We heard whispers around the factory that Michael Dickinson had some of the best stories at Martin. So we went to find out for ourselves by interviewing Michael who is the Exotic and Sustainable Wood Buyer here at Martin Guitar. Take a look at what he has to say about his job.

MG: How long have you worked at Martin?

MD: September 4th marked my twenty third year of working here.

MG: What departments did you work in before you became the Exotic and Sustainable Wood?

MD: I started down at the Martin sawmill where we cut the logs. Then I went to the old factory on North Street where we had what was called the Wood Makers Dream. This is where we sold the wood that we cut at the sawmill. Then the laws began to change with exotic woods and that was when the Guitar Makers Connection was created. The Guitar Makers Connection is still around today and is where we sell guitar parts and kits for those who wish to build their own guitars. After 9 years there, I moved on to customer service where I was known as the resident guitar geek. A distributor from Ireland even nicknamed me the “Martin Oracle.” After that is when I moved onto buying exotic and sustainable wood.

MG: What is a typical day like as the Exotic and Sustainable Wood Buyer?

MD: First thing, I need a big cup of coffee! I start with checking inventory levels to check what we have and what we need. I then check the legality paper work of wood we have on order. I check what wood the custom shop needs so I can pull the wood for the tops of custom guitars. After all that I answer numerous emails and add in a few meetings. That’s basically my typical day except when I go on buying trips.

MG: What countries have you visited on your buying trips?

MD: Countries I’ve set foot in are Belize, Guatemala, Spain, Finland, Cameroon, The Republic of Congo, Morocco, and Tanzania.

MG: What do you do when you arrive in these countries?

MD: There are a lot of prearrangements made so someone is there to pick me up at the airport. Once I meet up with that person, we usually go to the jungle right away. My last trip I went on was to Cameroon. I was visiting the mills to see how they were processing the wood. So we drove around from mill to mill. Then I sat down with the management of the mill to talk about the legality.

MG: Do you study about the cultures before you travel?

MD: I study a little before I go. The first time they sent me to Guatemala I was really nervous because I didn’t speak Spanish for at least 20 years.

MG: Do you have a favorite story from one of your buying trips?

MD: This isn’t my favorite story but it’s the one everyone asks to hear. So I’m in the Republic of Congo and we are sitting on the airplane getting ready to leave and all of a sudden the airplane goes boom, boom. We look out and there is a huge mushroom cloud. Everyone on the airplane was like uh oh! because the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo sit right next to each other and although they were not fighting at the time, they have in the past. We all were thinking it was the beginning of a civil war. The airplane went boom, boom, boom a second time and another mushroom cloud goes up. Then there’s a knock on the plane door and a couple of men in uniform come to take everyone off the plane and rush us into this little corner.

What happened was an armory, where they make all the bullets and everything, had electric issues that caused an explosion and knocked out a six block area. This area was where most schools, churches, and embassies were. It completely devastated the area. Had we decided to take off a few seconds earlier, the explosion would have taken the plane down. It’s not my favorite story but everyone likes to hear how I came so close to death.

MG: What is your favorite type of wood you have purchased?

MD: I like wandoo wood. We use it on custom guitars only. I think it’s my favorite because I was at this sawmill about three hours away from the factory and it was stuck all the way in the back. As soon as I saw it I had to have it. It’s from Australia and is part of the eucalyptus family.

MG: Last question. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

MD: When I see a wood, like wandoo, that we’ve never used and it ends up on a finished product. When I walk through the custom shop or through final inspection and I see the wood that I bought on a guitar. It’s really pretty cool.