Meet the Maker: Del Langejans

by Mark Swanson

Originally published in American Lutherie #84, 2005, Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven



I first met Del Langejans in the mid-’70s when he fixed an old mandolin for me. I was playing in a band with a local guy who knew Del, so I took it to him. He fixed it up, and I kept right on playing. Down through the years I heard a lot about him here in Michigan. I’d bump into his guitars now and then, but I didn’t have much contact with him although we live only about thirty miles apart. I was pretty pleased when the opportunity came to interview Del. I could reconnect with him and learn what he’s been up to!

Fellow GAL member Dan Sharp and I drove on a nice summer day over to Del’s shop in downtown Holland, Michigan, where he has been working for more than thirty years. It’s actually a music store, and Del’s workshop is right in the back. A couple years ago he sold the music store operation to Firehouse Music so he can devote all his time to his instrument building. For many years before that, you could walk in and Del would have to put down his chisel to sell you a set of strings. He likes it better this way. The old feel is still there though, and you can see Del at work at his bench from the showroom of the store. It’s a pretty quaint arrangement.