Dan's interest in guitars originated in childhood, his family lived on a farm in Nebraska where music and guitar playing were a major part of family get togethers. His mother and aunts all played. He taught himself to play and still owns the first guitar his dad bought for him.
Dan and his friend played guitar together and started a band while still in high school. They played locally and then in 1961 headed for Denver. Anyone who patronized night clubs in the '60s and '70s will recognize the name"Pacesetters". They played in the Denver area and occasionally went on the road. They played rock'n'roll and rhythm and blues. Other groups he played in include the Satin Subway. Look for more information on these groups plus photos in the near future.
Dan is shown here with the first acoustic guitar he built in 1976.
The History of Axe Haven
At a repair shop where Dan had some work done he told the owner if he ever had any part-time work to give him a call. The shop owner did give Lenz a call. He worked there a short time which gave him a start, but he is mainly self taught.
Back in the '60's it was common , when a fellow musician would walk into a club to hear "Did you bring your axe?" They were referring to the instrument the musician played and this became the basis for the name of his business.
Axe Haven was founded in 1971 by Dan Lenz as a repair facility for guitars. Dan was still playing for a living and continued to do so for another ten years as he built his business.
Just as he had learned to play guitar on his own, Lenz began learning to repair the instruments "Basically from a common sense approach," he said. "My main goal then was to try to make the instrument look as though it had never been broken or damaged and that still is my goal."
"There weren't any books or anything you could read in the early '70s. I'd experiment with with the building or tear other things apart," the craftsman said. "No one showed me anything. I just kind of dove in."
Today
For over thirty years he has not only repaired and refinished guitars but also built guitars of his own design.
Much of Dan's business comes from former and present customer recommendations. He is well known for the quality of his work, the care with which he handles his customers prized instruments, his integrity and his reliability. He is a warranty center for Gibson, Guild, Fender, Martin, etc., etc., etc. His customers include nationally known musicians, major music stores, churches and many individuals.