Dennis “Denny” Wayne Stevens was born in Walla Walla, Washington in 1943. After he graduated from high school, he was employed at Sundstrand Aviation and  became a manager in Production Control. He worked there for nearly ten years. He had been making guitars in his own time since the age of 16 but in 1970 he left Sundstrand to pursue a guitar making career. In total there are 198 “D W Stevens” instruments. He made 130 flat tops (6 standard models and 2 experimental tulip designs) 33 arch tops (3 models and 4 styles), 15 classical, 10 mandolins (2 reverse curls), 1 acoustic bass, 1 tenor ukulele, 1 tenor guitar, 2 electric guitars, 2 lutes, 2 guitjos and 1 banjo. In 2009 he was diagnosed with ALS and sadly died only 7 months later. Denny was a versatile builder and each instrument is a masterpiece.

Source: DW Stevens website (19 November 2020)