Anybody heard from Ryan Rukavina?

Brian Hoskins · Post by **Brian Hoskins** » 15 Jul 2008 10:09 pm

Not answering his email or phone. I've got three builds in the works, and while that concerns me a little, I'm more concerned about him. Hope he's ok.

Steve Hamill · Post by **Steve Hamill** » 16 Jul 2008 6:55 am

I emailed with him last week. He said he's buried in work right now, so maybe he's just immersed in getting it done, rather than answering the phone and emails. I hope he's OK too. He's a good one.

Rich Hlaves · Post by **Rich Hlaves** » 16 Jul 2008 7:56 am

He is swamped right now. I ordered a bridge from him and it took some time for him to ship even though he had it in stock. Then the postage was wrong and it was returned to him. He is one great guy and I don't hold any of this against him, he communicated his regret for the delays. The guy needs a vacation or a helper!

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 16 Jul 2008 8:42 am

Rich Hlaves wrote: The guy needs a vacation or a helper!

Maybe I'll apply for the position when I get back to Missoula. I'm looking for a new career, and I'd like to get in on the ground floor of the sleeping giant that is the lap steel industry.

Dave Bader · Post by **Dave Bader** » 16 Jul 2008 2:29 pm

Steve Hamill wrote: I hope he's OK too. He's a good one.

I agree, he's a great guy and a super guitar builder.
Hope all is well.

Ryan Rukavina · Post by **Ryan Rukavina** » 17 Jul 2008 11:57 am

I'm alive, sorry Brian. I've been dealing with some personal crisis lately, have been absent, and my business commitments have been falling behind, to say the least. I've sent you an email and pics of your projects and where they/I sit in more detail.
Here is the BubingaMonster in it's 'please finish me' glory. I just need to trim out the PU and do the final wetsand/buff. Seymour JB pickup wired for coil-cut/parallel/series, planet waves machines, flamed maple, goofy f-hole, nitro finish. This is actually cut of bubinga Brain acquired and sent me to work with...don't know what you call the figure in it other than lovely; sort of a meld of quilting and wanna-be birdseye? The next 2 I'm going to finish for him someday are of Swamp Kauri in my typical body profile...last photo is the 1st one of those(figured walnut, flamed maple, turquoise dots, and 30,000 year old wood; needing just a few more finish coats applied...also doing a JB and planet waves.

I appreciate your concern and I am genuinely sorry to leave anyone hanging. Thanks for your kindness. Also, quite seriously, if any of you folks reading this know of anyone living in the Missoula area who is competent with the skill set to learn to build who'd like to offer some help in exchange for learning and/or being able to spend a percentage of time working on something for themselves, please give them my contact info. I really am in need of decent help, and would be willing to work out a barter with someone of serious interest...potentially working into a job?

Brian Hoskins · Post by **Brian Hoskins** » 17 Jul 2008 12:59 pm

Ryan,
Thanks for getting in touch with me.
I almost felt like I was tugging on Superman's cape, but as you can see, you have a strong following here and everyone is wishing you only the best.

Hey, is that some good looking bubinga er what?

Am working on some speaker cabinets made from the same wood. I hope they look as good as Ryan's lap.

Jim Konrad · Post by **Jim Konrad** » 17 Jul 2008 2:38 pm

WOW!!!

Those are very nice looking steels!!

<*)))>{

Brian Hoskins · Post by **Brian Hoskins** » 17 Jul 2008 3:12 pm

yeah, ain't they just!

One of the Swamp Kauri's will be auctioned off this fall to support the USMC Wounded Warrior Battalion. As soon as I get the finished Swamp Kauri's and choose one of them, more information will be forthcoming.

And I believe the wood is 40,000 years old, FWIW.

Jim Konrad · Post by **Jim Konrad** » 17 Jul 2008 3:43 pm

Brian Hoskins wrote:

And I believe the wood is 40,000 years old, FWIW.

How does that work?

Brian Hoskins · Post by **Brian Hoskins** » 17 Jul 2008 4:16 pm

Buried in a bog in New Zealand. This particular piece would be more accurately described as Ancient Kauri as it has been verified by radio carbon dating to be at least 40,000 years old

check out ancientwood.com for the whole story.

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 20 Jul 2008 7:59 pm

Ryan is awesome, terrific sense of detail and balance. I give luthiers as long as they want, I want my guitars trom non-stressed creators. But it does make you itch waiting................

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 20 Jul 2008 8:09 pm

almost forgot....

40,000 year old wood, isn't that what Olivia Newton -John's Husband gets?

Gary Stevenson · Post by **Gary Stevenson** » 21 Jul 2008 5:01 pm

wow what beautiful wood to work with. I will bet the figure and grain is intense to look at in person.Ryan is talented and it is a pleasure to work with really nice wood.To think this started with a caveman who wanted his club to fit his hands better

Mark Mansueto · Post by **Mark Mansueto** » 22 Jul 2008 4:53 am

Man, I've got to say... that BubingaMonster is a stunningly beautiful lap steel.

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Anybody heard from Ryan Rukavina?

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