Official Luthiers Forum!

We had a great time yesterday in Ann Arbor with a bunch of OLFers! Since next week is the official Ann Arbor "Hash Bash" I thought that it might be fun to call our gathering the "Stash Bash..." After all we were selling off a personal stash of wood that has been in this building for decades.

It was great to catch up with many friends and to make some new ones too.

I've got a bunch of photos so this will likely take me many posts and a bit of time. I'll try too to remember everyone's names and instruments as well but if I get something wrong just chalk it up that that marijuana dispensary that we talked about being located across the street....

Many thanks to everyone who attended and we hope that you had a great time and know that we most certainly did.

Now for the pics:

More pics:

That looks like one cool Stash Bash!
Beautiful work on show!

and more pics:

What's wrong with Ted's politics?

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

Did I say there was something wrong with Ted's politics? What I said was that Brian does not share Ted's politics. Sheesh!

Back to Lutherie......

Looks like a good time and a nice way to spend a Saturday. Some really beautiful looking instruments too.

So sorry I had to miss it Hesh, Looks like you had a great turnout. I really wanted to have a look at those one piece backs again. I didn't spend all my birthday money from my wife when I was down there the first time...

Good to see everyone had a great time.

Cheers,
Bob

Hi ya Martin!

Absolutely and I have to tell you that I have been getting together with other Luthiers for years now and usually there are all levels of instruments available for inspection including not so great efforts all the way to superb efforts. This time everything there was very well done and it was great to see.

There was not a single guitar there that I would not be proud as can be to play or own - outstanding work from the guys for sure!

So it was a great time and everyone stayed pretty long too. Toward the end of the day Herb David arrived and we had a good time listening to his stories about folks like Richard Schneider, Kasha, and many more.

I also heard a bit of a repeated theme that fascinates me. Some years back during a NPR interview TJ Thompson said something like you have to be a good person to build good guitars. Don't quote me directly, my memory is not that great but I am sure that I have the basic idea of what TJ was saying.

Yesterday Herb told us that the soul of the maker is imparted upon the instrument to become the soul of the instrument. If the maker is soulless so to will the instrument be....

Now before anyone flames me for passing these things on I'm personally fascinated by this romantic notion and view of Lutherie. In short these guys are/were putting more than skill into their wares. Or so they believe.

Anyway it was indeed a great day, great time, great people, great guitars and Bandura, and we look forward to doing it again.

Many thanks to everyone for participating as well!

Hi ya Bob!

We'll likely see you soon anyway so no worries my friend.

I had a great time and always enjoy seeing the results of the talented and skilled builders that seem to saturate our little region of the midwest. Every instrument presented was worthy of cherishing. It was great to see the "Black Tiger" of Hesh' again. It still looks and sounds a sweet as ever.

I know that every time I have been around David Collins and Hesh I leave with a spinning head full of more knowledge than I can possibly absorb. Now with Brian in the mix with his years of expertise, a simple visit to their shop can result in years of tips, shortcuts, time savers, best/worst tools etc. Just a great day for sure. Plus I got to leave with an armload of old EIR sides to mate up with a batch of old sides that I have had for a while. What more could you want?

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jw ( o)===:::

Well there is that dispensary across the street too......

It was great to see you Joe and we hope that you had a great time too.

There were at least several instruments at the gathering that Master Finisher Joe White had finished and man were they beautiful!!!

Maybe we should do this again this summer when Link is staying with us?

Yes, please do!

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Great time was had by all, especially me! It was wonderful to see Hesh and Dave again and to meet Brian. Beautiful instruments by all attendees. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Thanks to Hesh, Dave and Brian for their hospitality.

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan