Gareth’s woodworking skills started in crafting furniture and accessory lines that he sold in galleries and his skills were honed over many years. The first musical instruments he made were Appalachian dulcimers that he crafted for his friends and family. His deep love of music and his woodworking skills would eventually lead him to study guitar building at the Charles Fox School of Luthiery. He was then fortunate to be able to apprentice with his friend and mentor, the master builder John Greven, who taught him the art of voicing vintage style guitars.
Gareth met Preston in 2012 at the River City Music Festival where Preston was exhibiting a few of his guitars. They kept in touch and then Preston floated the idea of Gareth moving to Sisters and helping him take his one man operation to another level. Gareth has been here ever since filling many roles over the last 7 years. He is responsible for voicing all the guitars using his skills to hand graduate the tops, brace each guitar and then carving the braces to maximize the response and the sound.
His long time love of playing Bluegrass music and being one of the hosts for KBOO radio’s “Music from the True Vine” also helps us hone in on the various players on the scene and in reaching out to people interested in these types of guitars.
Here is a recent article from the Oregon Bluegrass Association about his radio show, his love of bluegrass and art of guitar making.