Meet the Maker: Mervyn Davis - by Rodney Stedall

Quarterly Journal of The Guild of American Luthiers no 90

I first met Mervyn in 1998 at his old farm shed workshop in the countryside just outside Pretoria. I had just started my first instrument and had a need to ask questions of someone with experience in building stringed instruments. I found Mervyn to be a deep thinker, very knowledgeable and willing to share with me the answers to my questions.

Mervyn's knowledge and insight into stringed instruments stem from many years of self-inspired building and innovation. Most South African builders like myself can claim to have gone through the Mervyn Davis school at some stage of their building career. The interview below serves to prove Mervyn's willingness to share his years of experience with others.