Building from the Wreckage
Detroit's buildings were
built using lumber from old growth forests. Mark Wallace began taking advantage
of the more than 70,000 abandoned buildings in Detroit by making guitars out of
reclaimed wood that served as the infrastructure of the old buildings. Wallace
says the wood has a very tight grain which provides for good sound resonance.
Each guitar is different and all are handmade. Wallace has made about 24
guitars and hopes to assemble a team to create a couple hundred a year. Each
guitar costs around $2,000. Wallace gets his satisfaction from creating an
instrument from his own hands and knowing that it came out of the city of
Detroit. I think this pretty cool. It is a very interesting way of
recycling and very innovative. Plus, it gives a new purpose to the old
abandoned buildings that nobody wants and adds character to the guitars and
their makers, Wallace. I look at it like Wallace is trying to rejuvenate from
the ashes. Nobody wants that wood anyway, so why not make a name for yourself and
a profit along the way too.
I have an uncle
who does something similar to Wallace. He goes around and collects barn wood
and makes wine-racks or jewelry boxes out of it. The old wood just has so much
character and it is great to restore. This type of innovation and craftsmanship
is where I find a huge interest and hobby. You just feel good about yourself
when you restore one man’s garbage, more specifically wood, and create
masterpieces out of it.
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