The Guys
The Guys
The question “is handmade stuff better than factory made stuff?” is an overly simplified question. What does “handmade” or “better” mean?
Leaving it at questions like that keeps the questions about “stuff” when buying from small businesses is mainly about people. A person dedicates his life to learning how to make an instrument that you’ve dedicated your life to learning how to play-grateful cooperative labor.
These are the people that build your Mules.
Denis - OG, employee #3. Welder. From São Paulo. Taught himself English by watching TV, and how to build a steel resonator body in two days not two years like it took me. In the shop he is The Most Interesting Man in the World - “He has never made a mistake but if he did he would fix yours too.”
Mike - Do you need a neck taken off your pre war Martin or work done on your $10,000 accordian? Do you feel like getting dropped on a Saturday morning cycling trip? Do you need someone uncomfortably obsessed with fretting and setting up guitars? Mikes your guy.
Justin - The Rookie. Justin (and Rae) have been with us two weeks. I met him at the Roberto Venn School of Luthiery when I went to find an employee. He showed me a picture of a flow form press he made, a complicated machine used to press complicated steel shapes, from a grease gun. Something I have failed at. Hired. He has also survived a grizzly bear attack, being shot at four times by a Florida Man, and traveled the country hopping boxcars. In between adventures he builds Parr Mule bodies and sets necks.
Andrew - The man with many faces - one day he resembles a young Lemmy Kilmeister, the next a tennis pro. We annoy our shopmates with obsessive talk about salmon and how to catch more of them in between him taking care of all things us whiners don’t want to all while asking, “ What else do you need me to do?”
Colby - Karate black belt, metal head, the only early 20 something capable of showing up to work at exactly 6:44 every single day, and sunburst extraordinaire.
Rae - shop dog factually the best dog on the planet. Has a habit of showing up for getting pet five seconds after you’ve made a critical mistake and are questioning your worth as a human.
These fellas moved their lives to make their guitars for you and I am grateful for them.
Matt