THE ALLIED FORCES
REGISTER CONTACT US
We're lucky to have had a good crew of people working here. If it were up to them they wouldn't go home at the end of the day, and week ends have become an annoyance to them. How frequently we hear late Friday afternoon as the din of heavy machinery grinds down: "Can't wait 'til Monday."
Right, at Jan 2002 NAMM show in Anaheim: Lane and Stephen Stratton, Brian poised for river dancing, Pamela Kimball and Daniele Chiesa. Brazilian rosewood blocks in foreground.
In no particular order:
Kieran Becket of Irish-English extract trained in London as a registered psychiatric nurse, and has been working under Charles Fox here locally. He's traveled the world with his Healdsburger bride, playing music wherever his highway shoes took him. Kieran plays mandolin in a local band. Below is Kieran and his first (and finely crafted) guitar. It's obvious that he's had plenty of fine woodworking experience.
Daniele Chiesa from Italy has been with us since July. Daniele is a guitarmaker and violin maker and graduated from Cremona's violin making school (a four year course) and in the States he's spent almost a year working with Tom Ribbecke, and about half a year with Kenny Hill. Daniele has performed on guitar, repaired them, and he had a shop for about year's time in Italy before wanderlust overtook his lust for instrument making and playing. Below is one of Daniele's guitars. There's another photo on the rosette and veneer page.
Maro Buenrostro spent his childhood in Uruapan near Paracho, Mexico, and is well acquainted with that guitarbuilding community. He's also a fine furniture maker, and has been a professional musician playing bass with such groups as Malo. Maro has also been in the guitar wood supply business for around 20 years.
At right is Estelle Howell. Estelle works with the larger manufacturers or anyone requiring wholesale quantities. Estelle came to us a year ago from Santa Cruz Guitar, where she did just about everything but build guitars. Although she hails from France, she grew up in Madagascar and Gabon, and has been in the States for about 7 years. 
Stephen Stratton has been here from the beginning running the warehouse. He grew up outside Lawrence, Kansas, attended the Colorado Art Institute, worked for Greenpeace for a spell, and then left for Roberto-Venn's School to learn how to build guitars. After graduating (magna cum laude) Stephen went directly to work at CFOX Guitars in '98 until coming to Allied Lutherie. Stephen's keen sense of aesthetics is always apparent in his work. Just note the beautiful lines of his electric guitar at left.
Elizabeth Taylor pictured above (at holiday party) and at right, was the first employee at Allied Lutherie, and started well before we had a warehouse. Elizabeth has a masters in accounting, as well as a degree in psychology. She was the bookkeeper at LMI when I was there, and left shortly after I left, so she's well acquainted with the wily ways of lutherie related accounting. Because her name for some reason always seems to elicit some kind of response, she is also in charge of PR.
Brian started with us before we had a warehouse. Coming from CFOX Guitars where he managed the office and where he did a little of everything, including brace tops, Brian continues to do a little of everything here, too. But mainly he runs the office. Before CFOX Guitars Brian published a music trade magazine, which emphasized guitars. Brian has a BA in business, and plays drums for fun.
Photo to left of Brian is of Daniele and Brian at Todd's house for holiday party.
Pictured at right is Jesus Rivas from El Salvador. Jesus has worked in the exotic wood business for many years, and came to us in the summer of 2001. He runs our other warehouse up the street from us, where we further process Brazilian rosewood into turning squares, bridge blanks, fingerboards, and the like. Like Elizabeth's name, Jesus' seems to bring out a few comments, and so it follows that he is charged with maintaining restraint among the staff.
At right is Frank Fuller, one of the old timers in this business. Frank and I have worked together on and off since about 1982 starting with the old Luthiers Mercantile. Frank started out as a teenager, apprenticing to a violin maker in Santa Cruz and from there began building and repairing guitars. He and Rick Turner built Alembic's first guitar back in the 60s. Frank works here a few days a week, as well as does services for us. He and his wife Leslie Hall (many know Leslie from LMI) have moved to Ft. Bragg, where Leslie runs a family business. Frank continues to build guitars, too.
At left, Lane and Stephen at Holiday party.
Address General Information Sales/support Telephone:
707-431-3760 POB 217, 101 C Grant Avenue, Healdsburg, Ca. 95448 USA [email protected] [email protected] Fax:
707-431-3762
