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The more I do this more I find I start to trust my eye and trust my intuition and just doing that sometimes it just comes down to a feeling.
You can crunch all the numbers you want and make all the calculations but at the end of the day you have to make a judgment call ....

how much is the glue going to expand the plastic?

How much is the top going to rise after string tension?

How much is the neck going to bend under string tension?

Etc., etc.

Just some random thoughts to ponder…


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Good to know that experienced builders think about this too.

I have made a conscious effort over the last few years or so to resist the urge to immediately crack open a book, refer to a video, read a post here, etc... and just take a beat and think through what I'm looking at and how I should handle it. Once I've made a decision I do often go back to the reference materials to see how it lines up before moving forward. It helps to build my confidence that in the less consequential situations I can go with my intuition. Feels good to go through the repetitions and build up the engrams.

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The late Brad Delp of Boston said it was more than a feeling . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR4uKcvQbGQ

Blue Suede and BJ Thomas both were hooked on a feeling . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrI-UBIB8Jk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqt_iZBvtCo

Morris Albert said it was nothing more than feelings . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkxBPb75nUg

Portugal. The Man contend that they feel it still . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBkHHoOIIn8

I figure there are so many variables involved in making a musical instrument out of wood that mathematical models, plans, etc., definitely have value, but probably cannot cover all of the things we will encounter. So, we do need to feel our way through those moments. I'm with you, Brad. I just couldn't resist the "feelings" musical interlude.

Yup. I have to say a few years ago I got the neck angle thing down real good. The last two guitar I built I made the saddles to what I thought should be appropriate fitted it in strung it up and had the exact action over the 12th fret that I shoot for. And that all has to do with how I expect the top to distort under string tension.

I've yet to build an acoustic guitar, but when it comes to setting guitars up I've definitely learned to trust my gut. I've played the guitar for 25+ years and for the last 10 or so very seriously. Yet when I started offering set up services, I was so insecure, I needed numbers (before and after) in front of me to give me the necessary perspective to not spend 3 days setting up one guitar. Somehow I never made the connection that as a player I know what feels right and what doesn't, the numbers almost always line up with what feels right, but learning to trust my instinct was a huge step forward for me.

I'm not good enough to trust my feelings so I measure everything

After 40 plus years, Brad - you will get beyond feelings, and just trust your eyeballs and experience. Sounds like bragging, but when I make a new nut I usually eyeball it roughing it in on the disc sander for height and length.... And measure when I'm done. Usually within .010 once I measure. Finish it with file and sandpaper.... But I tell the public I check everything multiple times.

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

I still measure and use numbers to double check everything but based on experience and seeing instruments back after variable periods of time those numbers definitely change.

Mistakes are costly and I kind of look at it like aviation. Even a 10,000 hr pilot still runs a checklist.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

"Failure" can add a lot to "intuition" and "feelings".

Yes. The angels who fear to tread used to be the fools who rushed in. It's called learning, and we gain more knowledge in failure than we do in success.

I've had clients who saw what I did, and exclaim - "I could do that. It's easy". My reply is that I also know all the myriad ways to NOT do it, and that's why he's paying me the big bucks.

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