Just curious. Have a friend with a Takayama board that has Donald’s signature on the stringer. He swears that it means it was shaped by Donald. I told him that Donald had many ghost shapers through the years shaping his boards. He states that only boards shaped by Donald would have his signature and that a ghost shaper did not have the right to sign Donald’s name.
Decided to place a wager on it.
Thoughts?
The signature, on the stringer, may or may not indicate that Donald shaped it. It may or may not indicate that Donald even signed the signature. I think you may well win your bet.
Bill
One guy I worked for it was common practice for him to come in the afternoons and cast an eye over what was shaped that day and pencil the dimensions and sign the finished blank. Somtimes he would get out the ruler and calipers and check things methodically and sometimes he would not even check the dimensions and just sign away. He did however, as you would expect, shape all the high profile customs for pro’s and bro’s. I usually did all the shop stock and some customs during busy times.
That was pretty much an production shop standard practice in every factory I worked at.
Unless you contact Donald and he has the shaping records and is willing to share them with you there is no way of knowing who shaped what just by looking at a signature on a stringer.
Your friends coment about Donald’s employees not “having the right” is just totally out of touch with what goes on in the industry.
Being from Oceanside, I have seen my share of DT’s boards.
Known many who ghost-shaped them.
I was told that the ones that Donald shaped had his signature across the stringer.
Not on it, above it, or below it.
I used to ghost shape and sign the shapers name. It was common practice. Sometimes the shaper saw the boards but usually not.
I would copy their method of signing. Some signed on the stringer and some on the foam. One of them signed on the hotcoat with an ink pen. I guess my point is unless you have some sort of proof it’s a tough call.
In some cases the ghost shaper was actually better than the shaper he was ghosting. Jim Phillips is a perfect example of this.He can shape anything.
@Alien8 DT passed on, in 2012 and in my heart of hearts I can’t see him not checking and signing.
I am a nobody but blood being that, my “Boy” is still in his apprenticeship and maybe soon, (look forward to more time off) always under close supervision. And there really is no news because a number of folks do this (have ghosts). And never assume! Always touch and check or you are doomed and not doing your job.
So what is the advantage of ghost shaping?
My friend, Bob Sakota shaped 18 years for DT; he’s a great shaper, and an even better craftsmen. His wood-fiberglass fins, are simply the best. Love that guy, he’s a living legend. One of the coolest guys ever to make surfboards. Most of the time he worked for Donald he shaped by hand. I remember around 35 years ago proudly showing Donald a longboard I shaped, and considered a tightly shaped and designed board; let’s just say DT didn’t agree, and he taught me a few things. Mostly he showed me what I was doing wrong. Donald only made quality stuff, and if you worked for him, it better be, or else…
signs Donald’s name better than Donald
nothing is straight in this industry, nothing
Da Ghost are alive and well. I have to agree with ghttorat. Bob Sakota makes a great board and is great and humble craftsmen. I have seen some DT boards that were signed by DT yet they were shaped by someone else. The signing was a mark that he approved the shape. My understanding is that he was very picky. If you did not measure up you were shown the door.
