Biography
I was born in 1970, in Hexham, Northumberland. After leaving school at 17, I began my aprentiship with well regarded luthier Stefan Sobell. I worked for Stefan until January 1990, then returned two years later and remained until November 2003.
Training followed a traditional path – sweeping up, making tea, learning to sharpen tools, judging and selecting timber, making parts of the instrument, understanding how they went together and what role they played in the production of sound. As the years went by,the part I played in building the instruments, gradually increased. The standards set by Stefan were demanding, and were constantly raised. It was a wonderful place to work, and we made some remarkable instruments.
I left the workshop in November 2003, and the following year began setting up my own shop. Which brings us to the present. I am building original instruments of my own design, with some superb timber.
The work has developed significantly in the last couple of years and players are beginning to really respond to the "Forster sound". The key words are power, fullness and playability.
I hope that those who are thinking about buying a bespoke instrument give my work serious consideration.