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Luthier’s Bios, did we miss you?
http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5769		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:01 am ]
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Two we missed, click here

We missed two luthier's bios on the recent thread. Did we miss you? Post a few lines about yourself and a picture. Maybe Lance has recovered from the flu or cold bug by now.

Go for it. Tobey and Foster in above thread. Thanks.
Author:  hoosierukes [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:08 am ]
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Geoffrey Davis
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 28, 1962
Resides Noblesville, Indiana

I’ve spent most of my life building things...furniture, small buildings, books, boats and ukuleles.

I’ve been teaching 4th and 5th grade in the public schools for 21 years. I’ve held other, part-time jobs over the years...sign painter, university instructor, retail sales.

I've been married for 15 years. In addition to a very understanding wife I have two great teenage daughters. They divide their time between 4-H, school and ukulele.

I had an opportunity to teach an elective class at my school six years ago. I designed a class teaching children about jazz using the ukulele. It’s a great way to teach kids about syncopation, rhythms and chord structures.

Little did I know that I would be bitten by the ukulele bug and have worked hard to become a player, builder and advocate for the ukulele.

In addition to directing a children’s ukulele jazz band (an outgrowth of the class mentioned above) I am the founder and director of the MidWest UkeFest, a national ukulele festival held in Indianapolis annually. This festival has brought my students into direct contact with the greatest of ukulele players and builders.

I also travel to ukulele events to teach and perform.

As I have always had a drive to build things, building ukulele was a logical step. I began self-teaching and preparing a workshop with some degree of success. I applied for and won a fellowship through the Lilly Foundation to travel to Hawaii and study ukulele construction with Mike Chock at Hana Lima ‘Ia Ukulele School in Honolulu. Through Mike I’ve developed a relationship with many island builders and players.

I produce a dozen, or so, ukuleles from my home in Noblesville, Indiana. I’m looking for larger shop space (My wife wants the parlor back) where I can set up m multiple benches and teach ukulele building to small classes. Teaching what I know is as much a drive to me as building and creating are.

www.keystrummers.org (The MidWest UkeFest and Key Strummers)
www.hoosiermaidukes.com (My Ukuleles)

Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:17 am ]
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Thanks Geoff. Maybe Lance will feel up to this if he's over his flu. Another Public School Educator. My wife is still at it, year thirty I believe.
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:00 am ]
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Thanks for sharing your story Geoff, i like the big pic better than the small one, now we can see you smile better! Keep up with the excellent work there bud!

Serge
Author:  burbank [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:38 am ]
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Bruce,

Thanks for the bump!
Author:  Iplaytheoldies [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:48 pm ]
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I will post mine as soon as I feel worthy enough to be called a luthier. Right now I would just be degrading the rest of you with my picture beside. Maybe in time.....
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:09 pm ]
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Hey Jeremy, as Bruce said in the first thread, you don't have to be a pro bro.! All you need to have is the love of the craft and a story to share so we get to know you a little better! Doesn't matter if you are a hobbyist, a luthier wannabe, an apprentice, you are just part of our great family! If i did it, you can too bud!

Serge
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:03 pm ]
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Ahoy-hoy. Just recently joined the forum, and let me say what an incredible resource and community it is!

My name is Mike Snider, I'm 26, and was born and raised in Littleton, CO. Currently live in Denver with my partner, Sarah, who is the beautiful woman inlaid on the guitar below (if you can see it).

I've had various mundane jobs over the years, but currently work in a furniture restoration/refinishing shop where I sometimes find time to work on my guitar.

I apprenticed for about 6 months with Bruce Clay of Rarebird Guitars and had time to build one electric. Then I took Robbie O'Brien's steel string class at Red Rocks, built the afore mentioned guitar below, and I'm taking the class again now and am simultuously [sic] the T.A. I also work/apprentice from time to time with Brian Deckebach at Guitars on Broadway.

I love woodworking, but especially guitar building, and hope hope hope that I can make some kind of career out of it someday! That's about it.

Author:  Serge Poirier [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:10 pm ]
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Way to go Mike, cool story! wasn't so hard now was it? I can already sense the drive that the building bug transmitted to you, i'm sure others will agree with me that you have a great career in front of you, i wish i could have started building at around your age!

Thanks for sharing!
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:13 pm ]
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Thanks Serge! That's very kind, and encouraging to hear!

Mike

Author:  Kevin Gallagher [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:33 pm ]
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   I was born in Easton, PA(the hometown of the Easton Assassin, Larry Holmes) and grew up just across the Delaware River from there in Phillipsburg,NJ. Lots of sports growing and many hours in the machine shop and cabinet shop owned by my grandfather...that's where my wood and metal working interest began. I began playing piano at five and could read the Grand Staff before I could read words and then added guitar at nine years old. Lessoned out for years and then college for music...that's what took my wood and metal working in the direction of guitars.

   I played full time in NYC and Boston areas through the 80s before we moved to beautiful Pennsylvania. We had a cool run of recording TV ad stripes for a major brewer in the mid 80s that really paid the bills nicely.

   I built several thousand electric guitars during my daytime hours in my Paterson,NJ Kevin Gallagher Guitarworks shop before selling it in 1987 and then focused on acoustic instruments right through my time of employment at Martin guitar until 1993 when I decided to give a full time building effort to my acoustic designs and resigned from there and left on great terms.

   I've been going in that direction ever since beginning as Kevin Gallagher Guitars and then changing to Omega guitars in 1997 and am approaching the 500 guitar mark. I still work alone in my smallish shop and currently have a three and a half year backlog. It's been fun experience and the best part has always been the people we get to meet.

Thanks,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega GuitarsKevin Gallagher38799.0686574074
Author:  mikev [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:01 pm ]
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ok, I'll give in, but the picture will have to follow. I was born in NJ in 1958. One older brother and a much younger sister. Started playing guitar when I was about 12. Always loved it, never could really do it. Tried often with not much success. Worked as an auto mechanic, boat builder, then went to went to work for IBM in upstated NY. Stayed at that for 25 years. Got married and divorsed and married again in that time. Had a daughter Tara who is almost 15yrs old. Kept trying to play that same old six string with mixed results. Fell in love with archtop guitars and told myself I could not afford one and my fingers didn't deserve one. One day spotted the Benedetto book in Barnes and Nobles and was hooked. In the meantime I built a very nice dulcimer which I posted here a while back. And refit an old Silvertone with a new neck, various repairs internally, new binding, bridge, tailstock and finish. Moved from NY to Charlotte NC last november. Set up "shop" in the garage and have just begun building my archtop, all the forms and jigs complete, but ooops, time for divorce #2 and out of the garage I go, and into the dog house so to speak.. So I will be delayed again till I find a new home and shop if I can.
My secong hobby is paragliding. flying high into the sky as we say "hanging from bed sheets and dental floss"!! There is no other feeling like it, 5k feet or more above the ground, going up and soaring 30 feet away from eagles.
So thats my story and why I didn't post earlier, a luthier yesterday, hopefully tomorrow. But I will keep trying to play, cause I am gettin better.
Mike
Author:  Cocephus [ Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:17 pm ]
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Grew up in a little town SE of Ft Wayne, IN called Monroeville, left there for the Army after high school, from there to the construction trades for many years, now a woodworker and resident in a smaller town further south called Pleasant Mills, IN.
Started learning music, and piano restoration and repair about five years ago. I don`t see a real future in Piano repair and tuning in this area, so decided to get into guitars. No schooling, nor anything to brag about, but smitten just the same.
Just now making progress after getting geared up for the start up in some kind of production, albeit small.
Credit where credit is due, though. I could not have gotten this far without the OLF (no joke). I look forward to peeking in as much as possible just to see what`s up!
Here`s to ya, Gang!
Author:  EBarajas [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 7:47 am ]
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Hi Bruce,

I just wanted to let you know I e-mailed my Bio and picture to Lance.
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 10:31 am ]
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WOW, thanks Kevin, Mike and Coe, great stories you shared with us, it's nice to know more about you guys!

Thanks!
Author:  MSpencer [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:15 am ]
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I will email my photo to Lance, when I figure out how to do it.

I was born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1955 and moved to Dallas when I was about 2 and we split our time between Dallas and our Ranch located in Pittsburg, Texas while growing up. Started playing the guitar when I was around 8 and got serious about it in my early teens. Always played acoustic or classical guitar either solo or in some small groups through the late 60' and early 70's. Mostly a finger picker with some flat picking, my taste in music started with progressive country and the Austin sound. Married my high school sweetheart after being gone one year away in College and returned to Dallas with my wife and set up house. Started working in the Banking industry as my first real job and stuck with it for about 20 years. The last 5 years of my banking career I was a partner and President/CEO. Got great business experience and a free education while in the banking business. Went middle aged crazy (career speaking - still have the same wife) and left banking after purchasing a small shopping center, a few small businesses and other real estate properties over time. Took about a 5 year "have fun" time and played alot of Polo and spent time with my family and horses. Real Estate and Banking markets crashed pretty hard in the mid-80's so I divested in these areas as quickly as possible (barely got out alive in Real Estate) and I invested in a Pharmaceutical Distribution company involved in Animal Health products to Veterinarians and also partnered on a Dude Ranch entertainment facility outside of Dallas. Had a great time doing this until someone came along and wanted to own them more than I did so I sold out. I did a fair amount of Financial Consulting work for medium to large size companies along with some Banks and Healthcare companies. Did the community and governmental involvement thing for a number of organizations and served as a City Council member for the Town of Flower Mound for 6 years (a town north of DFW airport where I was living). My wife who I might add is a beautiful lady and gets better as she ages was mostly a stay at home mom and after she had our two children became a Revlon girl, which I though was pretty cool. I dazzled her with my BS certainly not my looks, and after out kids all went off to college we decided to move back to our roots in East Texas. My brother is a doctor here and my folks had moved down as well a few years earlier from Dallas. Interesingly enough, my dad is 80 and mother 77 and they both still Ranch/Farm and ride horses regularly, I hope that is hereditary, long active life I'm speaking to. I always liked watergardens, and have had several in my yards over time and a company approached me about getting into that business, so I did and have been involved in Designing and engineering water features at hotels, casinos, golf courses, Zoo exhibits, restuarants, office buildings and homes for now about 7 years. Now my daughter and her husband along with my son and his wife all have moved to White Oak as well and I get to see them along with my 4 grandchildren nearly everyday. My wife is a Children's Minister and between church and family we stay pretty busy. I have studied, read everything I could find on guitar building and started as a hobbiest about 10 years ago doing just some light repair and alterations for player friends. I have taken my time with equipment, shop, tools and study and am now having the time to dedicate to building. I found this site off one of the suppliers and the OLF is the only site I visit on a daily basis. This is a great place to learn from the masters. Have 4 going right now and already have orders from a number of my player friends, really having a ball.

Mike
White Oak, Texas
Author:  LanceK [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:09 pm ]
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Thanks Guys! Also thanks to the one that emailed me there bios, ill try to get them up asap. Also if you have previously sent me a bio and it not up yet, please jog my memory and resend it

Thanks
Author:  LanceK [ Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:45 pm ]
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ok, i need pictures from Kevin Gallagher, MikeV and MSpencer.

All the rest are up
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