Official Luthiers Forum!

Well it's getting to be that time again to start planning this year's Ann Arbor gathering.

Last fall we held the gathering at the Black Elks Lodge and it seemed to be the perfect venue for our group. We counted approx. 45 attendees and everyone seemed to have a great time.

So it would be helpful to David and I as we start planning if we could have some information from prospective attendees please:

1) Who is interested in attending - we need to get a head count. Last year we had 30 confirmed and 45 showed up which was great!

2) If you attended last year was the Black Elks Lodge, the food, the bar...., and the charm of the big old house, the performances acceptable to you?

3) Format: Last year at the 11th hour decided to limit presentations and make it more of a free-form event where folks could interact much more easily. This year what would be your preference more structured presentations/demos than last year?

4) When: Would you prefer the spring/early summer (June) or September when we had it last year?

Many thanks!

Count me in, Hesh! Avoiding the end/beginning of school year times would work best for me, but we're flexible.

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Count me in, I have a couple friend that build and I think they will also come if there is space. As for time frame I am open to whatever is decided.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Great - thanks guys. Fred bro we will make room so no worries.

Hesh and David--

The Black Elks Lodge was a great venue! What a wonderful old building and such good hearted people there! I'm only about a 50% chance of making it back, but I'll try to get it worked in. To those that didn't make it last year, its well worth the effort to come and meet everyone.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

I also loved the venue!

I think June/July might be hard for me, and im sure Brock too, and anyone else that will be pushing to make it to Montreal and Healdsburg. After mid Aug I am free....

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Please count me in Hesh. The Elks Lodge was a great venue and really set the tone for the gathering. It was informal and relaxing. The food was great and the drinks were cold. Many new friends and acquaintances were made. Great conversation and exchange of ideas, showing instruments and good music throughout the day and into the evening....

It was great that Bob C and Bob Jr. were there as well as John Watkins and Joe White. Hopefully they will attend again.

The presentation on set-up by David was very worthwhile and if we ask politely hopefully he may just do another.

Perhaps we could impose on a few of our master luthiers to also make short presentations on topics of their choice??? I'd like to hear from Brian Galloup, Mario and others if they care to.

If you need any help in organizing the event please let me know. I'd be more than happy to help in any way that I can.

Any time is good for me.

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Peter

I'm in...my preference would either be May or September. June is impossible for me as things are shaping up.

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

Count me in Hesh. Any time would be ok for me.I would enjoy meeting some of our great members. Mark

Thanks guys!

OK it is sounding like September is better for some of you so we can do that.

Last year we were pretty lucky with our start and end time since there was a home game with 111,000 football fans a few miles away at the Big House. I suspect that we could schedule the gathering to not conflict with traffic again.

More to come and please anyone who wants to attend please let me know here?

Many thanks!

I'm in again. Anytime is good except the first few weekends of August.

Venue was great.

As for topics for presentation, I'd like to see something a bit more generic such as top tuning or something like that, you know, in case someone who builds an instrument other than guitars shows up

Open mike was cool too, I'd leave that in.

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I thought that I would get out the pics of last year's gathering for a stroll down memory lane.....

Suggestion for a topic: Let's trick Alan C. into flying in to town to give a live demonstration of tuning a top using chladni paterns. If Al can't make it, some second rate impostor would be fine with me.

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http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

I will try to make it. Elks Lodge was great. I'd like more presentations. Late August or September would likely work better for me than earlier in the summer. Even October could be good. But it's a long trip for me, so I might not make it in any case, though I will certainly try.

Thanks to Hesh and David for working on this!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I'd love to attend this again year but I'll have to wait until the Pacific Peso improves a bit.

Pencil me in for 2010.

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Hesh, I'll try to make it depending on the date. The lodge was a fine venue, and I think more presentations would be great. I'm flexible about the time of year you choose.

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

That looks like it would have been fun,

great picture of jesus and santa clause there Hesh

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Count me in Hesh. I enjoyed the venue, the ribs, and the friendship.

Vince

We're going to try like heck to attend. Bob Jr and I sure had a great time.

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Thanks guys - I'll be talking with David Collins today and we will see about setting a date in September.

September could work for me. I'd love to meet some of you folks.

Ken

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Sounds like a plan, and I will be looking forward to it.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Count me in, Heshie. The lodge worked great and Dave's presentation on set up was excellent. More of the same would be great. Anytime but July works for me.

Best,
Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Hesh,
Count me in. Anytime should work.

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Brad
Avon, OH