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Meet The Makers: Frank Deimel of Deimel Guitarworks

The master builder whose love of classic guitars inspires his less-than-classical instruments.

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Though his guitars wear their vintage stylings with pride, one quickly gets a sense that master guitar builder, Frank Deimel – a self-professed lover of ‘classic era’ guitar design – isn’t simply trying to maintain the status quo, as established by designs of the 50s and 60s.

From his workshop in Märkische Schweiz – a nature park east of Berlin, Deimel designs and hand-builds offset wonders and double-cut fantasies in the hopes that his guitar creations inspire players with the same creativity he puts into making them.

“The craft is one thing, but I’m not so interested in refining how I put in a gold inlay or something. I’m more interested in the concepts.” Deimel explains in an interview with Guitar.com.

His vehemence towards experimental concepts has manifested in instruments like the aptly-named Experimental Guitar – a jazzmaster-firebird hybrid with a built-in piezo disc, attuned to the harsh, improv-centric soundscapes of noise and the frenzied aggression of punk.

Deimel Guitarworks The Experimental Guitar
A variant of The Experimental Guitar by Deimel Guitarworks / image: Deimel Guitarworks

Deimel isn’t entirely alone in his guitar building operation as he’s joined by artist and life partner, Kora Junger – who has supplied Deimel’s Artist Edition instruments with her astonishingly radical pop art designs, some of which were conceived to raise awareness for social issues like women’s rights, and world democracy.

Deimel Guitarworks Artist Edition Firestar
Deimel Firestar Artist Edition “Resistance” / Image: Deimel Guitarworks

Over time Deimel’s instruments have found their way into the hands of some big names, including the likes of Peaches, Of Monsters and Men, Shellac and even American performance art ensemble, the Blue Man Group.

Learn more about Frank Deimel in our video above.

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