Official Luthiers Forum!

With so very many new members and since it's been about a year since this question was last asked let's hear why you build guitars?

For me I had wanted to learn to build acoustic guitars for several decades. I always thought that some day when I retire I would love to learn to build guitars and spend my days doing exactly that.

When I discovered that kits were available and prior to discovering the OLF I decided why wait for retirement..... That was about 4 years ago and since then guitar building has been what I seem to live and breath every waking moment.....

It's addicting isn't it.........

So my friends let's hear why you build guitars, how you got started, and if you have any particular guitar building goals. By goals an example would be to give a guitar to a loved one like George just did or to have a better sounding guitar than you have ever had before, etc.

Thanks!

I built a guitar to learn more about how guitars work so that I can transfer that experience to bandura building.

(you're such a guitar snob Hesh!! )

_________________
http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Yeah I kind of had that coming - good point Andy!

Question: Is a bandura kind of like a banjo....?

Are you kidding, banduras are nothing like banjos: they burn much longer

_________________
http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Well years ago I was inflected with nerve damage that made playing for more than a few moments at a time rather painful and recked havoc on my technique and ability to execute a piece as I expected of my self. Having worked in my grandfathers cabinet shop since I was a young kid and my love for the instrument it was sort of a natural migration for me to move away form playing to building as a way to stay intamently tied to the instrument I so dearly love

Because I can't build pianos. Sorry, old carpenters joke.

I was fortunate enough to have a good friend who tutored me through #1 in his shop. And yes, like Hesh, I'm hooked. It was enough to get me going on a new shop because I couldn't get climate control happening in the old one. We're now up and running and loving it.

To answer the question.... for now just to have one of all the musical instruments I've always wanted. Because it's FUN! And how cool is it to build them yourself. So here's the list of what I have/will build.

#1- Nylon string cutaway for fingerstyle. Done and pretty happy with results.
#2- Parlour Style. 1/2 done and is getting me tooled up as I'm building jigs and buying tools as I need them.
#3- Carved top "A" Style mando. Because I played an old Gibson about 25 years ago and really liked it.
#4- Archtop or two for obvious reasons.
#5- Violin for my 12 year old. Her playing may have surpassed what I can build but I would like to give it a try anyway.

Good thread Hesh and hope you all have a great Festive Season.

Cheers,
Danny

Became interested in classical guitar construction, when I started playing, and read a bunch of books back then. Always wanted too, but family and life, left little time for starting. Life has now changed, and time is more available.

The other reason is that I just love tearing large hunks of hair out of my head.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Because I love guitars, and can't play one to save my life!!! Figured I'd put my old woodworking skills to use, and now I'm addicted!

_________________
Rob

Way back when I was a kid and my family needed something the first thing was to make it. If we (mainly my dad but my mother also) couldn't make it then you got a old one and fixed or modified it. Only if you couldn't do that did you buy a thing. So I have a lot of that in me. I have always prefered making my own material things. By making my own I have a conection to them. They have more value for me than bought things. (Not always as I have things others have made for me and they are special. Or things that are made with care or have some old mojo )
So it isn't just guitars with me but I have a skill set and tools that makes it especially a natural progression to build a guitar or guitars.
One other big thing. The only way I really deserve a nice guitar is if I made one myself as I am a faily new player. I would be embarrassed to have a really fine guitar at this point. But I do like fine things. The only way I could justify it is to make it myself !
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I guess i build for the satification of getting the ultimate TONE MONSTER.Now that i'm retired, i have the time to build.Just like my native american flutes,no two sound the same,so i guess i build to see what the next one will sound like.There's always something to look forward to which keeps me building more.

10 years ago was when things clicked for me. That was when I wanted to be a professional musician and go to Berklee; I started playing higher end instruments in the stores and the interest just sort of came. I was on MIMF quite a bit and emailed all the time with Don Williams.

I went to college for other things instead, and completed a tele and a really bad acoustic body during the time. Also completed the bodies for two others, a zebrawood snare drum, and two maple drum kits.

I came back to it when John Mayes got in touch with me about something and also mentioned he was working on an amp. That's all it took to pull me back in. Since then I've completed another acoustic body, four amps, and a few electrics.

I've yet to complete an acoustic. This year I really want to turn the top and back I have voiced and waiting into something complete. They're looking good so far. I want to get over the hump of quitting on these and experience the accomplishment. This one's looking really good so far.

depends on which day you catch me. Somedays I love it. Someday it's just a job.

_________________
John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Great question. I asked the same over a year ago and got some good responses.

viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=15406&hilit=build

My story re-capped is that I switched from bass to acoustic guitar after the bands disintegrated. I started buying more and more expensive instruments. It got expensive fast. I needed a new hobby and I'm an engineer. So here I am with a ridiculously expensive pile of wood and a bunch of tools. Its been a better investment than leaving that money in stock for the last year. How'd of ever thought.

For the babes.

Or maybe because it is my telos.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

It started this way: I love to play guitar and I love playing jazz, although I'm not a very proficient soloist. I always wanted to own one of the really great vintage archtops, but couldn't afford one.
I'm a reasonably proficient woodworker, so I figured I could probably build a better instrument than anything I could afford to purchase. I built a classical first, and it went okay, but it looked like a first effort. Fun, though. Then someone gave me a smashed plywood no-name archtop. I put it back together and made a number of parts for it, including the neck. Did a little better this time. Then made some tools--clamps, planes, jigs, etc. Things kept getting better. Then I finally built my archtop, and it exceeded my expectations. Now I realize my motivation has changed. I've become very addicted to the PROCESS of doing these things, and I find great satisfaction in doing them. It's more the act of designing, building and problem solving for me.
And, of course, the finished product is either a winner, or it stimulates me to try to do better next time. Either way, it's gravy!

I got into it because I could not justify buying the ones I really wanted. Even with all of the tools I have bought (and it is significant) I am nowhere near the cost of one of models I wanted. I also found that building them is an incredible creativity outlet. Not to mention that I absolutely love the guitar. I think it is one of the most beatiful musical instruments. Kind of like my passion for beautiful women (er, my wife).

Mike

Now that is something that you don't hear everyday...... Hysterical!

Hesh, when you're driving 'round town, check out 108 S. Oneida St...corner of Chicago and Oneida behind the Historical Museum...that's my old house...spent 7 years restoring it to museum condition, and the day we finished, WE MOVED!

By the by, I build guitars to decompress from my airline pilot job!

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

I came into a lot of money and needed a way to burn it up. Worked. Now I'm broke

Me to, except without the money to start with...

I wanted an electric guitar that didn't exist, decided to build it. After 5 years building solid bodies, I'm realizing there's a lot more creative expression going on in the acoustic (and bass) world. Still gearing up for acousticiness, but my heart's already there.

Terry, that reminds me of the old, "How do you make a small fortune in aviation" question...the answer?

"Start with a large one"!

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

Good question Hesh. Some days I ask myself that several times in rather quick succession.

I remember being maybe 5 or 6 and saying..."I could make a guitar, it would be easy." As i remember I got a shoe box, taped the lid on, cut a hole in it for the neck (for which i used a paper towel tube), and taped some strings (butchers twine) on. My first non-shoebox acoustic guitar is looking similar, but I think I'll use better tape for the strings.

I have always liked tinkering and there is something innately satisfying to me about making something. Building a guitar satisfies that by creating something utilitarian and artistic. Utilitarian in that you use it as a tool to create something else, and artistic in that it allows you to use your creativity in taping your butchers twine to your shoebox any way you choose.


Darrin

Funny, I raced vintage sports cars to decompress from corporate America.

Seriously, I started to play guitar in the mid 1950's. That's "Last Century" for you kids! After a lot of years, through high school and college, I became aware that I was not "professional playing talent".
So I decided to play around with building the beast I couldn't master by playing. Started out modifying pawn shop guitars, a tale recounted in issue #49 of Guitarmaker (Summer 2004). In 1970 I decided to build an instrument from scratch. I had a number of player friends and, when I discussed it with them, several were up for the idea of a hand built guitar.
So the deal was they bought the wood and I built for the experience. First out of the box was a 12 string on a drednought body. Black walnut body with sitka top. Was I early in the alternate wood movement?
Did all the work in my garage and it took a year. Turned out well...the original owner still has it and uses it. Proceeded to built 5 more guitars up to 1976 and a job transfer to my current locale. Put all the tools and materials away with the same idea as Hesh... build when I retire. So, in 1996, that's what I did. I'm past 150 guitars now and, like others, have the good and bad days with the instrument.
But I'll keep at it. It is a never ending challenge/learning experience. And I figure if I don't learn something each day in the shop, I haven't been paying attention!

_________________
Hank Mauel

I wanted to learn to play bottle neck and couldn't find a nice wood body reso that I liked. Found MIMF in my researching and started to read up on resos and along with help from Mike Dotson giving me advice I came up with a way to build from modifying a Martin ooo kit. Been hooked ever since. I always liked woodworking and enjoy designing stuff (probably should have went to school for Architecture) and always liked music and art. Building gives me plenty of outlets for all that stuff. Being I'm going to be 55 this year I can see that retirement light at the end of the tunnel so I'm hoping to have my skills down enough by then so that I can make some extra cash building guitars when retired. I'm looking forward to it.
Only problem is I don't know if I'll have any money left by then to retire. Well that's catch 22 with this hobby.