I Know I’m Not Supposed to Play Favorites…

…but I do — and Dex and Laura are definitely at the top of the list.

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting these two again yesterday. Formerly of Indiana and now calling Florida home, they made a detour through Nashville on their way to a cabin getaway in East Tennessee — just so they could hang out and build with us again.

This class was special. Not only did we already know and love them from their first visit, but it gave us a chance to catch up and create something truly one-of-a-kind.

Dex came back with a plan: he wanted to take one of our ambrosia maple hollow bodies and give it the look and feel of a well-loved, road-worn classic. He went with a dark tobacco brown stain, sanded through the high-wear areas, added subtle yellow aging tones, and finished it with a satin top coat and our first-ever aged hardware. The result? Absolutely stunning — and it just might start a new trend here at the shop.

Last time, Laura played the role of Dex’s “general manager.” This time she kept that title and decided to build her own guitar! Inspired by Geoff’s natural-finish build from Australia, she went with a clean, natural look — letting the wood speak for itself. With the extra time she saved skipping the stain, she made sure Dex’s guitar came out flawless.

What a fantastic day with two incredible people. Classes like this remind me how lucky we are to have such amazing students, friends, and ambassadors of GBW.

It’s only been 2,681 days since their last visit — let’s try not to wait that long next time!

Laura and Dex with their GBW Customs