I guess you could say that I am an analogue kinda girl and that things that are not quite the run of the mill apeal to me more than your generic and ordinary stuff. Anything that is boutique made will most probably do it for me more than mass produced items. One of a kind or custom designed guitars are even more so for me (and for a lot of other people I am sure)
The guitar guru himself, Jol Dantzig, who is the epitome of all of the above, plus some, aroused my curiosity, as someone who followed his heart professionally, and made it in a big way. He has kindly agreed to an interview with me, and hopefully you will find this interview as inspiring as I did.
Here goes:
Do you come from a musical family? or an artistic family?
J.DI don’t think my parents saw a difference. They adored the arts, be it music, painting or dance. My dad played piano, violin and sax and my mother sang in a big band. There was always art of all kinds in our home and we went to the opera as well.
What did You study at the Art Institute of Chicago?
J.D I was a photography major, but I left school because it was getting in the way of my education.
Did you ever get a Higher education in music, or was it always private teachers and musicians you learned from?
J.D I took lessons, starting with violin and piano-like my dad. But when I heard the electric guitar for the first time, that was it, I had to have one.
The Northern Prairie Music was kind of a turning point in your career - Could you elaborate on how that turned into Hamer guitars - or how it all came together?
J.D It was all very organic, so I don’t really see it as a big revelation or change. I had been running my own rental company, doing sound and selling used guitars and amps for a while before Northern Prairie, so it was pretty much a continuation of that. The biggest change was a storefront as opposed to doing it out of my apartment. The same can be said of the change to Hamer Guitars. It was almost as though all we did was change the sign on the door at first-not even that!
before that point in time, had you ever thought about building guitars, or did it just “happen” on the way, - or in other words - was building guitars one of your childhood or youthful aspirations?
J.D My first thought was when I was still in school, that I wanted to make amplifiers. I loved electronics and I also was addicted to the idea of loud amplifiers! I started to design a range of amps with a friend and we built some prototypes in my parent’s basement, but it just never panned out. It wasn’t the right time I guess, I was about eighteen so I had zero money to get it started.
The first guitar you built was actually a bass guitar - How did you know how to?
J.D I had a mentor, an older repairman named John Montgomery who knew a fair amount about repair and construction. I wanted a flying V bass, and nobody made one so we thought we’d make one in his basement workshop. We used the parts from an old Gibson EBO bass, and we cobbled one together. I still have it and it’s a great instrument. We put the name Hamer on it because I liked the sound of the name. Once we did that bass, a lot of people asked us to make guitars for them and that’s how it started. But John basically built that first bass, with me getting in the way!
Did you find becoming a business hard to do, and how long did you stay a very small operation for (I am asking this question since the business aspect isn’t always the easiest thing for artists to do, and many rtists, from all disciplines would be happy for an insight on how one actually goes about succeeding)
J.D The business aspects were not my first love for sure, and they still aren’t. You can always hire people to do that, but imagination is something that is hard to come by and I guess I have that. In the beginning, we joined business associations like the Rotary Club to interact with other local business people. It was a forum where you could ask questions of people who knew more than you did. I think that’s always been my way, to be around people who knew more about a given subject-to learn. As far as success goes, I only wanted to make great stuff whatever it was, guitars, amps, whatever. I saw pretty early on that it’s all about team building, so I try to get great people.
What kind of marketing did you do at first, and how did the greats get to hear about you?
J.D The trick was to show up at gigs with your gear in hand, It was a lot different back then, nobody had the kind of instruments we were selling so it opened a lot of doors-backstage doors! Once again, don’t settle for less than great. When we wanted input, we went to the guys who we thought were the best. After that it was word of mouth. Nowadays, people seek us out because we’ve experienced so much. The shoe is on the other foot I guess.
You have built guitars for quite a few of the lead musicians - > all four Beatles,The Pretenders, The Police (I am most impressed with The Police and Pretenders as they were happening when I was growing up) could you tell any interesting stories about any of them? as far as aesthetics that surprised you or special musical
requirements?
J.D Hmmmm, there are more stories than I can remember! Wrecking rental cars with Bad Company, studio arguments and onstage fist-fights- giving Sting a haircut! I wish I could remember half of it! The best memories are probably just the friendships and the love of the music you get to share with like-minded people.
Is there one guitar, out of all the guitars that you have made, that stands out from all the rest technically or as far as your own personal experience with it?
J.D I’ve got a couple things I’m working on that are exciting to me, but as far as finished work, I’d have to say the Talladega is my favorite-along with the Monaco III. They represent what I like in a guitar. They have a look that is familiar, yet they will surprise you when you play them in that they do far more than you’d expect. I like that idea.
Over the past 10 years or so you have been doing work that is not only guitar related - could you elaborate on what it is you do with you design group?
J.D It’s just a way for me to have an outlet for the knowledge that I have. We’ve done all sorts of projects, from Internet content to product evaluation. I also write for several publications and do automotive reviews. I’m also on the judges panel for Carspondent.com so that’s a lot of fun.
What is the fascination with race cars and how long have you been into it?
J.D My parents told me that by the age of five all I wanted to do was drive a race car, so I guess it’s in my blood. I became a slot racer while in grade school, and was a regional champion. My first business was making and selling slot car chassis when I was twelve. I went on to go karts, and motorcycles too. I raced bicycles in the 1970s a little bit, but the music business sort of derailed my racing career. It was only years later that I got involved in motorsports again. It also puts me in touch with people who have knowledge and passion for what they do-again, to learn.
Is the building of vintage cars another creative outlet or does it serve some other purpose?
J.D I tend to see everything as related. The way you develop a race car is exactly the same way you develop a product or the systems to make them. Only in racing, everything happens more quickly and it can be more dangerous! Doing things the proper way becomes more critical when lives are on the line. But, just like guitars, I guess I see the beauty in the mechanical aspects as well as the visual impact of a race car. And, they are loud! When I’m in the car at the limit, everything slows down until there are years between the seconds. It’s exactly like when you’re jamming on stage and “in the zone.” It’s a spiritual thing.
It seems as if you are a dream catcher - you dream a dream, or decide you want to do something or other - and actually go out and do it. Not a lot of people have this ability - do you think you could share your secret with us?
J.D Know what you are good at, and don’t waste time trying to do what you can’t. Surround yourself with great people and don’t give a damn about who gets the credit. If you look at our workshop blog http://www.guitardesigner.com you’ll see what I mean.
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