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Earth-Friendly Instruments & Woods |
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I have decided to take a break from instrument building. Please check
back if you are interested in ordering. Thanks, Dave.
"The tone has the complex character you'd expect from a fine handmade acoustic instrument, but this bass is no creampuff -- it responds to hard playing without complaint...If it were made of traditional materials regardless of their origins, the Dave Maize acoustic bass guitar would still get high marks for its excellent construction, playability, and sound...and its environmentally friendly materials could be more than a bargain for future generations."
-- Jim Roberts, Bass Player Magazine, December 1993 issue
©Miller Freeman Publishing, Reprinted by Permission
Photo: Five-string acoustic bass guitar,
six-string Auditorium model guitar
The origin of the woods which I use in my instruments and the way in which they are harvested are just as important to me as their appearance and tonal properties.
Since the beginning of my guitar-making career in 1990, I have made it a major part of my process to utilize both reclaimed and sustainably harvested tonewoods for my instruments as well as for the materials which I furnish to other builders. I made this decision after seeing the diminishing supply of traditional luthery woods such as mahogany, ebony, spruce and rosewood. I discovered that there is a wealth of both re-claimed traditional tonewoods and under-utilized woods which can produce a superb instrument and help to stretch the supply of these precious materials.
Some of the woods I like to
build with are Claro Walnut (urban tree removal), Redwood ( building
demolition), Bay Laurel (driftwood log), Sitka and Englemann Spruce (
blowdowns or bug-killed trees), Red Cedar and Port Orford Cedar (
fire-killed trees).
Ultimately, I get a lot of satisfaction from creating a fine guitar or bass from a piece of driftwood or from a street tree cut down and destined for the landfill. It must be the joy of recycling!
Photo:
Dave and Mark Kelz having fun harvesting
curly Redwood from Oregon beach.
In a small shop in Oregon's Rogue River Valley, I create
unique acoustic guitars. I do all of the building myself, utilizing
woods that I have milled from prized native trees or reclaimed from old
growth timbers. My guitars and basses are noted for their playability,
state of the art design, and wonderful rich tone,
with the bass having enough acoustic volume for a small group in an
unamplified setting. Building a limited number of instruments each year
allows me to put more
attention into each one, assuring that it is optimally playable and has
the kind of
tone
and acoustic output that I'm trying to achieve.
(Photo by Randy Wrighthouse)
The path that has led me to build acoustic guitars has
been a long
and interesting
one. My first woodworking experiences as a child were whittling a
sailboat
and carving
small figures. As a teenager this evolved into intricate mandalas and
floral carvings. I had never taken any woodshop classes but forged
ahead
with my handsaw,
chisel, carving tools and electric drill. In college I attended a
guitar
building
class and my skill level took a big leap. The class was taught by Mark
Platin of
Wildwood Banjo fame. Playing guitar since my early teens, I was ready
for
a better instrument. I couldn't really afford to buy
a better guitar so I decided to build one.
My first handbuilt guitar turned out to be successful enough to play,
and I was
hooked. It was at this point, however, that I took a major detour from
guitar
making that
took me to Wisconsin, Tennessee, Chicago, Florida and finally southern
Oregon. Living
in a spiritual community building wooden orchard ladders, doing
construction, cabinet
making, house painting, alternative energy projects and making
handcarved
entry doors
helped me focus my skills. At the same time I began to seriously play
bass and guitar. All of these points along the way have helped me to
accumulate the skills
that I
bring to building acoustic guitars. Also, being a player I am
sensitive to what
makes an instrument playable and the kind of tone that it should have.
Photo: Five-string acoustic bass guitar
Claro Walnut body, reclaimed Redwood top
My acoustic basses and guitars are more than a collection of wood and steel pieces -- more than a fine, hand built instrument played by renowned players in a range of musical styles. It is also an answer to a question of my own: how to create a quality instrument and be mindful of our ecological predicament. I choose to build with woods that are less utilized, reclaimed, sustainably harvested or non-endangered, while not making any tonal or aesthetic sacrifices.
Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
Adam Clayton (U2)
Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
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