Show Notes
For episode 112 of the podcast, I'm talking with Otto D'Ambrosio.
Otto wears two hats—as a solo luthier and Chief Designer at Eastman Guitars—and he walks us through his journey from working with legends like Flip Scipio, John Monteleone, and Carl Thompson to his role today, bridging the gap between hands-on building and production design.
We talk about how the pandemic pushed him into 3D CAD, changing the way he collaborates with Eastman's workshops, and dive into some of his design work—including the Fullertone neck system, his boutique archtop builds, and an upcoming project comparing domestic and European tonewoods.
Links: https://dambrosioguitars.com/ Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac. Michael Bashkin's Hub of Acoustics 2026 US Academy: https://hubofacoustics.com/en/#Colorado_Academy
More from Luthier on Luthier with Michael Bashkin
Chris Holcomb specializes in making world-class resonator guitars in Santa Cruz, California.
Jamie Gale is one of the most influential and forward-thinking voices in the guitar world. He is the founder of the Boutique Guitar Showcase, but his perspective goes far beyond guitars. His work has taken him into areas like artificial intelligence and robotics. For episode 117, we talk about the changing cycles of the guitar industry, the rise of the Boutique Guitar Showcase, and some hard-earned lessons in business. Most importantly, Jamie shares his thoughts on what it takes for an independent guitar maker to build a distinctive identity. Link: https://www.jamiegale.net Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac.
For episode 116, we're joined by Spanish guitarmaker Paco Chorobo from Úbeda, Spain.
For Episode 115 of the podcast, we're joined by classical guitarmaker Marco Bortolozzo. In our conversation, Marco tells us about the mentorship that launched his career, and the story behind his signature Olympic ring rosette, which was inspired by a 19th-century Spanish guitar. We also discuss his neck joint design, his unique use of shellac records in guitar finishes and much more. https://www.marcobortolozzo.com/
Working out of his solo shop in Quebec, Thierry André is a builder of truly one-of-a-kind instruments. For episode 114 of the podcast, Thierry dives into his design process and explains why he believes every instrument should include an element of danger and surprise. We also talk about his formative time apprenticing with Fred Carlson and much more.