(Not to be confused with Black Sabbath’s last concert of recent)
Jonathan Eric Wilson
Jul 16
For those of you been following me through the ridiculous vicissitudes, I appreciate your kindness patience and support! I won’t BS you; it has been rough! Brutal! It feels like I have spent the last 10 years and two commercial spaces climbing to the summit of an imploding mountain; all in vain! Tooled up in a commercial space ripe for employing staff and the bottom fell out of the bag.
The world looks a lot different than it did in 2019 and before. I’ve been blessed to have all the interest beyond what I could produce (to the point people were annoyed – I lost “want it now” business because of backlog volume and not having enough ready to fly off the rack! Ugh! That exacerbated a terrible operating gap!) and spent every waking hour every day toiling to level up. For what? All those extra evening hours and weekends making molds. Engineering the next thing! Then came California’s apparent contempt for the petty bourgeois (Micro business operators) in tandem with a worldwide super flu terror scam. It sucked the wind out of everything and it’s also heartbreaking to watch all the lives and businesses that were taken down with it! (in that regard I do not feel alone!) I don’t ever want to hear the words “ staff up“ “scale up production” ever again!! Yes I tried! Bad timing and it kicked my ass! (now I’m old) Almost killed me! (all because I was trying to make more people happy and things went sideways and south beyond my control). Here we are! Critics and trolls be damned! I’m just a small time maker that somehow was expected to perform a factory production level and harmed myself trying in the wrong decade! [Still at it! Just scaling back, eliminating backlog, and soon one of a kind “available” instruments!]
All of this brings us back to the question of WHY? Why did I do this in the first place? Why did I spend The last 40 years of my adult life obsessively chasing an obscure instrument nobody cared about until I came out with a new version of it and spent the last quarter century stressing over other peoples arbitrary deadlines? (Now, new upstarts with no skin in the game are emulating my life’s work) Why did I put my Family through all this? And what happened to that guy, a long time ago, who loved playing music and just wanted his ideal instrument to record and play live with? What happened to that guy? How the hell did he wind up 59 years old with the enthusiasm of and countenance of charred bacon?
Circa early 2008: Testing a 2000’s era Cana model at the bench in space that is not a lot different than now!
It seems it took shuttering a hard earned shop space of the last five (turbulent) years put me into that situation where that question “WHY” is screaming loud! To answer that “Why”, it seems that I have been put into a shop space that resembles what I had back in 2002-2008 in terms of space. In a surreal book end of things, The very Ground Zero of making the first TogaMan GuitarViol, Cassels Music, announced it was closing its doors The same night I got all my equipment out of storage after Valencia. Yes, It is all surreal! Naturally, it became cause for reflection! Revisiting WHY. Revisiting the original model itself; that which caused the avalanche in the first place! Couple months back I shared a little bit about that Ground Zero at Cassells (read here).
That same bench from 2002 is back in use again! A few more fixtures, different zip code, and 23 years more experience!
Another main driver was that I’ve been working on the NEW pick up system that will benefit both The electric model, and as it turns out, The current 10x design acoustic model! (Actually, the future may see Cello, violin versions as well! Stay tuned!) One thing that would shock some people: I do NOT own any (current) GuitarViols of my own! Any that I have built over the years for myself? Yeah they got sold off! (Taking one for the team?) The downside with that is that if anybody ever did call me for a gig or session or even for a hands-on demo in the wrong day? Grind grind grind! Yeah that doesn’t go well. Truth is, I haven’t been making music for a very long time or gigging or doing sessions! It’s quite ironic that, once upon a time, you could not get a guitar out of my hands! I would play hours and hours a day! What happened to that guy? Anyway, as I am developing a new pick up system, I needed a test MULE in the shop. Then it dawned on me: that original 2002 GuitarViol had been sitting in mothballs unplayable, parts were poached, and I kept it around just as a conversation piece bound for the museum. Now I’m resurrecting it from mothballs and giving a new life (as a test MULE – not for sale) for the new pick up project. Sure I can test these pick ups on the acoustics as they leave. But I have to have an actual solid body to see how they behave in that situation! It’s as if I’m having a flashback to 2003 when I was initially collaborating with GRAPH TECH. Some history was made with those instruments! But by 2019, 2021 and beyond? Yeah that arrangement with GRAPH TECH did not age well and I had to start over!
Yeah, re-imagining the 2002 prototype as a test mule for the next pickup system(s). The bridge in picture is a stand in for what I am working on now!
What most people don’t understand is what makes these instruments sound good took a lot of engineering! Solid body instruments typically suck for bowed strings and the pick up systems are typically over-engineered (expensive) to make them sound good! One was even in the US patent. However I’ve had to start over again!! So I’ve been collaborating with a colleague in Colorado David Enke. Dave and I have been in touch over the years; even back in 2003. I was familiar with his Company “Pick up the world“ (now Open2Source) pickups. Though he’s off the radar he’s probably among the best out there and I’m honored to work with this kindred spirit! Anyway, this project has been complicated for the last few years (both ends). Since 2021 when it became painfully clear that my logistical arrangement of the last 20+ years was no longer viable. And actually I wanted to re-engineer this thing The whole time! The problem? I was too busy trying to keep a pandemic era shop afloat and fulfill dozens of orders! Too many hats! Too many fires to put out! It was so hard to have time for such deep work!! (No, the deer in the headlights public will never understand!! To them I’m just a curmudgeon who makes expensive hard to get instruments and can’t get his act together with a factory – I tried!). Anyway, all of this upheaval of 2025, The LA fires, preceded by five years of WTF world, seems to be the perfect opportunity to return to the “WHY”. And also electric models that have been taken off the market for a while (which the public took some umbrage to). The other reason I cut all the other models off the menu? Too many options too much confusion! The 10x design is the culmination of all of them and I wanted one particular repeatable model. Yes it’s fun to do a lot of custom stuff (but it’s not so cute when you have a few dozen orders a year that need to be repeatable!) having too many detail notes and too many files to keep was its own level of stress. And I wanted to give the public the best of my experience; not custom rainbows and unicorns.
Who is this for? Nobody (and everybody). Resurfacing 2002 with a clean slate; covering years of R&D scars, holes, and abuse… might as well make it fun!
Returning back to that 2002 model? Not exactly! Sure there might be a little bit of nostalgia. But the real driver is the research and development of a newer pick up system. The default of that is that I have had to go back to WHY. The context of that early model came out of frustration of another collaboration The dates back to 1991-1993. It was a beautiful instrument of those days but there were a lot of ergonomic issues I wanted to address in the new design. It had to feel right, fit in a gig bag, and not require a stand to play. It was ergonomics first, then figure out how to make it play and sound great! That was NOT easy! It’s not as simple as just putting curved bridge and electric guitar pick ups on it! No it took a complete deep dive into string motion combined with audio physics; something many of these emulator upstarts do not understand! And it was a humbling learning curve to say the least! But without that understanding? A solid body bowed instrument sounds like crap! The reason why am I over-engineered early models captured the imagination of the film and TV industry? Because they worked very well!!
Most historical bowed guitar inventor efforts up to that point were complete failures. There are many tomb stones on the road of bowed guitars and Arpeggiones! I’ve been at this long before the Internet connected research and resources!
Anyway, Why? There was a time when all I wanted was a guitar formatted viola for my typical improvisational Digital looping approach. The 2002 electric model was made just for that! (interestingly TYLER BATES would do just that unbeknownst!) The other inherent quality of a solid body was that it would not feed back on stage and could be put through lots of effects when called for. No this was not just some electric cello with frets! It was to play much like a guitar native would want it to! The ability to play familiar chords, scales, arpeggios that do not lend itself to those other instruments! It is an impossible instrument! (why many in the past have failed trying). In fact, when it was simply just an idea I was left to scorn 35-40 years ago!
It is safe to say that I have more than just skin in this game; it has indeed been my whole freaking life! (Which is why the present world of idiot California politicians foisting Marxist labor codes in tandem with a Pandemic (Psyop scam!) and its aftermath has been beyond frustrating!) When this thing took off (unexpectedly) many years ago? What a joy it was! For the first time in my life, I had something the world wanted and could sustain a modest career/livelihood to the point that I left my day job of the time (Cassells). When that success trajectory got dismantled by nefarious idiot state legislators and a pandemics over the last several years? Yeah it’s pretty demoralizing! But I’m still here and I’m still at it!
So dear friends, I am super grateful for all of your kindness and support! My biggest frustration is that I have gotten so spread thin to be able to simply pop out instruments (The way that I did in prior decades). There’s that nagging anxiety that I’m letting people down (which is not good as I’m attempting to recuperate!) I’m honored to be of service in the capacity that I can be! On a personal level, I have had to completely reset my work flow and expectations (still TBD). The shocking chronic stress I have experienced where the adrenal system is fried. Yep. So, I no longer have that thousand square-foot space in Valencia with lots of benches and projects going on at once in different stages. Instead, I work in a small space (from home) with the bare essentials and tooling fixtures I’ve made over the years. I no longer have the subterranean shop I had in Fillmore that was naturally cool in the summer (because it was a converted Packinghouse). I no longer have the 1085 ft.² Space with HVAC. I now navigate my summer shop hours to morning and the evenings. Noisy machines in the morning; quieter detail work in the evening. And I’m sure I’ll have to get used to the winter (heating the shop up is easier than cooling it). On the other hand, it’s a Return to love! A return to why! Hopefully the best quality that being older and having to wear readers will allow! (it’s a complete inner struggle being a perfectionist!) But, I do put my heart into this! (indeed my life). As much as practical life would have me pivot to something else? At this age, in this weird dystopian time, hard to get excited about!
There are some projects I look forward to including a third party collaboration with Steinway & sons. (matching two GVs with a Dubai clients piano). Yes I’m looking forward to pushing the pick up system forward and perhaps testing it in front of an unsuspecting bewildered public! Such fun I have not had since 2GV gigs in the 2000s. Who knows?
Deja Vu! Summer 2002 in triple digit heat. Mrs. Wilson took this picture and was concerned I was going to get heat stroke! Now, re-working this one 430+ instruments later!
For now it is back to the beginning! Back to the WHY. What started this in the first place! In the meantime I have to basically stabilize the mess from the last five years (which can not be undone in 5 months – sorry folks!) . The aftermath of the pandemic, and strikes. I appreciate all the support some people have done on a Go Fund me that was launched by a friend early last year! We did NOT make the goal, however it was helpful for a while and I was able to get some stuff out! (Thanks all!) There’s also a lot of stuff in the backlog I have to get out in doing so in a smaller space, at a different workplace. That’s not popular for those waiting, I understand! Arbitrary deadlines are actually killers! Doing my best! Undoing five years of damage is not undone in five months!! Thank you for understanding!
I should mention: there is a documentary coming out soon! It’s called “GuitarViol; The film composer‘s secret weapon”. It features about a dozen LA composers in their own habitats (studios, on location), telling the story! 25 hours of footage boiled down to two hours. The movies all done it’s just getting all the last post production (Color correction and sound) finished. It’s in the hands of my cinematographer friend Terry Davis and Director Dale Turner Who have done an amazing job capturing it all! Will keep you posted on screenings! In some cases we may have a few of the composers as panelists! (hopefully I’ll have the old 2002 model * “La piña Dorada” on hand for such events!) stay tuned!
[* The golden pineapple – A metaphor allegory by my friend Dave Bricker. A golden pineapple invention is one which you swallow the seed of the golden pineapple. It grows! The problem is you don’t know how much gold is inside of it. It could be a lot; it could be a little (or none). The only way to find out is to pass it (turd). The question is: is it worth the pain in the a**? The Golden pineapple! Beware of the golden pineapple invention! You can put a lot into it and it May not pay off. ]
I share my life journal as the builder of hey specialized instrument, it’s background, and the often turbulent circumstances of producing it! Cautionary tales mixed with inspiring outcomes! I appreciate those who come along with me on this journey! The blood sweat and tears + victories! My hope is that you, dear reader, take these things for what they’re worth (or not) and hopefully create something in your own life! And if what I do is a good fit for Keynote speaking and inspiring young minds, do reach out! I hope also that in these turbulent times, these messages/rants/geek outs give you a sense that you are NOT alone!
It also brings me much joy and meaning to teach the craft! Over the years I have had protégés Who have gone on to do great things! If that seems like something you may be interested in, do you reach out! In recent times I may seem a bit unresponsivein the midst of my overwhelm and recuperation! I do like to hear from you though! It’s always good to hear a friendly voice! Sometimes great things come out of it!
As always, have an exceedingly awesome day and STAY inspired!
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Jonathan
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