What was your journey to being a craftsman?
It took a long time from my first thought to a four-year training at the string instrument maker school, including five years of guitar making as a hobby while studying architecture. At that time, I bought a book and used my granddad’s rudimentary tools to build a Western guitar made of walnut with a spruce top.
What’s the best thing about your craft?
I love the variety it offers, breathing in the scent of cedar wood and observing how the grain begins to glow when the wood is varnished or oiled. But the best moment of all is seeing the shine in the musicians’ eyes when they pick up their instruments for the first time.
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Which wood do you love working with?
While I like almost all types of wood, if they are decorative and easy to work with, I try to use local timber as often as possible. My favourites are light-coloured lumbers such as maple and spruce because no dark dust is produced during processing.
What challenges do you face?
On the one hand, the competitive pressure from Asia is enormous. In the low-priced segment, you’re simply not competitive. On the other hand, instrument making is currently experiencing a renaissance, not least because many musicians are looking for something special, unique and individually tailored to them.