Generations of Exceptional
Craftsmanship
Robbie McIntosh
Robbie’s vast knowledge of wood informs his craft.
My first woodworking projects were under the supervision of my father who renovated the old house I grew up in. I learned to use his tools, all my summer jobs were in the building trades, and after studying architecture in college (RPI ‘73) I traveled in Europe and was inspired by the fine woodwork I saw. I wanted to use my talents as a designer and a craftsman, so I began making furniture and cabinets.
For two decades I built up my shop and honed my skills and knowledge of wood craft. In 1993, my daughter Annika declared that she wished she could play the bass. Her wish proved to be the catalyst of events that led me to my new career as a bass luthier, beginning with my apprenticeship with Lou DiLeone.
Lou and I spoke the same language – of tools, jigs, wood, and glue. And we both enjoyed inventing the right tool for the job at hand: strong repairs that maximize the tone of the instrument. Lou gave me much more than the techniques and tools of the trade; he taught me about the soul of the bass and the important role a luthier plays in a bassist’s life.
In October 2021 my workbench was full of repair work and I asked my daughter Helen, whose blossoming career as a chef had been shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic, if she would help me. She agreed, and since then Helen has become much more than a helper, bringing her work ethic, edge tool skills, discernment, and creative passion to our shop.
Robbie’s handmade basses have received numerous awards and are played by bassists around the world. Robbie lives with his wife, Bliss White McIntosh, in their handmade house that is a short walk along a forested path from the bass shop. They play music together and, over the past half-century, have built a homestead and small farm together. Bliss is a fiddle player, craftsperson, and gardener and has hosted many a bass player for lunch.
Helen McIntosh
Helen’s work has always been led by her hands.
I began my apprenticeship in the family bass lutherie shop in my hometown of Cambridge, NY in 2021. I have always been a craftsperson, whether with wood, food, silver, gardens, or tape, paper and found materials. As a child I learned traditional Abenaki black ash splint basketry from my mother and woodworking from my father. I set myself up on finish carpentry projects for my wooden sailboat and replaced all the fake wood in my VW camper bus with book-matched curly maple veneer. I completed culinary school in 2012 while living aboard a sailboat, and went on to lead culinary teams until 2020. My tenure as a chef was spent honing a different kind of craft, but it has been a smooth transition to working in the bass shop. Under the watchful eye of my father I am developing my skills as a maker and restorer.
Carving a bass is technical, but also organic and done by feel (much like cooking!). I find carving the beautiful shapes of a bass so satisfying and I like that the work is always changing. The care and precision of each step can result in the creation of something magnificent and greater than the sum of its parts, maybe (or definitely) even with soul. My dad is a true master and has taught me to have reverence for each part of the process, from finding a tree, sawing it, and seasoning the wood, to making specialty tools and jigs for precision work and cooking resin for months at a time to make our own varnish.
The privilege of learning the trade from my father, just as his mentor, Lou DiLeone, learned from his father, is not lost on me. It is such a thrilling experience to connect with him over our shared love of bass work and to work with luthiers and bass players from around the world.
Helen McIntosh, with guidance from her father, Robbie McIntosh, has completed several major restoration projects and built three new basses: two completely handmade and one travel bass with pre-carved plates. Her first handmade bass won a silver medal for tone in the 2023 International Society of bassists' makers competition. Her latest instrument is featured in the 2024 Celebrating Women Luthiers International Exhibit.
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