Meet the Team
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Steve Uhrik
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Peter Kohman -
George Aslaender -
Shira Goldberg -
Jacob Matheus Drab -
Lea Jaffe -
Mark Dobbyn -
Harry Bolles -
Jason Marshall -
Amy Mills -
Barry Clyde -
Glendon Jones -
Margarita Matlala
Retrofret Vintage Guitars began as a repair shop started by owner and head luthier, Steven Uhrik. An early fascination with woodworking, electronics and the technology behind musical instrument construction led him into the world of guitar building and repair while still in high school. Over the years, the business grew and took off in unexpected ways. "Clients would occasionally come in and ask me to help sell their old instruments that they had socked away. Sometimes I would buy a piece to refurbish and put up for sale," Uhrik recalled. By the 1990s we were acquiring instruments to repair and resell on a regular basis, and started casually displaying some of them.
The Brooklyn shop has brought together a dedicated staff of musicians, technicians, historians, luthiers and sales associates. We hope you'll get acquainted with some us through the web site - or even better, stop by our showroom and meet us in person.
Steven Uhrik
A native Brooklynite, Steve got his start building guitars in high school shop class. By the late 1970s, he had his own small repair shop in SoHo and had become a much sought-after luthier due to his focus on vintage guitar restoration. As the popularity of his shop grew, Steve started to include instrument sales along with the repairs. In 1983, the business found a new home, and Retrofret was born.
His favorite guitar is a Wilkanowski arch-top — or any guitar that one might find in Area 51.
Peter Kohman
A regular contributor to Vintage Guitar Magazine, Peter has been collecting, buying, and selling vintage instruments since the age of 17. Before Retrofret, he ran the Manhattan music shop Mojo Music and played in bands; he still gigs sometimes with his bands Special Pillow and The Headless Horseman.
His favorite guitar is his White Burns Bison.
George Aslaender
A Queens native, George graduated from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. At Retrofret, he manages social media and photographs all of our instruments.
His favorite guitar is a Gibson Super 400.
Shira Goldberg
With over 10 years in the business, Shira has helped hundreds of people find instruments to love. Originally from upstate New York, she is an active songwriter in the New York community.
Her favorite guitars are Harmony Stratotones and set-neck Guyatones from the late 50's.
Jacob Matheus Drab
Jacob is a Parisian-born Polish guitarist and composer brought up in Lillestrom, Norway. At Retrofret, he does a little bit of everything: from assisting customers, to guitar demos and amp maintenance. When he's not at the shop, he is most likely out high-fiving his friends or playing a show with one of his many musical projects in Brooklyn.
His favorite guitar is his 1934 Epiphone Broadway
Lea Jaffe
Lea is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from Wilmington, North Carolina. She spends her time at Retrofret sourcing inventory, producing the shop's audio/video footage, and sealing deals. Lea spends her personal time juggling an eclectic array of musical projects ranging from riot grrrl to black metal to bluegrass.
Her favorite guitars are her 1967 Sonic Blue Fender Jaguar, and Travis Beans.
Amy Mills
An enthusiast of Japanese fashion and Victorian ephemera, Amy grew up in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. She works in the repair shop and assists with graphic design and photography, and is the one to ask about brass instruments.
Her favorite guitar is her Burns Double Six.
Harry Bolles
An avid baseball fan, Harry can often be seen sporting the colors of his favorite team, the Oakland A's. As a technician in our repair shop, he specializes in set-ups, fretwork, fabrication, and structural repair. He is also Retrofret’s resident amateur magician and toured Europe in the band Jug Free America.
His favorite guitar is his Oahu Jumbo.
Jason Marshall
With over 25 years' experience in fine woodworking and instrument repair, Jason specializes in structural repairs, touch-ups, cosmetic work, and neck sets on the more esoteric instruments in the Retrofret repair shop.
His favorite guitar is his Orpheum President Archtop.
Mark Dobbyn
A student of African-style guitar, Mark is a repair technician that specializes in neck sets, refrets, and other complex projects.
His favorite guitar is a Harmony Sovereign.
Barry Clyde
Raised in Fullerton, California, Barry has been playing guitar for the past ten years, with an emphasis on traditional American folk music. At Retrofret, Barry plays the role of receptionist and head of inventory maintenance. Whenever Barry is not changing strings or assisting customers in the shop, he is usually seen socializing or performing at the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music. His favorite guitar is his Martin 000X1.
Glendon Jones
Shipping Manager
Margarita Matlala
Margarita Matalda is our maintenance manager. She is a member of the We Can Do It Co-op, a women-owned, women-run business designed to create living wage jobs that are carried out in a safe and healthy environment while also promoting social support and educational opportunities for its members.