Tyler Pridgen & David Lobser

Rock ́n`Roll- & Art- Guitars or the power of uniting opulence & humility

"I like the more interesting, kinda crazy stuff". This is Cindy Hulej speaking about her special approach in building and embellishing guitars. She decorates them in many ways, from which one is to use a woodburner. Often she ends up having the bodies fully decked out with the most wonderful detailed drawings, showing portraits of e.g. the Beatles or cathedrals. She learned to built from Rick Kelly, owner of the legendary shop "Carmine Street Guitars" in New York ́s famous Greenwhich Village. A place that feels like old New York as many do agree upon. Old means true creative vibes remained here, but yet fresh as I want to add, to not forget about the relentless dedication and constant transformation you can meet when entering the heart of the store, the workshop, where Cindy and Rick are to meet most likely. Cindy became a luthier eight years ago: She walked into the store wanting to learn from Rick and none other. From the beginning on she learned exactly the way Rick built, but did it under her own brand "Cindy guitars". Synesthetes will definitely agree with me that even before a Cindy guitar is played it screams: Rock ́n`Roll! We talked about her very early discovery of punk, about working in an art friendly restaurant, about costumizing a guitar for a Jim Jarmusch movie and the "mystery of the molecules" which goes into all of what Cindy and Rick are doing and which has to do with the special energy of the wood they use plus the history of the shop...