Arthur Strum Davis
"Luthier"
"The Guitar Factory" - 760.271.6250

www.artdavisguitars.com

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All Photographs Copyright © Tom C. Marshall and San Diego Beachlife Magazine®

The Birth of a Guitar:     Arthur Strum "Art" Davis began building fine guitars in 1978 and in January of 1998 he opened his own shop. The company he used to build guitars for began to hold back the growth potential of his artistry and craftsmanship. So Art was confronted with a decision most of us are confronted with - "Live with a fast-food workmanship mentality or be true to your Artistry and Craft". Art chose to open his own shop and build the best Guitars possible, regardless of the time it takes. At present, Art builds between 12 to 18 guitars a year.

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The start and finish, above is a newly completed "Art Davis Guitar"
sitting on freshly cut wood that will become future "Art Davis Guitars"

On the morning of November 17th, 1998 three tree trimmers began cutting down two tree that had been dying for several years. And though non of them spoke any English my neighbor Maria's boyfriend and I were able to communicate that we wanted them to cut the Monterey Cypress into the sections that Art wanted to build guitars with. They tried to speak English, we tried to speak Spanish with a couple of misplaced Vietnamese, Samoan and an Arabic thank you (Shokran) added at the end, I guess it was their Moorish features that brought out the Arabic I hadn't used since my days in Port Said and Cairo. In the end the tree trimmers were happy (they didn't have to haul away the wood),  Art was happy (raw wood to cure for future guitars) and I was happy (grist for my camera).

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From these fresh cut Monterey Cypress logs Art will
create a guitar as beautiful and tone rich as the one below.
The artistry involved in this metamorphosis amazes me. 

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Art Davis is recognized as one of the United States top guitar repair experts and is available for guitar repair and repair consultation via telephone at (760) 271-6250.

All Photographs Copyright © Tom C. Marshall and San Diego Beachlife Magazine®
Tom C. Marshall
PO. Box 70053
San Diego, CA 92167
Email Publisher@sdbeachlife.com