Les Stansell makes his living on the South Oregon Coast creating guitars. He also tracks down, purchases, mills, re-saws and sells the highest quality Port Orford Oregon White Cedar (Lawson Cypress).

Instrument building is the ultimate in woodworking, and in my opinion the Flamenco Guitar is the ultimate in beauty, design, and function.  My goal is to build light, and powerful, to allow the natural character of the woods and the players to realize their full potential."
 

Les studied under Anthony Huvard at the Northwest School of Instrument Design in, Seattle, 1978-79, and again with Huvard in Skykomish, Washington, 1981.  A 1999 interview with Les is featured on Anthony's Famous Guitarmaker's Internet Site.

In 1982, Les and his wife Mary, founded the "Pistol River Concert Association." Over the years they have hosted many great guitarists, including Oscar Lopez, Martin Simpson, Beppe Gambetta, Chuck Pyle, Norman Blake, Chris Proctor, Eric Tingstad, Ed Gerhard, Joseph Thompson, Brooks Williams, Dan Crary, Tony Rice, William Coulter, Brian Gore, Peppino D'Agostino, Antonio Calogero, Alex DeGrassi and Mark Taylor. 

Member of ASIA, (Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans), GAL (Guild of American Luthiers), NCAL (Northern California Association of Luthiers), and JCGS (Jefferson Classic Guitar Society), and Luthiers Consortium/NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)
 

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Read the review about Stansell Guitars

on Guitar Nation 

and a recent interview at Guitarbench