RIP Dave Bunker, master of the touch guitar

[Andy Volk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYzh6OhIHxo

Dave was the father of touch instruments such as the Chapman Stick. For me, he had a soulful musicality that stands out over his remarkable technique.

[Fred Treece]

As a guitar geek, how could I have been unaware of this guy and his amazing instruments? Thanks for posting, Andy. Mr. Bunker was obviously a remarkable innovator and player. This is a loss even for someone that didn't know a thing about him until now.

[Andy Volk]

From Deke Dickerson

I am sad to report the death of my friend Dave Bunker, the guitar wizard of the Pacific Northwest. Dave was a real genius of electric guitar, with ideas that seemed to come from another planet besides Earth. His "touch guitar" system was a completely new way of playing the guitar that he was convinced would eventually replace the standard guitar. It didn't, but if you heard Dave play, you'd believe he was definitely on to something. In addition to playing music, Dave built guitars, beginning in the 1950s. He knew more about wood and pickups and string tension and other facets of instrument construction than anybody I ever met. Because his instruments and his playing were so different than "normal," many people thought he was odd, maybe a bit nuts. He was definitely tuning in a different frequency, but he was also really, really good at what he did. I became friends with Dave and invited him to play my Guitar Geek Festival a few times, which was always a huge treat for me, and an exciting introduction to many people who had never seen him. I'm honored to own two original Bunker Instruments, one of the original "Duo-Lectar" doublenecks from the 1960's, and a gold-sparkle naugahyde-covered outer space guitar that Dave made for Johnny Paycheck In 1967. I always tell people that they are the weirdest guitars I own, but they're also really, really good. I hope that Dave has safe travels to the next realm. He was a deeply religious man, so I really hope that he gets to jam with the Angels playing harps up in the clouds (I know they'll dig his version of "Exodus!"). Of course, he'll probably start building active pickup systems with EQ for those harps by tomorrow morning. I'll miss you, buddy.

Another fine performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xkUMaq5Zhg

[Larry Dering]

I was aware of his genius and talents. An amazing man with incredible vision of music and instruments. RIP Dave.

[Mark Bracken]

Dave had a production facility and shop for some time here in Pennsylvania. It must have been around 25 years ago. It was in the Quakertown area north of Philly. I went there to see his headless bass line, which had the brand name of PBC. Quite an innovator, and really friendly. He spent a lot of time with me, and even played his touch guitar a while for me. Then he handed it to me.....(I didn't sound quite as good as Dave, lol). I was amazed at the instrument and his talent.