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 …
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 …
Continue reading “James Taylor presents Jim Olson with a “One Man Band” RIAA Plaque”
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 …
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 …
