Scott Willis

Growing up in Santa Cruz has always given me a great apprecaiation of our local landscape and the beauty of our natural resources. Wether it’s the meandering coastline or a towering redwood forrest, nature brings inspiration and unique beauty to every shell, pebble, and tree knot.

I first encountered the realm of fine woodworking at Santa Cruz Guitar Company in 2014. I knew almost nothing but was excited to learn all I could about acoustic guitars and use the shop after hours to make personal projects. After 8 years I was in control of build QC, managed our wood inventory, and carved custom profile necks. One unfortunate part of the instrument industry is the use of exotic woods, it had always weighed on my conscience and I knew I would not continue using them if I ever had a say. As i was leaving, I was unsure of my next steps but knew I wanted to continue woodworking.

A few months after leaving SCGC I met local furniture maker, Joey Kochlacs, who became a mentor and friend. I also threw myself into learning as many new building techniques as I could as well as how to mill slabs. Over the time working with Joey we mostly made furniture from slabs, the complete opposite of size and scale as acoustic guitars. Seeing that there is a way to havest and showcase beautiful local lumber had rekindled my passion and excitement for what was possible.

As I have been able to push out on my own I am excited to continue building my own look and style of furniture. I am always trying to bring the precision I learned building guitars as well as some techniques from making instruments into furniture I design and create.