Official Luthiers Forum!

My main guitar is my braceless steel string OM shaped guitar that I built a
few years ago as a prototype. Sandwich consctruction ...

I also have a nice little Torres classical that I built with only hand tools for
fun. Both not too pretty but sound just the way I like...

My old Fender acoustic stays in the case under the bed.

I have a great string bass that I built for my son 13, that I get to play
often.

A couple fiddles hanging around also.

My main battle axe is a 78-79 GALLAGHER dread, "71 Special", Indian/Sitka.

Then the little 00-28 Custom, 12 fret, from Martin's custom shop; also Indian/Sitka.

Finally I am the proud owner of a 2004 John Calkin, Koa/Cedar, trimmed out in Ziricote appointments.

I'm a happy guitarist indeed.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

My 71 Brazilian Rosewood Yairi is in the case and I only play a Wisdom guitar now, serial # 01.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Last night I had a gig with a local singer / songwriter and got to play my '66 strat through my 10 year old Matchless DC 30 amp all night. It was great! I don't play out much any more, but I was reminded of how much I love it. The sound was good on stage; the band was not tight but with excellent musicians (I’m talking about the rest of the band!) so we pulled it off. The crowd was also very nice, the singer songwriter has just released a CD and is somewhat of a local hero here now, and lots of folks knew all the words to all the songs already!

At home I usually play one of my own acoustics or the '46 00-18. I have many acousics, electrics and mandolins, also a fiddle and a piano that I sometimes have some fun with.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I play my first build....a 24.9 deep bodied OM....cocobolo cedar.
It is the one that has given me 8 commisions in the last 4 months......
People hear it and say..."can you make me one!!!!"
Massively overwhelmed

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

[QUOTE=old man] My 71 Brazilian Rosewood Yairi is in the case and I only play a Wisdom guitar now, serial # 01.

Ron[/QUOTE]

71 Yairi as in Classical or an Alverez Yairi Steel String.

I play the guitar I built, which is why I built it, a sitka/IER 000 long body with
a 26.5" scale. I've had a bunch of Martins, old and new, latest an OM-18GE
that I sold last month.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I played for a while a plywood Alvarez dred that I still have. Unfortunately the bridge started lifting off the soundboard and made the action (mostly) unplayable. I'll have to fix that one of these days.

More recently I've got a Tacoma Jumbo Koa w/ cutaway which I play most often. I've also got my #1 which is an electric based loosely on the Gibson ES-335.

Jay

hello,

i like to mix it up a lot with guitars... i feel there really are no bad instruments, as they all have something which will inspire a little bit of musicality, even the really crappy ones have a certain vibe to them.... reminds me of the guys i saw playing in africa,

my list goes

1955 martin 000-18
1967 gibson es-330
1979 larrivee L-09
Taylor Leo Kottke 6 string
Taylor 812ce
Taylor baby
Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Strat
Fender Eric Clapton Strat
Fender Tele Plus
1986 PRS signature no.111
1989 PRS custom 24
Takamine Santa fe 95
Tele i built
Headless guitar i built
Dred i built
Classical i built
Benavente Bass
and a crazy old banjo!!!


this just reminds me........... i need to stop buying guitars!!!

This is my favorite victim. It's about 50% bondo, has had it's headstock lopped off three times, at one point had a flying ant infestation in the truss rod cavity, and is on it's seventh paint job. I bought it for $100 at the Barrinton Guitars fire sale in 1991. It lives in the shop since it's the only guitar I don't mind denting.



Here's a sound clip of it just for giggles;


Sound SampleJohn Watkins38742.7090856481

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John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

My Taylor 510 sits in it's case while I play my 1st (stewmac 000 kit). What a sound - can't say enough about the sound out of that little box! It makes me very happy.
BUT, I do like to go upstairs and pick up my Epiphone G400 Custom SG with a DigitTech RP100 when I want to sound like Smashing Pumpkins / Cream.

Hank Maul, I'm jealous. A Lowden........... and a McCollum. A little bit of heaven, on this side, eh?[/QUOTE]

Well, they are both sort of quid pro quo situations. I sent George Lowden a magnificent set of flamed black walnut and one of my prized LS redwood tops. He going to do his magic in exchange for about 80 top grade redwood tops, sent to him over the next 6 months or so(first batch of 20 went in early December). Should see that guitar this summer.
Lance McCollum, my partner in crime, and other luthiery ventures, has a set of 40+ year old Brazilian and an old Italian spruce top that I provided, from my stash, for him to build me a Grand Auditorium. The brazilian has back, sides, fingerboard, headstock and bridge all from the same billet of rosewood. The deal here is since I have decided to downsize drastically due to the health concerns, he is getting my 50% share of a lot of stuff we went in together on...the wide belt sander, phase convertor for same, a big bunch of walnut, etc. in exchange for the guitar. Also, I am his "first line" of supply for various other necessary parts...tuners, etc..that we bought in bulk purchases over the past several years, not to mention my own supply of woods that would last me into the next century at my reduced build rate. So it's a win-win situation, and a pretty sweet deal all around.
Now, if I could play well enough to truly justify those instruments!

Hey Mr Watkins, that was a good sample!

Hank, nothing like hanging with a good crowd. You are quite the businessman too. We want to see the Lowden and the McCollum when those days arrive. Drag out the camera and share with us, would ya?

A Guild D40 of recent Rhode Island vintage(kind of a replacement for the 1963 D40 I bought while in high school)-1994 Taylor 710 (like today's 800 series) and a recently purchased 1976 Martin D-12-28. I play none of them well. Oddly enough, considering I am hand building, the Taylor is very rich in tone- not at all as homogenous as so many people snidely proclaim-the Guild is the 4th I've owned and is a disappointment although the others were not at all-the Martin is a very nice 12 string and easy to play. I refused to buy Martins in the past because of the lack of an adjustable truss rod, and here I am now the owner of about as high a risk for neck trouble as you can get. I just was looking for a 12 and figured I ought to own a Martin and took the plunge.

I play (all be it poorly) a 1979 Maton "Colonial" big 14 fret dred, plain jane aussie balckwood back and sides, very tight spruce top and red maple neck, beeyoooodifull! It had some issues from being left in a hot car so I got it cheap, fixed it, and now will probably never part with it.

Cheers

Kim

I try to play my 88 gibson es 347. Also a 72 Hofner and and a 15 year old Aspen. I forget the Hofner model, some cowboy thing.. But it does sound decent( when someone else plays it) and it has an adjustable action on the neck. Never had to do anything but refret it. I'm just starting an archtop build, so it should replace all but the Gibson electric.. I have my fingers crossed..

Hmmm am I the only bass player among us? I played in NYC for many years but when my repair business took off I semi-retired. When I do play it is Fodera 6 string fretted and fretless basses that I have inlaid quite a bit over the years.
Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

[QUOTE=John Watkins]

Here's a sound clip of it just for giggles;


Sound Sample[/QUOTE]

John, that sounds remarkably like Colin's lute.   

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

When Out Camping or out on the sailboatI sometimes bring a brazillian rosewood Gionnin I have, The best sounding Factory guitar I have ever owned, but any other times I play my own, I can't afford the mony to buy a guitar that would come close. Depends on what I have in stock, right now I am mainly playing a 12 fret L-00 with Adirondack spruce top and Quilted maple back and sides. Sometimes I play an SJ made from Curly Maple rescued from an old teachers desk from my elementry school and a Sitka spruce top cut from a 70 year old boom log pulled out of Lake Nipigon. I also like to use my size 5 Terz guitar for some pieces but find myself playing that less and less.

Steel string.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

[QUOTE=Dickey] Hank, nothing like hanging with a good crowd. You are quite the businessman too. We want to see the Lowden and the McCollum when those days arrive. Drag out the camera and share with us, would ya?[/QUOTE]

10-4!

[QUOTE=LanceK] [QUOTE=John Mayes] I don't own a guitar. But I can
play the radio pretty well. I listen to Jim
Rome everyday![/QUOTE]


VAN SMACK IS GREAT![/QUOTE]

He read an E-mail on air that I sent him last week...then he dissed me and
crumpled up the paper, and read the next...still cool to hear him read my
e-mail though!

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Hmm I don't own my own guitar I have a beater that I am fixing up but since its not strung up I guess it doesnt count. I do play the ukulele I own a samick baritone tuned up to GCEA. I am aquiring plans and parts for a set of soprano ukes for myself and daughter. Down the line I wanna build a parlor or maybe a martin 5 (smallest?)





"Guys brr its cold" Malia (my 2 year old daughter)

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here