| P W Crump Co 187 Fickle Hill Rd, Arcata, CA 707-826-1164 pwcrumpco.com |
Located in Humboldt County, in the heart of California's Redwood Empire, the P.W. Crump Co. was established in 1975 as a repair and custom guitar shop serving area music stores and musicians. It was also a CF Martin Warranty shop for many years. While the thread of luthiery continued over the years, there were side trips into finish woodwork and cabinetry, commercial finish work for other instrument companies, and manufacturing of components for instrument makers and wood products companies. In 1987 Phil's interest in Celtic music resulted in the production of his first octave mandolin and marked the return to his roots as an instrument maker.
This instrument was a synthesis of techniques and concepts from various sources: the X brace from C.F. Martin, plate tuning ideas from the work of Carleen Hutchins and Roger Siminoff, laminated neck construction from great banjo makers past and present, and the pioneering work of Stephan Sobell and Rich Westerman. The line of Irish bouzoukis and related mandolin family instruments that evolved over the last 10 years from that original OM-I have been well received and are used by players and bands around the world. Phil looks forward to continued innovation and refining of his mandolin family instruments as well as the guitars that launched his career.