By Rob Skane.
Cindy Hulej crafts amazing guitars using wood from New York City buildings; some of the wood is close to 200 years old. Cindy began as an apprentice at Carmine Street Guitars, working under Rick Kelly, a legendary luthier. She is now an in-demand custom guitar builder. As a matter of fact, you should have her build your next guitar! Please find Cindy at cindyguitars.com
RRX: What was it about building guitars that first grabbed you? Was there a particular guitar or builder that made you think, “I want to do this myself”?
CH: The first guitar builder that caught my eye was Rick Kelly, who has been my mentor (I call him my angel) for 15 years now. I found a big thread about him on the Gear Page, and I followed it for years as a teenager. I grew up with guitar, my father was a player his whole life and he would work on his here and there and I always watched him. It didn’t come until later, when I was in the place to figure out what I wanted to really do, that I kept circling back to how cool it would be to work with Rick. I didn’t want to leave NYC and go to a luthiery school out west. I admired Rick’s shared love and knowledge about NYC’s history, old growth timber, and artwork (although I didn’t realize just how into it he was until I actually met him). We hit it off right away the first time I stepped into the shop, and there’s nobody like him … I call him the walking encyclopedia. He made me start my own brand from the get-go which I wasn’t expecting or had even thought about, but even that is in his principles of “I work on my customs and you work on yours.” I think it’s just one of the many things he is very stand-up and smart for.
RRX: What do you love most about the actual process of building a guitar—the woodworking, the electronics, shaping the neck, or that moment when you finally plug it in and hear it for the first time?
CH: I love everything about the build process, truly. I love pulling nails, making templates, routing (although the machine we use is very dangerous so you have to be in a sharp state of mind to be on it), the tedious sanding, the artwork if someone wants it, soldering, mixing the finish … it’s all exciting. The best thing is getting to see the instrument on stage or hear it on an album. As long as the customer loves it, I’m very happy, and it keeps me going.
RRX: When you start designing a guitar, do you usually have a very specific idea in your head, or does the instrument tend to reveal itself as you work on it?
CH: It goes both ways. Sometimes I have a sketch and the guitar ends up a whole different visual, but other times, especially if a client has a specific idea, it’s pretty on point. No matter; it’s a very “back and forth process” with the client and very personal.
RRX: How much of yourself do you think ends up in the guitars you build? Is there something about your guitars that reflects your personality or your way of seeing things?
CH: I put so much love, time, thought, inspiration, and evaluation into every guitar and all the artwork I do. It is all an extension of me and who I am. I am hoping, at this point, if you see one of my guitars, you know it’s mine. Whether you’re in luthiery, the art world, music, architecture or anything else, if you have found your voice – a voice that people can recognize that it’s you in one way or another – I think you’re on the right path.
RRX: Is there a particular part of guitar building that you find almost meditative or therapeutic—the part where you can lose yourself in the work?
CH: I get lost into all the different parts for different reasons. I love putting position markers/inlays in. My pyrography can be very meditative as well. Also anything that involves my mini chisels. Neck shaping is as well because you can watch the grain structure start to sort of pop and you’re carving.
RRX: After building so many guitars, do you still get that little rush when you finish one and it gets played for the first time? What does that moment feel like for you?
CH: Of course I still get that rush, especially with never having built one the same in fifteen years. Each one and it’s story are very close to my heart so it’s always amazing to see, feel, and hear the final outcome with knowing how much work and love fo into them. It’s a very rewarding career, and I feel lucky every day I go into work and, yes, every time I finish a build.
