Raymond is no stranger to the world of lutherie. After a notable apprenticeship with Ervin Somogyi, he established a reputation for building optimally responsive guitars with clean, captivating, minimalistic design.  After many years working in Eugene, OR, Raymond moved to the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. There he and his family are building their own custom shop, house, rainwater harvesting system, and desert-preserving property. This closeness to the land inspired the name Derrio Wood Company, named for the nearby canyon. 

His 20+ years in the business now allow him to give back to the community of luthiers through his passion for tooling design and wood sourcing. He is currently working directly with machinists to produce one-of-a-kind lutherie tooling made right here in Arizona.

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photo by Taylor Noel