About Fred Rudder:
My Dream to Reality From 1967 to Now!
By Rev. William Fred Rudder, Jr. Owner
US Staff Sergeant Rudder Musical Instruments and Education LLC.
DBA, Rudder Guitars 4M.E.
December 14, 1954
Being Shaped in the Womb! Electric Guitars and Sports Cars!
Prior to 1966.
I learned to play piano and saxophone. I learned guitar from friends and started guitar lessons at Tillman Music in Rock Hill, SC. They are still in business today. I later took classical guitar which helped in playing the bass.
In December of 1967, dad wanted Santa Claus to bring me an electric guitar for Christmas. After every guitar lesson at Tillman Music in Rock Hill SC for about two years, I played and researched each model discovering what I wanted in my first electric guitar. Each manufacturer sent me a catalog which was filed away. At Tillman music with the owner’s son Jerry Tillman, I met the factory salesman from a British guitar and amplifier company. We discussed whatever you buy in life, not only guitars, but suggested looking at the features of the product not the name. I played my top two choices which included his brand out of courtesy. I wanted a west coast design double cutaway and a lightweight body. The guitar had features such as flat tail piece with dampener to get bass thumping, minimal noise in their pickups, but the neck was awesome with a fully adjustable truss rod. He told me it was built by an Italian company for their company. I was sold on the natural grip of the neck of guitar in sunburst! It was like a friend’s handshake. From that moment the Rudder family entrepreneur spirit began to dominate my vision. My new thoughts were, I enjoyed playing guitar, but I wanted to be known for designing guitars and amplifiers not a musician. I made two decisions. First, I made the choice to buy an unknown guitar brand based on features. Second design my own made in USA guitar and amplifier line based on an OEM business model.
In 1969, the thoughts of building a line of guitars came to a hasty end. My uncle got cancer and eventually died. It devastated our family. I put my product book in my guitar case. My dad closed Tech. Furniture side down changing the name to TF&E Pressroom Devices. We focused on the Engineering and equipment design side.
1973-2021. I went to college and graduate school while leading my dad’s company. After grad school I served on church staff as a “Spiritual Entrepreneur” not called to preach but help people discover their purpose in life and working in family ministry. I did not start playing again till 1994 as praise and worship leader for our youth and DJ. Several of my guitars were damaged in Hurricane Hugo including my first electric. I was born in 1954. On my fortieth birthday I shaved off my mustache. I bought my second electric guitar.
All during Covid my mind went back to publishing my dad’s book and my dream of a new line of guitars and amplifiers. My dad left me a manuscript to finish and publish. The book title is “Bloody Sabbath; One Mans’s Account of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor.” It is available on Amazon. The publisher’s husband Matt started a website called Battlefield Stories. The purpose is to collect veterans from each war from World War Two to Today. It is on this website as Battlefield Stories. The cover of the book was on my first design JoyMaker Deluxe to start the US SSGT Rudder tribute to my dad and other veterans. Two of the first five will support SDPHS non-profit.
In April 2021, I became friends with Roger Calhoun the founder of Guitar Wishes. I shared my dream of building a line of guitars to support local charities, especially veterans as a tribute to my father and other veterans. I will always thank him for the encouragement to take that leap of faith and friendship that developed between us.
During Covid, I found two companies who met my criteria for starting my guitar company. The guitar industry praised the company. It rated as a 9 out of 10 score by major guitar magazine. Another magazine rated as a top USA made guitar under $1000. The owner discussed building a US made guitar the average working man could afford. It impressed me that youth could have a lawn care business, baby-sitting, or other youth jobs. He involved his family in the company! I went to a dealer to try out one of his guitars. I reached out and picked it up by the neck in the store. The same energy from my first 1967’ guitar came over me again. It is interesting that I never played that guitar or one at the factory until two months later when playing the prototype. I had many professional musicians do a blind evaluation of the guitar by playing and evaluating their manufacturing standards. I addressed their suggestions.
On July 1, 2021, the state of NC recognized US Staff Sergeant Rudder Musical Instruments and Education LLC. We do business as Rudder Guitars 4 M.E. 4ME is acronym meaning:
For Musical Entrepreneurship Group or MEG
For Musical Education for Life by teaching others to become master teachers passing it on
For Mission Equipping the Musician and Others with first with Self Care, and then Family, Community, less fortunate, etc.
For Music Equality in people’s lives
By Rev. William Fred Rudder, Jr. Owner
US Staff Sergeant Rudder Musical Instruments and Education LLC.
DBA, Rudder Guitars 4M.E.
December 14, 1954
Being Shaped in the Womb! Electric Guitars and Sports Cars!
Prior to 1966.
I learned to play piano and saxophone. I learned guitar from friends and started guitar lessons at Tillman Music in Rock Hill, SC. They are still in business today. I later took classical guitar which helped in playing the bass.
In December of 1967, dad wanted Santa Claus to bring me an electric guitar for Christmas. After every guitar lesson at Tillman Music in Rock Hill SC for about two years, I played and researched each model discovering what I wanted in my first electric guitar. Each manufacturer sent me a catalog which was filed away. At Tillman music with the owner’s son Jerry Tillman, I met the factory salesman from a British guitar and amplifier company. We discussed whatever you buy in life, not only guitars, but suggested looking at the features of the product not the name. I played my top two choices which included his brand out of courtesy. I wanted a west coast design double cutaway and a lightweight body. The guitar had features such as flat tail piece with dampener to get bass thumping, minimal noise in their pickups, but the neck was awesome with a fully adjustable truss rod. He told me it was built by an Italian company for their company. I was sold on the natural grip of the neck of guitar in sunburst! It was like a friend’s handshake. From that moment the Rudder family entrepreneur spirit began to dominate my vision. My new thoughts were, I enjoyed playing guitar, but I wanted to be known for designing guitars and amplifiers not a musician. I made two decisions. First, I made the choice to buy an unknown guitar brand based on features. Second design my own made in USA guitar and amplifier line based on an OEM business model.
In 1969, the thoughts of building a line of guitars came to a hasty end. My uncle got cancer and eventually died. It devastated our family. I put my product book in my guitar case. My dad closed Tech. Furniture side down changing the name to TF&E Pressroom Devices. We focused on the Engineering and equipment design side.
1973-2021. I went to college and graduate school while leading my dad’s company. After grad school I served on church staff as a “Spiritual Entrepreneur” not called to preach but help people discover their purpose in life and working in family ministry. I did not start playing again till 1994 as praise and worship leader for our youth and DJ. Several of my guitars were damaged in Hurricane Hugo including my first electric. I was born in 1954. On my fortieth birthday I shaved off my mustache. I bought my second electric guitar.
All during Covid my mind went back to publishing my dad’s book and my dream of a new line of guitars and amplifiers. My dad left me a manuscript to finish and publish. The book title is “Bloody Sabbath; One Mans’s Account of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor.” It is available on Amazon. The publisher’s husband Matt started a website called Battlefield Stories. The purpose is to collect veterans from each war from World War Two to Today. It is on this website as Battlefield Stories. The cover of the book was on my first design JoyMaker Deluxe to start the US SSGT Rudder tribute to my dad and other veterans. Two of the first five will support SDPHS non-profit.
In April 2021, I became friends with Roger Calhoun the founder of Guitar Wishes. I shared my dream of building a line of guitars to support local charities, especially veterans as a tribute to my father and other veterans. I will always thank him for the encouragement to take that leap of faith and friendship that developed between us.
During Covid, I found two companies who met my criteria for starting my guitar company. The guitar industry praised the company. It rated as a 9 out of 10 score by major guitar magazine. Another magazine rated as a top USA made guitar under $1000. The owner discussed building a US made guitar the average working man could afford. It impressed me that youth could have a lawn care business, baby-sitting, or other youth jobs. He involved his family in the company! I went to a dealer to try out one of his guitars. I reached out and picked it up by the neck in the store. The same energy from my first 1967’ guitar came over me again. It is interesting that I never played that guitar or one at the factory until two months later when playing the prototype. I had many professional musicians do a blind evaluation of the guitar by playing and evaluating their manufacturing standards. I addressed their suggestions.
On July 1, 2021, the state of NC recognized US Staff Sergeant Rudder Musical Instruments and Education LLC. We do business as Rudder Guitars 4 M.E. 4ME is acronym meaning:
For Musical Entrepreneurship Group or MEG
For Musical Education for Life by teaching others to become master teachers passing it on
For Mission Equipping the Musician and Others with first with Self Care, and then Family, Community, less fortunate, etc.
For Music Equality in people’s lives