About Stuart

“…Not only is he gifted visually and multi dimensional in his vision and execution of Luthiery, and very natural in this theatre, with an early background in painting and other disciplines of art, He also is an individual of the highest integrity, and was a genuine pleasure to work with.” – Tom Ribbecke

The Beginning: 2006 at the Galloup School

I began my formal training in 2006 at the Galloup School of Lutherie. After completing the Master program, I earned an apprenticeship with Bryan Galloup and spent over a year working alongside Bryan and Sam Guidry. During that time, I also served as an assistant instructor with Russ Olmsted.

It was an intensive foundation in instrument building, repair, and restoration—and an opportunity to learn directly from experienced craftspeople at the bench.

California Dreaming: Working with Tom Ribbecke

From Galloup, I moved to California to work with archtop builder Tom Ribbecke. I spent six years in his red barn workshop, eventually becoming shop foreman.

Working closely with Tom gave me extensive experience building hand-carved archtops and hollowbody instruments, and a deeper understanding of design, construction, and voicing. Those years continue to shape how I build and how I approach difficult repair work.

Pittsburgh Bound: 2013, Out on My Own

In 2013, I returned to Pennsylvania to be closer to family and establish my own shop. I built custom instruments for clients in the United States and abroad while developing my repair and restoration business in Pittsburgh.

During that period, I was also hired to consult with HRS Unlimited on its John Page Classic guitar line and train its technicians. Alongside running my own shop, that work gave me an opportunity to apply my experience in a production setting.

Life on the Farm: 2019

In 2019, I moved to my wife’s ancestral farm in Western Pennsylvania. From a workshop on the property, I continued building and repairing instruments while refining my own designs.

That chapter gave me room to develop the instruments that make up my current collection and build a working life closer to family and the land.

The Bessemer Shop: 2023

In 2023, I opened my current shop in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. Today, I build custom archtop, acoustic, and hollowbody guitars and accept selected repair and restoration projects.

My work brings together the training, mentorship, and hands-on experience of the preceding two decades. Whether I’m building a new instrument or restoring an old one, I draw on that experience to make careful decisions about its construction, sound, and playability.

Visits are by appointment.