Bruce Sexauer, Luthier and Designer 
"I began building guitars in order to have a better instrument than I could otherwise afford," says California luthier Bruce Sexauer. "I started playing guitar at age seventeen," he says, "and things just moved ahead from there!" Sexauer has now built solid-bodies, dulcimers, flat-tops, psalteries, mandolins, guitarone, full sized harps, and hand-carved arch-top guitars.
For many years, Sexauer toured with bandmates in Canada's Gulf Islands and the Vancouver area. In 1977 he emigrated to Marin County, California, where he now resides. Although a social fellow, he prefers to work in a one-man shop. He says the instruments prefer it that way.
Highly regarded in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sexauer was chosen 'Luthier of the Month' by Elderly Instruments in 1996, and was featured in the October 97 'Crafts Report' magazine.
As a designer, Sexauer has a wide range. In his Petaluma California shop he designs and builds quality musical instruments. He imports and sells acoustic bass instruments, and has designed an arch-top guitar with extraordinary volume called the 'Coustic Dominator'.
From this wide experience, Sexauer has developed a keen eye for shape and function. He's created a number of unique and functional designs for electric guitar, and is equally familiar with quality electric bass design.
 "Some luthiers don't much consider ergonomics," Sexauer says, "for example, the taper of the neck. It communicates to the musician his location on the neck. When you move your hand from open position to a higher position, it's not just distance. It's also the change in taper that tells you where you are. A few millimeters can speak volumes."
Because of his unusual gift for creating beautiful shapes, Sexauer was engaged by Mobius Megatar to design the Mobius Megatar tapping bass instrument. Working within Mobius's functional specifications, he has produced an elegant synthesis of form and function.
The original Megatar design was refined through six prototypes. The result has been an instrument of physical beauty with great tone.
"The Mobius Megatar instrument," says Sexauer, "gave us the opportunity to redefine the shapes that would make it easier to physically navigate, and at the same time generate good sound. The challenge was to do that in a simple design."
"You can build to a formula," he says, "but the art of great instruments is balancing the proportions of all the pieces, with proper regard for the wood. That's where the mastery is."
Want More Info? Contact --
Sexauer Guitars
724 'H' Street
Petaluma, CA 94952 USA
(707) 782-1044
bruce@sexauerluthier.com
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