Dena

Makerspace Classes He Teaches: 3D printing, Laser etching, Vinyl Cutting
Matt moved to Albuquerque in August of 2014 in order to return to school, and ended up getting a job at the CNM STEMulus Center as a student employee, which also housed the beginnings of the FUSE Makerspace.
Matt was living in New York and decided it was time to go back to school. He researched many cities and schools to find an affordable place to live while pursuing has education and found Albuquerque and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). He was involved in FUSE Makerspace since it grew from a few 3D printers at the STEMulus Center, to the workshop at CNM’s Main Campus, and now at its new location at Innovate ABQ.
“As the space grew I began to recognize equipment I had seen in tours of guitar factories. Guitars have always been my passion and since I was a teenager; I was the one doing repairs and modifications on them for other local musicians. Now I had the opportunity to make my own guitars, amps, effects, etc.”
Matt began collaborating with other members of FUSE, particularly those who knew more about CAD, to start Route 66 Guitar Works, and soon found that other people wanted to make their own guitars as well.
“Our first big seller was a series of guitar templates which allowed anyone to make their own guitar with tools the likely had in their garage.”
They’ve also made vintage inspired guitars that are modular and can easily be customized with modern electronics, neck shape and a variety of preferences. They’ve also made vacuum tube amplifiers at a price point less than other builders and are very durable to stand up to the demands of working musicians.
“I am currently working on a series of fuzz pedals, a classic guitar effect that can be heard on thousands of recordings, that use new old stock parts in order to get the most accurate to original sound with the benefits of modern construction.”
Matt co-owns this business with a few other local makers.