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NOV/DEC 2019
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GET2KNOW|
BUTCH BOSWELL
BOSWELL GUITARS
BY NEIL KORN
What was your reason for relocating to Bend? And when did you arrive?
My family and I moved here four years ago primarily to be closer to my wife’s family. We
were driving between San Luis Obispo, CA and Yakima, WA to see her family at least once
a year, and we would use Bend as our layover spot. We loved it here from the get-go. After
doing that drive with a dog, then with a dog and a baby, then with a dog and a toddler and
another baby, we realized we needed a change, and Bend was at the top of the list.
When you got settled into Bend was it everything you hoped for?
We had been here enough to know what was in store. I was incredibly excited to get right on
the bike, and the first few months we were here, I was riding up at Phil’s more than anything
else.
Were you in rock bands as a youth? Do you play music with anybody now?
I played in bands for years, all through my time in college (Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo), and
well after. People are often shocked to hear that these days, I don’t even keep a guitar at
home. I played so much, and pushed so hard in bands for so long, that I got pretty burned
out on the playing side of things. Slowly but surely, playing guitar took second stage to
working on and building them. As I grew up some, and especially after having kids, my pas-
sions and priorities have shifted
What outdoor sports do you participate in? Do you have time to get a workout in
with the company and raising three kids?
Primarily I mountain bike. I stay away from most winter sports, reluctantly, due to the pos-
sibility of getting hurt. Running my own business, if I get hurt, the work and pay, stops. I
definitely want to get into cross-country skiing soon though. I also kayak and canoe a bit.
When we first got here, our kids were 6 and 4, and we had another on the way. Between
work, insanely heavy winters, and babies, we had our hands pretty full!
Boswells are seriously high end guitars, are you shipping these all over the world?
Are there a few well known musicians you can mention who play your guitars?
Most of my sales remain stateside. I do currently have a potential client developing in St.
Petersburg, Russia. That’s kind of a rarity though. I do have several heavyweight musicians
playing my instruments, both acoustic and electric. Not necessarily household names like
Eric Clapton, but big into the studio and recording world. They’re all listed in the ‘accolades’
section of my website.
How long generally does it take to build one guitar?
Start to finish I’d say about 2-3 months. It depends how many other projects I have going
at the time, how many builds I’m working on simultaneously, and what my repair schedule
looks like. When I first set up shop here in Bend, I didn’t have much repair work being new
to the area. I had to build an entirely new clientele. But, the word is out now.
What is the difference between repairing guitars and building them from scratch?
Did all the years of repairing guitars give you the experience and skill to build cus-
tom individual guitars?
Building and repairing are two completely distinct jobs. It’s often hard to find the balance be-
tween the two. After the years of repairing though, when it came time to build, it was just a
matter of stringing together all the different operations that I had done so many times before.
Repairing all those years definitely gave me a leg up. I always say a good builder can be an
awful repair person. But a good repair person can be a great builder.
Is there a such thing as the “stock” Boswell Guitar or is every build different with
options the client desires?
Each guitar I make is essentially a “custom shop” build. The customer and I go through all
the different body sizes, styles, woods, shapes, bracing options, inlay materials, and how ev-
erything will go together to compliment the design. Each guitar is made with a specific player
in mind, how they play, what they want/need to hear, how they need it to feel and so on.
What makes Boswell Guitars different from other hand made guitars?
I believe it’s the experience I have. Through years of working in guitar shops, some of them
the most famous shops in the country, I learned everything there is to know about guitars.
Electric, acoustic, new, used, vintage, and of course the materials that make each one
exactly what they are. When I finally decided to build a few of my own instruments, I knew
exactly what I wanted to do, and perhaps more importantly, exactly what I didn’t want to do.
All of this combined with my attention to detail, my background in engineering, and a deep
understanding of the materials and how to use them for desired sounds and designs is what
sets my builds apart from others.
Does professional cyclist Ian Boswell know about your guitars? Would you offer
him a tour of the shop in exchange for a bike ride together?
I’m not sure! I tried getting in contact with him a long while back, when we first moved here.
I was riding nearly every day then, so I thought I might at least be able to hang with him...
somewhat. Now though, with as busy as everything has become, I don’t think I would want
to ride with him, but I’d love to have him stop in the shop sometime.
Are you always satisfied with a finished build or do you think you can always do
better?
I’m satisfied with each new build, and each one always seems to be my new favorite. But,
I feel like my work is constantly evolving, constantly developing. With each new build, even
though I’m always happy with the end result, I can’t help but always be looking forward to
the next one.
When you see the name Boswell on that finished guitar describe what feeling is
like?
It’s a little surreal. I have had this conversation with other builders and they have said the
same thing. Sometimes, when I’m completely done with a build and I’m just kind of looking it
over, I often think to myself, “How did I do that!?!” It’s such a long process, and so much of
myself goes into each and every one, each and every detail. When it’s all done and ready to
go out the door, I can’t help but feel very proud.
Generally how have people find out about Boswell Guitars?
Word of mouth is always big, especially for the repair work. Also, I’ve been repairing for a
long time now, so I have a reputation and even get work shipped to me from all over the
country. As to the builds though, I get orders through my website, repair customers rolling
over into build clients, I meet a lot of clients at shows that I attend, social media is huge
when done well, and I’ve been fortunate to have guitars reviewed in publications like Acoustic
Guitar Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, Guitar Aficionado, and Fretboard Journal.
Do you have any favorite musicians that you have been digging lately?
I’ve got a huge vinyl collection, and I’m perpetually stuck in the 60’s and 70’s, so Clapton,
Simon and Garfunkel, McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, Stones, Dylan, Beatles, Bowie, along
with Ry Cooder, Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, Elton John, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, the
list could go on and on.
The shop is closed, the sun is out, the outside is calling. Where do we find Butch
Boswell?
Sadly (not really), more often than not, no matter the weather, open or closed, I’m in the
shop. It’s a trend I’m trying to move away from, and since the business has picked up
significantly, especially financially, I’m feeling a little bit less pressure to have to be working
all the time. I’m really fortunate to love my work, but I love my family more. I love getting out
on a bike ride with my oldest son Brooks, playing on the trampoline with all the kids (and
sometimes even my wife!), going to as many parks in the few hours before my youngest
son’s nap time (we call it Park-a-palooza), or just taking a weekend to hang at home with
everyone. Still, getting out on my mountain bike and having that solo time is always such a
battery recharge for me.