Remembering Luthier George Gorodnitski
The pre Y2K 90’s era before the GuitarViol
Yesterday, I learned of the passing of George Gorodnitski. An hour earlier, my cinematographer friend Terry handed me a DVD copy of an old VHS he rescued. It was a tape called “Beside the still waters” recorded in 1999 by my actor friend Thom Barry. I used to sell these at gigs of the day and was still playing the early 90’s Arpeggione; a collaboration between myself and a Latvian Master guitar builder named George Gorodnitski. At the dawn of the 1990’s, I was chomping at the bit to build a modern Arpeggione and make a go as a recording artist with it. In those days, I used to receive the Stewart McDonald “Stu-Mac” guitar supply catalog in the mail. One particular issue featured a man who had recently arrived from the USSR after the Berlin wall came down. Pan ahead a few months, I was between cars and taking a public bus. Sitting across the aisle from me was a man who had a guitar pick up in his hand. Turned out he was the same guy I read about in the Stuart McDonald catalog! (what are the chances?) We exchanged numbers and soon I went to his apartment to see his work. I told him about this Arpeggione project I was embarking on and he proposed that we do it together. Naturally I was excited to have a master builder comrade in this venture! (in my mid-20’s back then).
As things unfolded, I was helping him get his guitars out there and we shared a vision of developing a new guitar company! Through some other acquaintances, I met a lady who was producing a charity event with the rock band Rush. She asked me if we would be willing to make Alex a guitar and it seemed like a great opportunity to introduce George’s work to the world and the arpeggione would eventually be made. The build and meeting was arranged! At the time he was going through cultural shock (or at least transition). He came from A communist USSR where having your own business would get you sent to Siberia (or worse!). He told me many stories of the KGB harassing him over having magazines with their “enemy’s language” and having two cars when most people had to go on a long wait just to get one. They suspected he had a lucrative side hustle. Indeed, The hardware on his guitars had to be made in secret at military factories under the table. To go from that to The United States of America and free enterprise was a very big deal! Even being able to easily acquire simple materials and guitar making hardware would get him choked up!
George was a true master! What he accomplished under oppressive circumstances in the USSR what is the talk of the Guild of American Luthiers conventions of the early 90s. I never went but those but the articles are worth a read! Talking to a colleague a few hours ago, I heard even more tales of him making watches! His work was so impressive that I was baffled whenever he made A copy of a Gibson (for no good reason). His original designs were His best. One particular model pattern he made was the Cremona. Guess what? The Cremona had its origins in the Arpeggione project! The body styling is identical! It was an improvement on my Arpeggione drawings of the day. As things turned out, CC DeVille and Wes Borland had examples of those before the first arpeggione was complete! (Another story, taking it for the team….).
As things went throughout the rest of the 1990s, I was sorting out some life issues and pretty much soured off the idea of starting a guitar company. (My wife encouraged me, in the late 90’s, to “build those instruments” - but I was too grumpy). On the other hand I was actively playing that Cremona styled arpeggione! George and I remained somewhat in touch and sometimes he wanted me to sell his guitars for him. In the late 90s I worked at Sam Ash and he thought I would be better off as a broker selling his and other high-end guitars. (Perhaps). At one point, he wanted me to sell a few Les Paul copies which I was not thrilled about. His original designs, particularly his Jazz archtops were great, and thought those LP’s were a waste of talent! I learned of (gasp) another arpeggione he secretly built (not pleased). As things went, I eventually distanced myself from George around Y2K and retreated to make my own Arpeggione; deliberately departing from any semblance of his work. The TogaMan GuitarViol you know today. Somewhere in 2003 George paid a visit to the store I worked at Cassells Music to buy some guitar supplies and pick up a CDR of some music I recorded on the Arpeggione we collaborated with years prior. He was aware of my new instruments and apparently impressed by my website he assumed was another company making them for me! Shocked that I was making them myself! We just sort of drifted apart over time and I did notice that his website no longer had the “J. Wilson” model designation (though that original one is still there!)
Years passed and part of me missed my old friend with the Russian accent “Nyet” “Zeeeeece ease Fecking Airrrrrrt!!!!” whilst taking photos of his instruments in the sun. Though our relations were complicated, I prefer to remember the good stuff and am grateful to God that we crossed paths on that RTD bus back in 91.
RIP dear old friend! My condolences to Tim, Lilia, and Natalie!
Jonathan 7/20/2024
