Hammond Ashley died on May 1, 1993 at the age of 91. We have lost an advocate for fine music and fine musical instrument making, and a good friend.
Music was always an important part of Ham's life. He played banjo in a dance band while studying mechanical engineering at Stanford University. Later, when working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Europe, he bought a bass and began learning to play. Years later, while working in Seattle as an engineer for Boeing, he played bass with the Highline Symphony, a group he helped to found. At the age of 80, Ham's hearing deteriorated so he couldn't hear directions from the conductor, so he took up the cello, which can be played without a conductor in smaller groups.
He had a woodworking background, too. Ham had his own cabinet shop in 1928 and specialized in custom antique furniture reproductions and fine interior woodwork. His clients included Edward G. Robinson, Jack Benny, Jerome Kern, and Mrs. Oscar Hammerstein.
After the Christmas 1963 layoffs at Boeing, Ham Planned on having an active retirement. With a background in engineering, woodworking, and music, lutherie seemed a natural choice. He set up shop under the airport's landing approach and worked on a little of everything, - organs, pianos, and even furniture. But the second floor was devoted to lutherie. He ended up having a whole new 30 year career.
His lively interest in advancing the science of sounds led him to explore both the old and the new. Making, restoring, and repairing included experiences with many varieties of stringed instruments including gamba, bass, cello, viola, violin, the eight members of the "new family" of violins, rebec, sitar, sarod, crwth, and harp. But his specialty was the violin family, particularly basses. He worked with Carleen Hutchins of the Acoustical Catgut Society and was an active member of the GAL.