Arnie Gamble began building and restoring stringed instruments in 1978. When he was 9 years old he began playing guitar. His father encouraged him to play but the strings hurt his fingers, he resolved early to learn about setting up guitars and other stringed instruments to help musicians get a start. He began by taking apart old instruments, building guitars from scratch and participating in the Luthier’s Guild of America.
In college he studied classical guitar with Byron Tomingas and learned the details of proper playing. Byron introduced him to Jose Oribe. And he bought his first hand made guitar. Since then he has built 10 string Laudarras, mandolins, mandocellos and a harp or two and many guitar.
Arnie is an authorized service center for C. F. Martin guitars. He has helped many musicians with their guitars over the years, fixing and setting up their instruments to achieve their musical goals. A player himself, Arnie has performed with ensembles and solo on stage and recordings. He enjoys jamming at festivals and with friends around the campfire. Erin O’Toole is the artist and designer who creates the inlay for many of our favorite instruments, see more of her work at erinotoole.com.