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So today I glued the sides of my first guitar together in the jig with my head block and heel block.

For me that was the moment when I was like "Omg I am actually making a guitar" Even more epic that finishing my first rosette. This was the moment that set me up to really bunker down and get ready to rock the 13 sets that me and my partner have acquired and turn them into guitars. Seeing the guitar finally take that shape was so amazing for me!

That was my moment today... Gluing my first set of sides together.

So what I am really wondering is what were your guys moments? Especially you veterans! Can you remember that moment when you were like "I am actually MAKING a guitar!!!"

Check out the pics of my moment in my blog. Click my sig to see it.

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca

just wait until you have the box closed and a neck in place. you will be strumming away at nothing just getting a feel for you new guitar

Mine was more like .. WOW I made a guitar .. I would open the case every day to play it once finished and for about the first month be amazed that he thing never blew up .. still in one piece.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

That moment for me is when you bring the strings up to pitch and the guitar doesn`t fold up on itself, you don`t kill your cat, and you`re ripping through your best song.
That`s when the hair on the nape of my neck stands up, and the yearning for it to open up sets in.
Cheers,
Coe Franklin

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

Hea I remember the first set of sides becoming a rim that was a big moment, there are plenty more to come my friend. for me the biggest was birth of my first SJ.

For me it's when I strum the first chord.
Put that in a pill and I'd be hooked for life!

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

For me there were a couple of moments.

Putting the box together - tapping on the front and back - humming into it and feeling it buzz. Hey, it's going to be a musical instrument!!

After buffing the finish, and it really looked like a shiny, professionally made guitar (at least in my, less than objective eyes

Putting strings on it and hearing those first sounds is priceless.

Finally, when it's had tension on it for a couple of weeks, and you've retuned it a few times, and the sound starts to really come into itself.

They are all priceless, and never more so than on number one! Enjoy!

Wow! 13 sets?!? You guys are really jumping in head first! I would say that by the end of the 13th build, you will have many more "that moment"s...

My most recent "that moment" was buffing out the nitro on my Gibson J35 copy today on my lunch hour.

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Don't confront me with my failures--I have not forgotten them.

For me, it was the first time I broke a set of sides (guitar # 6) than I broke a second set of the same wood.

Yup....I'm really making guitars now LOL!

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I remember my first sides very well! They were ash and when i took them out of the spring steel slats they were stained real bad and looked blue in many places even though i had paper between them and the slats.It took me quite abit of scrapeing and sanding to get it off.So i do remember them well. I have changed over to stainless steel slats and haven't had that problem since. The guitar did turn out great in the end though.I was so excited to here it sing, that i put a FP finish on it so i could play it sooner. I still play it alot as it has a beautiful sound.

From my first in 1977 at Charles Foxs school in Vermont to # 400
just finished ,I am always cranked by the simple pleasure of making a guitar!
Though it's NOT easy it's very rewarding !!!

Every step of making instruments of wood is, figuring how to fix a mistake or tearout,or finish problem....... is a learning process.
Plus they have to play & sound great !!!!!!

They're a work of love to me !

Mc

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Mike Collins

That really kind of sums it up Mike

Just closed up the box on my first today. And, of course, forgot to sign the inside

Thanks MDP .
For me it's all exciting;from picking the woods to final string up .

Man -I have no idea what I would have done in life if I did not build instruments!

Mc

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Mike Collins

My first was a LMI kit and choice of woods wasn't a big factor. NOW...the experience of choosing a set of back/sides/bindings/top that all blend is the most exciting part for me. I am a wood freak more than a guitar freak. However...my first build had several emotional victories along the building process....ALL were memories worth having and stringing her up and playing one of my favorite for the first time is an elation extraordinaire.
Kent Bailey

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EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

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