♪♪ >> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF UNMANNED MILITARY COMBAT AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL WARFARE INNOVATIONS.

ALSO TONIGHT, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS HOW TREATING SLEEP APNEA CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

AND A LOCAL LUTHIERY SHOWS 50 YEARS OF CRAFTING GUITARS AND TEACHING GUITAR MAKING AS A TRADE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> ARIZONA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRIENDS OF THE ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

>> Ted: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON, I'M TED SIMONS.

UKRAINE'S USE OF REMOTE CONTROLLED DRONES HAS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE COUNTRY'S DEFENSE AGAINST RUSSIAN MILITARY FORCES.

INDEED, THE OTHER NIGHT NEARLY 300 UKRAINIAN DRONES STRUCK TARGETS ACROSS RUSSIA, INCLUDING MOSCOW SHUTTING DOWN THAT CITY'S AIRPORTS.

DRONE TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER INNOVATIONS ARE CHANGING WARFARE.

JOINING US NOW IS DANIEL ROTHENBERG THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE INITIATIVE.

IT SEEMS LIKE DRONES ARE THE NEXT THING, YOU'VE GOT YOUR BOW AND ARROW, YOUR AIRPLANES, AND THESE INNOVATIONS THAT COME AND GO IN THE HIT OF WAR.

A SPECIAL CHAPTER NOW FOR DRONES AS WELL?

>> SURE.

DRONES ARE CHANGING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE CHARACTER OF WARFARE.

SOME OF THAT IS NEW, SOME OF IT ISN'T SO NEW, BUT THEY SORT OF DO TWO THINGS WORTH FOCUSING ON.

ONE IS THEY PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE RECONNAISSANCE CAPABILITIES, THEY CAN SEE THINGS, THEY CAN LOITER, THEY CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION IN REAL-TIME AND THEY CAN ALSO DELIVER MUNITIONS, OFTEN PRECISION MUNITIONS.

IN UKRAINE, THERE'S A LOT OF KAMIKAZE DRONES USED.

>> Ted: FIRST OF ALL, DESCRIBE A DRONE IN GENERAL.

MILITARY USE DRONES DO THEY DIFFER FROM THE SUPERMARKET OR WHATEVER, THE ELECTRONIC STORE?

>> DEPENDS ON THE DRONE.

THE U.S.

USED DRONES PRETTY EXTENSIVELY IN THE POST-9/11 WARS AND BECAME THE TECHNOLOGY IF WE CAN REMEMBER OF THE BUSH AND OBAMA ADMINISTRATIONS.

BUT A DRONE REALLY ISN'T ONE THING.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS -- IT DOESN'T HAVE A HUMAN INSIDE IT, RIGHT, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT RISK AND IN SOME CASES IT -- MAYBE THE BIG CONCERN OR THE INTEREST, THE WAYS THEY CAN BE AUTONOMOUS, WHICH REALLY ISN'T HOW THEY'RE USED RIGHT NOW SO MUCH, BUT HOW THEY'RE DOING.

>> Ted: COMPARE THE SIZE TO A CONSUMER DRONE.

ARE THEY THE SAME SIZE OR BASICALLY THE SAME THING?

>> WELL, THE U.S.

DRONES SO WIDELY USED IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ ARE PRETTY BIG AND THEY DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND COST MONEY TO CREATE AND RUN, BUT A LOT OF THE DRONES USED IN UKRAINE ARE SORT OF OFF THE SHELF DRONES THAT ARE ADJUSTED TO BE USED IN COMBAT.

>> Ted: HAD YOU FAR CAN THEY FLY?

>> DEPENDS ON THE DRONE.

SOME U.S.

DRONES CAN FLY VERY FAR AND LOITER FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND GATHER REAL-TIME INFORMATION, OVER 24 HOURS, SAY, OF A SITE.

BUT THINK FOR A SECOND, UKRAINE IS ON TRACK TO PRODUCE FOUR MILLION DRONES THIS YEAR AND THE U.S., ON THE OTHER HAND, PRODUCING MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE AND BIGGER DRONES IS GOING TO PRODUCE 50 TO 100,000.

>> Ted: THE U.S.

AND BIGGER DRONES, I'M INTERESTED IN THOSE, BUT INTERESTED IN UKRAINE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH KIND OF OFF THE SHELF DRONES.

HOW ACCURATE ARE THEY?

WITH REMOTE CONTROL AT A CERTAIN DISTANCE, DO THEY LOSE ACCURACY?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> THERE'S ALL SORTS OF NEW -- WAR CREATES A LOT OF INNOVATION AND DRONES ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE.

ONE OF THE ISSUES ABOUT DRONES IS HOW DO YOU CONTROL THEM.

>> Ted: YES.

>> YOU CONTROL THEM REMOTELY THROUGH RADIO CONTROL WHICH CAN BE JAMMED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING IN UKRAINE, TO FLY DRONES THAT HAVE LITTLE MICROFIBERS THAT ATTACH PHYSICALLY FROM THE DRONE OPERATOR TO WHERE THE DRONE IS BEING USED TO DROP MUNITIONS OR OPERATE IN A KAMIKAZE FASHION.

TECHNOLOGY IS DEVELOPING ALL THE TIME.

WHAT WE SEE IN UKRAINE IS RAPID CHANGING OF LOTS OF SMALL DRONES THAT ARE QUITE INEXPENSIVE.

>> Ted: WHAT I MENTIONED THE OTHER NIGHT 300 IN RUSSIA, THEY SHOT DOWN MOST OF THEM.

THAT'S A LOT SHOT DOWN, IT SEEMS LIKE UKRAINE KEEPS COMING AND COMING WITH THESE THINGS.

>> WELL, RUSSIA IS USING DRONES.

THERE'S DRONES ALL OVER THE BATTLEFIELD.

ONE THING WE SAW IN UKRAINE, DRONES ARE ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS TO TAKE OUT TANKS.

RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE SMALL THINGS BLOW UP RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE BIG THINGS.

>> Ted: HOW MUCH MUNITIONS CAN THEY HANDLE?

>> DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE DRONE.

>> Ted: RIGHT.

>> AND U.S.

HAS SOPHISTICATED MISSILES, AND SOME DRONES CAN KILL INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS.

AND THERE ARE DISTURBING VIDEOS ONLINE TARGETING INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS RELEASED BY BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICT.

>> Ted: I WAS GOING TO SAY, LOOKING AT UKRAINE, THESE THINGS DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE VERY BIG OR FAST OR VERY FAR, BUT MAKING EXPLOSIONS AND I WONDER WHAT THE LIMIT ON THAT WOULD BE?

>> THERE'S ALL KINDS.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN DRONES RIGHT NOW AND DRONES IN THE FUTURE, IT ISN'T JUST DRONES, IT'S ALL SORTS OF NEW MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING GOING TO BE USING MORE AND MORE AI THAT ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL KINDS OF NETWORK ATTACKS AND SWARMS OF DRONES.

ALL SORTS OF NEW THINGS THAT WILL CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF WARFARE AND THEY'RE ALREADY CHANGING.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED SWARMS OF DRONES, VERY INTERESTED IN THAT AS WELL BECAUSE I'VE SEEN VIDEO OF THESE THINGS, IT'S LIKE BIRDS, LIKE-- IT'S LIKE BIRDS FLYING SOUTH FOR THE WINTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

JUST SWARMS AND SWARMS OF THESE DRONES.

IS THAT THE NEXT THING?

I MEAN.

>> ONE OF THE NEXT THINGS.

SO WE'LL SEE ALL SORTS OF PLANS THAT GO DRONES HAND IN HAND WITH FIGHTER JETS.

PILOTED JETS ALONGSIDE DOZENS OR MAYBE HUNDREDS OF DRONES.

DRONES IN THE WATER.

ONE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ASPECT OF THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT, HOW THIS COUNTRY, UKRAINE WHICH REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A NAVY HAS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN OUT RUSSIA'S SUBSTANTIAL NAVY.

>> Ted: INTERESTING.

>> WITH OCEAN-BASED DRONES.

>> Ted: YEAH.

SO IF YOU'RE DEFENDING WITH DRONES.

KIND OF STICKING WITH DRONES, SEEMS LIKE A FACTOR WITH UKRAINE AND THIS WAR THERE.

YOU'RE DEFENDING AGAINST DRONES, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

WHAT'S THE BEST STRATEGY?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH GOING INTO DIFFERENT DEFENSE AGAINST DRONES.

ONE THING WE SEE SOMETIMES IS A HUGE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE COSTS OF TAKING DRONES DOWN WITH, SAY, VERY EXPENSIVE MISSILE SYSTEMS AND THE COST OF PUTTING UP A DRONE.

SO IT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENCE, BUT YOU CAN TAKE THEM DOWN BY JAMMING COMMUNICATIONS AND YOU CAN TAKE THEM DOWN WITH OTHER SORTS OF DRONES AND YOU CAN TAKE THEM DOWN BY THINGS THAT MASK THEIR ABILITY TO FIND TARGETS.

>> Ted: I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT JAMMING COMMUNICATIONS AND SEEMS THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DO THIS PROVIDING YOU KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE.

>> IT WORKS.

>> Ted: IS AI GOING TO BE A BIGGER FACTOR?

ARE THESE THINGS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT BEING REMOTELY CONTROLLED.

OBVIOUSLY THE ANSWER IS YES.

TO WHAT DEGREE?

>> WE DON'T KNOW THE DEGREE.

AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS ARE A WHOLE NEW AREA, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS OUT THERE.

WE HAVE SOME AUTONOMOUS DEFENSIVE WEAPONS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED BY THE U.S.

AND OTHERS, OF COURSE, AUTONOMY IS A HUGE ASPECT WHERE WARFARE IS GOING AND MAYBE AS WE SEE THE COSTS GO DOWN, AS WITH DRONES, WE'LL SEE SMALLER NON-STATE ACTORS BEING ABLE TO FIELD AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS OF DIFFERENT KINDS WHICH GETS IN PLACES.

>> Ted: AND I WAS GOING TO SAY AS A TERRORIST WEAPON, THIS THING IS ALMOST CUSTOM BUILT.

>> WELL, YES.

>> Ted: SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT, I GUESS.

SO, AS, YOU KNOW, AS HISTORIAN OF WAR AND AN EXPERT HERE, WHAT WORRIES YOU THE MOST ABOUT ALL OF THIS?

>> WELL, THE ONE THING WE KNOW OF PEOPLE WHO TRY TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF WAR AND CONFLICT TEND TO BE WRONG.

THAT'S WHAT STUDIES OFTEN SHOW AND A LOT OF PREPARATION TENDS TO BE FOR THE LAST WAR AS IS COMMONLY SAID.

SO I THINK THE BIG WORRY IS THAT WE WILL BE SO WRAPPED UP IN SOMETHING THAT'S INCORRECT, THAT OUR RESOURCES WILL FOCUS ON AN ISSUE.

WE WON'T BE FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT ENOUGH TO BE PREPARED FOR WHAT'S REALLY COMING.

>> Ted: WE'LL BE ZIGGING WHEN SOMEONE ELSE ZAGS.

DANIEL ROTHENBERG, ASU SGOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> I'M A WOMAN ALONE NEWLY ARRIVED IN A DANGEROUS TOWN.

WHY YOU'RE HERE.

YOU CAN'T BRING IT BACK.

>> DOING IT AGAIN.

>> I HAVE NEVER CONFESSED THE TO THE CRIME YOU WANT ME TO BE GUILTY OF.

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU NEVER GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN OFF ON YOUR OWN?

>> BECAUSE I'M CARRYING A GUN.

>> A NEW STUDY IS SHOWING A CONNECTION BETWEEN SLEEP APNEA AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

THE RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY FOUND THAT TREATING SLEEP APNEA IS LINKED TO A REDUCED LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING PARKINSON'S.

TO LEARN MORE WE WELCOME DR.

DAVID SPRECHER AT THE INSTITUTE.

DO WE KNOW NOW THAT SLEEP APNEA IS LINKED TO PARKINSON'S?

>> THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY THAT HAS SHOWN A STRONG ASSOCIATION IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE SLEEP APNEA, THEN LATER GOING ON TO DEVELOP PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

>> Ted: AND THIS IS OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA, CORRECT?

>> YES, OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA.

>> Ted: DESCRIBE THAT.

>> THIS IS A PROBLEM AS WE START TO FALL DEEPER INTO THE STATES OF SLEEP, MUSCLES IN THE BACK OF THE THROAT RELAX TOO MUCH AND CUT OFF OUR AIR SUPPLY.

AND WE START TO WAKE UP INTO A LIGHTER STAGE OF SLEEP TO CONTINUE BREATHING SO IT REALLY DISRUPTS THAT DEEP STAGE OF SLEEP THAT WE NEED TO GET REFRESHED IN THE MORNING.

>> Ted: COMPARE SLEEP APNEA, PROBABLY BASIC QUESTIONS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT I'M CURIOUS.

COMPARE SLEEP APNEA TO SNORING.

>> SNORING IS NOT ALWAYS SLEEP APNEA, BUT MANY PEOPLE WITH SLEEP APNEA SNORE.

SNORING, MANY OF US WAKE OURSELVES UP OR MORE OFTEN OUR BED PARTNERS MAKING THESE NOISES AS THE MUSCLES IN THE THROAT RELAX SOMEWHAT.

WITH SLEEP APNEA, YOU ACTUALLY STOP BREATHING AND GASP.

>> Ted: AND YOU COULD BE LYING ON YOUR SIDE, YOUR BACK, DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WITH SLEEP APNEA?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

PEOPLE WITH SLEEP APNEA ARE MORE APT TO STOP BREATHING WHEN THEY LAY ON THEIR BACKS.

>> Ted: THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE.

THE NEURONS GET JUMBLED UP.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SLEEP APNEA?

>> IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT SLEEP APNEA INCREASES BLOOD PRESSURE.

PEOPLE ARE MORE PRONE TO HEART ATTACK, STROKE, DYING EARLIER THAN THEY WOULD IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED, BUT WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE SLEEP ASLEEP, THERE'S CIRCULATION, JUST LIKE WE HAVE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM THAT CLEARS FLUIDS FROM THE BODY.

THERE'S TOXINS THAT NEED TO BE CYCLED OUT OF THE BRAIN.

WHEN YOU DON'T GET SLEEP THOSE CAN'T CLEAN UP THE TOXINS.

THEY CAN BUILD UP IN THE BRAIN AND CAUSE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR PARKINSON'S.

>> Ted:ER THIS THEY'RE NOT FUNCTIONING AT THE RIGHT LEVEL.

>> CLEARING OUT THE TRASH.

>> Ted: WHAT IS CPAP?

.

CPAP BASICALLY APPLIES PRESSURE INTO THE BACK OF THE THROAT TO HELP PREVENT THE MUSCLES FROM RELAXING FULLY SO YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO STOP BREATHING.

>> Ted: IT'S LIKE A MASK AND A HOSE AND HOW DO PEOPLE SLEEP WITH THAT?

>> IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN PEOPLE ARE FIRST FITTED WITH THE DEVICES THAT THEY FOLLOW UP IF THEY'RE NOT TOLERATING IT.

THE SETTINGS HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED GRADUALLY SO PEOPLE GET USED TO IT.

>> Ted: AND THE STUDY GOT 11 MILLION PLUS MILITARY VETERANS GETTING TREATMENT THROUGH THE VA.

HOW DID THAT WORK?

WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE?

>> THERE WAS A HUGE STUDENT FOR THE VA HEALTH SYSTEMS.

A NUMBER OF VETERANS, THEIR DATA IS TRACKED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM.

WE HAD A SMALL NUMBER, LESS THAN 100,000, DIAGNOSED WITH SLEEP APNEA AND THEN OUR COLLEAGUES AT-- OR THE HEALTH SCIENCES AT THE VA IN PORTLAND, WERE ABLE TO ANALYZE THAT INFORMATION AND FIND AS THEY LOOKED AT PEOPLE WITH SLEEP APNEA, THEY WERE MORE LIKELY WITHIN FIVE YEARS TO THEN GO ON AND DEVELOP PARKINSON'S.

>> Ted: INTERESTING.

NOW, AS FAR AS THE CPAP THOUGH, WHAT DID THE RESEARCH SHOW AMONG THOSE USING CPAP?

>> INTERESTING THING, IF THEY STARTED TREATING THE SLEEP APNEA, CPAP IS ONE OF THE MAIN TREATMENTS, THEN WITHIN -- IT STARTED WITHIN TWO YEARS, THE RISK OF DEVELOPING PARKINSON'S ACTUALLY DECREASED.

>> Ted: WOW.

>> SO IT SUGGESTS THAT EARLIER TREATMENTS, ALONG WITH PREVENTING HEART ATTACK AND STROKE, POTENTIALLY EVEN ALZHEIMER'S, ALSO MAY PREVENT PARKINSON'S.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED CPAP AMONG OTHER TREATMENTS.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER TREATMENTS?

>> YEAH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE DON'T TOLERATE THE MASK AND THEY TRIED EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DO SO, THAT THEY ASK ABOUT EITHER A DENTAL DEVICE, WHICH IS USUALLY THE NEXT STEP, BASICALLY PULLS THE LOWER JAW FORWARD.

USUALLY IT'S AN ORTHODONTIST THAT FITS YOU FOR THAT AND IT CAN BE CHANGED WITH CHARGES, THE MEDICAL INSURANCE, AND IF PEOPLE DON'T TOLERATE ANY OF THAT.

IF THEY'RE OVERWEIGHT, IF THEY LOSE WEIGHT CAN HELP THE SLEEP APNEA, BUT A DEVICE THAT'S IMPLANTED UNDER THE SKIN AT THE BASE OF THE TONGUE TO KEEP YOUR MUSCLES FROM RELAXING IN SLEEP.

>> Ted: TALK ABOUT A WHOLE NEW WORLD.

CPAP COVERED BY INSURANCE?

>> YES.

>> Ted: AND THE DENTAL THING?

>> AS LONG AS THERE'S A DIAGNOSIS OF SLEEP APNEA THAT'S DIAGNOSED.

AND THIS SURGICAL DEVICE IMPLANTED BY A SURGEON CAN ALSO BE COVERED.

>> Ted: ARE THERE CONCERNS ABOUT AVAILABILITY?

ALL OF THIS SOUNDS GREAT AND SOME FOLKS THERE, AND PROBABLY SEE MORE HEALTH COST CONCERNS, WITH INSURANCE, THIS IS AFFORDABLE?

THIS IS DOABLE?

>> YES, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY AVAILABLE AND THERE ARE SLEEP SPECIALISTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT FOCUS ON TREATING SLEEP APNEA.

IT'S MORE THAT PEOPLE PUT IT OFF.

PEOPLE DECIDE, OH, IT CAN'T BE ME OR THEY DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE LIKELY TO HAVE IT, BUT THE RISK OF HAVING IT ACTUALLY GOES UP AS WE GET OLDER AND AS WE GAIN WEIGHT.

>> Ted: CPAP IS NO GUARANTEE OR ANY OF THESE THINGS.

NO GUARANTEE OF NOT GETTING PARKINSON'S, BUT IT CUTS THE RISK ACCORDING TO THE STUDY?

>> POTENTIALLY REDUCES THE RISK.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, I THINK, THE KEY FINDING, IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR HEART HEALTH, OR TO PREVENT RISK OF STROKE OR DEATH, BUT ALSO FOR BRAIN HEALTH.

>> Ted: YEAH, WELL, VERY GOOD.

DR.

DAVID SHPRECHER TALKING ABOUT THIS LINK, SLEEP APNEA AND PARKINSON'S.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, THE SENATE FAILS TO PASS A MEASURE TO PREVENT A SPIKE IN HEALTH CARE COSTS UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

THAT'S AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: THE ROBERTO-VENN SCHOOL OF LUTHIERY IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY.

IT'S THE LONGEST RUNNING LUTHIERY IN AMERICA.

TO HELP CELEBRATE SOME 50 GRADUATES ARE INVITED TO CREATE A NEW INSTRUMENT FROM RARE NICARAGUAN WOOD.

JOINING US ALONGSIDE FOUR GUITARS THAT WERE BUILT AT THE SCHOOL.

I TELL YOU, JUST LOOKING AT THE GUITARS, LOVE THE LOOK.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE.

>> WE'RE INSPIRED BY THESE INSTRUMENTS, TED.

THESE COME FROM THE MAJOR COMPANIES THAT MAKE GUITARS.

THIS IS MADE BY FENDER, THE LARGEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD, MADE ALL OUT OF ROSEWOOD.

LIKE THE GEORGE HARRISON MODEL MADE IN 1970, OUR GRADUATE PAUL WALLER MADE THIS.

HE'S A MASTER CUSTOM BUILDER FOR FENDER, ALL ROSEWOOD, NICARAGUAN ROSEWOOD.

AND THIS ONE-- >> WHAT IS A LUTHIERY?

WHAT HAPPENS AT A LUTHIERY?

>> WELL, A LUTHIER IS A PERSON WHO BUILDS OR REPAIRS STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

AT OUR SCHOOL WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS, OVER 3,000 GRADUATES, TO MAKE AND BUILD GUITARS.

THEY BUILD PROJECTS THERE AND THEN THEY GO TO COMPANIES, SMALL COMPANIES AND OR THEIR OWN BUSINESS.

>> Ted: 50 YEARS AGO, WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS?

>> I FELL INTO THIS, MY PARTNER WAS IN NICARAGUA, HE WAS GOING TO BUILD A BOAT.

AND THE MOSQUITO INDIANS HELP HIM AND THE NATIVE OF THE REGION.

THE BOAT, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE WOOD.

HE SHIPS IT TO PHOENIX.

TWO GUITAR MAKERS MEET HIM AND SAY THIS IS PERFECT WOOD FOR MAKING GUITARS AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER BEING HERE SINCE 1960.

SO, JOHN FALLS INTO GUITAR MAKING.

I BUILT A GUITAR WITH HIM IN 1971, AND THEN I GO ON TO STANFORD BUSINESS SCHOOL AND I THOUGHT I WAS HEADED FOR A CAREER IN BUSINESS.

>> Ted: YEAH.

>> I WROTE BUSINESS PLAN ON A GUITAR MAKING SCHOOL AND I SENT THAT TO JOHN AND BOB THEN WHO HAD COME INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH JOHN, AND WE STARTED IN 1975.

>> Ted: YEAH, AND HERE YOU ARE 50 YEARS LATER.

>> 50 YEARS LATER.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A GUITAR AND WHEN YOUR STUDENTS ARE BUILDING A GUITAR.

OBVIOUSLY THE ROSEWOOD, YOU'VE GOT THE MATERIALS AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AS YOU'RE BUILDING IT, CAN YOU TELL IF IT'S SPECIAL.

OR I DON'T KNOW, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TWEAK SOMETHING?

CAN YOU TELL YOU'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING SPECIAL OR WAIT UNTIL EVERYTHING IS STRUNG AND STRUM BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> YOU GET AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WOOD AND YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROPERTIES OF DIFFERENT WOOD WILL DO TO AN INSTRUMENT AND THE SELECTION IS WHAT KIND YOU WANT TO MAKE, ACOUSTIC OR ELECTRIC, AND THE SOUND YOU WANT AND RIGHT AT THE START IT BECOMES SPECIAL, THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE TIME SPENT ON MAKING IT.

>> Ted: AND THE TOP WOOD IS THE DEAL?

MAKES THE DIFFERENCE?

>> FOR ACOUSTIC GUITAR, THE TOP IS CONSIDERED THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, BUT BACKS AND SIDE.

THIS GUITAR, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT ONE BOTH HAVE THE NICARAGUAN ROSEWOOD.

IT HAS THE SAP WOOD IN IT AND BEAUTIFUL STUFF.

THIS IS MADE BY TAYLOR GUITARS, BOB TAYLOR WHO FOUNDED THE COMPANY IN 1972.

>> Ted: YES.

>> PERSONALLY DESIGNED THIS FOR THIS ANNIVERSARY, PUT IT IN THE-- THE LABEL INSIDE AND 50TH ANNIVERSARY, SO-- >> THE TOP WOOD THERE, IT'S GORGEOUS.

CAN YOU PLAY A LITTLE WITH THAT?

>> YEAH, YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS, A BEAUTIFUL SOUNDING GUITAR.

♪♪ ♪♪ .

>> Ted: THAT IS GORGEOUS AND GREAT PLAYING THERE, BY THE WAY.

AND SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN AROUND GUITARS A LITTLE BIT.

>> I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR A WHILE.

>> Ted: YEAH, YEAH, AGAIN, ROSEWOOD AND LIKE A FULL MAHOGANY GUITAR, VERY DIFFERENT SOUNDS, DON'T THEY?

>> YES, BEAUTIFUL SOUNDING, YOU KNOW, MAHOGANY HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS, JUST LIKE ROSEWOOD DOES.

MY THIRD INSTRUMENT WAS ALL MAHOGANY.

ALONG WITH THE NICARAGUAN ROSEWOOD, THAT COMES OUT OF THE JUNGLE ARE ROOTS OF MAHOGANY TREES.

>> Ted: WE TALKED ABOUT THE 50 ANNIVERSARY AND 50 DIFFERENT-- 50 GRADUATES, ACCLAIMED GUITAR MAKERS, THEY CALL CAME UP WITH THEIR OWN GUITAR?

>> YES, OF COURSE, I BROUGHT THESE BECAUSE A LOT OF YOUR VIEWERS PLAY A FENDER, GIBSON, TAYLOR GUITARS, PAUL REED SMITH, AND PERSONALLY DESIGNED BY PAUL REED SMITH, FAMOUS, ICONIC BUILDER.

ALL THE COMPANIES ARE MAKING GUITARS, BUT MOST OF OUR GRADUATES DO THE WORK.

THEY HIRE OUR GRADUATES, AND THAT'S OUR PRIMARY MISSION, TED, AS A SCHOOL IS TO PREPARE THESE STUDENTS TO GO INTO THE PROFESSION SO THEY GET JOBS WITH THESE MAJOR COMPANIES AND I BROUGHT THIS ONE HERE.

>> Ted: THIS ONE HERE?

>> WELL, THIS IS A GIBSON, LES PAUL SHAPE, AND THE TOPS ARE ROSEWOOD.

AND THE GUITAR NEXT TO YOU.

>> Ted: YES.

>> BUILT BY JOHN REUTER OUR DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND HE'S BEEN WITH US 40 YEARS AND SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL.

I BROUGHT THAT, IT REPRESENTS THE CUSTOM BUILDERS THAT GRADUATED FROM OUR SCHOOL.

AND WE HAVE GUITAR MAKERS SELLING FROM UP TO 60,000.

>> Ted: THEY GO THAT MUCH?

>> YEAH, HE AND I WAS GOING TO BRING JASON'S, HE'S GOING TO A SHOW IN JANUARY.

>> Ted: AND DIDN'T HAVE --.

WE DID A SPECIAL CONCERT AT THE MIMM AND I BROUGHT ON 11 GUITARISTS AND WE PLAYED 30 OF THE GUITARS THROUGH THE COURSE OF TWO SETS.

>> Ted: WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE SCHOOL?

YOU'VE GOT YOUR FIRST 50 YEARS BEHIND YOU.

WHAT'S NEXT?

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING SOME OF THIS 50 YEARS FROM NOW, 100th.

WE'VE GOT LOTS OF THINGS, THIS GUITAR MAKING SCHOOL OPERATED ON THE PREMISE, STUDENTS MAKING ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC AND OUR GO-TO ALL THESE YEARS AND WE TRY TO IMPROVE EVERY TIME.

THE THING THAT BRINGS MOST JOY TO US IS TO SEE EXPRESSION ON OUR STUDENTS' FACE, STRINGING UP WITH A BIG SMILE ON THEIR FACE AND I WILL SEE IT TRANSFORM THEM.

THEY'RE SPENDING TIME IN THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW, IN THIS PRESENT MOMENT AND THAT-- IT DEVELOPS CHARACTER AND, YOU KNOW, AND THESE DAYS TO BE IN THIS MOMENT NOW, IT'S THE GRACE OF THE BUILDING PROCESS.

>> Ted: REAL QUICKLY, WHERE CAN WE LEARN MORE?

>> ROBERTO-VENN.COM.

>> Ted: WITH A DASH BETWEEN ROBERTO AND VENN.

>> YES.

>> Ted: AND CONGRATULATIONS.

IT'S REWARDING THING TO KNOW YOU HAD A PART.

THANK YOU.

>> HONORED TO BE ON YOUR SHOW.

>> Ted: THANK YOU.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ ♪♪