It's the guitar man

The guitar has easily got to be one of the most versatile musical instruments around. Capable of producing anything from a romantic strumming, to powerful heavy metal chords, to sassy Spanish tunes and many more, its musical credentials are unlimited. To be able to play this instrument is a gift...but to be able to produce guitars? Now that is a whole other story!

One gifted young man was ready to tell us exactly how he goes about carrying out this feat when we met him on Christmas eve. For D.K. Jayantha Kumara (27), a good-natured guy with a ready smile all throughout our chat, this complicated procedure seemed like a piece of cake.

Producing both box guitars and electric guitars, Jayantha had first tried his hand at it about one and half years ago. "I saw a friend's box guitar and felt like I should try making one on my own. So I looked at it carefully and got an idea about its intricacies," he explained adding that the most vital factor when making a guitar was to get all of its measurements correct.

Showing us specimens of his already completed creations hanging on his bedroom wall, he talked us through the entire process of how a few pieces of wood and other specific parts transform into the elegant instrument. "I first draw out a block of the guitar on cardboard, to use when cutting out the required pieces of wood. I generally use mahogany wood for the arm of the guitar, while I use a piece of lunimidella, about two inches thick, for the body."

Using a hand saw, he then cuts out the pieces of wood and then uses a grinder to perfect its shape. "When cutting out the wood, you have to get the exact number of millimeters when it comes to its measurements." Using sandpaper to smoothen the wood and spray-painting it, he gives the guitar its final touches. He needs to buy the parts he requires for the instrument from specific places dealing with musical instruments, for instance wires and strings. Adding that the cost for these parts were quite high, taking into account the time and effort that goes into producing the instruments, it's quite a feat!

Doing wiring and electrical jobs on a professional basis, Jayantha balances out his job and his pastime cum business, quite successfully. Working with his friend who is an electrician, they carry out all electrical undertakings required by engineering companies and other customers. "My friend Sampath who I work with is the one who makes me the circuits needed for the electric guitars I make." Coming from a family of six, he studied at Sapugaskanda Maha Vidyalaya. "I started working as soon as I stopped schooling after my O/Ls, but I still regret not continuing my higher studies."

Having produced more than 10 guitars up to date, Jayantha sells his finished products to a music store close to his house. He explains that depending on whether the guitar is a bass or lead/rhythm, the units required differ, and accordingly, so do the requirements for the instruments. "For instance the arm of a bass guitar is longer than others, so you have to keep such details in mind when you are assembling it," he said, adding that he takes about two weeks to complete one guitar. Rounding up our chat, Jayantha requested musicians to give local producers a chance. "Maybe the guitars that I make for instance lack the finesse you see in imported instruments, but the standard is pretty much the same. I'm working on refining my finish, and am confident that it will improve. So all I'm saying is to just to give young local producers like myself a chance," he said.

For all those interested in purchasing guitars from this talented young individual, contact him on 072-3354353 or call at his home at 383/2, Makola South, Makola. Sampath can be contacted on 078-5103564.