Luthier Wayne O'Connor

H2H Inception

The year was 1995, on returning to Bridgenorth, Ontario and having just left Hamiltons' The Guitrar Clinic/ F Bass Manufacturing. There I helped build, many would say, some of the Best Custom, Hand Built Musical instruments in the World! I continued to refine my designs and began Blueprinting the first Cranium Divine Prototype and fabricate Jigs for the "TremOmatic" Chambered, Carve top Electric Six string Model while working at FBass. From the basement followed the ABE - 4,5,6 string Bass Protypes and the beginnings of the TriSonic Acoustic Parlour 12 fret Model. All the while continuing to Modify and Restore Local and Toronto-Portcredit-Mississauga owned instruments from my family Bridgenorth home.

I often worked for Proprietor Don Skuce of Eds' Music (Peterborough, On.) where mutual friend John Crown made the introduction to Mr. Royden Moran. Royden, being a successful Architect for many years had recently returned from a guitar course at The Bryan Gallop School of Luthery in Big Rapids Michigan. Wanting to start designing and building his own line of Musical Instruments, Royden and I decided to join forces and start a small Manufacturing Company in Peterborough, Ontario.

We found a small 1000' sq. foot upperfloor shop kiddy corner to the century old GE (Gereneral Electric) factory and built what ever was required to get things rolling. Demo walls, mask'n paint rooms and floors, build Benches, Clamps, Jigs, shelves, guitar hangars and mezzanines. We'd both been collecting machinery and some how, each had what the other was missng. He, a table saw, me a band saw and drill presses. Him a spindle sander, bar clamps, me a bunch of Routers, bits, guitar body, finger board and headstock templates, a small stash of Exotic Woods, etc. 

Having grown up surrounded by Musician Friends in Portcredit, On. and having befriended many of the Award Winning Peterborough Alumni Musicians while attending Techical Engineering Classes from Sir Sanford Flemming College, the Shop began to get busy! We became invited Members of an organization based out of the U.S.A. called A.S.i.A. (American Stringed Istrument Artisans) via Bryan and Susan Gallop of The Gallop School of Luthery. This introduced us to the World of Legendary International Micro Luthiers and various supportive Parts, Tool and Lacquer supply Manufacturing Companies. This helped establish the foundation of our Manufacturing, Restoration work for the next 29yrs. Master Luthier Dave Fox joined the party at the end of 2011 to help Manage the shop as I was offered a year long World Tour gig with a wee band from Ireland named The Cranberries. He found a Great Church, fell in Love and never left! ...To be continued...

Where I Got Started

Wayne "The Handsome Liar" O'Connor began playing guitar religiously at ten years of age, built his first guitar by thirteen. With the help and encouragement from his beloved Parents Madeline and Bill, tutoridge by his Older "Guru Hippy" Record Collecting, Harmonica Player/Singer/Performer Brother, James "The Animal" O'Connor, his Musical education Flourished!

For the next 50 odd years, through various career adventures and interests, from building/modifying Drag Racing Engines(@Active Engines) to Restoring Vintage Muscle Cars and Fabricating Custom Rigid Framed Harley Davidson Motorcycles, to working as a Graphic Artist, Cabinetmaker of Early American Furniture and an apprentice Luthier gig at FBass(fbass.com), he continued to practice, jam, tour and record with as many Talented Musicians/ Bands as possible. He Studied Technical Engineering/Computer Design at College and learned and taught ASL Sign Language while doing a five year stint at a Sheltered Work Shop for the Handicap...