Seven-year GAL member Mark Swanson has lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan for all of his fifty-two years, and has been a professional musician since 1976. Tinkering with his instruments, along with extended periods of staring at the moon, led to becoming a luthier and repairman. Mark also serves on the staff of the Musical Instrument Makers Forum.
▪ bio current as of 2007
2015
AL#124 p.26
Mark Swanson Bryan Galloup
▪ Bryan Galloup was raised in a family of machinists, hot-rod makers, and self-sufficent can-do types. As a teenager he had the good fortune to be mentored by guitar repair guru Dan Erlewine, and he eventually took over Dan’s shop.Today Bryan builds and repairs guitars while also running an active lutherie school.
2007
AL#92 p.52 ALA1 p.95
Mark Swanson John Calkin
▪ Mark Swanson brought a brand-new guitar to Harry Fleishman’s 2006 Convention workshop, and had the guts to recut the braces there under Harry’s tutelage with an audience of luthiers looking on. Everyone agreed the results were positive. With 2 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
2007
AL#90 p.66
Mark Swanson
▪ Request for plans for a round-shouldered dreadnought guitar.
2005
AL#84 p.18 BRB7 p.402
Mark Swanson Del Langejans
▪ Langejans is a resourceful guitar maker with a big-time clientele. Many of his designs are unique, as is his finishing material and some of the wood he uses. He has strong opinions about how to get started and survive in the business, which have apparently worked for him very well. With 9 photos.