At the age of thirteen I was hired at Mandolin brothers to maintain the instruments on the showroom floor. It was not long before my skills were noticed by my first mentor, Leroy Aiello, manager of the repair shop. The next several years were spent diligently repairing vintage instruments. I moved on to study with master guitar repairman Flip van Doumburg Scipio. Somewhere between our long philosophical talks on guitar restoration and sipping frothy cappucinos I decided to pursue a career in lutherie. My decision lead to an apprenticeship with the legendary guitar maker John Motellone. Even though our relationship was cut short, his teachings still inspire me today.