Why do I make specialty stringed instruments in the 2020's?
"In my heart, I endeavor to create functional works of beauty that give wings to music for making other lives more tolerable".
What do I produce?
Specialized bowed string instruments that can be described as "bowed guitars" or more specifically, "Guitar formatted Violas" called GuitarViols. For the musicology geeks out there, these are essentially 21st century versions of Johann Stauffer's Arpeggione; a fretted cello like instrument with six strings tuned EADGBE. There are some similarities to Viola Da Gambas that actually predated modern Violin family instruments. Since the early Y2ks, TogaMan GuitarViols have been used in thousands of Film/TV/game media soundtracks by hundred's of professional composers around the world. The GuitarViol's popularity with media composers may have to do with it's almost immediate adaptation for guitar natives. The catch is: Learning some bowing skills!
Though I am a life long guitar player, and love guitars, I do not typically build other instruments besides GuitarViols. Quite simply, ongoing demand can not afford diversion of focus and I have devoted my lifetime to develop these to their highest potential. For better or worse, the GuitarViol is my identity and life's work. (Yes, there are some out there trying to jump on the bandwagon). Many of the best guitar and violin builders that have ever lived are alive today. I build the Orange to their apple...
Why do I do this?
I am not sure! 40 years ago, I was a kid in a boarding school who avoided sports to go hide and play guitar. I became interested in getting other sounds from it and read about LOL Creme's Gizmotron; a 1970's device for electric guitar that bowed individual guitar strings with tiny hurdy gurdy like wheels. I became enthralled with ULI Roth's Hendrixian approach to singing violin lines a la Paganini/Vivaldi on the electric guitar. Eventually I became inspired by Roth's post Scorpions "Sky Guitar" that was designed for reaching the violin range. By the end of the decade, I read about the Arpeggione and became obsessed with the idea. 30 years later, I am still doing it! But why? What is the meaning of this? Certainly not a good way become wealthy if that was a goal! (Though being able to travel and get away without collapsing the hamster wheel would be nice; even in better times!) Perhaps because I became a successful (relative term) serial builder of said instrument? This may certainly be true! My solo musical career was not getting traction. The instrument (itself) did gain traction. It seems my "why" became about making instruments as vehicles for other's music. In my heart, I endeavor to create functional works of beauty that give wings to music for making other lives more tolerable.
What's next?
Given the current pandemic, economic, and economic upheavals...I am not really sure. What I am doing is continuing to do what I do: Create, innovate, improve said instruments. Why? In a time when people all over the world are being shaken out of their livelihoods, careers, lives, we need to keep a light on the hill of hope to remember the other reasons we worked so hard to get to Friday! Our culture. Our heritage as a people who live, love, create, celebrate! Those galleries, museums, concert halls, things we read about in history books and watch on travel channels. I am talking about the stuff we are about when not simply maintaining food and shelter. For some, making music and art is a hobby. For others a profession; the fruit of which is a quality of life for the inhabitants of this planet. It seems that the powers (that shouldn't be) are hell bent on taking all of that away. We will endure! Do that we must!
If you are curious about learning more, check out these links:
TogaMan GuitarViols (Main site)
If you are interested in the GuitarViol, or interested in supporting the R&D laboratory through gifting your favorite musician with one, do reach out!
Stay tuned for the next installment of this blog for new developments! I am working on new ideas for ancillary products. Perhaps Patreon instructional blogs? Zoom lessons in high tech instrument craft? Who knows? We'll build this plane as it flies! For now, stay safe and look forward to any win-win-win ideas!
Jonathan (The maverick luthier)
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