|
Thanks to all who took the time to have a look at my photojournal of The Raven, and for your encouraging comments. I envy you folks who can, at whim, wander into your shop with morning coffee in hand and carry on where you left off without missing a beat. But for me, part of the thrill is the anticipation of having to wait until Wednesday evenings to get back at it. So these nights have become sacred. (As a diehard cigarette smoker [nobody likes a quitter] I'm almost ashamed to admit that the 3 or 4 hour class flies by without a single craving for tobacco, which must be due to the Brazillian sawdust floating salaciously in the air – and yes, Hesh, I've seen those pics of Tony wallowing in rosewood on the floor, but we have an agreement that what happens in the workshop stays in the workshop.)
Bob: you are responsible for keeping me up past my bedtime some nights. And you have no idea how hard it's been for me to restrain myself from plopping a deposit on your set of back&sides (MA_EB_011) because it screams out to be lovingly crafted into a butterfly guitar – rarely indeed do you ever see wood grain that evocative. But I've already decided to go with Cocobolo for my travel guitar, so please save me one of your funkiest Cocobolo fingerboards for my next build. Great website, Zootman, and the first place I go when I need to see what a wood I'm unfamiliar with actually looks like.
Shane: it is a pleasure to build with your Lutz and I can hardly wait to email you an mp3 clip of this bird in flight. I cut my teeth on trucks logging in the mountains near Prince George (yes, that's my day job), so it's almost like a homecoming. We'll be in touch with you soon for some of your stainless fretwire.
Tony: you're far too humble. Every curve ball I've thrown at you you've nailed right out of the park. Your enthusiasm for striding off into unknown territory with the attitude of, “Well, I don't see why it wouldn't work, so how are we going to build it?”, and “Well, I used to do it this way, but do you mind if we try it this way instead?”, is inspiring beyond words. Anybody can glue sticks of wood together, but there's a magical synergy that manifests into a gestalt when science and art fornicate – David Wren calls it Mojo. Your willingness to accept new ideas without fear of failure bolsters confidence in my own feeble and limited abilities. Makes me feel younger than my 50 years, in fact. All I can say is that I believe in the adage: the teacher appears when the student is ready.
But thank goodness you didn't ask me to draft drawings of the architectural calibre that Lars had to do for his graduation! (And Lars, if you don't mind, I'd like to use your body shape for my next build, the travel guitar with removable or folding neck, because those elegant proportions would speak volumes in a 12 fret - and holy moly, lovely work my friend.) Which reminds me – hey Tony, when do I get one of your ball caps?
Oh, and Waddy: I'm taking these pictures specifically so I can remember how I got there from here.
Greg
|
Login
Register
FAQ
), and I hope I get to see more as time goes on. 
