Official Luthiers Forum!

I thought this would be fun.
This is my dad and I building my first guitar (a Martin kit) in his garage long before I even owned a chisel





Go ahead! Share your first guitar here!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

No jokes about my legs ok!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Very cool Lance - you had more hair then.......

See I didn't even mention your chicken legs.......

The garage shop looks very neat too - note the paper towel holder, etc.

Question:  Did you know when this pic was taken that you would become a Luthier?

Ha! I'm not sure I am a luthier now!
But yes, I was flat out hooked on guitar building about 3 minutes into that one.
I have to say though that a big part of what grabbed me was the friendliness and willingness to other builder to share what they knew.
Starting the OLF was in large part to the fact that so many great people helped me get my start that I felt somewhat obligated to give back to the community.
Who knew we'd end up like this!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Ok for those of you that have not been to my site or do not know my history my first scratch build was a IRW back and side, Curly Koa topped OM with Curly Maple binding and my first Japanese Maple vine inlay. I really screwed up the peghead on it but it has held together for some 8 years now. I only have very old pictures of it here at work and they are mot very good pictures but here it is

Ok...here's my #001..."Mojo"...an OM built with materials from Blues Creek Guitars and lots of help from John Hall.



EIR and Sitka finished in rattle can Nitro. Hide glue on all the joints and it continues to be used on a daily basis by Son #2.

I built the first one in my kitchen before I was able to set up a shop in the basement. It seems like so long ago...it was 2003.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Sure, I'm in!

Here's my #1. Done from scratch, top and B/S were eBay woods (notice the refraction from runout on the Sitka top). I wanted to learn the "right" way right up front so I leaned to use HHG on this one. Basically a forward shifted dread using the SM "herringbone" plans. Wanted to learn inlay, too, so I did it all myself.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

My first scratch built guitar was given away but remains in near daily service today.  It was the first guitar that I bent and burned the sides, installed the rosette and got CA stains, made a nice neck on the first try but hated it, and finished it like an idiot with rattle can nitro in my bathroom........  The rattle can nitro was cool but spraying in my condo was not cool.......

It sounded great and I am told that it sounds better today since it had an Adi top that I never opened up.

Looking back it occurred to me that the more you build the better you either get at building, Photoshop, or both.....

[QUOTE=LanceK]No jokes about my legs ok! [/QUOTE]

 

Those are your legs?  I though you were just riding a chicken!  Not that there is anything wrong that! 

 

Shane

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Canada

Nazzy Martin Herringbone D-28 Kit, Indian Rosewood / Sitka, Mahogany Neck, dovetail, hide glue on bridge and neck join, titebond elsewhere. Gone but not forgotten.

We make a living by what we get, a life by what we give.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

The year was 1977-I was 17 years old-this was my third guitar(the first four collapsed).
Before you pass judgement (not that you were gonna')-There was no internet,no DVD's (not invented yet)no videos no one to talk to who ever made a guitar and only two(not so good) books!!
But I was conviced that this would be a "museum" piece.

AHH...Youth is wasted on the young.

I keep it around to remind me of the dark ages of Luthery

De nada

Brad Goodman wrote: "The year was 1977-I was 17 years old-this was my third guitar(the first four collapsed).
Before you pass judgement (not that you were gonna')-There was no internet,no DVD's (not invented yet)no videos no one to talk to who ever made a guitar and only two(not so good) books!!
But I was conviced that this would be a "museum" piece.

AHH...Youth is wasted on the young.

I keep it around to remind me of the dark ages of Luthery"

I want to heaqr the 'Paul Harvey' on this one...you know, "The rest of the story......"

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

My first was a Herringbone Dred. I just took it out and played it for the first time in a couple years.It sounded OK and Still in tune!But the neck feels like a log!   

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I do not have a pic of #1. I donated it to a charity auction and have not seen it since. I would love to have achance to go over my mistakes and do a better setup. I had bult 9 solid body electrics prior but this was my first acoustic. I still miss my baby.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

I'm fairly astounded that anyone would give away or sell their first born guitar!

Nice to see where you all started though - keep the pics coming!!

Dave F.

My first was a 0-16NY clone kit from John Hall.  It has a few finish warts and is in need of a better setup, but came out with a really decent sound -- something I attribute to blind a** luck!

 

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Here's mine, a copy of a parlor that belonged to my wife's great grandfather, 8 years old now. I've got to honest, this one does neither play nor sound very good...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I started my first from Stanley Doubtfire's book back in 86-87, then had to wait about 15 years to get time to finish it.  Another university degree, marriage, three kids, my own business, and two houses later...

The results are decent enough, poor enough to want to make it better and good enough to think that its worth a try!

If I was starting out now, with the internet, etc. I'd have started out better.

  

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

when I started building a little over a year ago I really went into a building frenzy....The herringbone  guitar on the left was the first.The guitar sounded good but the Irish Bouzouki sounding fantastic...Its gone to a great guy who loves the Irish music....He wanted me to build one for him so I had no choice but to let it go.........I have another started for myself.......Larry
http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa56/Lab321/Labs%20Photos /?action=view&current=IM000191.jpg

I'll try to post one more time....Hope it works....

Wes,
Can I get the specs on #1's bindings and purflings? What are the back and sides?
Great job!

René

Well, I am not very sentimental and so my first guitar got tossed in the garbage can - as did the second. The second one really wasn't too bad but the first one was by FAR the ugliest first attempt I have ever seen. And I am not exaggerating - it was ridiculously pitiful. Of course, I had absolutely no woodworking experience and started from scratch with little to no tooling. But I did have a good time and got hooked instantly.

They all look good, but kudos to Brad for his bravery.
That guitar just oozes the 70's Brad. Man, that takes me back.
That's the guitar I wanted to build, just didn't have the nerve.
Thanks for the pic, as it captures part of my past as well.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Holy Old Thread Revival Batman!

Man, Lance sure has chickenlegitis, and bad

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