Past:

As soon as I was able to walk, I started following my father and grandfather around their wood shops. I remember as a young child, listening to Classical Music and vandalizing my grandpa Gene’s Shopsmith with a big red permanent marker. I guess the joke was on me, now that he is no longer with us in the physical sense, most of his tools are the foundation for my guitar shop. I remember him fondly, and consider him to be a large part of Winslow Guitars. With my father David, I expanded my woodworking knowledge, and together, built small fleet of wooden boats. I have these two men to thank for my foundation in fine wood working, and I am eager to one day share my knowledge with my son, Winslow Parker Meyer.

Fun fact, while my mother was pregnant with me, my father built a scooter boat to fish in the gulf of Mexico. That boat was named "Thunder Chicken II”.

Present:

Living in Boise Idaho, working as an Assistant Brewer, I was able to retrieve my grandfathers tools from storage and rented a small corner of my friend’s shop (mostly paid in beer). In that shop I built my first electric guitar, and a 5 string banjo. I have since moved to Oregon where I make wine by day amongst the walnut and maple trees, and spend every moment outside of work and watching my son grow, working on my designs, building guitars, and advancing my techniques. I have also been collecting wood from local trees, and curing it to build guitars that tell stories.

Future:

I have several designs in my head for bits and pieces of new guitars, and Im always looking to take on new challenges in the form of custom builds. Weather or not I grow into building guitars full-time one day, I hope to always be able to personally engage with the people playing my instruments. If the day should come when my son wants to work in the shop with me, I’ll have a big red marker ready for him.

-Ryan Winslow Meyer