Bruce Jones Surfboards History

ONE MAN, STILL SHAPES, EVERY BOARD,
BY HAND!

In this day and age of computer shaping, shaping machines, famous shapers signing boards as if they shaped them (ghost shaping), and shapers who have the talent but think of every excuse to avoid work, isn't it amazing that there is one of them, Bruce, that still takes the time to shape every board in his shop, by hand! How does he do it?

Actually, he has no choice! There are only a handful of shapers around who have the ability and the drive to get it done right and show up to do it! These few are all under contract with other shops, so the job is left to one person, Bruce, and Bruce alone!

SHAPING WITH THE BEST
First of all, he has the talent, being trained by some of surfings' great shapers. He was there, at Hobies, during the golden age of the mid 1960's, when the best shaping talent in surfing history was gathered in one place: Phil Edwards, Dale Velzy, Terry Martin, John Gray and Ralph Parker, to name a few! Starting in the gluing department, Bruce worked his way into rough shaping and then into the actual shaping room and lost no time in getting help from everyone involved in the room!

In the mid to late 60's, Bruce moved to Huntington Beach, where he shaped for Vardeman Surfboards, doing all the "Jackie Baxter Models." To this day, they are considered to be a rare collector's item, being the first board on the west coast to combine the low tail rails of the Hawaiian Gun (for speed), with a refined longboard outline, and eventually a turned down, flat bottom nose, for superb nose riding (influenced by the famous Morey/Pope, "John Peck Penetrater" model).

DEDICATION AND PERFECTION
At night he would shape for "Gordie Surfboards." Gordie (Gordon Duane), had a reputation for being a superb craftsman, but very hard to get along with! Bruce put up with his grouchiness and learned some of Gordies' shaping techniques and most of all, his dedication to perfection through using these techniques. Bruce did a short stint with Dick Brewer in the `69, ghost shaping for him on Maui. He then went on to shape for Russell Surfboards, Newport Beach, and then Ole Surfboards in Sunset Beach, from where he launched his own business.

He has the drive that is lacking in most surfboard shapers, and workers in general, the drive that makes him go to work and get it done -- no excuses, no procrastinating - that was instilled in him by working in a family business since he was eight years old. You either have it, or you don't! He has done his research, traveling world-wide to surf some of the major surf breaks in the world -- South Africa, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico, and the hole east coast of Australia!

For years, Bruce had a "Ranch Boat" stored in Santa Barbara, for immediate access to the most famous fifteen miles of surf spots in all of California. This access to perfect, uncrowded waves, gave him the opportunity for quick trial and error research on surfboard designs. Last but not least, he has persevered, staying on course, while others have wavered and vacillated. He has not lost sight of the true objectives of shaping and design -- figure out what works and then shape it with style and symmetry!