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Saw this on Facebook posted by the Fretboard Journal.

http://hyperallergic.com/272977/the-wil ... mome_share

Hopefully the link works.

Brad


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Very interesting. I wonder what the intonation is like on some of those boxes. Still interseting and different. The saw blades, springs, and truss rod placement caught my attention as well. Would be fun to see video to see what these things play and sound ilke.

Now that the book is out people will start tracking down his creations, and don't be surprised if they bring more money than the OLF's finest. People are funny that way.

Looks more like folk art than actual musical instruments....some of the fret spacing is absolutely horrible!

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

It is definitely folk art and imho very good folk art. As the article says his work embraces a child like innocence. They look like something out of Alice in Wonderland... "When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead..."

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I have seen a few videos and it looks like people play them mostly with a slide. I mean... How do you get frets that crooked...

What I don't get is this...
Even if you are going to simply give them away... Why would you not primarily labor to produce playable instruments above all else. Sure - they can look crazy, but good necks, good intonation, and good fretwork makes up for almost all of that.

Especially when making instruments for kids - playability has got to be at the top of the list... And those things look like they would be cheese graters on your fingers and the intonation would be all over the place. And that would drive kids away from playing music....

Anyway.... That's just my take.

Ken, that video is great. I was glad to be able to hear some of the instruments. Thanks for posting it.

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It's a great story

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guitarsbygiltzow.com

This interview reminds me of the interviews with Ernest Franklin and M.C. Worley that were in the book Foxfire 3, back in the mid-70's. They talked about materials, why they didn't use frets, etc. for making banjos and dulcimers. I was always intrigued by these books. They looked to be in their 70's back then. Mr. Stilley would have fit right in but he would have been in his 40's back then.

He was on a mission from God, he knew nothing about playable instruments, and had nothing for material and tools but what he could find in his barn.
Sorta sounds like my story...

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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008907949110

One of the best things I've seen in a long time. Thanks.

David Newton wrote:
"He was on a mission from God, he knew nothing about playable instruments, and had nothing for material and tools but what he could find in his barn.
Sorta sounds like my story..."

David, seeing your instruments I think you heard the message a bit more clearly....

Thanks for posting the video Ken. The music on the video was not played on his instruments (IME).

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com