Official Luthiers Forum!

On a recent trip to Ann Arbor Michigan I had The good fortune to meet David Collins of Collins Lutherie.I contacted him and he invited me to meet him in his shop.
His knowledge of Lutherie is unbelievable.For example he took one look at a guitar I built and immediately knew the fret board was a 12" radius.Nope didn`t use a gauge ,he just knew.I guess when you`ve built approximately 200 guitars, the first one when he was 15,everything is just second nature.David also resolved a saddle problem I had,for which I am grateful.It was a joy for me meeting such a fine individual as David.And I also want to mention that he is an excellent musician.So thanks again David and I hope to see you again on a return visit to Ann Arbor.
                              James W B
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I cut it twice and it`s still too short?

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James, isn't it great when you finally get to meet some of these guys face to face. This forum has some of the nicest, most helpful people I've ever met.

However, I can't believe you went to Ann Arbor and didn't stop in on this guy.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I did want to meet Hesh, but he has been a little under the weather.Hopefully I`ll get to meet him next time.My daughter and grandaughter live in Ann Arbor ,so I will definately be there again in the future.And yes it really is amazing to meet one of our fellow Olfer`s.
                        James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Didn`t take any pic`s.I`m way too ugly.But really Hesh you need to go meet David.He`s too cool.And I mean it ,the next time I`m up there I`m goona break down your door.         & nbsp;    
                James W B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Yeah, I'm hoping to meet a few more OLFers at the ASIA symposium this year. Might get to meet a few other folks too!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I could fix that for ya.
                   James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Hey James,

It was certainly great to meet you and have you by. I'm always looking
forward to meet other members and put a face to their name. And
although I see Hesh's face take many incarnations here on the forum
, I still can't believe that although we're practically neighbors we've never
managed to meet. One of these days....

I'm still trying to figure out how I could make it to the ASIA symposium
for at least a few days, but it's looking pretty close to impossible. Oh well,
there will be other gatherings.

James, certainly feel free to give a call whenever you are back in town,
and I would love to have you by any time. Maybe next time it could even
be arranged so that I'm not juggling time with you between a bunch of
clients - I think we poorly timed the meeting around the 5:00 rush of
customers picking up on their way home from work.

And with the shape the shop was in, I'm kind of glad you didn't take any
pics . Hopefully next visit you won't have to climb between half torn
down benches, piles of cases and vagrant power tools strewn about the
floor.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Dang, you weren't kidding Hesh, and you have the pics to prove it.

Sounds like James and David had a great visit. Nothing like having a pro look over your work.   






Edited by Joe Boxer, 16 February 2007, 9:57pm

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

David,
I am planning to fly my Cessna to the seminar. Would you care to join me? I have room for a couple of passengers. Call me if you are interested.

Mike Franks

I love Cessnas. Wow, a fellow pilot and guitarmaker. Enjoyed looking over your "unofficial" website Mike. You build them well it appears.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

You know Mike, it sounds really really appealing. The catch is that I was
supposed to be up in the hills of eastern Tennessee that weekend for my
wife's grandmother's 99th birthday. I'm still trying to figure out how I could
shuffle my schedule around and make it down there. I might end up trying
to go for thursday and friday, then fly out to TN on saturday afternoon, so if
I went with you it may only be one way.

I'll get in touch with you later in the week when my head stops spinning
from juggling schedules. Thanks for the offer.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Thank you, Bruce. Are you a pilot?

220 hours tree top high and grass fields to boot. I love cutting grass with my prop.

Getting my license, my instructor had me take off in the three feet tall grass next to the paved airport runway. He was the FBO so he basically called the shots at his field.

Of course it took me hours to clean up the plane.

Nothing like a high wing for sight-seeing. I just couldn't appreciate the Piper's and Beech's as much as a 152-210 Cessna. If you get down this way and need a co-pilot, you got one. This is sacrilege, but I'd rather fly than build guitars!   

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

David, I wanted to ask you...do you have perfect pitch? Because in your
excellent talk at Galoups you tuned up while talking to what seemed like a
perfect E. I wish I could do that.

Hey Ken, I'm flattered that you noticed.

No, I certainly don't have natural perfect pitch, but I have a relatively
good pitch memory and pretty decent learned pitch. If I've tuned to a fork
within the few hours previous I can almost always bring a guitar or
mandolin to within 15-20 cents. If I haven't played or heard a tuned note
that day I can still get within a 1/4 step most of the time, but not always.
If you play a note from a piano however, I'm lucky if I can name it within 3
or 4 half steps. I'm hoping to get to that point within the next 20 years or
so.

What I've spent the most time on and been most proud of is developing
my sense of relative pitch. In the past few years especially I very rarely
fret any notes to tune from one string, and can get it tuned pretty darn
perfect. It's definitely something learned, and although it takes a lot of
time and tuning it's certainly very doable. And what the hell, I may as well
admit that I learned to do it to impress, which it certainly is good for with
customers.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I know, I try to tune violins that way and usually I can get real close, but if I
had played a guitar that day, I tend to lean towards 4ths instead of 5ths and
get all fowled up....so much for impressing... especially when they hear me
humming Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.