In today's episode, we explore bespoke guitar making with my friend Bernard Funston. He shares his life story, and his lifelong love affair with guitars and guitar making. We touch on the magic of music, and the spirit of wood. I hope you enjoy this one!
My friend Bernie is eclectic – now retired constitutional law expert born in Canada’s far north whose hobby is handmade guitars. He’s still got his first guitar, bought at the age of 13 with money made from selling his own paintings - landscapes from his childhood in the far north.
Guitars have been in his heart for his whole life. About twenty years ago, he was able take up the hobby of building them, made possible by the suggestion of his three kids, then under the age of ten, and the support of his lovely wife, and fellow lawyer, Laura. Bernie says he’s made guitars for dictators and democrats, and he’s not kidding. I’ll leave that story to him.
His work is wonderful, and guitars are made specific to the customer, reflecting their personalities, not just their specifications. He makes guitars with spirit, from wood specially chosen for the purpose, creating a musical instrument that sighs and sings as the artist wends their way into magic-making. That’s a special skill, that is. I hope you enjoy this episode of Meanderings with Trudy.
Remember too, this is my last episode for the fall season. In the meantime, please revisit past episodes, and rejoin me for new meanders, and our exploration of joy in regular life, on the first Tuesday, in February, 2023.
Episode links:
Guitar clip from Bernie’s site of Ottawa musician Al Brown testing one of Bernie’s creations
Allen Sapp, Indigenous artist from North Battleford Saskatchewan is the artist that inspired 13 year old Bernie to paint
Bernie mentioned listening to music as a child on legendary radio station 89 WLS in Chicago IL from his home in the North West Territories using “ionospheric bounce”
Bernie apprenticed with renowned luthier Sergei de Jonge, in Chelsea, Quebec – see video for interview
To learn about Louis Riel…
Alex Cuba and Canada C3 song “River of Nations”
Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma
Please send thoughts and comments to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com