Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Ed and welcome to the OLF!

So you know Jeff Yong and are planning on building an Monkey Pod guitar - me too. Jeff is a great guy and a fantastic Luthier too.

I think that you are the only one that I know of here on the OLF who went to Harry's school. It would be great if you could tell us what the experience was like?

Great to have you here.

Hey there. My name is Michael Anthony (not of Van Halen fame, sorry). My family and I live in Grand Junction, CO. By day I'm a surgical PA (PA used to stand for 'party animal', now it's Physician Assistant) working with the greatest patients on earth, our country's veterans. By night I'm a husband and father of 2 (Nicolas age 5, Mikayla age 2).

I've completed 3 guitars so far and have 4 more in the works. I've been playing for roughly 30 years (started at age 12) and have been building for just over a year. I finally combined my passion for music with my skills as a woodworker and ended up here, which is a pretty cool place from what I've seen so far. I recognize a few names here on the forum and have actually met/emailed a couple of you. Thanks for all the tips, tricks, and 'toots'.

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Michael Anthony

"Life's short. Play guitar!"

Hi Michael and welcome to the OLF!!!!

With 3 guitars built you are most certainly hopelessly hooked for life - join the crowd.

It's great to have you here even if you do have 2 first names my friend......

G'day everyone!

My name is Joel Fallows. I'm 32 years old, married for near on six years to my wife Jo. We have two beautiful girls Sarah, 5 in June, and Elizabeth, 2 in June.

I've been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force for 11 years. I've worked on F-111's (affectionately called Pigs) as a radar tech, AP-3C Orions as a radar/comms/surveillance systems tech, and for the last few years on F/A-18's as an armament tech.

I'm also studying electrical engineering part time. I've been at it for about 5 years now and I'm almost half way through.

I have played the guitar for most of my life, but not particularly well (I just don't practice enough). My other hobbies include; homebrewing beer and spirits, tinkering with electronics, and reading good sci-fi.

I'm currently building my first guitar now. Well, it's started but work and uni have gotten in the way over the last few months. The sides are bent and together in the mold, and the top and back both need bracing. It's an OM type using all Australian woods; King Billy top with Tassie Blackwood rosette, Alpine Ash back and sides, QLD maple neck and Minnerichi fretboard and saddle. It's taken over two years to reach this stage, but considering I had nothing to start with it's not too bad.

Life these days consists of trying to balance work, uni and family and trying to fit in my various hobbies.

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If God had wanted us to drink beer, he would have given us stomaches.

Joel;
With all the life on your plate it's easy to understand if you can't finish a guitar !

Especially the brewing !!!!!
I like a few drams myself!
And some Yellowtail!

Ha!
really -take your time-guitars are better if they're not rushed!

I think we all need to thank you for your service time-!

Take care and keep up the good work sir!
Mike

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Mike Collins

Dan Reese - Just turned 50 years old. Living in Erie, Pa and lived here all my life. I am a hobby builder. I just started building and recently finished my 1st (2) guitars. Both are kit builds (Dred) from LMII. I will be starting my first scratch build this month (Sj200 jumbo - curly maple) . I built an extension to my garage for my workshop (12'by24') which is climate controlled (heat and humidifer in winter and air conditioner and de-humidifier in summer).

My goals are very modest. I want to learn something from each build and try different approaches to building in an attempt to find my own style of building. Lately, I've been experimenting with vacuum clamps and jigs for guitar building with some success and some failure. I don't have any time frame or number of guitars finished in a year goals. I just want to try-learn-adjust-build without the pressure.

I just got back from my first GAL conference in Tacoma, Wash. It was a fun experience. I plan to attend Hearldsburg next year to see which I like better.

This forum has been very valuable to me in my research and quest for info on building. I am a lurker for now , but will be chimeing in with questions and observations from my builds as I gain more confidence in my own building. I'd hate to get flammed for asking my Luthier 101 questions without doing due diligence.

By day , I am a software engineer for an insurance company and have been in the business since 1980. I play piano in a 5 piece combo that plays old time jump blues. My wife and I are avid swing dancers (hence my id on the forum), and have traveled all over world learning from some of the best swing dancers out there. I teach swing dance and DJ a weekly dance at our local venue. I have a modest home studio to write and record songs for the band and my own acoustic playing. My son is a drummer (hard core Punk Rock) but is now learning to play guitar. My first build goes to him. He's very excited about his new guitar.

Home of the Oneders!!!!!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Hi Guys

I'm 29 live in Toronto Canada and I'm currently on my fourth instrument the first being a violin, a viola followed, I finished my first Classical Guitar this month and I'm currently working on a Hungarian Cimbalom.

Great forum if I had found you earlier I would have saved myself a lot of time with my guitar.

I will definetly build a guitar sometime soon since the first build was a great expirience. I would love to build more oftem but my two girls takeup a lot of time and in my world they are no 1.

If anyone out there has any information on a Cimbalom and is willing to share it would be greatly apreciated.

Regards,

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Tomasz Cudzich

Joel, Dan, and Tom welcome to the OLF!

Chris Paulick,
I come from the Monongahela Valley where mister when you're young,
They bring you up to do like your Daddy done,
The small town of Monongahela, PA about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh. Moved to Tampa in 80 and have been here ever since. Electrician for some 29 years now and I got into building as a hobby in 99. Built my first reso because I couldn't find one I liked for what I could afford. Built it from modifying a Martin OOO rosewood kit with a StewMac neck. Found MIMF back then and had the help of Mike Dotson and others to help me through. The result is the Dobro in the picture and my 2nd was the Tricone with Mikes help again. I've built a Tele and a electric lap and now am taking on a J45 from scratch. Todd Stock turned me on to this forum and I see alot of familliar people over here. Great, another site full of good knowledge and people sharing it with us hungry to learn guitar nuts.

Hi. I'm John Sydenstricker, I live in Oscoda, Michigan. I'm 42 and married. I have a 11 year old son and 6 year old daughter.
I work for a large cargo airline as an aircraft inspection superviser. I havent built a guitar yet but I have started a wood stash. I hope to start my first build soon. I'm planning on a L-00 like Hesh built a while back.
Thanks to all the members here for making this such great forum.

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John S.

Hi John and Chris! Welcome to the OLF!

It's great to have you guys here!

Hi All been here off and on for a little while. Actually not a luthier yet. still trying to make my first ukulele (what I want to build) Married since 96 to a beautiful a loving woman who puts up with me and my hobbies 2 wonderful children who can REALLY slow down any build but in a good way Have now ditched the idea to build my first from scratch and m going to buy a kit so I won't have as many chances to fix mistakes. I was born in Hawaii but live in Alaska can barley play the uke I have but love it all the same. From my time lurking I can say that this is THE best place for luthiers and luthiers-to be, a warm place with many voices in all levels that give freely of their skills and hard won knowledge!

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

I thought it was about time I stopped lurking and started posting. My name is Darrin. I think the only other time I posted on the website was a similar topic a year and a half ago or thereabouts.

I'm a chiropractor in the northernmost reaches of California. Presently the whole area is on fire. I'm outside of Redding, in the little cow town of Cottonwood. I'm 37 and have a beautiful 8 year old little girl.

I've only built one guitar, an electric, but I'm acquiring supplies and courage to finally make some sawdust and hopefully when the dust settles have an acoustic guitar that doesn't implode.

I actually went to the Healdsburg Festival last year, and the very first person that I actually talked to, without even knowing who he was, was Lance. I was already a member at the time, so when he mentioned that he ran this website, I knew who he was. There were so many beautiful guitars there, and seeing some from people whose names I recognized was a very cool, yet humbling experience.

I don't play very well. I would like to and perhaps some actual lessons would be of great benefit. To me, making the guitar fulfills my needs to build. I've always been a tinkerer. There are so many incredible things I see in building a guitar. Seeing how nature can create so many incredible pieces of art in the wood I've seen on some of your guitars. The creation of something that serves a utilitarian need yet also creates art in music, and is artistic in its creation. Even the ability to impress my friends is part of it at this point.

I read as much of your posts as I can and glean as much information as I can from here as well as many of the websites some of you have as well as elsewhere. Anything that has what may be useful information, I'm interested in.

It's funny, a few weeks ago I saw a guitar from a distance at a yard sale. I went over to check it out. It was a home made guitar. I wouldn't call it hand made, because it definitely wasnt a quality job. The top was caving in, the joints werent tight...just was pretty poorly made. But when you strummed it...it still sounded like a guitar. Not a great one, but a guitar just the same. It reminded me that I just need to start building. Even if I don't make the greatest guitar the first time out, it will still sound like a guitar and I'll have learned from the experience.

So anyway....glad to meet you all.

Darrin

Hi All, my name is Ken. I live in SE Michigan, and I have this new addiction

I recently finished my first guitar, a quilted mahogany OMC. Been a woodworker for years, and a guitar player for four or five. I own some nice electrics and had always wanted a good acoustic, but kept putting it off thinking that I should build rather than buy one. Well, over the winter I finally did. What a cool project. I am currently working on an OM in southeast Asian rosewood and red spruce.

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

Welcome Darrin and welcome again Ken to the OLF!

I say we name Hesh the Official OLF Welcome wagon! He always make new users feel welcome!

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

I just realized how rude I am. I've been lurking here for while, took some time to join, then just started jumping in, without any hint of what I've seen to be the customary "Hi, nice to be here" thread. And, it is really nice to be here.

Been on other forums for a while, as usual, but have been somewhat intimidated with the level of talent here. Then I realized, if I hang out with talent, maybe some of that will rub off on me.

Guess I'm one of the less than handful with roots in Hawai`i, but chose to stay here (wife and 3 boys later). You can guess what I build, and what my kids play. I've been fortunate to have worked with a local factory, where one of the owners and I share building ideas, and he actually subs me to do his artwork.

My day job is with the Postal Service (still in Marketing, but moving my way back to operations) where I stretch out to teach monthly Selling on eBay classes. Because of this, like John, I've done a shameless plug for the inlay bits that I sell (simply to keep abreast of the eBay Sellling Community) on another post doesn't really make a whole lot for me, but at least I know who my customers are.

If there's one OLF'r whom I pay particular attention to (of course, with respect to everyone else), its Craig Lavin. You inspire. Of course, I'm trying to catch up on all of the comic genius of others, which is a task in itself (as was going through 170 posts, but worth it).

Aaron welcome to the OLF my friend!

Zac buddy it's my pleasure to attempt to continue what Serge always did and that is welcome people.

Okay, I’ll come out of hiding (lurking). I’ve been a member of this forum for quite a while, ever since Lance first invited me to check it out, but I don’t really post much, partly because I don’t have much time (at least during the school year), but mostly because I feel pretty “amateur,” in comparison to the level of expertise evident here!

I’m a high school English teacher in East San Jose, teaching mostly freshmen (regular, sheltered, and honors); I’ve been teaching 28 years now. Before I taught high school, I spent a few years working with minorities in East Los Angeles with a Christian organization called Campus Crusade. Born in Detroit (lived in Ann Arbor, also, Hesh!), grew up in Santa Clara, California, and got my B.A. in English (Spanish minor) from U.C. Berkeley.

I’ve always been interested in musical instruments, ever since I started playing violin in third grade. Was intrigued by an advertisement for a Stew-Mac guitar kit way back in the mid-'70's in the old Whole Earth catalogue, but just assumed it would be too impossible to build, so never did anything about it. But in 1993 or 1994, I got a few MusicMakers kits (dulcimer, autoharp, etc.), found I could do it, and gained the confidence to jump in and purchase a Martin D41 style kit in 1994. I went for the fancy D41 style kit because I assumed it would be the only guitar I’d ever make….little did I know how addictive this hobby would become! I’ve been hooked ever since.

Now, as my teaching job doesn’t really give me any time during the school year to build, I only build during the summers, usually one instrument (though occasionally I’ve built two). I like to try different things, so I’ve built other things besides guitars, over the years. For me, it’s primarily the process itself that intrigues me; I just like to see if I can do it better the next time….

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Hi, Kathy,

Good to see your post! The information and spirit of building that you share on your site had a lot to do with my decision to try it for myself. Thank you!

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Hi Kathy and what a pleasure it is to join my pal Pat in welcoming you to the OLF!

I didn't know that you are from Michigan and had lived in Ann Arbor. I did and do know that you are a natural born teacher in as much as your web site and writings have helped me too. Many thanks to you for being one of the very important people who is a shining example of how to share information and build instruments.

Hello everyone: I am Pepe Vergara from California. I became a luthier in 2001 because I could not afford a decent guitar and someone told me I could make one. Seven years and 53 guitars later, I have become a professional guitarmaker. I learned the basics of guitarmaking at the two-year guitarmaking program in OC College in Costa Mesa, CA. Apprenticed with luthiers in Paracho, Mexico, and have travelled extensive through Spain learning from the pros. The first time I came to this forum was following a link by JFDana, on his papermache guitar. I am glad to be here and will try to participate often. My website is http://www.vergaraguitars.com.

Hi Pepe and welcome to the OLF!

Welcome to OLF, Pepe. There are a few of us who build classical guitars. Do I know you from DelCamp or some other forum?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars