Daily Inspiration: Meet Braden “breezee” Davies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Braden “breezee” Davies

Hi Braden “Breezee”, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I picked up the guitar when I was maybe 11 or 12 years old. I remember buying a Squier Stratocaster from a friends brother for $50 and almost immediately took the whole thing apart. Ive always been interested in learning what makes stuff tick. Most of my youth was spent making art and exploring nature in a small town called South Lyon, Michigan. In 2014 at the age of 19, I decided it was time to experience the world and I jumped at the first opportunity to move to Los Angeles with some friends. I really didn’t have a plan, I just wanted to work in music or something. I found a trade school for Audio Engineering and completed the 9 month course, which led into a gig at Paramount Recording Studios. I would spend the next 8 years there learning the ropes of the industry and getting first hand experience with some of the biggest names in music today. That gig really helped me develop the disciplin and composure required to start my own venture. The Pandemic is the most notable turning point for me. I was on a 24 hour session for about 10 months during the lockdown and most days the clients didn’t show up so I was at the studio alone. I bought some guitar kits and started building them them in the office and spraying finishes in the parking lot. That was when the lightbulb in my head went off…the guitar is the root of why I came to work in music. Between 2020-2023 I started to consider the possibility of making a living of it and began offering repair/setups to the public. During my last months at the studio in December 2023 I sat in the kitchen and made technical drawings of a prototype guitar to exact scale and called it the “Calypso”. I had built up enough confidence thru repairs and kit builds that I felt ready to build something from scratch. At the time I had nothing more than a coping saw and some other basic hand tools. I ordered all the raw materials and built the entire prototype by hand in my North Hollywood apartment. The entire process is documented on my instagram profile “breezee_guitars”. 2024 was my first year flying solo as a Luthier and the response has been incredible. I worked on over 100 guitars, built 15 commissioned instruments and crafted 11 of my own Calypso Models. Its been surreal watching the shop grown from a seed. Most folks find it shocking and interesting that I do this in my North Hollywood apt, but really it is a testiment to the whole “maker movement” and how we do what we must to carve a path in this ever-changing world.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Id say the most difficult part of this is time management and marketing. As a guy who builds each instrument entirely by hand its hard to compete with other builders who can do it faster and cheaper with computer guided factory tools. I prefer to work by hand, at the end of the day luthiere is an art, an expression from within turned into something tangible and functional. It’s a challenge I think all artists are facing today: man vs machine.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of the options I offer that has become very popular is a refinishing and modification package. You bring me your instrument and I will overhaul it into something completely unique. Paint Jobs, part swaps, electronics mods, fretwork, weight relief, pickups, neck shaping, and much more are all fair game in this package. Its a flat rate of $750 and is a great option you aren’t in the market for a boutique guitar, but still want something that is tuned to your vibe

What were you like growing up?
Ive always had this desire to be the best at whatever it is I’m doing, wether its beating the high score in a video game or being the quickest sprinter on the team. I wouldn’t consider myself to be overly competitive because it’s never about winning or losing as much as it is pushing my own limits and reaching my full potential.

Pricing:

• Setups $40 + Strings
• Refin + Mod Package $750
• Calypso Custom starting @ $2900

Contact Info:

• Website: https://breezeeinstruments.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breezee_guitars/