Warwick Basses

Laurie Abshire found her way into the music products industry by chance but has become a proud and passionate contributor. Though not a musician herself, Laurie has always loved music, with fond memories of her father strumming his guitar. An unexpected opportunity to write a business plan for a guitar maker in Lafayette, Louisiana, launched her career. She later assisted in developing a guitar manufacturing plant and worked for a sheet metal company serving NAMM members. Since 2017, Laurie has led W-Music Distribution USA as CEO, overseeing brands like Warwick Basses and Framus,

Knud Damgaard loves guitars. Not surprisingly being regional sales manager for Fender in Scandinavia since 2000 is a dream come true for him. A long career starting as guitarist, owning a guitar shop and sales rep for another guitar manufacturer made him a prime choice for the job. Knud’s ardor for what he does comes through in every sentence of this interview.  

Christian Hoyer wrote the book on the history of the Framus Guitar Company and became the director of the museum for the famed guitar company in Germany. His research brought to light many forgotten elements of the guitar maker's history, the key innovators and the product line that has been known around the world for over 50 years. Christian’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the guitar’s history is evident in the museum’s stylish displays and fascinating items on display. He was hired by H. P. Wilfer, the son of the Framus founder, to publish a book on Mr. Wilfer’s father and the co

Alphonso Johnson, an internationally renowned bassist and Chapman Stick virtuoso, epitomizes the epitome of musical mastery and innovation. With a career spanning decades, Alphonso has carved an indelible mark on the world stage through his mesmerizing performances, prolific recording endeavors and unwavering commitment to musical education. From his humble beginnings in Philadelphia to gracing prestigious venues worldwide, Alphonso's journey is a testament to the transformative power of talent and perseverance.

Leo Lyons became a professional musician early on in his life while playing with bands in London, England. He gravitated to the skiffle genre, playing first the banjo and then the guitar, but then took up the bass and joined the group The Jaybirds with guitarist Alvin Lee. The Jaybirds later changed their name to Ten Years After and put out their debut record on Deram Records. The band built up their European following, and soon started touring around the United States as well. This allowed them to participate in historical music festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival, the Wo

Marcus Spangler cut his teeth in the furniture business, working with his hands, seeing products to completion and adding his own ideas to the design and function of each piece.  When he was hired by HP Wilfer to work at Warwick, Marcus found many of those same skills came in handy.  As a product engineer, Marcus has worked both with the Warwick and Framus brands in designing and creating new models as well as improvements and modifications to others within the line.  His passion for his work is clear in just talking with him.  

TM Stevens was a prominent figure in the music industry, celebrated for both his design and endorsement of musical products and his illustrious career as a musician. His passion for encouraging young people to engage with music was well-known, and he dedicated many years to this mission. TM's impressive career included collaborations with legends such as Miles Davis, Tina Turner, The Pretenders, and James Brown, alongside his own group, Shocka Zooloo.

H. P. Wilfer inherited the passion and drive of his father who formed the Framus Guitar Company. After hard times and his father’s retirement, H. P. bought back the company to bring the many innovative and popular products back to market. H. P. did so through the success of his Warwick Bass Company, which has been one of the leading electric bass manufacturers in the world over the last 25 years. A new modern factory was built in the early 2000s in Markneukirchen, Germany, where the headquarters are located and as of 2007 a company-based museum is located across town, which showca

Florence Wilfer was born in France and was working for a musical distribution company when she met HP Wilfer, her future husband.  The two have been working together at HP's Warwick Company since getting married in 1991.  Florence has been critical in the operations, marketing and book keeping side of the company, freeing HP to work with his engineering team to produce the innovative instruments the company has come to be known for.  Florence is proud of the company's reputation for great customer service, an element of the business that she feels is worth focusing on daily.