Twenty-eight-year Guild member Woodley White retired from his day job as a Presbyterian minister in Portland, Oregon, and moved to Hawaii to enjoy the simple life and build acoustic and classical guitars, harp guitars, and ukuleles. Life at the southern end of the Big Island on an active volcano provides fresh fruit, sunshine, island breezes, starry nights, great music, and lots of aloha.
▪ bio current as of 2022
2022
AL#145 p.64 read this article
Staff Cyndy Burton Jeffrey-R. Elliott Woodley White
▪ Jon was a member of the GAL staff for over two decades. He wrote many articles, and did all the photography for Robert Lundberg’s landmark book Historical Lute Construction.
2015
AL#124 p.4
Michael DaSilva Bob Gleason Jay Lichty Woodley White
▪ Four prolific uke makers take us into their shops to talk about how and why they build. From their 2014 GAL Convention panel discussion.
2015
AL#121 p.28
Woodley White
▪ At the 2014 GAL Convention, each of the four makers on our ukulele panel took the opportunity to present short workshops in which they brought the attendees up close to some of their workbench techniques. Our coverge starts here with Woodley White, who showed six different neck joints for ukes; Spanish, dovetail, spline, domino, barrel-nut, and threaded-insert. He made one of each, and explains the differences.
2014
AL#118 p.8
Woodley White Olivier-Fanton d’Andon
▪ Early in his career, French luthier Olivier Fanton d’Andon was asked to restore a Romantic-era guitar for a museum. He was impressed with the guitar’s highly arched plates, and adapted the idea to a classical guitar. He has made a successful career with the resulting design.
2012
AL#110 p.14
Woodley White Andrea Tacchi
▪ Andre Tacchi crafts classical guitars in Florence, Italy, honoring both past and present masters.
2008
AL#94 p.36 ALA3 p.52
Woodley White Paul Fischer
▪ Fischer has been building guitars for 50 years and has completed over 1000 instruments. He apprenticed as a harpsichord maker, then learned guitar making from David Rubio. As with any good interview, it quickly becomes apparent that who we are is more fascinating than what we do. With 15 photos.
2006
AL#85 p.38 ALA3 p.40
Woodley White Greg Byers
▪ Byers has been around for a long time. He has an intuitive idea of what sound he is seeking in his guitars and a clinical approach to finding it. That’s quite a combination, and he is quite an interesting fellow. With 7 photos.
1997
AL#49 p.6 BRB5 p.2
Woodley White Rene Baarslag
▪ A Dutchman who moved to Spain and learned guitar making with the help of Antonio Marin, Baarslag has carved out a reputation as a fine luthier. The descriptions of his home will make you wonder why luthiers can’t live this well in America. Baarslag’s life must be very pleasant.
1997
AL#49 p.10 BRB4 p.4
Woodley White
▪ Baarslag journeys to the American School of Lutherie to teach a week-long class about building classical guitars. White attended, and gives a full report. With 37 photos.