Between the Strings
It was the last straw, the one that broke the camel’s back. I won’t say it precipitated a nervous breakdown, but I was probably just this side of it as I stood in the shower and cried. Only moments before, I had finished a guitar for a customer in England. A high-end guitar with a …
The adventure of a lifetime!
In March of 2015, I had the adventure of a lifetime! It began when I was planning a trip to visit my friends Bob Taylor (to tour their new Mexican facility), and also to visit with Doug Shane (to tour The Space Ship Company) . Doug is now the President of Richard Branson’s space tourism …
James Taylor presents Jim Olson with a “One Man Band” RIAA Plaque
Jim was recently honored when he was presented with an RIIA plaque from James Taylor. The award was to commemorate RIAA Certified Gold record sales for the Hear Music compact disc “One Man Band. It was so unexpected and probably undeserved… but so greatly appreciated. Thank you James! It will be proudly displayed at Olson …
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Jim's Visit to Scaled Composites
On September 29th, 2004, Jim and friend Kevin Ryan witnessed the launch of SpaceShipOne in its quest for the 10 million dollar Ansari X-Prize. As guests of Doug Shane, Jim and Kevin were able to tour the facility at Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites within hours of the successful flight. Be sure to see the pictures …
A Tribute to Black Sky
These build photos are of a guitar that Jim made for Doug Shane, who at the time, was Burt Rutan’s right hand man and the lead test pilot for Scaled Composites. Doug has since moved on from Scaled Composites and is now the President of Richard Branson’s Space Ship Company. This guitar was inspired by …
Jim’s Desert Trip
In March of 2003, Jim was invited by Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars to take a three day trip to the Yuma Desert to ride “sport quads” in the many miles of sand dunes. Having no experience at this sort of thing, Jim was a bit like a “fish out of water” to start, but …
Crafted in Minnesota, Strummed Worldwide
Jim Olson is a woodworker, a visual artist, a machinist and an inventor who creates guitars of extraordinary quality in his Circle Pines workshop. By Jon Bream Star Tribune Staff Writer Introduction The Stradivari of acoustic guitars works and lives in Circle Pines. Think that’s just hometown hyperbole? Then take it from James Taylor, the …
Review: Jim Olson SJ “James Taylor”
The very model played by James Taylor finds its way into the grasp of our own Sweet Baby. By Neville Marten From Guitarist Magazine (UK) August 1998, pages 112-113 Build Quality At this price you expect perfection, and the Olson is certainly made with incredible attention to detail. The body uses some very walnut-coloured pieces …
