Mike Marcovis knows a thing or two about craftsmanship, attention to detail and serving the customer. He learned that working at the family-owned business of G&L Clothing Co. But those skills also serve him well when it comes to his other work - making custom-built guitars.

"It's a passion, not a job," says Marcovis, who turned 23 years old on Christmas Day. "I feel happy helping a person get the guitar they've always wanted."

Since childhood, Marcovis has been fascinated with guitars. He began playing them in fifth grade, channeling his enthusiasm for the instrument through a series of rock bands since he was a student at Valley High School. During his senior year he even entertained thoughts of studying at the Berkley School of Music. But his career plans changed one day after visiting with a local guitar-maker about the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, Ariz., arguably the country's finest institution for professional guitar building and repair.

"Something clicked and I knew that's what I wanted to do," he says. "I've always been creative and enjoyed tinkering with things, so it seemed like a good fit."

Marcovis says the intense six-month, $12,000 program at Roberto-Venn tested his mettle to become a guitar-maker. Fresh out of high school and the youngest student there, he spent 50 hours a week attending hands-on classes led by some of the most renowned guitar builders in the world. To graduate, he had to build both an electric and acoustic guitar.

"It was a lot of work and they make you be as creative as you possibly can be," he says. "They taught me that you'll never make the perfect guitar, but you'll learn how to get better."

That important lesson, Marcovis says, is what motivates him to keep building guitars. A self-described "wood freak," he spends hours scouring the Internet for quality wood to build his axes. His "Marcovis Guitars," which take two to six months to build, sell for $1,200 to $3,000. They are a hybrid of body styles by Fender, Gibson and Paul Reed Smith, but they have subtle signatures to them, including elaborate electric schemes for different sound options, uniquely shaped headstocks and brilliant finishes.

"I took things I liked about certain guitars and tweaked them," he says. "I use
different thicknesses of woods and different things for design and inlays on the necks and it works. I kind of got lucky with it because they have their own tone."

Unlike most of his classmates, though, Marcovis did not pursue employment by two of the world's largest guitar manufacturer's - Fender and Gibson. Instead, he returned to Des Moines to work for the family business and hone his skills, making a handful of custom guitars each year.

"I liked the artistic freedom and working on a guitar every step of the way," he says. "And I wanted to keep the family tradition with the store. Making guitars is a hobby, but it could turn into something else."

There was a time when Marcovis says he wasn't sure he was going to have the opportunity to pursue his passion for making guitars. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The tumor later spread to his stomach, but was stopped after chemotherapy treatments. During his recovery, he built a high-end guitar for himself, noting the process was therapeutic.

"I kept it for that reason," he says. "It has a lot of mojo."

Marcovis says his bout with cancer gave him a new outlook on life, too.
"You learn to pick and choose your life," he says. "And you don't take things for granted."

His newfound zest for life is reflected by his hectic schedule. In addition to his work, he is getting married next spring and about a month ago he joined The Horseshoe Spatulas, a local rock band. The group recently recorded its debut album in Minneapolis, "Who's Next on the Doomsday Parade?" and contributed a track to the upcoming "Under the MICroscope: Volume One" mix tape compilation featuring 25 local acts. In addition to playing and building guitars, he augments his income by repairing them as well as amplifiers and other guitar equipment.

"As of now, the guitar isn't a main source of income," he says. "But I get a lot of enjoyment out of it." - Michael Swanger CV

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