Guitar making came somewhat later in life. I’ve always made things. From Houses to Cabinets.  Whatever I made, I’ve always tried to make it as beautiful, functional and strong as possible.

My original trade is that of a Chef.  I worked in the best possible restaurants in the Netherlands with the aim to achieve Michelin star ratings. To work in these houses is not for the faint hearted and not withstanding you work with the best of everything and collaborate with the best, It’s high pressure work.

At 23 years of age I was totally burned out and needed a break. This came in the form of a working holiday in Australia for a year.  I ended up in the Whitsundays in far north Queensland and it opened a whole new world to me. Not only was it a magical place to be. People understood that there was more to life than work.

After a year work and mainly travel I had to go back to The Netherlands as the visa ran out. I applied for Australian residence and was granted this. Those Michelin star restaurants were good for something after all.

To make a long story short and a career in Hospitality, surviving stage 4 cancer and opening a music school with our daughter, it was time to do something new.

This came in the form of making guitars, first electric guitars and after the ten thousand hours of learning a new trade.  I now make beautiful sounding and playing guitars from the best available materials possible.

I work with Cedar, Rosewood, Mahogany, Purpleheart, Australian Blackwood, Ebony, Ash, Rewarewa, Spruce as well as African Greenheart or Pepper-bark Tree. To name a few.

I usually have a few guitars available or sale. But mostly work with customers to build their dream guitar and together work out all the details of the build.

My mate Roy “the Luthier” is my secret weapon and he has helped me through my ten thousand hours. I could not have learned as much and as soon without him and his friendship and company has and is so appreciated.