Today we’d like to introduce you to Colin Warling
Colin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I suppose I began my life as an instrument maker and repairman near the beginning of high school. I’d bought my first bass guitar from a friend, and instantly wanted to paint it a different color – a process that required an entire dismantling and eventual re-assembly of the instrument. I didn’t think much about it at the time – it was more to facilitate the ego of young-musician-me. After my first several years in college I felt directionless. I deferred school for a year, and for self-enrichment, built two guitars consecutively. Through internet research concerning guitar making, I found out about Roberto-Venn School of Luhtiery in Phoenix, AZ, and enrolled for their next session. I graduated with a Trade Certificate in stringed-instrument construction and repair in the Spring of 2008.
Upon returning home to Los Angeles, I landed a job at the fabled Westwood Music, catering to some pretty notable clientele. To supplement my income, I also found work at the now-closed Blueridge Pickin’ Parlor in Granada Hills, and eventually became an apprentice to archtop Luthier, Jim Ellsberry in Lomita, CA. In spring of 2010, I was offered the opportunity to help build and open the Fretted Frog Guitar Shop in Echo Park. I remained with the shop for 7 years, where I gained experience working on nearly eight-thousand acoustic and electric stringed-instruments of all size and cultural variety. Needless to say, nearly ten years of repair experience improved the quality of my own builds, as I now approach my sixtieth instrument.
Moving to Oregon in 2017, I was glad to take a short break from the high-paced guitar repair environment for customers who can sometimes be a little, lets say ‘ego-centric.’ After getting settled, my partner, Amanda and I opened our own small guitar shop in early 2018, promoting my custom builds as well as those of other local luthiers. The pandemic, however wiped us out in early 2020. I went back to college and got a B.S. in History, and considered my professional musical-instrument days all but over. After working briefly for the Oregon Historical Society, I happened upon a job with a local company that builds and services pipe organs, Bond Organ Builders, Inc. I have since been through over fifty pipe organs on service calls, and am currently helping complete the reconstruction of an organ that was removed from a previous location and will be installed into another existing space.
The world of pipe organs has required and advanced my skills in design, construction, and musical temperaments. I have gained new skills and knowledge in constructing and repairing instruments that are of an older time. While searching for a job about history, I found one deeply steeped in it. As more and more pipe organ companies continue to disappear as a craft of ‘yesteryear,’ I have recognized the promise of job security. There are hundreds of pipe organs in the Pacific Northwest alone that will continue to need service and repair through the years, and I feel lucky to have found such a niche position as rewarding as it is demanding of my skills and focus. I’ve learned much from my co-workers, some of which have worked in the pipe organ industry for over forty years.
I still build guitars, basses, mandolins, and other less-available electric instruments while I am not climbing through the jungle-gym-like structures of pipe organs, hidden behind the facade pipes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has finally begun to smooth. Repairing stringed-instruments – primarily guitars – requires fast paced thinking, and summons a lot of stress with little financial reward at the end of the day. Selling the guitars and basses that I build has always been a struggle for somebody who considers himself an introvert – I still have several of the best instruments I’ve ever built sitting for sale, collecting dust. Working in the pipe organ industry has provided me with a constant stream of work at a much higher pay-rate. I made a lot of unconventional decisions that took me to so many cool places, and brought me into contact with so many well-known musicians and clients. I made unconventional decisions, each risky and accompanied by stress and anxiety, but worth it all the way. I have no debt, and no regrets. Pipe organs are badass beasts, and building guitars has become even more fun now that it’s no longer my livelihood.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
While being an instrument maker often dominates my identity, I also play around ten instruments, sing, and have been playing in bands consistently since I was eleven years old. My father encouraged my musicianship as soon as I showed promise, and let me start ‘gigging’ with his 60s rock cover band starting at the end of elementary school. I started on piano but eventually bought a bass guitar and began teaching myself. For me, the key to learning a new instrument simply requires owning that instrument, and spending regular time with it. As such, I have a large collection of instruments, and have seldom been without a band. My main instruments are bass, piano, and guitar, but I also play mandolin, ukulele, accordion, banjo, fife, tin-whistle, and Highland bagpipes. My bass & piano playing, and singing can be heard on over eighty studio recordings with a number of bands including The Herbert Bail Orchestra, Livingmore, and the Hereafter to name a few notable ones from the Los Angeles scene. I recorded my own album in 2013 called “Behind the Scenes” with my friend, Mike Schadel producing. At home, I’ve recorded over 500 demos that I’ve never released as my mainstay comfort-zone has always been as a backing musician, not a frontman.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
My beautiful and wonderfully supportive partner, Amanda, has encouraged me to keep doing what I love, always, even when times have been difficult. Much of my story and journey could have easily derailed had she not stuck by me for the last ten years! Thank you, Amanda.
Pricing:
- Custom Guitars under $2000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.WarlingGuitars.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warlingguitars
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6zvEea9ZNqa5HbIPGf6VtV
Image Credits
All pipe organ and guitar shots by Colin Warling
