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"I've had people call me from Sacramento and Tahoe who were desperate to get their instrument fixed" he said. "The local music shops know me, they will send someone my way for projects which they would not tackle". David, is one of a rare breed, a craftsman who has directed his energies toward repairing & creating musical instruments. He specializes in the string instruments such as guitars & mandolins & the occasional violin & bass fiddle. It's a part time interest which brings him satisfaction. Through this work he can link two passions, woodworking & music. David has done custom woodworking (furniture, cabinets, gingerbread) full time since 1981, he says "juggling different passions presents no problem, it's the range of work that excites me, keeps me interested".
Sitting amongst the trees, David fingers an unusual looking instrument, an original design acoustic electric guitar. "It's a prototype which took a couple years to complete back in the mid 80's" he said, saying that "the purpose was to develop an electric guitar that was genuinely acoustic, that could be played on stage without the feedback (squeel) problems commonly associated with acoustical instruments". Such improved instruments, though common today, were rare in the 80's.
His love of music is lifelong & his talent with wood comes from a lifetime of being a craftsman, including owning & operating a custom woodshop. A realist, he admits "I've always been a musician, if I had moved to LA or San Francisco I might have done that as a career, but this town cannot support musicians, & in my youth I felt attached to Placerville so I stayed & did woodwork".
After high school, David apprenticed at a cabinet shop in the Folsom area, providing custom cabinets to the many homes being built in the El Dorado Hills & Cameron Park areas. He then set out on his own, making custom cabinets, furniture, gingerbread architectural fixtures & furniture repairs. Then in 1985 he added musical instrument repair to his many talents for hire, working at times, behind the scenes for a local music shop. "Word of mouth seems to be how many people find me, I don't really advertise the musical instrument repairs, I like it like that, It's enough to keep my hand in it all, it's where my interests lie". David was an original founding member of a local performing group The Deb Smith Band, "I've also played with other friends as the Sober-Tones, for Alcoholics Anonymous picnics, I must admit, it was the first time I can remember playing where nobody was drinking, it felt good to support my friends". Davids other musical talents include the drums & saxophone. David wipes a hand across a huge speaker box which he designed for installation into a jeep. "I also do speakers" with a little smirk, "I have a hand in just about anything musical".

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Original story by Kristine Keables, photography by Joanne McCubrey for the Mountain Democrat. Original article appeared in the Mountain Democrat Weekend magazine, September 9 1994.