Support for greater chattanooga is provided by EPB fiber optics, and Unum.
This kind of work though, for me really is like therapy.
I guess the exciting part of building instruments for me initially and then continues to this
day is kind of creating a palate for others to use, you know musical palate so to speak.
And with building instruments you know for clients they take what I make and take it
in totally different direction sometimes and expand on it and it gives them a platform
you know to express themselves creatively as well through music and through the instrument
that we make.
In the middle of 2014 I decided to to make my hobby and passion kind of officially into
a small business.
I had been building and repairing & and working on instruments for 15, 16 years at the time
but wanted to sort of create my own brand and label.
Part of the name American exotic guitars; the exotic comes from the fact that one of
the things that excites me about instrument building is trying to incorporate some of
the native hardwoods that we have that have very similar sonic qualities and structural
qualities are some of the imported and more traditional tone woods.
You think of instruments you think of mahogany and ebony and those things and I i do incorporate
those into some instruments but there's also many Native hardwoods that rival or even surpass
sometimes those qualities of those woods and they're much more readily available, sustainable,
and there's not many manufacturers that incorporate them.
I try to use local suppliers such as Chattanooga hardwoods.
Some of the particulars that I'm looking for in the lumber that I select are the grain
orientation That's like nine plus.
The density of the wood so the weight, the coloration- So yeah if you don't mind guys
maybe run these two through?
-All of those things combine together in instrument building to affect the tone playability, the
sustain.
You know when I'm when I'm working on instruments I'm really not worried about anything else
and for me personally that's just it's very relaxing very enjoyable and at the same time
it produces something very tangible you know that others can enjoy.
*Guitar Music*
It gives it just a nice little friendly round over. One of the things that separate me from many of the mass manufacturers besides being smaller
numbers and handmade instruments is the multiscale fretboard and building multiscale instruments.
this is one of the multiscale models so that you can see frets are splayed out- Which gives
it a more ergonomic feel, better tension on the low end.
Most folks that try them end up loving it- the way it feels the way it sounds.
A lot of times you know a player will have a particular look that they want or woods
to use or color scheme and so we can we can accommodate that throughout the build process
to get exactly the instrument they want even shaped to the size of their hand you know
how it feels and fits them.
It's mine- there's nothing else like it which is probably the coolest thing I mean imagine
you're building your favorite muscle car, following it down the assembly line over the
guy's shoulder you know having input directly into what's going to come out on the other
end and there won't be another one exactly like it.
It was a great experience.
For me building instruments isn't so much about numbers you know and building many of
them- I pour my heart and soul into each each piece that I make, I try to keep the numbers
small in terms of what I tackle per year in production and for me it's that personal connection
making an instrument for someone.
One of my biggest challenges is just getting the word out that I'm here and trying to find
folks that are looking for something different and unique and can appreciate the handmade
qualities and kind of the heart and soul that go in to these, I'm not interested in mass
producing a cookie cutter instruments, my heart is in building instruments for people,
for players.
I certainly hope that playing one of my instruments frees them up to to create that it just helps
to produce the best most enjoyable music that they can.
I would say to someone thinking about starting a small business you know to not make it about
money i mean yes money is a factor but you know find something you love, find something
you're passionate about, and when you can combine those things, the money will come.
I think when you enjoy what you're doing and you're passionate about doing it you know
that comes through in the finished product and people can see that people appreciate
that and people are attracted to that.
If you’re a fan of greater chattanooga, support it!
Becoming a sustaining member of wtci is easy and affordable, and it makes a big difference.
Visit greaterchattanooga.org/donate. Thanks!