Stories

Growing up and living in Los Angeles until age 34 certainly afforded me a fair share of ‘elbow brushings’ with celebrities. This is a personal journal of sorts, recording my encounters, not all of which have been related to my life as a luthier.

Client Encounters at Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Sherman Oaks, 2006-2008

Prior to attending luthierie school, I waited tables at Maria’s Italian Kitchen on Ventura Blvd in "the Valley.”  While employed there, I waited on John Fogerty, Dave Grohl, Lily Tomlin, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Stephen Stills, Slash, John Heard, Charlie Sheen, Robert Englund, Herb Pedersen, Dakota Fanning, Kevin Federline, and Mike Tyson.

Client Encounters at Westwood Music, 2008-2009

Fred Walecki, the owner of Westwood Music is a bit of a legend himself. He inherited the store at age 19 when his father passed in 1967. While the store had been violin-centric primarily, Fred began stocking guitars, attracting all of the local [and noteable] California folk-rock scene of the late 60’s and 70’s (many of whom would help the store later).  In the early 90s he hired world renowned luthier, Rick Turner as a repairman. In the late 1970s, Joni Mitchell sought an amp that could make her guitar sound like two guitars - Fred greased the wheels with Roland Corp about her needs, and as a direct result, Roland designed the JC-120 Amplifier - today a staple amp, and essentially the first ever “chorus” unit. In 2000, Fred needed an operation that put him at risk of having to close the shop. Instead, some of Fred’s friends & customers threw a multi-night benefit concert to help keep the doors of Westwood Music open. The concert included the Byrds (one & only reunion since ‘73), Crosby, Stills & Nash, Linda Rondstadt, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Chris Hillman, Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Spinal Tap, Albert Lee, and more. Fred was THE shop-owner/repairman that could handle difficult finish repairs. He was an expert at finish repair and taught me a lot during my brief time at Westwood Music. I still use many of his techniques and tricks to this day.

I installed a Fishman pickup on one of Stephen Stills’ Martin D-45’s during one of my first days - He was not present (but fortunately, I had waited on him at Maria’s!). That particular D-45 was tuned D-A-D-D-A-D

On separate occasions, I answered the phone to find myself speaking with David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Glyn Johns, and Debbie Reynolds. Each personally knew, and was calling to speak with Fred. Fred also had a small collection of Joni Mitchell’s 1930s Epiphone Archtops - serious guitar treasures if you know Epiphone prior to Gibson’s acquisition.

Jackson Browne bought a vintage Gibson ES-345, and waited as I set it up for him. It had a natural finish with a small foreign coin glued to it’s top.

Christopher Guest occasionally came in; he got his Collings Mandolin setup before the Spinal Tap ‘Unwigged and Unplugged’ tour of ‘09. One time I was operating the PLEK machine that lived in the front of the store, and he walked over and dryly asked, “oh, is that the new ‘orgasmatron’?” He was a really nice person, and perhaps one of my favorite celebrity encounters.

Producer, Richard Perry used to come in regularly for recording gear.

Jodie Foster came in once to drop off an old Parlor guitar/family heirloom for repair. I was the only person in the front showroom when she entered the store, and I was floored! She was a very kind person.

Sean & Sara Watkins each came in regularly for restrings/setups and to buy nice instruments!

On Christmas Eve, 2008, I was sent to set up a drum kit at Lou Adler’s house. I had no idea who he even was at the time! I was greeted by Lou, flagging me down & directing me into his gated driveway as there was not a lot of space to park on PCH. Super nice guy.

Stephen Bishop used to come in for regular restrings/setups. He could be a bit of an anomaly; he would always want his strings stretched, but would then complain that they sounded “dead” after stretching them out!

I had the privilege of restringing and setting up Peter Asher’s Gibson J-160E one time. He came in occasionally for setups, or to say hello with Fred and buy accessories. I helped him size up a new strap for his Gibson J-160E.

Robby Robertson used to bring his guitars in to be setup - Also, there was a Gibson Style-U that he played at the end of Last Waltz lived at the top of the stairway, when you’d enter the repair shop

World renowned Luthier Kathy Wingert would stop in to buy accessories occasionally, and checkout other high-end custom guitars we had in stock.

Colin Hay of Men at Work used to come in regularly, and was good friends with both Fred and Mark (manager).

Jon Brion visited regularly to buy guitars and effects for recording.

Ray Parker Jr. came in a few times, and bought at least one guitar.

Paul Wicks (keyboardist for Paul McCartney) would come in for gear and supplies when McCartney was passing through town.

Client Encounters at the fretted Frog Guitar shop, 2010-2017

I worked on Paul McCartney’s Ukulele after weekend one of the “Desert Trip” Festival in October 2016. As the headstock likely shrank in the dry cool of the desert, the tension-based tuners became loose. Two of McCartney’s guitar techs brought the instrument to me on a recommendation from a Pasadena local they knew who must have also been a customer of mine - they drove the ukulele 130 miles from Indio to Pasadena, passing countless other guitar shops on the way. I installed 4 plumbing washers between the tuners and headstock to restore tension, and preserve the life of the tuners. Sir Paul uses this ukulele (below) at every show to pay tribute to George Harrison, who actually owned the uke previously, giving it to McCartney in the 1980s. It’s a rare 1930s Gibson Concert, with a single Piezo on the bridge. I was smart enough to snap a few shots while I had it in my presence!

Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe [& the Magnetic Zeroes]) was probably our first celebrity customer at the Frog. He bought several guitars and amps from us upon his first visit. He returned with one of the guitars a few years later for repairs, stating that he had walked into the ocean with it!

Finneas O’Connell and his sister, Billie Eilish used to come in regularly with their actress/producer/director-mother, Maggie Baird to both the Echo Park and Pasadena store locations. Finneas bought a guitar at the Echo Park location, and brought in many guitars for setup over the years at both locations. Ironically, Billie used to wait on the couch, never seeming interested in being at a music store - both immense talents, waiting to explode and flourish.

Billy of Billy Strings threw a tantrum at the store for being asked to respect our other customers.

Jesca Hoop brought her guitars into the Echo Park location for setups occasionally.

Laura Marling came into the Echo Park location for setups occasionally.

Lindsey Troy of Deap Vally was a local, and used to bring me her signature brown mustang for setups.

Jeffrey Jones (Actor) brought in a guitar for repair once.

I replaced a pickup in Sean Watkins’ (Nickel Creek) guitar at the Echo Park location - and when he left, he’d forgotten the removed pickup. I caught him off-guard when I returned it to him years later at the Pasadena location when he’d brought another setup. Very nice person!

Jade Castrinos (in Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeroes, and mentioned in famous song “Home”) brought in a few repairs to Echo Park location. Another very nice person!

Ruthann Friedman (songwriter/local) was one of the first performers at The Fretted Frog music nights. She wrote the song “Windy,” which became a hit for The Association in the late 60’s.

I setup a guitar for Mara LaFontaine - model, actress, and writer.

When the Fretted Frog became a Taylor dealer, I was invited to attend the ‘welcome weekend’ in San Diego for a two-day factory visit and tour, guided by Bob Taylor himself and his right hand Luthier, Andy Powers. Our group was allowed to play and handle several of Bob’s early instruments, including the first ever Taylor guitar, the famous “Pallet Guitar” - featuring the notable forklift inlay done by Larry Breedlove, and the actual prototype for the Line 6 POD, previously designed by one of Taylor’s now top guys.

I setup and worked on several different Fender Telecasters for guitarist, Terry Gilkyson at the Pasadena location.

Laura Sisk, who at that time was unknown studio runner, used to bring her boss’s guitars to me for repair and setup. From what I understand, she is now one of the most sought after vocal-producers in the music business. I believe she has several Grammys, and is well known for her work with Sia, Pink, Taylor Swift, and many more.

Refretted a signature LAG guitar for Richie Kotzen. He asked me to make it feel as similar as possible to his Taylor guitar.

Jai Courtney (Actor) brought me a guitar for repair once. Really friendly and personable guy!

Margaret Cho (comedian/actor) came in the store and tried guitars on several occasions.

Tim Meadows (comedian/actor) came in and asked questions pertaining to an instrument he was thinking of having repaired.

Ed Helms (actor/musician) brought in a Gibson B-2512 for me to setup. He occasionally bought accessories at the store, or asked questions regarding banjo repair.

Aidan Pickering (TV journalist/producer) brought me a Dobro for some setup work

Michael Gladis (actor) occasionally brought me acoustic guitars to setup, including his Gibson J-45 which he’d gotten to use in an early episode of Mad Men.

Casey Affleck (actor/director) came in once and asked me a lot of hypothetical repair questions. One of the music teachers informed me who I’d been talking to.

John Stamos & TJ Miller (actors) - Fox filmed a television pilot about a guitar shop owner (Stamos), and his brother (Miller), recently released from prison. They used the Fretted Frog as the guitar shop, and for four days, we became “Alexis Music.” We were told that the Stone Henge prop that was brought to our ‘set’ was the actual used in This is Spinal Tap. The director of the pilot also mentioned that, were the pilot to be picked up, they would rebuild a “set” version of our exact guitar shop inside of a studio, however the pilot did not get picked up.

other great encounters throughout my life

Billy Preston and Joey Molland: I grew up with a love for the band Badfinger, yet the band had long perished. When my dad saw that Joey Molland of Badfinger would be at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, in October of 2000, he bought tickets for the two of us. Molland’s opening act was none other than Billy Preston! My dad got us to the venue at like 6pm, and the show didn’t start until 9pm, but the staff let us hang out inside. The entire club was empty, while my dad and I watched Billy Preston warm up with his hired local musicians. After their soundcheck, my dad walked us right up to Preston’s table and started a conversation with him. Billy was super nice, shook our hands, and chatted with us for a bit! We also watched Joey Molland’s soundcheck set, after which he invited me up on stage to get my Badfinger “Airwaves” album autographed. It still hangs on the wall of my music room to this day.

In 2013 my band, the Herbert Bail Orchestra, played at SXSW. We only had one official set as part of the festival, but it was preceded by The Eagles of Death Metal, and immediately followed by Alain Johannes, one of my favorite guitarists! I came off stage with my gear, and shook hands and chatted with him briefly before he went onstage. Really soft-spoken, nice guy.

I’ve met Leland Sklar on multiple occasions. I met him at the NAMM show probably back in 2004. When the Fretted Frog opened in Pasadena (2014), he used to pass by the front of the store on his way to Little Flower Cafe. We didn’t really sell basses, which may be why he never stopped in the shop. In the 1980s, my Uncle Chris lived in Leland’s back house, just off the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. There’s a funny story about it - ask me some time!

I lived with Devin Bronson in Sherman Oaks from 2006-2007. Devin was one of my high school guitarist friends who I’d jam and record with. Almost immediately after high school, he auditioned his way into the Kelly Osborne band in 2001, and has subsequently played with Avril Lavigne, Pink, Ashley Parker Angel, Aly & AJ, Butch Walker, Treble Charger, and probably more at this point.

Devin (above) connected me with producer/60s musician, Adrian Gurvitz. I teched at a Disney recording session back in 2009 - it was a girl band that I’d never heard of. It was a fun gig working for Adrian Gurvitz, but also because I bumped into my [now] producer/engineer friend who was my next-door neighbor, and brand-new musician at San Diego State, Albert Mata.

I saw Phoebe Bridgers play at El Cid in Silverlake when she was only 15 years old.

I auditioned to play bass for Aly & AJ in 2006 after an email from the Barry Squier network.

I saw Weird Al Yankovic at Magic Mountain in his earlier heyday, 1993. Near the end of the concert, he ran across the front of the stage and ‘high-fived’ anybody who had their hand out. I got a Weird Al high five when I was 10 years old!

Met and got an autograph from Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy) at AIDS Walk, 1993.

Met and got a photo with Jamie Lee Curtis on Sunset Blvd during the AIDS Walk, 1995. I was 12, and she had just been in True Lies. I was enamored.

Met and got an autograph from actor Bill Paxton at a Civil War Reenactment in Moorpark, CA.

My dad pulled me from High school my senior year so that we could be extras in a scene being shot for “America’s Sweethearts.” We got to meet and shake hands with John Cusack, who was really nice! Catherine Zeta Jones, on the other hand, berated a crewman for trying to move some props, accidentally stepping in front of a photo she was having taken with all her posh friends she invited to set.

Met Albert Lee and Peter Asher (again) at the Rogue Theater in Southern Oregon in 2018, after their performance.

Met Chad & Jeremy (60’s folk rock duo) at the Rogue Theater in Southern Oregon in 2011

At a single “Concert in the Park” in Newhall, CA, I met and got autographs from Spencer Davis (Spencer Davis Group), Denny Lane (Moody Blues/Wings), and Randy Meisner (Poco/Eagles).