Robert Carbonaro has been making guitars since the mid 1980s. His first mentor was Master Luthier Rodney Albin who had a workshop in San Francisco's Haight Street. Later on while living in Boston he studied with Viola de Gamba and violin maker Owen Shaw where he learned the process of carving tops and backs, and it was here that he made his first archtop. He went on to establish the Woodstock Guitar Shop. After running a full-time cabinet woodworking and guitar business for many years, he is now dedicated full time to Guitar making.