Biography
I have been making classical guitars as a full-time professional luthier since 2006. Over more than fifteen years I have built approximately 120 classical guitars and carried out repairs on many high-end instruments.
I am a fourth-generation woodworker: my father was a cabinet maker, my grandfather ran a sawmill and my great-grandfather built log houses on the Karelian isthmus. Although I initially considered an academic path involving literature, I enrolled at the Ikaalinen College of Crafts and Design and graduated as an artisan luthier in December 2005. I started my own workshop in January 2006. From the very beginning it was clear to me that classical guitars would become my focus, as their sound palette proved particularly compelling.
I took my first steps under the guidance of master luthier Rauno Nieminen. The Liikanen brothers, Kauko and Keijo, introduced me to classical guitar making techniques. I gained further experience doing repair work for Juha Lottonen, while Gernot Wagner taught me the fundamentals of double-top construction. Gregory Byers has also played an important role in shaping my development as a luthier.
Through my work I have met many excellent musicians, and several clients have become friends. I am deeply grateful to all who have supported my work, especially Otto Tolonen and Aleksi Rajala, whose performances have carried the sound of my guitars around the world.
I live in the small town of Joroinen in central Finland with my wife Henna, our children Eevert and Verner, and our dogs Kylli and Selma. My interests include judo, playing the domra and the classical guitar. I also devote time to maintaining our small forest, caring for our protected 1914 log house and participating in volunteer work.
The Craft
Classical guitar construction at concert level demands years of accumulated knowledge: how individual pieces of timber vibrate, how bracing patterns affect tonal balance, how small changes in geometry shift the character of an instrument. A finished concert guitar typically represents several hundred hours of hand work. Every decision — wood selection, arch height, brace dimensions — shapes what a player can do with the finished instrument.
