Official Luthiers Forum!

There are two reasons, clearly, why I am a Luthier.

First I love the work, guitars, the variation in so much as I can come into work having no clue what I will be doing and five repaired guitars later I feel great as if I have accomplished something and had a good time along the way too.

Second and perhaps most importantly the guitars that we build or repair or both... tend to become important parts of people's lives even to the point of being an inanimate family member of sorts. In some cases these guitars will be with our friends for the rest of their lives and as such will often be an important part of the lives, loves, trials and tribulations of their stewards.

Here is a link to a client's (and friend's) blog that I finally got a chance to read this morning. It was sent to us some time back so My bad, it takes a while to catch up these days.

It's a story, true story of a guitar, a family, world events, and very nearly a century's slice of this wonderful musical family. It was an honor for Dave and I to make a small contribution recently to keeping the music playing. It's also an example of one of the two most important reasons why I am a Luthier - to make folks happy.

There is something else that rings true with this story and that is a father's love of his daughter. This is something that I see nearly every day too working with Dave Collins who is a fantastic parent himself.

Enjoy!

http://www.sanemilyandjacob.com/?fb_comment_id=1228974193783506_1230765433604382#!Thanksgiving/czh4/56647ba70cf2533368616962

If you have a story, comment, link, etc. about something that you built or repaired that made someone happy please post it in this thread. This is not about self-promotion by any means it's about my second reason for being a Luthier - making people happy.

Thanks

When I grow up I want to be Hesh.

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

Chris my friend I'm still trying to grow up as well and it ain't easy either....

Great story, Hesh! I am like you, in that I really am happiest about my work when someone else is playing one of my guitars and is smiling! They never have to say anything.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

What is this "grow up" thing everyone keeps talking about?

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Nice story, thanks Hesh.

People say you must get a huge rush when you string one of your instruments up for the first time and see how great it sounds. I usually answer "no, I worry more that it won't sound good, if it does that's what's supposed to happen". It's more a relief than a rush.

What really gives me a rush is what has already been said, seeing someone using one to make wonderful music and not admiring it in a hermetically sealed climate controlled boutique display case. The biggest downer? Seeing one back in two years looking perfect with no fret wear.

The biggest gift has been the instruments serving as a vehicle into the behind the scenes world of instrument sales, repair, and professional and amateur musicians. I have made some wonderful friends, folks I never would have encountered had it not been for luthierie.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Terry and Waddy I could not agree more!!! There is something about hearing one of yours in the hands of a pro that just makes me grin like an idiot! It can be embarrassing too when someone feels compelled to introduce you.....

^^^ Projects Peter Pan perpetually ^^^

Ya...me too...if the world would just LET me.

I sure get the "grinning like an idiot" thing. As a performing musician I will only achieve a certain level of ability. I'll always want more than I have in this regard. I know a lot of guitar builders that fall somewhere into that category.

But art encompasses a very wide range.

Some people can go from point A to point Z with the patience to be very thorough...a different kind of art...but an art nevertheless. When an instrument proceeds from the mind of a meticulous builder into the hands of a skilled player a "completion" occurs...and it's a completion that cannot occur without at least two people.

When it happens both the builders and the players should be grinning.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

X500 for me.

I am not a particularly good player - so I only can get so far. It really brings a smile to my face when I see a pro or a talented hobby player really making beautiful music on one of my guitars and then they slowly give the guitar back with that "I want this" look.

Conversely - I get kinda concerned when folks are afraid to play an instrument. I get that they don't want to pay because they scratched it all up..... But as you put it - they are tools for musicians..... And real tools show signs of actual use.

Thanks

Hey John!

Frequently someone will schlep a guitar to us and all that is wrong with it is a scratch..... One of our favorite responses is "great, now you can enjoy playing the thing..."

What I'm often really thinking though is "great, now perhaps you can forget about the BS and actually learn to play the thing...." But I don't say this, usually.....