Welcome

I have been building string instruments for over 10 years ever since I bought a ukulele kit on a whim. Now I can't stop. Over the years I have expanded my line to include mandolins and guitars and...well, you decide. I love to learn to build new things.

Arch-top Cutaway Guitar

This is an arch-top cutaway made with a choco/vanilla cedar top and tiger maple back. It also has a sound port in the side for the player's benefit and custom fret markers.

F5 Model Mandolin

Made of spruce and maple - the wood was left "blonde" at the request of the customer.

Baritone Ukulele

Built to commemorate the opening of a friend's coffee shop, Emerald City Press, in Austin. It is made of mahogany and zebrawood. The top was stained to achieve the color variation. The coffee shop logo is shown as a stencil on the peghead.

Soprano Ukulele

Parlor-Sized, Four-String Guitar

Partially designed by my dad who is the owner. It is made of Spanish cedar and maple. Stolen in the Phoenix area in 2013. If seen please send a message to the email address listed at the top.

Shamisen

This is a Japanese shamisen; a three-stringed instrument with a banjo-like skin on both the front and back of the body or dou. The interesting feature to the instrument from a builder's point of view is that it is designed to be disassembled. The neck (sao) has three pieces plus the peghead (tenjin). The strings are held to the body tied to a tailpiece (neo) which loops around part of the neck which protrudes through the body. This is a tsugaru style shamisen and except for the pegs, bridge and neck pins, which are ebony, it is made entirely of mesquite.

All-Ebony, Tenor Uke

Bet this is the first all-ebony uke you've ever seen. Heck, it's probably the first all-ebony string instrument you've ever seen. It was a concept that worked pretty well. It produces a nice sound and is very impressive looking. The only drawback is it's about twice as heavy as a regular uke. But walk into a room with this baby and it will surely set you apart from the pack.

Hollow-Body, Arch-Top, Electric Guitar

Made of spruce and mahagony.

Acoustic Guitar

Made of mahagony and maple. The initials were requested by the owner. Stolen in the Phoenix area in 2013. If seen please send a message to the email address listed at the top.

Classical Guitar

Fernando Sor - Etude n°5 (sound sample played by Ryan Lawless)

Alonso Mudarra - Fantasia X (sound sample played by Ryan Lawless)

In Progress Pictures

Top of an arch-top guitar before any finish was put on.

You can never have too many clamps.

Me, working on an arch-top guitar.