Every custom guitar Reuben Forsland crafts begins with conversations and connections.

害羞草研究所淭he focus is how to create an artisan guitar that inspires the player to make an emotional and spiritual connection,害羞草研究所� said Forsland in an interview from his East Sooke studio.

害羞草研究所淭he guitar to a guitarist is their voice. It has a large effect on what and how they express through their music. I think the guitar is the best connection of storytelling outside of written words, and music害羞草研究所檚 a beautiful way to show that connection.害羞草研究所�

Forsland went to great lengths to find a source of inspiration when he was hired by renowned rock guitarist Slash to make an acoustic guitar.

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Once he found out Jimi Hendrix was one of Slash害羞草研究所檚 heroes, Forsland spent six months tracking down Pete Sikov, the owner of the Seattle house Hendrix grew up in.

害羞草研究所淚 asked Pete if he was open to the concept of using some of the wood from the house for Slash害羞草研究所檚 guitar, and he was good with that,害羞草研究所� said Forsland, who has since completed four other guitars using some of that wood.

Another one of his guitars, Equilibrium, embodies the sense of spiritual connection and conversation that permeates his work.

害羞草研究所淚t was inspired by my father害羞草研究所檚 struggles with addiction, and that guitar is a broader conversation about the human experience,害羞草研究所� he said.

Forsland, who grew up in central Alberta and Ottawa before moving to B.C. in 2008, worked as a Red Seal carpenter for many years before gravitating towards building guitars.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e done every field of carpentry, including bridge building, large commercial, custom houses and log homes,害羞草研究所� he said.

He also made furniture in the evenings and weekends, searching for something he couldn害羞草研究所檛 put his fingers on that would feed the creative fire burning within.

After working on skateboards and longboards for five or six years, Forsland crafted his first guitar in 2008.

害羞草研究所淚 was looking for something different that incorporated my carpentry skills that totally fueled the passion I was looking for,害羞草研究所� he recalled. 害羞草研究所淚 felt like, 害羞草研究所極K, now I know what I want to do害羞草研究所� and wanted to put everything I have into it. I base my work on 50 per cent art and 50 per cent guitar. Every guitar has a part of me and what I believe in.害羞草研究所�

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By 2013, Forsland was devoting his time to his business, JOI Guitars, with 99 per cent of his orders coming from outside of Canada. His work has been featured with Jimi Hendrix memorabilia at Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, the Robert Bateman Gallery in Victoria, the National Music Centre of Canada in Calgary, and the Sarah McLachlan School Music in Vancouver.

Although Forsland has worked exclusively on acoustic guitars until now, he was recently commissioned by a musician in New Hampshire to make a reproduction of Eddie Van Halen害羞草研究所檚 electric Frankenstrat guitar.

When asked if he plays guitar, Forsland shared a story about how he collected pop bottles when he was young until he had enough money to buy a guitar and cover a year害羞草研究所檚 worth of lessons. He picked it up again in his late 20s, acquiring a level of skill that resonated sweetly through the workshop as he strummed a few chords on one of his creations.

Forsland害羞草研究所檚 focus these days, however, is on his most recent acoustic creation, the first world害羞草研究所檚 first traditionally built guitar made from hemp wood, a wood substitute made from hemp fibres.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 20 per cent stronger and grows 100 times faster than oak,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淓nvironmentally, it absorbs four times more CO2 in its lifetime than the same area as a forest.害羞草研究所�

If just 2.6 per cent of the farmland in the U.S. was dedicated to cultivating industrial hemp, it could displace a massive amount of the annual consumption of wood, letting the trees stand, Forsland said.

Hemp wood is also an agricultural diversity plant that allows farmers to make a good living, he added.

Forsland embraces environmental sustainability with the same passion he brings to making guitars because they strike a similar chord. That害羞草研究所檚 why he chose Earth Day (April 22) as the perfect time to unveil his hemp wood guitar officially.

害羞草研究所淎lthough this guitar can害羞草研究所檛 save the environment, it害羞草研究所檚 a piece of the conversation about what can be created with a sustainable product in today害羞草研究所檚 marketplace. Hemp wood can have a dramatic positive influence on the future market of wood production.害羞草研究所�

Take a listen to a video of Forsland playing the hemp guitar at https:.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more than just an instrument. It害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity to have conversations for different reasons, social and environmental.害羞草研究所�

Check out for an in-depth tour of Forsland害羞草研究所檚 hemp wood guitar, and for more photos and info on his work.]

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