Early Experiences Led MacPherson to Produce World Class, Hand Made Guitars ...

Local Music Gear Exclusive Interview 
Written By: Dan O'Donnell

When Dennis MacPherson, owner and founder of MacPherson Guitarworks in Ringwood, NJ, began working at the Oscar Schmidt company in 1978 among his first jobs was tuning marimba blocks. That experience--of shaping tone by shaping wood—served as a “grad school” of sorts and taught him what would become an invaluable skill for a luthier making his trademark “Black Pearl” guitars, as well.

The work done shaping blocks of wood to produce a specific note is painstaking and centuries old, as is the luthier craft. And when done properly, each can produce a breathtaking tone. MacPherson, a man with a ready smile and a workshop full of hand crafted artworks, said that his passion for woods and woodworking sprang at least in part from his experiences at Oscar Schmidt building not just xylophones and marimbas, but flat top Harmony guitars as well.