contact us

Use the form on the right to contact us.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding your instrument, repairs, any instruments we have for sale, ordering an instrument, or any instrument you wish to sell.

1000 North Rand Road No. 224
Wauconda, IL, 60084
United States

847-864-7730

I began making guitars in 1966 in Dayton Ohio, where I worked out of my house. From 1968-1970 I lived in Mexico City, returning during the summers to build instruments at the Dayton location. 

During this time I was studying Anthropology and playing flamenco guitar professionally in various troupes in Mexico and around the U.S. In 1972 I moved to Chicago and worked briefly out of the back of a music store before moving to my present location in 1973. 

At that point I gave up any pretensions of being a professional guitarist and dedicated myself full time to lutherie.

 


My 800 Greenwood Street shop has undergone several renovations and changes over the years, the most recent being the 1995 massive renovation I did of the outside and inside of the building. 

As a result, my building is now climate controlled throughout the entire 4,000 square feet, and it has now acquired a nicer facade, with more interior showroom space than was previously available. 

Consequently, we are better able to serve those who prefer to visit the shop to select an instrument from our extensive inventory, which is housed in glass fronted rosewood cabinets. Being able to play many instruments side by side is very helpful in making a final selection, and we have full repair/restoration facilities on the premises for minor action adjustments to major restorations of valuable collector instruments.

Books

This new, greatly expanded, revised and augmented edition of Shel Urlik’s original book, A COLLECTION OF FINE SPANISH GUITARS FROM TORRES TO THE PRESENT is a stunning contribution to the world of the classical and flamenco guitar.  Cataloging well over 80 original and well preserved instruments which comprise the Urlik collection, it covers instruments from Antonio de Torres to present day makers of the Spanish guitar around the world.  Each guitar has its own chapter with detailed descriptions, photos, history and measurements, including detailed thickness measurements of the tops, sides and backs, along with tables of measurements of the bridges and lists of materials used in each guitar’s construction.  In addition the book now includes considerable new documentary and historical information including many never before published letters, photos, catalog pages and other important documents.  The bracing schemes of each instrument are illustrated and the book includes 3 professionally recorded CD’s with 55 classical guitars played by Kenton Youngstrom and 21 flamenco guitars played by Richard Bruné.  Musicians, collectors and especially luthiers will find this scholarly work indispensable, and with a limited press run, it will soon join the 1st edition as a rare and highly sought collector’s item itself.  Even if you were lucky enough to have the first edition which contained 157 pages, this second edition is a must have, with 214 pages, over a dozen new instrument additions, including the incomparable 1888 Torres of Francisco Tárrega, and additional guitars by makers such as Bouchet, Fleta, Hauser and so on.  New photos, technical tables, and detailed information have been added which were not part of the 1st edition.  The photos and print quality surpass the 1st edition, and the superb recording quality of the CD’s gives the listener a ringside seat to compare nearly 80 rare and important instruments.  We are offering this in limited quantities at $149.00 post paid within the USA.  Illinois residents please add 9% sales tax: ($13.41 + $149.00 = total $162.41).  Deliveries to foreign countries will be charged according to actual postage costs.  Shipping weight is 4 pounds, box dimensions are 2” by 9” by 12”.  You can calculate shipping to your country’s destination postal code from the USPS website.  This book ships from US Postal code 60201.  Don’t delay, these will soon be collector’s items!