Fleishman Instruments
Guitars, Basses, and other instruments have been the focus of my life’s work for over 50 years. I started playing when I was 11 and was in bands and recording when I was 13. My first custom instrument from 1969, was a lightweight Electric Upright Bass that I could wear and play with a bow. “Harry Fleishman is the Thomas Edison of luthiers,” wrote Jim Roberts in his book American Basses.
Working on great instruments in a vintage shop was my education, along with learning from many fine luthiers along the way.
Although the primary focus of my early career was electric basses, I was also developing my own identity for acoustic guitars. After a few hundred instruments I was able to feel that my guitars were reaching the level of my basses. I experimented with asymmetry, multi-wood tops; and multiple-scale fingerboards, which I developed with my friend John Starrett.
I’ve been lucky to have worked with many great musicians as a musician, songwriter, and luthier, and as a designer for many outstanding companies from Fender, AKAI, and Jackson to Breedlove, Avian, and most recently Bashkin Guitars. My Avian Skylark acoustic guitar design won an international design competition in China. My instruments are displayed in the Museum of Making Music.
Many of my innovations are now standard on other luthiers’ instruments, from multiple soundholes, multi-wood tops, multi-scale fingerboards, demi-cutaways, and adjustable necks. I am proud to have donated to the lutherie community my guitar-binding router jig.
As director of Luthiers School International and the American School of Lutherie I was privileged to teach a new generation of guitarmakers. Teaching and lecturing in Australia, China, Italy, and Texas let me see the world.
After fifty years I am still working in my small shop building fun and interesting instruments.
Website: https://www.FleishmanInstruments.net
Located: Fleishman Instruments, California USA
Professionally Selling: Since 1969
Professional Organizations: Guild of American Luthiers , Museum of Making Music
Dealers: I only work directly with musicians to design what you want and need.
Studied With: Self taught with the influence of many luthiers, living and dead. (The dead were indirect, mostly)
Shows: Healdsburg Festivals, Healdsburg and Santa Rosa, CA , Sarzana International Guitar Meeting, Sarzana, Italy , Perth Music and Art Festival, Perth, Australia , Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad, CA , NAMM , ASIA , Friends of Contemporary Art, Denver, One-man show , Los Angeles County Museum of Art , Jocelyn Art Museum, Omaha , International Guitar Design Competition, China. First Prize.
Artists: Dave Pomeroy , Scott Bennett , Carolyn Grant
Instrument Types: Cello , Steel String Acoustic , Electric Guitar , Nylon String Acoustic , Acoustic Bass
