I think of myself at least as much as a designer as I do a luthier or teacher. I started out building to satisfy my need for instruments that did not exist. My main interest is still designing instruments to fulfill a need not already being met by either another company or independent luthier. Starting when I was 14 I started designing for my friends, some of whom attempted to build them. In 1969 I designed my first real breakthrough, a Fretless Electric Upright Bass that could be played on a strap to allow freedom of movement. In 1969 there were virtually no fretless basses, EUBs (a term I coined in my 1975 brochure), or wearable, moveable uprights. In the nineties I designed an electric upright bass for Goodwin Guitars. In the mid-eighties I began a five-year contract designing for IMC, at the time the largest manufacturer of guitars in the world. I am currently designing for Fender FMIC, for Fender Acoustic and Jackson Guitars. Here are a few instruments I have designed that I feel are aesthetically, functionally, and musically innovative.
Ultralight Jackson AntiGravity Bass, five pounds! Chambered Spruce body, Madagascar Rosewood Fingerboard
Electric Upright Bass designed for Fender Acoustic, Magnetic/Piezo and Adjustable support arm; handcarved scroll
Support arm, control panel, custom built pickup
Arm, stand, string attachment
I'll be adding pictures of my designs for other companies, so keep checking back with me.
Fleishman Instruments 1533 Welter Ct. Sebastopol, CA 95472 USA guitars@sbcglobal.net 707-823-3537
