Monteleone makes PRS PS look like bargains

Maegan told me about it at the Artisan Luthiers show in Harrisburg,PA. She apprenticed under Ribbeke and is a friend of both . she makes stunning small bodied arhtops and is asweetheart.
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There is no confirmation on Ervin's website or any guitar websites.
Howard Klepper lost his home, his shop, guitars in progress, everything other than what he and his wife could get in their car after a neighbor pounded on their door as the fire approached.

I met Maegan at the Santa Barbara Acoudtic Instrument Festival where I played Hervey first mandolin. I saw her again at a Sebastopol guitar festand invited her to a musical get together.

No luthier I know ever mentioned a fire with Ervin.
 
Well I have no reason to doubt her , the fire was many years ago when she worked with Ribbeke , something most involved want to forget . My dad was the Cal Sate OES fire boss , so he was on that one along with many other nasties. It seems enitrely plausible given the conditions and community. Fires devaste in such a horrific way , and most are eager to assist in the aftermath.

Most Luthiers I know are very helpful with each other , it's a community . I've given wood etc to several local luthiers I've worked with in exchange for some of thier specialities , taught a few , been taught by many . When I had kidney failure they pitched in to help finish a project , and one even volunteered a kidney ( thankfully not needed) We all help each other out with referrals and support.
 
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Well I have no reason to doubt her , the fire was many years ago when she worked with Ribbeke , something most involved want to forget . My dad was the Cal Sate OES fire boss , so he was on that one along with many other nasties. It seems enitrely plausible given the conditions and community. Fires devaste in such a horrific way , and most are eager to assist in the aftermath.

Most Luthiers I know are very helpful with each other , it's a community . I've given wood etc to several local luthiers I've worked with in exchange for some of thier specialities , taught a few , been taught by many . When I had kidney failure they pitched in to help finish a project , and one even volunteered a kidney ( thankfully not needed) We all help each other out with referrals and support.
Irvin's house and shop burned in 1991 according to all the news I could find. Maegan started working with Ribbeke around 2006, 15 years after the fire. Irvin built a lot of guitars in those 15 years.
I'm glad that Ribbeke and Maegan helped out.
 
one never knows how stories evolve .. it could have been that he had just relayed the story to her , although I do remember her saying she donated some of her wood . my point is the community helps each other
 
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Although we are a quirky and at times a flakey bunch , I love the artist/music community . After spending half my life as an engineer for a career, it is SO much more fun . When I went to my first Luthiers convention about 5 years ago , there was also a Civil Engineers convention at the same place. AS we filtered in , some in suits and briefcases ..looking incredibley bored, and then US .. rag tag , eccentric free spirits . In the bar at night ,several admitted to being envious, and asked ... How do you make a living at it ... roaring laughter ... sideward glances ... Does anybody here actually make money at it ??
 
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