Craftsmanship July 2, 2011

Craftsmanship is a lifetime journey.  In an age where instant fame is celebrated, content is often secondary.  Visiting my luthier of 30 years or so, Al Milburn, yesterday, I am once again reminded how rare and precious true craftsmanship is.  Al was working on the intonation and action of my latest guitar, a Danelectro DC 59 12 string.  Made of masonite and with lipstick tube pickups, they are a true expression of American genius.  Inexpensive, easy to mass produce, with a distinctive tone.  But with some challenging intonation and action issues.  Very few musicians have the privilege of knowing a craftsman like Al, who can take an off the shelf guitar, and turn it into something special: as good an instrument as it can be.  He can do it with an inexpensive instrument such as the Dano, or my Gibson Byrdland, or 00028 Martin.  My produver Cookie Marenco remarked that the 00028 had the sustain of a 30 year old guitar.  Al's magic in shaving the braces turned a new instrument into a classic.