About us
View from my back deck.
First of all, thank you for visiting my site.
The guitars I build are pretty straight forward in looks. However, my time is spent on
quality of sound and how to get the most out of the woods I use. If I could make an analogy
or comparison I think of cars. There are the builders who make the Rolls, Mercedes, and
Ferraris commanding those prices. Mine are more like Steve Mc Queens mustang in Bullit.
Not flashy, but when you hear it rumble down the street you just want to drive the heck out
of it. I want the drivers not afraid to take risks, crash or ding it.
I have always been around wood even as a kid. I took woodworking in high school where I had a great shop teacher who also taught drafting and design. For several years I worked as a carpenter in construction and finish work, (millwork, molding, etc) and I worked on my own making cabinets for my home as well as furniture. I had a good background in wood properties, gluing, clamping, finish and designing for years before I got into guitar building.
I have played guitar for thirty years. I have owned Martins, Gibsons, Guilds, Fender, Yamahas, and Mosrites. I did my first repair replacing a bridge on a friends Gibson almost thirty years ago. I was hooked. The bridge has never given the first sign of trouble. About 20 years ago I lost two fingertips and I knew the instant I did it no more playing like I used to. Not only could I not play, I had to sell my D-18 to pay for bills while I was out of work. I am very sympathetic to the lefty player and build left handed with the same attention as right handed.
I work very hard to produce not only a great sounding guitar, but also one that feels good and performs well in your hands. I will work with you, shaping the neck to your preferences, delicately nudging it with my own subtle touches.
Today I'm where I need to be, right here in the hills, south of Carbondale building guitars.
Mr. Robert Bowlin can vouch for my abilities.
The guitars I build are pretty straight forward in looks. However, my time is spent on
quality of sound and how to get the most out of the woods I use. If I could make an analogy
or comparison I think of cars. There are the builders who make the Rolls, Mercedes, and
Ferraris commanding those prices. Mine are more like Steve Mc Queens mustang in Bullit.
Not flashy, but when you hear it rumble down the street you just want to drive the heck out
of it. I want the drivers not afraid to take risks, crash or ding it.
I have always been around wood even as a kid. I took woodworking in high school where I had a great shop teacher who also taught drafting and design. For several years I worked as a carpenter in construction and finish work, (millwork, molding, etc) and I worked on my own making cabinets for my home as well as furniture. I had a good background in wood properties, gluing, clamping, finish and designing for years before I got into guitar building.
I have played guitar for thirty years. I have owned Martins, Gibsons, Guilds, Fender, Yamahas, and Mosrites. I did my first repair replacing a bridge on a friends Gibson almost thirty years ago. I was hooked. The bridge has never given the first sign of trouble. About 20 years ago I lost two fingertips and I knew the instant I did it no more playing like I used to. Not only could I not play, I had to sell my D-18 to pay for bills while I was out of work. I am very sympathetic to the lefty player and build left handed with the same attention as right handed.
I work very hard to produce not only a great sounding guitar, but also one that feels good and performs well in your hands. I will work with you, shaping the neck to your preferences, delicately nudging it with my own subtle touches.
Today I'm where I need to be, right here in the hills, south of Carbondale building guitars.
Mr. Robert Bowlin can vouch for my abilities.
Claire D Dog the Pembroke Welsh CorgiWe live, work and play(mostly live) here in southwestern Illinois in the beautiful Shawnee Hills, the foothills of the Ozarks where I'm located. I live on the wine trail, literally and metaphorically, 4 miles west of Pomona or Alto Pass depending on your exit from rt. 127. That alone is worth the trip.
Contact: email thewhip@whipplecreekguitars.com or call 618-893-4915 or 618-559-2317. Please call before your visit, but hey, if you're out driving the backroads and you're already here, what the heck.
I have been featured in The Southern Illinoisan, the traveling Smithsonian Music Exhibit in Carbondale, Illinois (home to SIU, GO DAWGS!) and Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. I also help sponsor a couple of radio programs on the local killer radio station WDBX, which you can listen to online, check 'em out.
Friends and flatpickers at the Murphysboro Wine and Art festival. Very good turn out and lots of hands on from the crowd. It was a great opportunity for those who had read or heard about me to do test drives. Great responses, thanks for the kind comments and orders. And to those of you who were impressed and went home to think about it, yes they really sounded and played that good. www.friendsofmurphysboro.com Southern Illinoisan article courtesy of Brent Stewart
At the traveling Smithsonian music exhibit in Carbondale
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