Jake Robinson started playing guitar when he was about 11 years old. He thought he knew everything about guitars. But when he started building them, he realized how little he knew. Now, he’s a professional luthier – or guitar-maker.
His workshop is in rural northwestern Michigan, and is surrounded by acres of tall pine trees.
“I specifically focus on flat top acoustic guitars with steel strings,” says Jake. “I also do a fair amount of repair of all sorts of string instruments, from mandolins all the way up to guitars and banjos and electric guitars and things of that nature.”
Jake uses many types of wood like mahogany, spruce, ebony and Brazilian rosewood. He says his handmade guitars are different than the the ones you buy in the store. And it’s all because of his craftsmanship.
“I'd like to think the tone and playability of the instruments are really the two kind of benchmarks that stand out,” he says. “I think that in a lot of ways, we just are in the cycle that we are back to where people want handmade goods, you know they want the human DNA on it.”
Jake’s expertise and attention to detail comes at a price. The basic form starts around $4,000 and peaks at $10,000. The cost depends on the wood and the intricacy of the design.
Building a guitar is a time-consuming process. It takes around 120 hours just to complete one guitar. There’s also a lot of pressure to get it right on the first try. Jake says that if you make a mistake, especially toward the end of the process, there may not be a way to fix it.
To be a successful luthier, Jake says you need to have patience.
“Then just a passion for woodworking and guitars and music I think can certainly add to that, too.”
Jake can work on a guitar for days, sanding and shaping the wood. But how does he know when it’s finished?
“When it is as perfect as it can be,” he says.
Jake Robinson organizes the Hoxeyville Music Festival in Wellston, Michigan, August 19-21. Jake’s band will perform at the fest, which features Americana roots and bluegrass music.
To learn more about Jake’s work, you can visit his website.
Joyce Randall Senechal studied audio production at Duke University Center for Documentary Studies and the Transom workshop at Interlochen. For over 30 years, Joyce has been conducting audio and video interviews to preserve family histories. She is the founder of the Minneapolis-based company “TaleSpinners.”