Official Luthiers Forum!

I thought it would be fun to share a bit of our personal life, nothing to personal!
Just enough to get to know each other a bit better.

I am 43, married with two kids.
I work as a Data Processor at a Mailing Firm in Ann Arbor. I started here right out of High school in April 1984.
First duty was to sweep the floors and take out the trash. I worked my way up to being a floor supervisor and
also set up all our mailing machines. Around 1998 Computers made there first appearance in my industry. I happen
to be one of few that had any experience or interest at all so the logical decision was that I would take this position. My duties include but are not limited to process and managing millions of mailing addresses per year.
Properly preparing them for the many different verities of mailing that the USPS, UPS and FEDEX offer.
I have been doing this every since. This next month will mark my 24th year here. I love it and I love the people I work for and with.
With out a doubt I am blessed by this job.
Guitar Building started in the summer of 2000. I was and still am a Michael Hedges nut! I wanted to get my hands on a D-28 so bad but it was slightly out of my reach money wise. So, like many of us here, I thought, Hmmmm - Bet I could build it cheaper! So I bought a Martin Kit.
That was almost 20 guitar ago and countless thousands in tools and tonewoods

So, who are you and what do you do!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I'll step in here!

I am 46 already !! Married with 2 young boys, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 llamas and 4 fish. We live on 45 acres in northern BC. I also have twin teenage boys from a previous marriage who live WAY to far away....

I presently work as an Occupational Safety Officer with our Provinces Workers Compansation Board and my speciality is Marine Safety. I have been here coming on 10 years this year. I came here from a 10 year stint with our Department of Fisheries and Oceans where I was initially a Fishery Officer and then went on to manage commercial fisheries, focusing mostly on dive fisheries. Prior to that was college for two years and prior to that was my true passion....woodworking!! I am journeyman carpenter who has spent most of his hours on cabinets and furniture. I have built a few houses and have worked on a fair few commercial projects as well but really spent most time in the fine woodworking side of things. I have never been without a shop but have had to build it up on my own as my father had no interest in this stuff, it is my passion alone in my family and is EXPENSIVE!! (just ask my wife....actually don't, she doesn't need reminding!)

I got started in the guitar making thing about 6 years ago when I wanted to replace my guitar that I was using in a bluegrass band I was playing in. I talked to friend who had made about 30 or so guitars and he just told me to make one, and to go and find some spruce for the top (and for him too!, he lives 500 miles away!). So after a couple of years of feeling my way through the tonewood thing I started to source and harvest spruce and now I have a second fulltime job finding processing and shipping top woods, importing back and side woods and constantly building up items for musical instrument making where now I can supply every part of the guitar, except strings and finish.

By the way, my first guitar, started in 2004, is about half done! I have made most of the jigerry to build multiple guitars and have people waiting for "their" guitar already so I do really need to get crackin'

Shane

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Canada

Well I am a Design engineer for a major oilfield equipment manufacturer I design pumping units and investigate and resolve failures issues with those units.

I played in several semi-pro rock and folk bands from the time I was 17 till 25.

I graduated from MTSU in Murfreesboro Tennessee in 1978. I took my first engineering position with a major pressure vessel manufacturer in the late 70s while still attending MTSU.

In the 80’s I followed my wife's carrier around the country as she climbed her ladder. We lived in several locations through out the 80s from North Carolina to South Georgia then back to my home state of Texas during this period.

My grandfather was a master cabinet maker that taught me fine finishing, French polishing and woodworking starting at the age of 6 till he died when I was 20. I built my first kit in 1994 and started scratch building in 1998. I have been actively selling my guitar stating in 2001.

I found this forum in 2004 I believe that To Don Williams and have been a regular here every since.

Better question is, why is this thread in the main section and not the off topics section?

cause the BOSS started it

All the more puzzling.....

I am 23 years old and currently work as a full-time lab technician in a small photo lab in Manhattan. I'm saving up some money and doing some reading while waiting for the right time for me to step into luthiery as a profession. I hope that day comes soon because I die a little more each day I work here.. ^^;;

Still looking into some options for an education in the craft and an apprenticeship would be great if possible, but it seems to be hard to find.

Ahem! As I was saying,

OLFers, Who are YOU and what do YOU do?

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Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com

is that like being a bit pre...... Oh never mind

????

I'm Pat Foster , 58 , living in Spokane Washington with my wife of 14 years, Maggie, and our two kids, Anna Lee, 11 and Benno, 8. I moved here in 1993. I had met Maggie in Mexico New Years Eve 1992 and was being laid off after 11 years at Apple Computer in Cupertino so I came up here. My last job at Apple was in automated assembly equipment for our manufacturing plants in the US, Singapore and Ireland, systems integration (like getting robots and machine vision systems to talk to one another) and machine design. Before my stint at Apple I had lived on a commune for seven years milking our cow, gardening, keeping the water system going, working off and on as a car mechanic, cab driver and doing repairs on guits, banjos and mandolins to get through school. Played guitar in the Trial and Error String Band for a few years, built some banjos, resurrected some garage sale guitars. Sold my last Martin, a D-28 in 1982 to get through the last semester at school. Didn't play for about 20 years.

I got certified to teach in Washington, but got an offer I couldn't refuse in 2000. I'm a computer lab director for the foreign languages department at a local university, a nowhere job, but I'm off eight weeks a year.

Back to 2005, I was yearning to play again, but my 70s Yamaki beater just wasn't going to cut it. I couldn't see paying the current rate for a Martin, so I decided to try building instead. I could build a guitar and have all the tools I gathered to use on another and another. My dad left us a little nest egg around then, so I took a little of that to outfit our one-car garage that is now the shop. I'm working on #4, a dread, planning my second "family" commission.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I'm 55, my daughter has 2 kids (one of each) and another on the way. So I'm an old fart but my Grand Kids call me "Pops"

I've lived in Kansas all my life.

During the day I pretend to be a Tool and Die maker I've been here 23 years and was at the last place 14 and nobody has ever caught on that I'm just pretending . My wife is a 2nd grade teacher so I have lots of spare time on my hands.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Good idea for a thread.

I'm 45 and live in Bellingham, WA...aka "city if subdued excitement"...aka "the Canada of America". My sweetie is an actress, writer, artist, http://www.carolynmcc.com/ and outstanding mom to our 6 year old boy.

I started working after school and summers in a small furniture factory in North Carolina when I was 16. My high school shop teacher studied guitar building with Hascal Haile and I built my first 2 guitars in High School. I've been a contractor, cabinetmaker, and furniture builder ever since. I started building guitars again in 1995 and have been full time for the last few years. The other woodworking was a great way to earn a living. Fun and rewarding and always plenty of work around. But guitars are the only thing I've ever built where I feel like I can be really happy and challenged doing the same thing over and over for the rest of my days.

Outside of work...travel (particularly road trips to the sunny southwest), mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, used to play a lot of Ultimate Frisbee but my knees ain't what they used to bees....

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

31 yrs old, truck-driver for a very, very well known beer company, amateur wooden-boat designer & builder, part-time stringed instrument repairist, guitarist & banjo picker for local bluegrass/folk band here in New Orleans.

it was just a spoof on the saying "being a bit pregnate is like being a bit dead"

therefor I was making an implyed pun 'being a bit Welsh is like being a bit pregnate" but stoppinig mid pharse and saying forget I asked.

50 years old. Started building in 2004. After Number 5, I decided that I needed a shift from being a software geek, so I quit my job, sold my house, and headed to the Bay Area to spend two years apprenticing with Somogyi - I'm seven months into it and am learning more than I thought possible. Don't know if I'll wind up back in Montana when I'm done here - the Bay, although crowded, is pretty attractive...

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
Find me on Facebook

I'm 26 and working through my first semester as a resource specialist in an elementary school. I waffled around a lot in college about how I wanted to spend my days. My dad was a law professor, so I considered law (Matlock has always been my favorite show). Took a few courses when I thought I wanted to be a therapist. My official majors were theology and media production. But being a resource specialist is what I'm going to stick with.

The easiest way to explain what I do is to say that I'm a personal trainer for students (or a strategist). I work with and develop education plans for students with various processing disabilities, behavior trends that inhibit learning, etc.

I love exploring ideas and trying things out. I've always been someone to work with my hands. I read a lot in the areas of applied theology, creative non-fiction, and marketing. And some performance wheels should come today for my new BMW, which I've already started to tune and tweak

When my dad passed away, I decided that I'm going to live with my mom until I find someone to do the married side of life with.

I'm 38 this July, live in a boarder town in BC, Canada. I work as a residential home appraiser working toward my license (only one university course to go).

I've been married to my wonderful wife for 11 years, we have 3 great kids 5yrs (girl), 2 yrs (boy), and 12 weeks old (girl). We've lived in our current house since it was newly built in 2000.

Before I changed careers to being a home appraiser, I was a mechanical engineering draftsman/technician for a steel fabrication company. I worked on designing feed systems and storage bins for gain mills, machinery of all sorts and some structural steel (very little though). I worked there fore 6 years and in 2004 I left to change careers.

I started building my first guitar in 2002 after much prodding from my wife (bet she wishes she would have kept her mouth shut ). I'm currently working on guitar # 5 (should be done this weekend) and have #'s 6,7,8&9 in various stages of design/construction.




I didn't know you live in Bellingham Kent. We were just there yesterday. I go down there to drool over the tools at Grizzly sometimes. I'll have to set some time aside for a visit if you're up for it.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I'm 63, goin on 64, and I live in Charlotte NC with my wife of 43 years. I have two sons 42 and 38, both of whom live away from home and are gainfully employed(Thank you, Lord!). By day, I am a Headhunter, specializing in the placement of Environmental, Health and Safety Professionals for industrial clients around the US.

I got interested in guitars when my oldest son started taking lessons, and moved from a cheap-cheap classical, plywood guitar to an electric guitar, which is what he wanted to start with. I had never played guitar, but asked him if I could have the classical. I started trying to learn, was given a Big Note Guitar Book for Christmas, but it didn't help. Finally I took lessons, and became really interested in classical playing. My teacher got me into playing in an ensemble. All of this got me interested in guitar construction and I started reading up on the process back in the early '80's. Bought the Sloane books, and a few others at that time, and was really interested in building one. Even bought a bunch of necks when Harmony(I think) closed their plant years ago. Then my son got a band going, and I spent most of my extra time building stuff for his band (Pedal boxes, amp and rack system boxes, modifying guitars and effects, etc.), and my plans to build were set aside. I became a Roadie for his band in my off times. Had fun watching him have fun. The band didn't get very far, but they played out for a number of years, and had a good time. Then, life took over, elderly parents in nursing and extended living facilities, etc, etc. Finally, after over 25 years of interest I pulled the trigger last year, and started my classical build. I have not continued my classical studies, which I should do, but I have continued to play in an ensemble for all of these years, and have participated in the Carolina Renaissance Festival for 14 years with my guitar ensemble "The Rosewood Guild". We have a great time, and meet every week to practice. We also play small gigs at Assisted Living Facilities, Nursing Homes, a wedding here and there, and on a few special occasions. We have made a couple of CD's and just have a great time playing. And now, I'm having a great time building too. How good can it get? Maybe, one day, I'll see a smile on someone else's face playing one of my guitars. I can only dream of it right now.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I'm 54, and live in New Hamphsire. I've been a computer software engineer since the mid '70s. I have a wife and a 17 year old son. I've done quite a bit of different programming. Compiler development, Real time control systems, Personal computer operating systems, Coin-op video games. Compilers again, debuggers and development environments, and formal logic verification.

I've played the guitar since I was 12 (boy are my fingers tired) and took up the banjo, mandolin and fiddle during the last 10 years. I liked to make my own furniture and one day saw Cumpiano and Natelson in my local book store. Joining my two passions into one seemed like a logical thing to do. Since then I've been an avid hobbiest luthier. I've made three guitars and 4 mandolins. I've done some violin repair. My biggest project on the violin was to convert an old fiddle to left handed for a friend who lost two fingers on his left hand in a jointer accident.

I'm a founding member of NEL (New England Luthiers) and a GAL and ASIA member.

Hi all.
Well I am 44. I am married to Susanne. We have no children despite the fact that I spend all day with children.
We have 2 dogs and a cat. Lucy is a brittany spaniel, Cooper is a beagle and Cosmo is just a cat.
Susanne is an artist who specializes in watercolors.
My day job....a busy one. I am a pediatric anesthesiologist at Rady Children's Hospital here in San Diego. I specialize in children with congenital heart disease.

Thats it

Andy

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

Darren Whitley - 29 y.o. - San Diego by way of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, and before that TX... I enjoy my work at a small biotechnology company during the day where I wear a lot of hats and drink way too much coffee. I've been working at the same company since 2001 when I graduated from UCSC with a degree in Psychobiology. Our school mascot was the Banana Slug; needless to say our sports departments was rather low priority.
The length of time that I've played guitar is very much betrayed by my ability to play well, but I'm working on it. I really enjoy playing the Country Blues and I've been learning how to better fingerpick in that genre. I still like strumming and singing and consider myself mostly a campfire and living room player. I live along in a one-bedroom apt in North County San Diego where I annoy my neighbors with Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan covers.
I'm still plugging away at number one: a Sapele OM based on the OLF design with a AA spruce top and herringbone purfling, curly maple binding. I'm working on the binding ledges right now and have to give credit to Andy Zimmerman who has graciously offered his wisdom and advice at several points along the way.
Outside of work and guitar-related stuff, I enjoy the outdoors: camping, kayaking, fishing, etc. I also enjoy racquetball and basketball, playing pool and poker over a nice Belgian beer or 4, and watching Coen Bros movies so many times that I can intersperse my everyday banter with quotes like, "Why you boys are dumber than a bag o' hammers" or "Calmer 'an you are, dude...Calmer than you are."

-Darren

What, Andy, you don't build guitars?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Ok... 52 years old. One daughter, one wife, 2 dogs. I spent the last 25 years either designing or working on machinery,
hydraulic and pneumatic equipment.

I bought David Russel Youngs book on guitar building in 1978, but never really did much until about 12 years ago when I got a Martin dred kit.
Took me 10 years to finish it. It spent a good 5 years half done in closet. Life kinda gets in the way of things, if you know what I mean.

I finally got off my butt a couple years ago and finished it, thanks to a lot of help through the internet (OLF included), Irving Sloan and Bill Cumpiano.
I've always wanted to build guitars since that first book, but now I'm really hooked. Hope to have enough chops to support my habit by the time I retire.

I also like to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. I played golf since I was a kid but pretty much gave it up the last five years or so.
Just takes too much time to stay in practice, and cost too much money that I could be spending on tonewood.


Cheers

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Horton, MI

I'm 51. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 33 years and I have a 29 year old married daughter and a fantastic son in law and a new grandpuppy. I Currently live in the 45 acre farm that I grew up on as I inherited it after my Dad died in '06. I am watching over my Mother, who is in a nursing home nearby.

I spent 25 years working for a Chemical company that made synthetic flavorings and perfume bases. After working my way to the top of that company I had a heart attack and took an early retirement shortly thereafter. I moved to the North Georgia Mountains and started a small ISP company that grew and grew until I sold it in 2001. I also started and sold several other business during that time which included such things as a computer store and an appliance parts store.

After selling the Internet company I went to work for Uncle Sam as a sub contractor doing engineering work for the Department of Defense. After moving to Florida, I bought several portable sawmills and spent some time doing the ultimate of woodworking with those mills until my back gave out on me. I still have quite a stash of logs on my property that somehow need to be sawn up. Maybe one day I'll find someone that wants to make something of them.

I have been involved with music since the age of 10. I have participated in regional and state music contests and have several superior medals, trophies, letters and the such. I have been in stage bands, concert bands, Orchestras, The Jacksonville youth Symphony, Bluegrass bands, Rock bands, Church bands and Christian Rock bands. I currently play with a praise band at my church.

I have been involved with guitars since my teen age years, tearing apart electrics and building others with the parts and pieces. I have owned more acoustics than I can count, most of which I sold or traded. I tried building a few kits with limited success but it wasnt until I went to Frank Finoccio's school that I really took guitar building seriously. Since then, I have built over 20 guitars and I now sell them for some added income to my retirement income.

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Reguards,

Ken H