My main musical obsession is Flamenco. I've studied Flamenco guitar in Spain and done a lot of performing, solo and with my group based in Syracuse, Puente Flamenco. Like many builders, I got my start by simply trying to build myself the perfect Flamenco guitar to play. It actually turned out great, and after getting my first commission from the other guitarist in Puente Flamenco, I was hooked and decided to make luthiery my career. Flamencos are a lot of fun to make because there is a certain voice that has to be found within the guitar, especially in the basses, to make it perfect for the music, and it's very different from what I look for in a classical.

I build all my guitars completely by hand in a small shop that I share with my mentor in guitarmaking, Richard Cogger. I assemble my guitars in the traditional Spanish way, by first joining the neck to the top to precisely establish the center line of the guitar. This assembly is placed face down on a solera, or workboard, and the sides are slotted into the heel block, and glued to the top with individual glue blocks called tentalones. Finally the back is fitted and the box is closed. I glue the bridge on before finishing, because I like to play all my guitars "in the white" and refine the voice by sanding the top if necessary. If possible, I also like to have the player try the guitar and comment on the neck profile at this point while I can still change it. Finally, the entire guitar is finished in French polish of shellac, applied completely by hand with the traditional muñeca, or cloth pad.