Official Luthiers Forum!

When I was a kid I used to hate folks who prefaced their remarks with "when I was a kid...." But just like how we human bags of mostly water tend to become our fathers or mothers, like it or not, as I firmly arrive at Dotard status I'm finding that I'm not exactly who I would have wished to be. So bear with me please as I preface my remarks perhaps one last time with when I was a kid.

When I was a kid I spent countless hours sitting on the floor of my room spinning the LPs of my musical heros and detuning my 1966 Fender Mustang to hopefully be enough in tune with the record to learn the tune.

I loved Ten Years after, Blind Faith, Cream, Hendrix, The Who, Alice Cooper, ELO, ELP, The Stones, Iggy and on and on and on. I once saw Three Dog Night but my friends and I brought paper bags along to wear on our heads so that no one would see us at a concert of a so-called p*ssy band..... No disrespect intended, just being historically accurate to my own experience.

Thirteen years ago I joined the OLF under my own name. That ID with two others, always my own name..... has now posted over 30,000 posts on the OLF. In the beginning I was a taker, understandably so we all came here to learn at some point or on some level. Although I did learn many great things here what I learned that was the very most life changing things for me was an introduction to some very special people, Luthiers, working in the trade Luthiers who assisted me further off the forum toward my own dreams.

Our business is a stunning success and we just smashed all previous growth records for us by again double digit growth. As I age further and some stuff gets a bit harder for me such as thinking.... and seeing, you know the unimportant stuff.... I've decided it's time to give thanks where thanks is due.

Hence the post.

It's time for me to semi-retire from posting on the OLF and even though I had to pay my dues here and did so perhaps more so then necessary..... or advisable at times.... it's time for me to move on and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I'm not worried about what will happen to the newer people here with the same dreams that I once had because the OLF has many of you to help them out. Very fine folks who like me found a port in the storm in this crazy trade.

Regarding our classes I won't be promoting them or even posting pics of them anymore on the OLF and I thank Lance very Kindly for his assistance with our classes. We have one next week that's fully booked and I will be sending Lance something as I always do when OLFers take our classes. the only difference going forward is if you are interested in one of our Fretting and Set-up classes please contact Ann Arbor Guitars directly? Not sure how many more times we will be offering them our daily work is more profitable and the classes are a LOT of very hard work for Dave and I.

Knowing as I do that some here think that saying good bye is something that they are not into, great, feel free to do it your way when it's your turn.... and you have made 30,000 posts..... Said in good humor of course!

For me though I will always be grateful to many people who are still with the OLF or long gone. From David Collins first and foremost to Rick Turner, Mario P., Colin S. and Dave White. Early on I made friends with Serge P. who although much of what we shared was not specifically Luthierie Serge remains one of the finest human beings that I have ever known! The list is too long to acknowledge everyone some of which are now dead as well. Just know I'm eternally grateful.

To the half a dozen OLFers in direct, off the forum contact that I'm currently helping with your projects nothing changes, happy to continue to help. I'm just not going to be looking in here very often or posting much either unless, of course I feel as if I want to do so.

A HUGE thanks to Lance Kragenbrink for his friendship, for his business savvy, and for his ability to keep the eye on the goal of making the OLF the very finest Internet Lutherie forum to have ever existed! Thanks bro!

About two years ago I unilaterally made the strategic decision to settle all former disputes on the OLF so that when I book there will be the least possible hard feelings. Many of you know who you are too. I proactively contacted you and let you know that I believe that I could have done better at avoiding conflict with you and that I was and remain truly sorry that I participated in a less than friendly relationship. Most of you were very gracious and let me off the hook. Many, many thanks guys (meaning men and women). A few of you I consider to be real friends now like it or not....

Ultimately though I can't make up for insecurities of a few or harbored hatred perhaps political in nature or worse.... but I did want it to be known that for the sake of the greater forum I did try. I tried on my own, quietly, proactively taking the hit personally for the greater good and offering apologies AND more importantly a cessation of hostilities. Thanks for hearing me out. To the rest this is available to you too I have zero interest in having a single enemy.

These days I get up and go to our very successful Lutherie business that just once again experienced double digit annual growth! I'm happy there and will likely do this for five more years and then get out of Dave's way leaving him with a quality business with zero debt and a who's who client list with excellent "real" reviews. That's the plan.

To my many friends here you have my contact info and I'm simply leaving the forum and not dead. Keep in touch will ya?

Lastly this decision is mostly made out of my own aging and lack of time to address all the stuff that I have in the air at any given time.

So sports fans (I hate that expression... ) it's not good bye but I won't be posting much anymore instead pursuing my own goals. It's time, I've paid my dues and when you have made over 30,000 posts here many of them helping others you can likely be as freakin pedantic as you like too in your long..... good.... bye.

Take care everyone! Thanks Lance and MANY others and remember as you age with your own personal pursuit of Lutherie.... never trust a fart!

I salute you, sir!

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Can I have your stuff?

But really - Thanks Hesh.

Hesh I will miss your posts; I always respect your opinion and even your unique way of presenting it.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Good luck, Hesh. Like many others here I've learned a great deal from your participation. When I first joined, you were incredibly welcoming and supportive and your friendly, positive attitude kept me coming back for more as I stumbled through the countless obstacles every new builder must overcome. Thanks for caring enough to try and help and congratulations on the successes you and Dave are enjoying at Ann Arbor Guitars. I do hope to take your classes one day and will be in touch down the line, should a time arrive when I find my calendar and wallet in alignment once again.

Best regards,

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George :-)

Roll on Hesh

Thanks for all your posts.
I hope we get a chance to raise a glass to turning pages!

Thanks for being so willing with your time to pass along what you've learned!

BB

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Time passes and we all get older. Eventually it is time to shift gears, take a different road, or just slow down a bit. I'm in the midst of some of that myself. It's all good. I, for one, will miss your posts (but I do have your phone number ) I sincerely hope you enjoy the time going forward my friend!

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge and perspective, Hesh. The 2 days I spent at A2G for the class remain the absolute high point of my Luthier-wannabe career so far.


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Thanks for sharing your knowledge Hesh!
Greatly appreciated!
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Good luck to you!

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Thank you for sharing your experience and advice so generously Hesh, good luck.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Hesh is a real mensch, an don/t let anyone tell you otherwise Mensch yiddish for (good guy) . All the best Hesh on your next excellent adventure !!!!

Thanks Hesh - my necks would still be pointed in the wrong direction without your toot

Ed

A huge thank you for your contributions to the forum Hesh, I have learned so much. Yours are always the first posts I look at.
Cheers, Bob

I've always remembered that it was you who posted the first response to my very first post way back in 2006. Through the years it's always been easy to tell that you are one of the good guys around here. Enjoy you time away but do come around often

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Why the big goodbye, Hesh? You seem to enjoy chiming in on things. Don't you think you'll find yourself (after 30,000 posts and all these years) tuning in once and a while to see what's going on? Maybe not as often... You know your participation will be missed... Is there something you aren't telling us?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Seriously consider what you have always wanted to do. If I recall correctly, I have about 10 years over you and wish I had them back.
Take a long hard look at your "bucket list" and before it is too late, learn as much as you can about things you've never considered and go where you've always wanted. Spend the rest of your time as if every minute counted. They do.
Good luck to you.

I dunno Hesh. I think you’re gonna get another bee in your bonnet or hair up your adz, and if you don’t have a place to vent, I’m afraid you might explode.

Or it could just be a case of “look out, MIMF”.

See you in the spring. And we’ll talk

Your friend

Steve

A heart felt thank you Mr. Breakstone for all the input you’ve lent on this forum. I’ve learned quite a bit reading your posts. I wish you all the best!

Dave.


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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain

All the best to you, Hesh! Your knowledge, humour, and sharing, are things to be proud of. My fretting class with you and Dave was a real revelation, not only for fretting, but all the other stuff that I learned, and the confidence it gave me. It was easily the best money that I've spent on myself!
I'll miss your short and concise replies (the ones that I stop half way through to have my lunch!) and your encouraging words to myself, and so many others! Cheers Buddy, and thanks!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Hesh you'll be missed. My time at Ann Arbor guitars was a real game changer thanks.

Thanks for all the years of advise. Your perspective of things was always enlightening. Don't be afraid to give us a toot once in awhile.

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Thanks Hesh for your opinions, toots, recommendations, and evangelical fervor on issues important to guitar building and repair. I've adopted a bunch of your ideas as standard operating procedure. Thanks for that and all the best.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I'll miss having your input on things on here. But we'll keep in touch outside of here