Tree-Guitarworks

03/09/2026

Been browsing YouTube and ran across this gem! Just had to share.

From the Midnight Special July 2, 1976.

03/01/2026

Cool Guitar of the Week: 1930's Richter Manufacturing, Co. Parlor guitar. Richter was a Chicago based company founded by Charles Richter in about 1920. The company closed it's doors in 1943. Most of the guitars built were parlor style, solid wood, mostly birch construction, many with stenciling. Richter was one of Montgomery Ward's house brands.

This guitar came to me looking great, but with lots of issues. The fingerboard had warped to a convex profile. I removed the old frets, leveled the fingerboard and installed new frets. It needed a neck reset, so I gave it a bolt-conversion reset. While the neck was off I also did some repairs to the neck block. There were some loose internal braces, a couple of small cracks, and the bridge needed reset. I gave it new bone nut and saddle. The wooden bridge pins are original as is the leather trimmed case.

The guitar now plays and sounds fantastic! I've restored dozens of these old parlor guitars, and this one stands out from most as being louder and with a more open sound. It has a real nice resonance.

The guitar is for sale. PM me if interested. It will be posted in Marketplace and on Reverb.

02/07/2026

I miss you guys... all of my customers and friends. As most of you know, I've been out beating down this cancer thing since last September. Huge thanks to those of you who have reached out to me, and those who have come over to help out with things or bring food. The outpouring of love and generosity from all of you has been amazing.

Here's a brief overview of what's happened so far. I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in September. Initial scans showed an egg-sized tumor in my lower colon, and spots in my lungs and liver. Thankfully the lungs/liver spots turned out to be non-cancerous. I went through six rounds of chemo using three different "c;hemo coctails". I responded very well, but the chemo really took me down physically and mentally. Crushing fatigue and brain fog. There were days it was difficult to go downstairs to the kitchen. The PET scan following that showed that the tumor had shrunk to near nothing, and no other signs of cancer.

I am now about half way through twenty-eight rounds of radiation. therapy five days a week. So far it's gone good with mild side-effects, but I'm told that last couple of wees can get tough.

Following that, the doctors will assess and plan future treatments. Normally surgery to remove what's left of the tumor is done, but my surgeon thinks that I have responded to the treatments so well, it may not be necessary. Very good news!

So bottom line... I'M BEATING IT!!!!!!!!!!

Now, mind you, this all started just a week into my wife, Sandi, being placed in home hospice care following several strokes, with me as primary caregiver. At that point she was tired of fighting and just wanted to go home to Jesus, but finding out about my cancer gave her her fight back. She is determined to hang in there so support me through all of this.

She is hanging in there, but it is coming at at terrible price. The strokes partially paralyzed her whole right side... She has at most 10% function on that side. And the pain has been almost unbearable for her. Pain meds only take the edge off.. To add insult to injury she has been trying to pass several kidney stones for the past two weeks. She's not doing well... very weak, can hardly eat, speach is difficult, and the pain... the pain...

So that's where we're at. The love and support from all of you means more than you can imagine. Thank you!

I would like to add just how blessed I feel having Sandi by my side through this! I am so thankful for her! I love her so much!

01/17/2026

More gear for sale. Full listing/description on Marketplace, or message me for more info.

Harley Benton 12-string $300
Squier CV '72 Thinline $375
Fender Mustang III amp w/4-button switch $300

12/14/2025

Just posted this on Reverb. 1920s Lyon & Healy with X-brace conversion. Great playing and sounding little parlor! https://1drv.ms/i/c/0dde42b8d10adfcc/IQCYbC_s_U3rS4ucDx_L_pzKAZ3dZ47CukU1Im3eKNi5e50?e=zg7vTc

11/12/2025

Huge thanks to my awesome friends, Dave Kouri, Chip Albright, Howard Freerkson, and Rob Benson! My chemo treatments have taken me down, so I wasn't much help, but crew made quick work of the leaves. Rob even treated us to a impromptu concert!

11/07/2025

I have some pro audio equipment for sale. See Marketplace ad for details and pictures.

09/22/2025

Some more stuff for sale listed in Marketplace with descriptions.

Amp cabinet loaded 12" $75
Johnson Stage 100B amp 35w 12" $60
Eminance Patriot Swamp Thang 12" $70
Celestion G12T-100 8ohm $35
Celestion G12T-100 4ohm $35
Scorpion 12" 8ohm $35
Peavey 12" 8ohm $25
Fender 10" 8ohm $25

09/19/2025

I started chemo today. The first round goes 8 weeks. I only have to go in every 2 weeks for the chemo infusion. Thy are using a full-spectrum chemo that is not so aggressive to see how I respond. So far I feel fine.

Sandi is still weak and in a lot of pain, but something remarkable has happened. When she went into home hospice seven weeks ago she was done fighting... she was just tired of the years of suffering and fighting for every heartbeat.. She has her fight back! She is determined to see me through this! I am so blessed to have her by my side! Only one problem. She treats me like a cancer patient... won't let me do anything. I'm not a cancer patient. I'm a cancer conquerer!

The outpouring of love and support from friends, family, neighbors, and all of you has been amazing! Thank you all!

09/07/2025

Time to downsize. I have the following for sale. They are posted in Marketplace with full descriptions and more pictures. PM me if interested or if you have questions.

Handwired 5E3 Tweed Deluxe clone $550 [SOLD]
Handwired 5F1 Tweed Champ clone $700
Fender Mustang Floor $150
Talent Les Paul Jr. $175
Gretsch G2215 $275
D'Angelico Premier DC $525
Epiphone ES-339 Ultra $550
Mahogany body Telecaster $450 [SOLD]

08/30/2025

Tree Guitarworks will be closed for the foreseeable future. In April, my wife Sandi had a debilitating stroke, and has had several smaller ones since. One month ago we placed her in home hospice care, with me as primary caregiver.

I've been having some unsettling signs that prompted me to get a colonoscopy. It showed that I have a large cancerous mass. CAT scan revealed numerous lymph nodes that are swollen and there are lesions on both lungs and my liver. I go for a MRI next week that will show more detail., then meet with the surgery and oncology team to put together the treatment plan.

This is devastating news... this should be a peaceful time for Sandi to enjoy whatever time she has left, and now she has to go through this with me. She had colorectal cancer seven years ago that nearly killed her. The aftermath of the chemo and radiation destroyed her body and is the reason she is failing now.

We pray for healing and know that God is the master physician who can heal. But more than anything we pray for peace and strength to face whatever lies ahead.