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Over a year ago my daughter told me she wanted to build a guitar. I was excited and proceeded to explain to her various options she should consider in an acoustic guitar. She stopped me in the middle of my enthusiasm to explain she wanted to build an electric guitar. This was bold for her since my mantra is "if you have to plug it in, I don't build it or play it!" (Just my bravado for hiding my inexperience at building an electric guitar)
Well, this turned out to be a tremendous experience together. It turns out she is a pretty good woodworker. She did all of the cutting and routing, carved a majority of the neck and body, and the fret work. I did set ups and final touch up. As you can see, she was pretty happy with the final result.

I am curious if any others have had experience building with their kids. (Tried it with my son - he just had no interest)

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John Ressler

I think it is a great way for parents to have some quality time with the kids. In this case , not only did you have some time together, she now has a solid tie that she will cherish for her life. Not many things in life have that tie. Something that not only will give you 2 pleasure but now she has something that can give others pleasure when she learns to play.
Memories are the only thing that no one can take from us .
john hall
blues creek guitars

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

My sons have watched me build occasionally but have not been interested in a guitar DIY project other than design work. I have a sense that right now, there are too many competing interests and that's to be expected at 16, 17, and 19. I have never pushed them but I know they are absorbing a lot of information by just being around the craft.

I'm always tickled to watch them describe the process to their friends when they ask questions about building. All of a sudden, you'd think they were experts. It would be nice to see more interest but they have more important issues in their lives right now...similar reasons for why I never started woodworking at an early age.

Consider yourself lucky that your daughter has taken an interest. Looks like she also has the tenacity to take it to completion...a great sign! Congratulations, John!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Yeah this is a great story and I thank you kindly John my friend for posting it.

BTW the black strat looks very, very cool!

John, congrats to your daughter for a fine achievement and to you for helping her get started!

My now 5 year old son likes to hang around in the workshop no matter what I’m doing there; he’s getting pretty good with a whittling knife too! We already made him a cookie tin mandolin (see my avatar), now we’re working on a small SG-style eclectic. He doesn’t actually do much of the building of course, but he’s definitely interested and feels like we are building it together. My 10 year old daughter isn’t so interested, and I don’t think it’s because she’s a girl or anything, she’s just more impatient and gets bored in the workshop. People are different, no matter what age...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

That's incredible!

Two of my three children have expressed an interest in being taught how to build guitars; and to play them too; I have told them that when they are at least eleven or twelve they will be able to.

The reasons why I have told them to wait is because if they still want to build a guitar, then it's genuine, and their tiny hands will be a lot larger to be able to cope with using tools; Even though they are very bright kids with excellent attention spans, I feel safety would be compromised at the ages they are.

Bravo, John, for doing this with your daughter. Those memories will last a lifetime!

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

I got the pleasure to play this guitar a few months ago. Its well thought out and executed..including the ebony binding on the neck. Great story!!

My daughters wanted to learn guitar so I set up a weekly lesson time with them. That did not last very long!

My oldest daughter loves anything to do with California and always looks at surfing pictures etc. I had some left over plywood in the shop and we decided to make a surfboard decoration for her room. After an afternoon in the shop, we emerged with a full size surf board that now stands in the corner of her room. It was a great afternoon!

Joe

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Joe

Sam, I don't know. Rasmus and I have very strict rules for what he can and cannot do, and all my machines are in another room, so I don't feel it's especially dangerous for him in the shop. After I taught him how to keep his hands and fingers when he uses his little knife, he doesn't cut himself. Really.

I think kid's self esteem get a tremendous boost if given responsibilities and trust. If they have a desire to learn, I see no reason why they shouldn't be given the opportunity to do so; that desire should be nourished and taken seriously. They are such quick learners too, they remember everything! And what's more natural than learning from your old man (or lady)? Hey, you should see how proud he is of his little tool box... Surely this is a good thing?

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

That's a great story, John. My 12 yo daughter recently took an interest in playing guitar. She's played classical violin for 7 years and has recently discovered fiddle tunes (YESSSSSSS!!!) to the dismay of her teacher. Now she's learning guitar. First song was Behind Blue Eyes, though not by the Who.

The koa size 5 terz I built for my kids awhile ago isn't a real guitar in her eyes, so she wants an OM, probably koa. Maybe I'll talk her into an L-00 like shape or a 12-fret 00. I'm really looking forward to it. If my son wants one, I'm sure it will be an electric.

Pat

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

Very good story John. Consider yourself lucky she took such a keen interest in guitar
building. I've been trying to get my son interested but no luck. He is trying to learn to play the OM
I built for him but no interest in building so far.
Nice looking strat !!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

It just ain't fair.
You all have kids who don't wanna learn.
I wanna learn, and noone around can make guitars...

You can adopt me if you want....
BTW Pat if you want i'll send you a cd with some good contest tunes on it for your daughter.
It was recorded at a fiddle contest live.

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-They made me do this-
My name is Matthew Luce

I've got it sort of backwards - I've taught myself building (and woodworking), and my now retired father's looking at my tools, what I do, and thinking about picking up woodworking...

Thanks for that Arnt, I totally agree with your statement. Definetely food for thought.

That's awesome, John! to you and your daughter!

Kudos to you and your son, too, Arnt!

I haven't yet gotten either of my daughters (ages 8 and 2) in the shop much, but I hope the interest will develop.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Very cool! My daughter doesn't show much interest in the building process...she just wants to know when her guitar is going to be done. The other day I was showing her some chords. I showed her an A chord, she asked, with complete sincerity, as only an 8 year old can, "How do you do an A+ ?" That's a perfectionist for you.

Darrin

[quote="ToddStock"]Wonderful story...and of course she'll never want the accessories (ink, piercings, and spiked pink/purple hair) that go with the new axe, right?

What have I done?!?!

Great stories here!

Arnt - love the photo of you with your son.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

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John Ressler

Congratulations John! Wonderful tale.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Even the little ones can help...a little...

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

As I work full time in my woodshop, and the shop is on our property, the kids just see my work as pretty ordinary. Kind of like good air, you don't really notice it till its not there.

They haven't expressed any particular interest in pursuing it, though they do value it as a means to an end. They keep coming up with different design ideas that they have absolute faith in me to execute. I tell them that I require their participation...

So, even if they are not in the shop working regularly with me, they still pick up quite a lot. My son, just turned 18, has been working with me as a summer job for the last two years. he doesn't "love it", but has come to recognize the value of knowing how to work around a project from conception to execution. We get to talk about a lot of work issues, especially as he usually thinks he knows better ways to do some things. Eventually he figures out why I insist on a certain way to do things.

I'm looking forward to my two girls working with me.

BTW, not only is this thread started with a great story of a lovely girl working on a lovely guitar, but did anyone notice that lovely shop?! Great place to work!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

As I work full time in my woodshop, and the shop is on our property, the kids just see my work as pretty ordinary. Kind of like good air, you don't really notice it till its not there.

They haven't expressed any particular interest in pursuing it, though they do value it as a means to an end. They keep coming up with different design ideas that they have absolute faith in me to execute. I tell them that I require their participation...

So, even if they are not in the shop working regularly with me, they still pick up quite a lot. My son, just turned 18, has been working with me as a summer job for the last two years. he doesn't "love it", but has come to recognize the value of knowing how to work around a project from conception to execution. We get to talk about a lot of work issues, especially as he usually thinks he knows better ways to do some things. Eventually he figures out why I insist on a certain way to do things.

I'm looking forward to my two girls working with me.

BTW, not only is this thread started with a great story of a lovely girl working on a lovely guitar, but did anyone notice that lovely shop?! Great place to work!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

really Cool John!!

Zak likes to lend a hand, now and then... I think he just likes cutting things up!

And that's very cool John. It's great that she had the tenacity to stick through it and Hesh is right, that Strat is very cool indeed!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I'm building a guitar right now with my son who is off to college in a few months. It's been a lot of fun and a great way to spend some time with the kids, he loves it too!

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

There are few things more gratifying than passing on to others the things that excite you, expecially to your children. This is a memory I'll cherish forever.

And judging by the photos here, many of you feel the same way. Thanks for sharing these memories!

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John Ressler