I was born in Holzminden/Weser, Germany in 1960. The following year my family and I moved to Perchtoldsdorf, a suburb of Vienna, Austria. After finishing school in 1980 I started studying German and Journalism, and although this was quite interesting, it was not really fulfilling.

During the course of 1983, having taught myself, I made my first Classical Guitar. A year later, I attended my first guitar-making course under the tutelage of José Luis Romanillos, learning in those three weeks what most people take three years of apprenticeship to acquire.

In the spring of 1988 I completed my second course with José Romanillos in Aalst, Belgium.

1989 was quite an eventful year - I not only received my Master Craftsman’s Certificate in Vienna, but also attended a third course with José Romanillos, this time in Córdoba, Spain.

In 1990, in addition to the work in my studio, I contributed to the translation of José Romanillos’ book “Antonio de Torres. GuitarMaker – His Life and Work” (published by Bochinsky).

In 1992 I went to Córdoba for my fourth course with José Romanillos.

1993 was a very important year in my career, which began with a week-long training course at Gibson in Nashville, Tennessee. That summer I worked as J. Romanillos’ assistant during his Guitar Makers’ Course in Córdoba. Since the autumn of that year I have regularly worked together with the Japanese Guitar Dealer Eisuke Ozaki (in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka).

In 1998 I moved to my new house and workshop in Gaaden, situated near Vienna in the Vienna Woods.

Since the summer of 2000 I have been working together with the American Guitar Dealer, Miklaucic (Guitar Salon International) in Santa Monica, California. In the autumn of 2000 I also travelled to Japan on a lecture tour (“The Santos Hernández Guitar of Luise Walker”).

Since 2001 I have worked as a founder member of “N.I.C.E. – Neufeldner Instrumentenbauer Congress und Erlebnistage“ (“The Neufeld Instrument Makers’ Congress and Event”), an associationfor the continuing education/professional development of makers of musical instruments.

Some of my instruments are played by these artists:
Martin Schwarz (A)
Paul Friesenbichler (A)
Prof. Leo Witoszynsyj (A)
Erich Schachtner (D)
Y. Iwanaga (JP)
Keishi Sumi und Akiko Sumi (JP)
Prof. Martin Myslivecek (CZ)
Daniele Russo (I)
Dominik Apfelthaler (A)
Michael Hintersteininger (A)

Jan Depreter (B)