Filthy Fluno , Narrative Abstract Artist and Friend Extraordinaire, introduced this gentleman to me today. We met, he provided me with demonstrations of his guitars and we even jammed out…virtually:
Filthy Fluno, me, and PatrickHufschmid Beaumont
Read on to learn more about Patrick Hufschmid (Real World Guitar Maker now in Second Life)
Please let me introduce myself, I’m a real life
electric guitar maker living in Switzerland and I also have a guitar shop in Second Life in which I sell some of my second life creations including my real life work replicas.
Hufschmid Guitar’s Store in SL
This is my story:’
Patrick Hufschmid was born in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) in 1976, were his multi-national family were then living. His father is Swiss, and his mother, Jennifer Paull, is an internationally known British musician and author.
Patrick showed his passion for music very early. He spent most of his time as a small child playing the piano, and later, the violin. He found his real vocation when he was able to experiment with a guitar, in his early teens, about the same time as he fell in love with metal music.
He discovered Steve Vai and Ingwe Malmsteen shortly after. This was the start of his dedication to playing, which led him to become increasingly interested in the design of the guitar itself. The endless variety of possibilities in modern electric guitar technique, witnessed at an encounter with Michael Angelo Batio, and his growing awareness of its necessities and possibilities, encouraged him to imagine his own designs. ‘I met Michael Angelo Batio at a terrific workshop in Monthey (Switzerland) when I was still a kid. Talking to him for only a couple of seconds made me want to play the guitar for the rest of my life! In my opinion, Michael is the best guitar player ever. Nothing can compare to his incredible technique!’
Patrick initially studied cuisine and obtained his Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence, (CFC) in 1995, the first rung on the ladder the becoming a chef. However, after four years, he decided to follow his passion for the guitar. He studied its design and Lutherie at Red Wing Technical College, Minnesota, USA. Patrick is a designer- creator, not a traditional luthier. As a skilled guitarist, he advocates simplicity and economy in his own designs.
His innovations give amazing degree of ergonomy and playability. These are the two ingredients for which his guitars are becoming so well known. The ‘Virtuoso Baroque’ model is a perfect illustration of his ideas.
In the summer of 2000, Patrick was invited to be the official guitar repairman at the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. During the Festival he met many celebrities who played his instruments. Without exception, everybody was most enthusiastic.
Today, many well-known figures are Hufschmid Guitar performers, and the numbers are quickly rising! Inspired by the work and technique of the legendary luthier, Robert Benedetto, Patrick has developed his own style and palette of sound colours. He uses pickups that are made exclusively for him by world-renowned Kent Armstrong, and chooses his woods with loving care and attention.
He has made more than a hundred guitars in a variety of beautiful woods. Patrick decided to stop painting his instruments (with the exception of his model “Titan”), and let the natural grain be seen to its best advantage. Wood is tactile and noble.
Hufschmid guitars are hand-made individual works of passion from a man for whom guitar playing and design are not only profession, but also an Art. None of these guitars has a serial number. Each one has a unique personality for Patrick Hufschmid, whose aim is to create a living extension of the performer, his music, and his sound.
Hufschmid guitars will create the sound you want to make and incorporate any detailed specifications and requirements you may have.
I would be very happy to insite you to have a look at my work, and if you enjoyed your visit, please tell your friends to visit me!
‘Here is a little welcome present for you, I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did to build them…
Patrick Hufschmid’