Head Shaper:

Bruce Jones

Behind the Brand:Bruce Jones began his shaping tutelage among legends. First employed by Clark Foam from 1962 to 1965, he then began to work in the stringer-gluing department in the Hobie factory. There, surrounded by a stable of the era’s most respected craftsmen and surfers, his earliest teachers were luminaries such as Phil Edwards, Dale Velzy, Terry Martin, John Gray, and Ralph Parker. Quickly working up the ranks, Jones transitioned to the shaping team at Hobie before moving on to several positions at other labels. He then opened his own operation in 1973 in Sunset Beach, CA, on the Pacific Coast Highway. Today, Bruce Jones Surfboards Inc. is still embedded in the first site it inhabited, a building that has been in continuous use as a surf shop since 1965 (when it was the home of Ole Surfboards). Jones also currently operates a manufacturing facility in addition to the shop and still shapes each board himself—but his involvement doesn’t stop there. After handing his work off to the rest of the team (a group of glassers, finishers, and graphic artists that have ties to the label that stretch back more than two decades), Jones keeps a close on eye on each step of the production process as well, a quality-control initiative that has given Bruce Jones Surfboards a reputation for functionality and durability. “We make them turn and we make them last,” Jones says. “It’s as simple as that.”

About Jones' Most Popular Models: “We work with our team riders,” Jones says. “Guys like Brock Jones and Jon Shelton to figure out if the shape works or not. If it does, we put it into production. If it doesn’t, we don’t. Right now, I’d say our most popular model is the Retro Noserider. Our Modern Longboard is also a really strong seller.”

Shop Talk: “Maneuverability is the most important quality to have in your surfboard. Why? Because surfing is all about turning!”

When a new customer comes to you for a custom shape, what kind of questions do you ask to ensure you’ll make them what they’re looking for? “I have them bring in their last board if possible and ask them what they would like the new board to do. Or, I put them on a demo to see where they are in their surfing ability and preferences. Then I build accordingly.”

Tell us about the changes you’ve seen in recent years in the shaping realm, and how it has affected your craft. “Some shapes are going so retro that it is hurting some people’s surfing ability. To me, it should be about function not fashion!”

How do you think surfboards and the process of shaping and glassing boards will change in the next decade?   “Once the retro phase is over, I think boards will keep going lighter and stronger, which will serve everyone’s interests in the final analysis.”

If you could only ride three boards for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why? “I’d have the Modern Longboard in my quiver because it works almost every day of the year. I’d have The Fatty, because it floats very well for such a short shape. And then I’d pick the Big Boy’s Thruster, for when the surf gets good.”