Sander of De Gier Guitars and Basses from Schiedam, The Netherlands, started as a luthiers apprentice. He has been building for 20+ years and produces approximately 40 instruments a year.
Why do you build instruments? Passion, I love doing it, I wouldn’t know anything else I’d rather do.
When did you start using Nordstrand Pickups? More or less right when Carey started. I can’t remember exactly how I learned of them, perhaps it was the bass makers forum.
Do you have a favorite Nordstrand Pickup? NP4v because it has a certain musicality that I like a lot. Some pickups are so hot that you can only play hot stuff with them. The NP4v allows you to play gentle and soulful as well as loud and dirty.
What do you believe are the most important factors in tone? Of course wood and electronics, the strings, and the fingers, but I have also learned over the years that looks and feel are important, in an indirect manner. Although the looks itself doesn’t contribute to actual tone, there is all sorts of stuff going on in the psyche of a musician that results in what or how he plays, and looks and feel has to do with it.
Do you play bass or guitar? Both, and learning T-sax.
What are your favorite materials to work with? Hmm I don’t really have favorites. I don’t like ebony that much, but other than that I’m ok with mostly anything.
Who are some of the top players for whom you have built instruments? I was privileged to build basses for Marcus Miller and Richard Bona. Glenn Gaddum Jr. has a few basses that I have built, one with DC‘s and one with NP4v. The latter is used in the demovideo for my Soulmate model. Henny Vrienten has a BeBop with NJ4′s. Marius Goldhammer has a Soulmate with NP5v, to name a few.
Learn more about Sander and De Gier Guitars and Basses on his website.
