ABOUT IRIS GUITARS
IRIS GUITAR COMPANY
1891 Williston Road, Suite 19, South Burlington VT 05403
Phone: 802-495-0893
Email: adam@irisguitarcompany.com
christina@circlestrings.com
Established in 2018 as a division of Circle Strings, Iris Guitar Company is a small team of highly skilled and seasoned luthiers who are dedicated to building a modern instrument that captures vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics. Iris guitars are handmade using a combination of state of the art techniques and old world craftsmanship. The model line represents our interpretation of depression era flattops, admired guitars from the mid century, and are meant to serve the everyday musician. For this, we have taken measures to provide an instrument that is simple, reliable, and elegant all at an affordable price point. In fact, you're probably going to want two Iris guitars at this rate.
THE IRIS TEAM
ADAM BUCHWALD • FOUNDER, PRINCIPal LUTHIER
My passion for instruments goes beyond building and repair work. As a working musician, who plays banjo, mandolin and guitar, I understand what a musician ultimately wants to get out of their instrument.
After studying with Bob Jones in Brooklyn NY, one of the most respected and talented luthiers in the country, I felt confident enough to take on my own clients and start Circle Strings. I was very fortunate to have Bob right next to me while I worked on my early repairs.
For over two years I was head repairman at Retrofret in Brooklyn NY with Steve Uhrik, Peter Kohman, and Jason Petty. Working with them gave me the opportunity to repair and restore some of the world's most valuable and rare instruments. It was there that I built some of my first guitars while having all of the vintage pieces, broken and playable, that I was able to study from. I worked on everything from a soprano ukulele to a Ernie Ball Earthwood bass. It was an amazing time.
VT was calling me, and raising a family in NYC was not what I wanted. I was offered a position to teach guitar building and repair at Vermont Instruments and moved up North. I spent a few years teaching and building/repairing on the side.
I then worked at Froggy Bottom Guitars and learned so much about guitar building, dedication to a craft, hard work, and most importantly, myself.
DALE FAIRBANKS • FOUNDER, PRINCIPal LUTHIER
Dale has been too busy to submit his own bio, so we’ve culled these quotes and tidbits from around the web to give you a little more insight into the man, the myth, the legend: Dale Fairbanks.
”Dale’s work is inspired by the great vintage designs of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. He specializes in painstakingly crafted replicas of Gibson, Larson Brothers, Oscar Schmidt, and Regal models, drawing upon his years of experience as a specialist repairman. He mission is to take the
early designs from the golden age of the American guitar and make them as good - if not better - than the old designs.”
According to the North American Guitar Company, “a Fairbanks guitar feels like an instrument that is already the best part of 100 years old. His guitars are extremely light, resonant and his finish work is superb.”
In Dale’s own words: “I strive to reproduce the visual and aural mojo that these instruments have in spades, using traditional tonewoods and construction techniques - and, occasionally, the downright weird and always cool stylistic details that set these guitars apart.”
WILLIAM HYLTON • chief cnc wizard
William Hylton has been using CAD and CNC technologies professionally for the past 15 years. Over this time, he's had the privilege of working with hundreds of luthiers throughout the industry, providing professional design and manufacturing insight to beginners and top-tier luthiers alike. In June of 2019, William joined forces with the Circle Strings team to provide them with the same professional expertise and skill set in the ever-evolving CNC technology field. William is dead set in helping the company grow and has become an key part of the day-to-day operations at Circle Strings, Iris Guitars, and Allied Lutherie.
jay brown • production MANAGER
Jay Brown has spent the last 26 years in the woodworking and music industry. After attending the Leeds guitar making school in the mid 90's in Massachusetts, Jay set out to study music in California where he ended up getting his first production woodworking job at Roe and Company furniture maker. From there his travels and music took him to Austin and Houston, Texas where he worked for El Dorado Woodworks, Winn Wittman architecture, and Collings Guitars. After moving to Vermont with his wife and three kids, he found his way to Iris Guitars where he works in the body build department.
christina gates • director of operations
Christina got her start in the acoustic guitar world as the Purchasing Manager for Santa Cruz Guitar Company. During her four years at SCGC, she forged strong connections with artists, dealers and vendors within the industry, which led her to meeting Adam through his luthier supply company, Allied Lutherie.
October 2021, Christina made the trek to Vermont and accepted an offer from Adam to assist in supporting the integral areas of this fast-growing company. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations, she handles sales, bookkeeping and customer service for not only Iris Guitar, but the affiliate companies as well, including Circle Strings, Fairbanks Guitars and Allied Lutherie.
While she is the only person in a guitar shop that doesn’t actually play, she appreciates the artistry of the craft and admires the skill behind each build. Maybe one of these days she’ll pick up a guitar and learn a tune or two ;)
CHRISTIAN MCADAMS
Christian, a native of Burlington, NC, took a keen interest in music and art at an early age. As much as he enjoyed playing music, he found himself more interested in the mechanics and designs of stringed instruments, often taking things apart. In 2006, Christian graduated from The Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. Since then, Christian has worked for Collings Guitars and Ellis & Pava Mandolins where he dedicated his time towards mandolin construction and highly detailed finish work. Christian joined the Iris team in December 2020. At Iris he is hands-on with assembly, neck shaping, and finish work and also oversees high-end production for Adams line of Circle Strings guitars. The Iris RCM-000 is named after Christian too!
storm gates • head of set up
Originally from Upstate NY, Storm moved to California in 2015 where he began his lutherie career at Santa Cruz Guitar Company. Throughout his 7 years at SCGC he primarily managed the Finish department, where he refined and mastered each process, but also gained extensive experience in neck-carves, set-ups and repair work, including Plek services. Deciding it was time for a change of scenery and wanting to be closer to family on the East coast, Storm moved to Burlington, VT in 2021 and knew he wanted to continue lutherie with Iris Guitar. Storm manages the Set Up department, personally working on the high-end (Circle & Fairbanks) guitars, and also assists with service and repair.
And yes, that’s his real name.
AUDREY ARAZOZA • head of build
Audrey grew up in China Spring, TX but found herself waiting tables in Austin after studying photography and sculpture. While serving, a customer who worked at Collings Guitars encouraged her to apply. While she had no inkling of building guitars, her background lent itself to the craftsmanship required. Learning on the job, she worked with them for 12 years, culminating with a department lead position building the Waterloo line. During the pandemic, she spent another year building to high standards with Ellis and Pava mandolins until Adam and Vermont came calling to put it all towards Iris.
She and her husband Andy joined the team in February 2022, so anything before then is not their fault, okay?
Andy arazoza • head of finish
Andy Arazoza is a jack of all trades and master of one, having sprayed and sanded finish for 10,042 hours and counting. After completing the master program at Galloup School of Lutherie, Andy returned to his home state of Texas to finish mandolins at “Collings Guitars AND MANDOLINS.” Followed by a two year stint as most of the finish department for Moniker, Andy dove into the world of commercial beer brewing at 35. It’s basically the same thing.
And just when he thought he was out, Adam pulled him back in with an offer he couldn’t refuse.
WILL EHSTER
Will’s older brother leaves a basement full of guitars and gear when he moves out.
Will proceeds to take all those guitars apart so he can figure out how they work.
Will realizes he will have to put the guitars back together.
Will goes to the Red Wing luthier program where he learns to put guitars back together.
Around here is when Will realizes this is something he can actually do. Like, long term.
Will gets a job at Santa Cruz Guitar Co. where he spends a few years bending, bracing, building and binding guitar bodies (and riding bikes).
Now Will is here at Iris, happily making and fitting necks.
Will has still not fixed his brothers old guitars.
sean naimoli
Originally hailing from Wayne, PA, Sean came to Vermont in 2019 where he attended the University of Vermont and later earned a BA in Music Technology & Business with a minor in Math. As a musician himself, Sean is a fan of anything and everything that involves music. He is also an outdoorsman and ceramist who enjoys spending time outside and working with his hands as much as possible.
Sean joined Iris Guitar Company in late 2023 when he dove head first into the world of CNC operation and lutherie. He has been learning from and working under the watchful eye of the incredibly talented Chief CNC Wizard. Alongside The Wizard, Sean produces necks, bridges, fingerboards and other parts for Iris, Circle Strings, and Fairbanks Guitars, as well as any repairs that might come into Ben and Bucky’s.
WILLY WATSON
Born and raised among the foothills of the Green Mountains, a modest upbringing meant doing things oneself. From gardening and home repair to writing and playing guitar, Willy’s childhood was steeped in the ethic of handwork.
After earning degrees in English and Philosophy in 2013, Willy explored a number of career paths before becoming a stay-at-home father in 2016. During this time he began making furniture. In 2018, Willy re-entered the work force by joining “The Joinery,” honing his skills as a woodworker. Meanwhile, the natural intersection of his two passions hurtled toward their inevitable collision.
In 2023, Willy wrote Adam explaining how desperately he didn’t need a job. A desire to apply his skills as a woodworker and build instruments had finally overcome him.
That September, Willy joined the Iris Guitar Company. So far, he has yet to build a square guitar or put strings on his cabinets.
BEN KINTZLEY
Bio coming soon…
TYLER BOLLES
A lifelong New Englander, Tyler was born in Rhode Island, has roots in Maine, and grew up mostly in Vermont. He's been involved with the Vermont music scene for decades, and currently plays bass with local bands Swale and Rough Francis. His lutherie journey started with assisting Joseph Cleary in building his Campanella Stringed Instruments mandolins and violins. He has reluctantly repaired and maintained his own and friends' upright basses over the years, and feels fortunate to be learning new skills working with the knowledgeable crew at Iris.