From Where the Shape Came : Modern Machine

May 22, 2026

[The Beginning]
Honestly, I started making the Modern Machine before I had even met Joel.

I was probably inspired by watching him surf those boards — the style, the eggs, the single fins. Watching that whole approach to surfing naturally pushed me toward making my own version. So I started building them based on what I thought the board should be. I came up with my own template, working mostly from feel, proportions, and numbers.

And right away, it worked really well.

It was super fun. Easy to paddle, easy to catch waves, but still fast and maneuverable. To me, it has the paddle and glide of a longboard, but the looseness and maneuverability of a shortboard. It sits right in that happy medium.

Especially if you’re not a grom or a pro surfer, it’s just an everyday board that works in a wide range of conditions — from thigh-high surf all the way to overhead waves

Todd with a 7'2 Modern Machine.

[Discovering the Original Template]
I remember one of the first times hanging out at Joel’s house. We had a bunch of blanks and templates laid out in the backyard, and I had brought my own Modern Machine template.

At the time, I was making them with wide diamond tails for some reason. I think my template was around 7’2”. Joel had an original G&S Modern Machine template there too — maybe a 7’1” or 7’2”.

We laid the templates over each other, and honestly, they were surprisingly close. I was pretty blown away by how close I had gotten to the original without ever really seeing one in person before. The only major difference was a little more curve in the nose outline on the original. Other than that, they were very similar.

That experience really confirmed something for me: it was simply a very usable shape. An easy board for most surfers to ride and enjoy.

A fun day at Three’s — head high to a little overhead and perfect for the Modern Machine.

[Refining the Modern Machine]
Later on, after spending more time in San Diego and working through the G&S factory, I really started refining my own version of the Modern Machine.

A big turning point came after Joel started LSD factory. That’s when I met Tommy Kroll, who helped build out the factory and handled much of the finish work there.

Tommy was also a serious collector, and he owned two original Modern Machines — a 6’10” and a 7’10”. To me, that was the perfect range for the design. Those two boards represented the entire spectrum of what the Modern Machine could be.

Having access to both templates became a huge breakthrough for me. My current Modern Machine outline is basically a combination of those two original boards.

Since the original G&S Modern Machines were shaped by several different shapers over the years, each one carried its own personality and characteristics. Over time, I was able to dial in the exact outline I wanted by blending elements from both boards and continuing to refine the details.

The Classic Egg 8.5" — one of our favorite pairings for the Modern Machine.

[Fuller Rails, More Paddle]
One of the biggest influences I took from Joel’s interpretation of the Modern Machine — compared to some of the vintage G&S boards — was the idea of carrying more volume.
The older G&S versions tended to have more tapered rails, while Joel really liked fuller volume throughout the board.

That led me toward flatter decks and fuller rails.

The result was even more paddle power and glide, but without the board feeling overly bulky or difficult to turn. The overall shape still kept everything balanced.

Because of that volume distribution, you can also ride these boards slightly thinner than you might expect. Instead of needing a full 3-inch thickness, you can sometimes go down to around 2 7/8” while still keeping plenty of paddle and flow.

That flatter deck and fuller rail combination became a really important part of how I approach the Modern Machine today.

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