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W W W . M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 M A R C H 9 , 2 0 2 0 F O C U S M A N U F A C T U R I N G Self-taught Instrument makers expect the market to remain robust and even grow. ey cite factors such as a worldwide love of classical and pop music and the emergence of genres such as world and Renaissance music. "ere are so many more classi- cal guitar performances now than 50 years ago," says Rzepka. "Same with early music." ere's also a growing number of institutional training programs. at helps feed the industry but also cre- ates more competition, makers agree. Institutional training was not the case at the beginning of older makers' careers. "I'm self-taught," says Bourgeois, who built his first guitar in 1975 and began his career soon afterward. "When I started out, there were a couple of how-to books. ese days, you can go to a guitar-making school. We've hired from all of the guitar schools." In the 1990s, John Slobod also started out learning on his own. Eventually he went to work for Bourgeois and then two other top luthiers, Julius Borges and Eric Schoenberg. He started Circa Guitars in South Portland in 2008. With almost zero advertising during his first years, his one-person shop now has a multi-year backlog. "I showed some of the first guitars I built to well-known players who loved them and bought them," he says. "ey then started telling their friends." He averages 15 guitars per year, basing his patterns on designs pro- duced by Martin & Co., a renowned manufacturer dating back a century. Slobod's instruments average $12,000. "People who spend significant amounts of money on guitars are pretty committed," he explains. "ey might have a collection of three, four, five hand-built guitars." Customers generally have specific ideas for style and voicing." Most are direct sales, but he also has dealers in the U.S. and overseas. Nathan Slobodkin Nathan Slobodkin in Bangor in Bangor makes cellos, violins and makes cellos, violins and violas using traditional violas using traditional materials and battens. It materials and battens. It takes him 200 hours to build takes him 200 hours to build a cello that could sell for a cello that could sell for $30,000. $30,000. P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R When I started out, there were a couple of how-to books. These days, you can go to guitar-making school. — Dana Bourgeois Bourgeois Guitars Higgins Fabrication Live Here. Work Here. Grow Here. Bangor Innovation Center With business incubator sites for lease and a customized intake process from city staff, Bangor is a centralized, business-friendly location for your manufacturing operation. We'd love to talk with you about how you can build and grow here in Bangor! Come see why Bangor was recognized by Business Week as one of America's 12 pockets of prosperity. 207.992.4280 comm.dev@bangormaine.gov www.bangormaine.gov /BangorCityHall March 13 - 22 PRE-SHOW EXTRAS! Beer Tas ng: Fri, Mar 13 Wine Tas ng: Thurs, Mar 19 ThePublicTheatre.org 782-3200 31 Maple Street, Lewiston SponSored by Patrons Oxford Insurance, Baxter Brewing Co. SeaSon UnderwriterS Platz Associates, Sun Journal, Austin Associates, Maine Magazine, Ox Country 96.9, Maine's Big Z 92.7, Sports 105.5 9 : 41 AM 100% by Lauren Gunderson HIP, MOVING and UNFORGETTABLE With a twist that will tempt you to see it TWICE C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L O W I N G P A G E »

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