up and gently tap it back into place. Clamped it overnight, cleaned up the fracture joint w glue and sawdust and it’s playable again. New strings provided by a grant from the MAMAs along with donations from my friends and fellow alumni Andy and Jackie.
It’s so important to put well playing instruments into the hands of kids so they don’t get discouraged.

Here’s something a bit different. A few years back, while building fences during the COVID shutdown, I met Elmore, a per...
04/02/2026

Here’s something a bit different. A few years back, while building fences during the COVID shutdown, I met Elmore, a percussionist. He had hand carved conga style drums usually played w skins as heads. He proposed putting djembe style wood heads on them, which relates perfectly to my guitar building skills.
He contacted me a week or so ago w 2 more drums needing heads.
I got a nice 1/4” piece of oak, cut it to shape, and glued them up.
Here they are, sounding cool and always tuned.

In the shop yesterday was local legend Gil Jevne. I was working on his Hamer Phantom. A rare bird in its own right.
04/01/2026

In the shop yesterday was local legend Gil Jevne. I was working on his Hamer Phantom. A rare bird in its own right.

In the shop today is one rare bird. Not sure of the model name, I bet Kurt Quickel will know. An old USA Hamer owned by ...
03/20/2026

In the shop today is one rare bird.
Not sure of the model name, I bet Kurt Quickel will know. An old USA Hamer owned by Madison legend Gil Jevne. The wood ‘island’ between the pup cavity and trem cavity got brittle and cracked, no longer supporting the pressure of the string tension. I glued the crack and reinforced w extra screws from underneath. Also, put the original pickups back in. Yes that’s a double coil and a single coil next to each other. Unique design that sounds cool.

In the shop today is Andrew Barth, bassist for the Salty Limes and husband to Meeka from the Midnight Angel band. New li...
03/13/2026

In the shop today is Andrew Barth, bassist for the Salty Limes and husband to Meeka from the Midnight Angel band.
New lightweight tuners, BadAss bridge, both now in black, new strings and a setup has him set to go. Thx Andy for the repeat business and trust.

I was back at Memorial HS today to deliver the latest 2 guitars I refurbed for them. On the acoustic, the neck joint had...
03/10/2026

I was back at Memorial HS today to deliver the latest 2 guitars I refurbed for them.
On the acoustic, the neck joint had failed, needed to be glued and clamped. The neck was badly worn. Had to sand and stain the fingerboard and polish the frets. Then, Replaced the defective tuning machines, put on new strings, its
playable. Not much adjustment available on this one.
The bass needed a cleaning, setup and new strings. It’s a customized bass, they removed the frets from about the 8th on up, filled the slots making it half fretless. Cool and unique.
Thanks to classmates Andy and Jackie for the donations towards the parts purchases.

Joe Bonamassa
02/26/2026

Joe Bonamassa

Next 2 guitars delivered back to Memorial HS. The acoustic 12 string had a broken headstock, much like a Les Paul breaks...
02/13/2026

Next 2 guitars delivered back to Memorial HS.
The acoustic 12 string had a broken headstock, much like a Les Paul breaks.
Reset it, glued and clamped, then a bunch of fine sanding and gap filling to get the break smooth again. New strings and done.
The black Strat copy started as 2 black Strat copy’s I combined into 1 complete and playable guitar.

It’s double neck day!!Pic 1 are my 2, Pic 2 & 3 are Rick Neilson’s.
02/08/2026

It’s double neck day!!
Pic 1 are my 2,
Pic 2 & 3 are Rick Neilson’s.

Another custom build deliveredMark from the 2am band brought me all the parts, I mixed up a custom color, what we’re cal...
02/02/2026

Another custom build delivered
Mark from the 2am band brought me all the parts, I mixed up a custom color, what we’re calling metallic sea foam green. Warmoth neck, bare wood body, SD/DiMarzio pup combo w series parallel mini switch, all set up and ready to go.

Memorial HS project Second waveI stopped by the school today and returned the 3 I fixed up yesterday and got 3 more, whi...
01/21/2026

Memorial HS project
Second wave
I stopped by the school today and returned the 3 I fixed up yesterday and got 3 more, which are now also done.
Thanks again to Greg Ginter and the Guitar Shop of Wi and Rick w the MAMAs for helping out w new strings for many of these guitars.
A guitar that plays well and sounds good can inspire, that’s my hope.

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201 State St
Madison, WI
53703

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