Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Michael grew up not only playing, but maintaining and repairing a large assortment of
stringed instruments.
His earliest influences came from hanging out at the Ash Grove; among the people he spent time with included: Taj Mahal, Doc. Watson, Lightin’ Hopkins, The Kentucky Colonels with Clarence White, and good friend Jesse Ed Davis.

In the 1980s Michael began a family and eventually rededicated his professional life to instrument building, restoration and repair. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, John Fogerty, Grant Geisman, Michael Landau, Mike Miller, Lee Ritenour, Dean Parks, Carl Verheyen and Michael Thompson have sought out and trusted his sense of craftsmanship. Over the years, literally thousands of guitars and other stringed instruments have passed through his capable hands. Many consider Michael one of the world’s best kept secrets for his almost fathomless knowledge and abilities to return, restore or setup guitars to their peak performance.