Official Luthiers Forum!

_________________
Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Michael Lewis, very talented luthier and all around good person.

Well, I missed the last drawing, but I'm in on this one. I started playing guitar at 14. I'm now 61, About 10 or 12 years ago I met someone at a Christmas party that brought I guitar he had made. I thought it was the coolest thing! I went over to his shop just to see what it was all about and he offered to help me build one. After he took me through the first one and reading everything I could get my hands on - including reading posts on the OLF, I have completed 14 guitars and I'm working on 3 right now. I am very grateful that I found this craft. It gives me a lot of pleasure and I enjoy the folks on this forum.

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

I saw an article in Acoustic Guitar about a luthier and decided I might like to try that. That was 13 years ago. - Mike G

_________________
guitarsbygiltzow.com

As I have always wanted to be able to play the guitar, I figured if I built one maybe I could stick with the practice required to be able to play. Turns out its way more interesting building than practising.
Seven guitars later and my playing is only marginally better.

_________________
My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

My desire to build guitars grew from my curiosity as to why different guitars sounded ... well, different.

_________________
George :-)

Two years ago I bought a "success kit" from Ken at KMG and nervously built an OM. What a wonderful rush to hear those first notes. One more kit and I then began to build from scratch. I'm now on #12. Thanks to Ken Cierp for the foundation that he provided (along with everyone that offered advice on this and other forums).

_________________
Having fun learning every day.

Similar to others, I wanted to know what went into building an instrument. Started with some uke kits and moved to guitars. Loving every minute.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

_________________
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

I've been interested in guitars since getting a cheap acoustic for Christmas when I was eight. When I was 17, I came across David Russell Young's book at a local book store, and spent the $14.50! At that time, I had zero woodworking skills and no tools. Years later, I was doing cabinetry as a part time business, had tools and some skills, but no time. It's still a lack of time, as well as some physical issues, but I manage to pick away at building. The bug bit me 41 years ago, and it left the stinger!


Alex


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Wanting a guitar that wasn't a Larrivee factory 2nd.

Wayne Henderson documentary on KET (aka PBS). I was in awe and knew right away that it's something I had to do. I always wanted a Martin or similar guitar but was never able to afford one, so, I set out to build one that would almost as nice.

Merry Christmas!

-Garrett

The bug bit me when I was at the Martin Guitar factory and while waiting for a factory tour, I overheard two gentlemen discussing Martin Kits they had just completed. Well I figured I could do that and save myself buckets of money! Hahaha, who would have thought it would have taken me four years and that I would have acquired enough wood for 20 guitars!!

Scott Stofik

For me it's the visual impact of using beautiful materials and technical challenge to make something better than I could buy. I'm really enjoying the process and looking forward to completing the one I'm building (my first) and starting on another. I have way more ideas than time!

_________________
========
Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

After losing my '69 Les Paul Custom, I found out that a new replacement was not up to par.
I figured with enough practice, I could make my own. 20 guitars later, I'm getting close...
Good luck everyone, especially my pal Alex!

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

What inspired me? I ABSOLUTELY HAD to learn to play the bassline from "Black Diamond" by KISS, so I bought a used Baldwin bass for $100. Since I have a strong mechanical bent, it only took about 3 weeks until I disassembled the instrument and put it back together. I said to myself, "Heck, I can do this", and now it's been 40 years since I was off to the races.

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

When I was about 18 (57 now) one of my woodworking buddies built electrics and I was amazed. He gave me some shell blanks that I packed around for about 30 years until they went into my first build.

I was googling on the computer "How to become a Lutheran" and autocorrect must have changed it to "Luthier"--good thing because I've managed to blurt out a few words while in the shop that I'm certain Lutherans wouldn't approve.

I was inspired by my parents- who encouraged me to do something that interested me.

_________________
ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com

I remember the first time I heard a Lowden being played and it just blew me away, after playing cheap guitars from when I was young, this guitar was stunning. I decided that I wanted to try and build something that would sound as nice and also not have a huge price tag, so found this place and bought the WC book

_________________
To be someone must be a wonderful thing!

Before I started guitar building I bought a book on the subject. After reading it I wasn't very satisfied. I poked around
and stumbled upon the OLF. I must have read all pages and some twice. It's all here, all the information one needs for
guitar building. It was the OLF that inspired me to jump right in and start building.
Ken

Phil Keaggy and Jim Olson. That's pretty inspiring I'd say.

_________________
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

About 8 years ago I started to lose many of my life's "fun tickets" due to debilitating back pain. A large part of my career was as a self employed carpenter. Work became increasingly difficult to accomplish. Surfing became anything but fun. Nearly 40 years of hang gliding came to an end. Hiking with my dog disappearing was kind of a last straw. I had an old Alvarez 12 string in desperate need of a neck reset, although at the time I didn't even know what a reset was. I found a local mail order school instrument shop in my neighborhood and traded the 12 for a cheap playable 6 string. I started playing again after my 40 year break and fell in love with it. The shop had several damaged in shipment guitars and I decided I could fix them in exchange for ever better guitars. Mostly broken head stocks and split sides. About a dozen guitars later I bought back the Alvarez 12 string, read up on technique, and did a reset. Couldn't have been harder (epoxy) but I learned a lot and it was playable when I finished. I found I really enjoyed the process and wanted to learn more. I had to retire because of back issues, relocated to NorCal, had the time and almost 1/2 a garage, and so it began. I too started with a KMG kit, learned a lot from that, and am now on my 4th build, all different sizes and wood combinations. I've acquired or built most of what I consider a poor mans shop. I'm totally hooked, both playing and building. Tremendous help from members of this site. And the bonus is, 2 major back surgeries, last one 2 months ago, are giving me the ability to pursue a semi active life again. I get at least 3 hours in the shop most days. At 67 I wish I had started many years earlier.

_________________
Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

I was always curious about how instruments went together and secretly wanted to make one (anything). I always assumed this was just beyond me. One day I mentioned it to my (then) fiancé, she said "Well then why don't you?" Hearing it out like that, I didn't have an answer. Next thing I know I am making my a dulcimer from scratch while learning woodworking for the first time.

_________________
Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

My wife bought me a ukulele for my 63rd birthday, five years ago and I started reading the Ukulele Underground forum. On the forum there is a luthier page that sometimes had pictures and talked about building ukuleles. I especially liked " Tim Buck" who is in the UK somewhere. That was beginning of fascination. I eventually found a local luthier here in Chicago, after I retired three years ago. Bruce Roper of Chicago Luthier Workshop and I signed on for a class. Really good person and enjoyed the 12 week class very much. Two guitars and an almost finished uke for my wife. I also wish I had found these hobbies earlier in life .

At age 60 I decided to finally give in to the building urge, built a modified Telecaster and started building 2 mandolins.
I've worked with wood most of my life but was afraid if I built a guitar it would sound like a cardboard box with strings.
After a few years of inspiration gained through blogs, vlogs and how to videos I now have black walnut sides and back and a sinker redwood top to begin the building process. Thanks to the many inspirational posts in this forum for the accumulated wisdom.