Ever since I was very young I was in love with guitars. My brother and I were forced to take
accordion lessons, which were conducted at the back of a music store, and I remember walking
past all the electric guitars on the wall and looking up at them in wonder. I still feel that
way, and I am still moved by the look and the sound of the electric guitar.

When I got a little older, and after I had left the accordion behind, I strived to be a guitarist.
It was the seventies and I wanted to be on the stage with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Rush and Cream.
Not an uncommon fantasy, but sadly I had to accept the fact that I could not play as well as I
would have liked.

Since then I have done many different things, but I find it fascinating how
almost all of the things I have done have in one way or another contributed to the skills
needed for the production and marketing of guitars. In Toronto I was a commercial photographer,
I spent some time working with metal in a machine shop, I have made custom furniture, I taught
cabinet making and have written several articles for woodworking magazines. But through it all
my desire was to build guitars. I feel they are an important part of our society and contribute
in no small way to the soundtrack of our lives – because they just sound so awesome!