Jens Ritter

"...at first I develop and design every new bass for myself. When I'm happy with the finished Instrument, then it is ready to be handed over to the customer..."

Born: 11. July 1972

"... in my early years of primary school, the school organized an elementary woodworking competition among the kids. We were told to make instruments from waste material. I was 7 years old at that time. For whatever reason I decided to make a "bassguitar"; I used an old food can, some wire, and a small piece of wood.

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___________ Jens' first gig (1979):

"...I don't remember anymore how successful I had been with my artistic creation, but I do remember that my father presented me with a simple drilling machine the following month. With a machine of my own I started to drill holes into wood and tree trunks and to fit and mold various materials together..."

"...my grandfather happened to be a carpenter. I used to spend hours and hours in his little shop - and he taught me a lot, if not all, about handling wood and other material and the treatment of material surfaces. I acquired my skills and general technical knowledge essentially from my father and at the academy of technical arts.

"...at the age of about 16 I started to redesign an electronic bass for the first time. I then continued to modify the instruments of other musician friends of mine...!

"When I was 19 I finally made the first bass of my own - my original!"

Soon I realized this is exactly what I wanted to do: to build musical instruments, particularly to make special ones."

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"...what I make with my hands should be the best possible..."

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