LINDA MANZER - VISIONARY GUITAR MAKER - LUTHIER STORIES S2 E4

I have absolutely loved Linda Manzer’s guitars for many years but it was only recently that I had the opportunity to visit her workshop in Almonte Ontario.
Linda’s influence runs deep throughout the guitar luthier community with many of her guitars proving to be milestones in the instruments evolution - in particular in the hands of Pat Metheny.
In this episode of Luthier Stories Linda shares her experiences of the working relationship with Pat Metheny which spans several decades and the creations of seminal instruments such as the Pikasso, the little Manzer and that baritone.
I hope you enjoy it!
Like what I do? Tip me here michaelwattsguitar.com/tip-ja...
Until next time, stay tuned
Michael

[@soha7271]

I’m lucky to have a couple of Linda’s guitars including the Matheny model

[@russparker1647]

Archtops, flattops, nylon strings, multi necks. Linda is as good as luthiers get. There are none better. I have built 70 guitars and would have to live another lifetime or 2 to even begin to approach Linda’s accomplishments.

[@MichaelWatts]

That’s true Russ - Linda is a phenomenal talent! Thanks so much for watching

[@Dantoob1]

Excellent interview, Michael! Favourite bits: 1) Manzer Wedge origin story; 2) Treating Paul Simon like a puppet; 3) Breaking in Carlos Santana's new guitar by infusing it with John Denver Christmas recordings.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@Calbertone]

Her small guitar is extraordinary

[@MichaelWatts]

Yes it is!

[@chasmenear7130]

I briefly met Ms. Manzer at the Archtop Guitar Show in Arvada, CO. She struck me as extremely knowledgeable, humanitarian, and very serious/articulate. I would love to have even the most basic of her guitars. A genius.

[@MichaelWatts]

Absolutely right Chas! I sincerely hope that dream comes true for you one day!

[@treverjones2921]

A wonderful interview! Thank you Michael and Linda!

[@cantilever73]

Thank Michael and Linda for the wonderful time spent together, so many nice moments, and inspiration. Wonderful!

[@MichaelWatts]

You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@craigjohnston5678]

Enjoyed this so much. Thank you both!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for watching Craig!

[@clairem1126]

Always love listening to Linda. Great interview Michael!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching!

[@jacquesmascaro8339]

Michael, these luthier stories are amazing

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Jacques!

[@bluearchguitars]

My hero! Thank you!!!

[@MichaelWatts]

You are very welcome - I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@birkenweg42]

What a fantastic video, Michael! Your fine work is a blessing for all of us guitar nerds. Thank you!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for your support Christian!

[@douglasnelson3569]

What a humble, beautiful artisan. Thank you both!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Douglas for watching

[@scottyhughes9179]

an amazing interview, thank you for this.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Scotty! That means a lot!

[@chrisosseweijer2798]

A fantastic video about extraordinary guitars and the woman who designed and build them. She really push envelopes. Big thanks to both of you.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Chris!

[@MichaelTaylor-dr6gx]

Great interview. Extremely enjoyable. Would love to try one of Linda's guitars.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Michael! Glad you enjoyed it and yes - you should try one of Linda's guitars!

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

Lovely to see Linda doing so well. Back in the 70s I was at the Conservatory and had got one of Jean Larivee's classical guitars, and had some conversations with him which led to being invited to the shop with a possibility in mind of apprenticing... Life got in the way and it never happened; but when she mentioned the 'group of seven luthiers', something in me responded "might have been a group of eight"! ;)

[@ObjectiveDynamics]

Thank you for another excellent view onto what makes these fascinating craftspeople tick!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Michael! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@louisemaggs4589]

This is just brilliant xx thank you xx

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Louise!

[@alans3845]

Linda is The Master. Another of Canada's great gifts to the world. Her guitars resonate eternally.

[@MichaelWatts]

Very true Alan! Thank you very much for watching!

[@TonchoBluegrass]

What an amazing video and series, its such a great pleasure to understand more the great luthiers and that is inspiring in a positive feedback to be creative on the guitar, or at least noodle happily on a saturday afternoon, cheers!

[@MichaelWatts]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for watching!

[@johnthomasguitar]

Lovely stuff, Michael and Linda!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much JT!

[@howardcrane5902]

Delightful!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Howard!

[@benjaminpaldacciguitars5811]

Linda is a gem, and an Uber nice & kind person. Thanks for this episode Michael.

[@MichaelWatts]

You’re very welcome - glad you enjoyed it!

[@pauldehorn]

Such a great chat Michael. I didn’t know about the “wedge” design. You learn something new every day. 🙂 Please call Linda back and do the 2-3 hour interview! 😁

[@MichaelWatts]

Ha ha thanks Paul! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chrisdrake447]

So pleased to have this enthralling video pop up in my YT feed, and by extension this channel. You have a new subscriber, and I’m so looking forward to catching up with previous posts as well as new ones. Thank you, Michael & Linda!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Chris - that means a lot to me - I hope you’ll come along for the journey!

[@KartingwasmyLife]

I met Linda in Toronto in the 80s. She did some work on my classical and later gave me great advice about a guitar that I was making. She was so warm & helpful. And the highlight of my visit was the cardboard cutout that was the template for a Metheny guitar.

[@MichaelWatts]

Very cool!

[@DavidPerry-ui2qz]

Just wow!! What an amazing and special interview with a truly incredible luthier. Her Pat Metheny moment when she first heard him play, that happened for me the first time as well, it was transcendent. Thank you Michael!! 🤘🎸🤘

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching David! The Pat Metheny moment is a universal experience!

[@dawnoei1782]

Wonderful interview. Awesome to hear about Linda's creative process. I first got to know about Linda when I heard my first Pat Metheny album 37 years ago. Two masters of their craft. ❤

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for watching Dawn!

[@murraykilpatrick3029]

Thankyou so much for that interview. I'm an aging, Kiwi hobby luthier. Linda seems a wonderful, humble, very informative person. It is obvious, that she has produced a lot of wonderful instruments. Regarding baritone instruments. In NZ, we have a Simcha Delft, formerly Steven Delft, originally from London. A wonderful luthier. I have no idea how the timeline fits. But I'm aware that Simcha built at least two baritone flat tops, before moving to NZ many years ago. A friend of mine, in NZ, owns one of them. My belief is that Paul Simon has the other one.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for watching Murray! Linda is a treasure and her guitars are sublime.

[@murraykilpatrick3029]

@@MichaelWatts I have seen a number of your videos. They have all been really interesting. You are very gentle, and draw the people you are interviewing out, a great deal. I also like the way you play. I'm a fingerstyle, originally folk scene, but very eclectic, hobby player. Please keep doing what you are doing. Same for Linda.

[@mortonwilson795]

Thanks for this, wonderful interview. Linda Manzer is an incredible luthier, artiste, master craftsperson . . . her 'Lonely Woman' guitar stopped me in my tracks way back, as did the Pikasso and then Pat's 2 Baritone Albums - all defining moments for me as a guitarist and listener. Magic.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Morton! Linda’s guitars have a life-changing effect on all of us lucky enough o have played one - she is an extraordinary talent.

[@andrewbowen6875]

The Bruce Cockburn green guitar is also super nice. Wonderful interview

[@MichaelWatts]

It is indeed! Thank you for watching Andy!

[@brentstewart4360]

that was great

[@MichaelWatts]

Glad you enjoyed it Brent!

[@snowfiresunwind]

What a great interview - amazing to hear Linda talk about these amazing guitars. NB: Heija tour is the Shadow and Light tour - an amazing DVD for those that have not seen it.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@andorrasrevenge1683]

Very excited for this!

[@MichaelWatts]

Me too!

[@andorrasrevenge1683]

Oh poor Tony. I could only imagine that giant mental precipice of “having” a Manzer only to one day have it recalled by the Legend herself. Yikes!!!

[@MichaelWatts]

@@andorrasrevenge1683 ha ha he’ll get over it. Eventually.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

A most welcome long awaited interview with Linda Manzer.Throughly enjoyed this because I'm a fan a guitarist. Also I'm a fan of Pat Metheny..and I have heard many of her guitars and they have a very unique sound.A most informative interview. Love the comment about swinging a cat..love it.She's a true craftsmanship one of a small growing community of women luthiers Thank you for this interview 🙏!!!!!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks for watching Michael! I’m very happy you enjoyed the video!

[@Calatriste54]

Searching out a guitar in Bay Area in 99. Found your work at that time and have since been in awe. Purchased a much loved Larrivee maple CS-09 from that time. Guitar summer..

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much Scott and congratulations!

[@andybaldman]

I dearly miss the Healdsburg Guitar Festival.

[@robertnewell5057]

An icon. Pat's solo was indeed on Hijera tour and are famous tracks is on KZbin - not all with solos, but all showing a band really playing together in a sympathetic player. An extraordinary time for Joni as well. There is also a vid of Linda playing the multistringer. Always great to see Mcclaughlin from the Shakti days, remember being blown away by this. Facinating comments about John Denver, and I would love to hear her views on the Tonerite and its analogues. Similarly with regard to the heavier guitars - woudl love to know how much of that in the rims. Amazing to think Linda has been working in this field since I was a spotty teenager. Thanks so much Linda.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for watching Robert and for continued support! Much appreciated

[@JoshuaC923]

Thank you for this series! Is really eye opening to listen to experts discuss and explain the design of an instrument. Fascinating! A 42 string guitar is truly amazing and scary at the same time I was surprised and also happy to hear that that most of her customers were not looking to duplicate something she had made before, the electric guitar industry is almost literally built on recreating the 50-60s guitars.

[@MichaelWatts]

Glad you enjoyed it Joshua! Linda is an incredible artist

[@jamestonguet1737]

A true Master , the guitars she made for McLuaghlin and Metheny are amazing

[@MichaelWatts]

Absolutely right James!

[@michaelvaladez6570]

It's a real sad story about the Abe Wechter guitar for John McLaughlin it has a scallop neck with sympathetic strings.The story is he land it out to a friend and his friend destroyed it..bummer.

[@bernie_smith]

Had the privilege of spending 3 hours in Linda's home and workshop back in 2016 chatting and drinking tea. My son and I got to see her 'Group of Seven' guitar ahead of public release and even Linda's Jimi Hendrix autograph. Linda is such an innovator, amazing builder and lovely person to meet. Thank you Linda for sharing your precious time with us.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much for watching Bernie! That Group of Seven guitar is a masterpiece!

[@bernie_smith]

​​​​@@MichaelWattsIt certainly is an amazing piece of artistic flair/interpretation and guitar building. Bruce Cockburn's greenish 'eagle inlay' Manzer was in for a new top when we visited Linda. That was specal for me too, as Bruce is by far my favourite singer songwriter/guitarist. I would love to see you interview Fylde's Roger Bucknall. Just don't use the word 'Luthier' though ha ha! Kind regards.

[@misterarthur]

Linda's a wonderful person, too!

[@MichaelWatts]

Yes indeed!

[@RByrne]

Great interview! Linda is probably at the top of my favorite luthiers. I've been lucky enough to play a couple of hers, but hopefully, I'll have my own soon. Lawren Harris is my favorite painter, too!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much for watching Ryan! Linda and Lawren are two of Canada’s finest - did you see her harp guitar for the Group of Seven?

[@RByrne]

@MichaelWatts No! But I'll check it out now. Thanks!

[@bensherwood777]

Great interview thanks Michael. It would have been great to demo a couple of guitars during the interview

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks for watching Ben! Sadly there just wasn’t time for that as a huge storm took out the power shortly after we finished the interview. I did manage to record Linda’s guitar for Ukraine though which was a priority

[@rongersten2598]

Linda Manzer is only one of the best luthiers on the planet, but also a fascinating interviewee.

[@rongersten2598]

Meant to say NOT only one of the best ...

[@MichaelWatts]

Very true Ron - thank you for watching!

[@FutoneGuitars]

Another great interview, with excelent editing! Who's next?

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much! Next up is a live stream Q&A with me and a short-form interview with Ken Parker

[@FutoneGuitars]

​@@MichaelWatts Oh, great, looking forward to it!

[@davidmeinertdecrepidude]

On first blush, I think the wedge will increase the area of the top, adding a little more range, flexibility and resonance. This will warm and increase volume IMHO

[@TheGeniuschrist]

What is this channel? Why didn't I know this existed? Are you going to talk to twoodfrd?

[@MichaelWatts]

Hi Frank - I hope your first question gets answered the more videos you watch, the second question is the bane of my life, the third I’m honestly not in a position to answer! Who is twoodfrd?

[@TheGeniuschrist]

@@MichaelWatts He's a guy from Hamilton Ontario. He has the most pleasant youtube channel. Channel name twoodfrd

[@MichaelWatts]

@@TheGeniuschrist thanks for the heads up!

[@TheGeniuschrist]

@@MichaelWatts Thanks for the content. I love a bari :D