Official Luthiers Forum!

As I was binding and purfling my first top today I was thinking about the whole wonderful process of building this guitar. I've made things of wood, even fine furniture, for many years, but never have I enjoyed a challenge as much as this.

Not counting frets and bridge pins there are only about 65 pieces to a guitar, but it takes a thousand steps to assemble them. And every step is critical, the concentration required amazes me. I love it.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Ron,
I agree. There is nothing like it. I haven't been working on anything else for the last couple years, then the other day my wife said she needed new shelf space for her antique business, and asked if I would make her some. I said I would and set about making them. Before I knew it they were done and I was back to my guitars. My point is I hardly had to even think about the shelf unit. I just grabbed the wood and some glue, and screws, a little work with a dado blade, and it was done.
Can't do that on any type of instrument.

Good observation! Last weekend my daughter asked me to make a birdhouse with her. I built it in a few hours with no plans. I just thought it up, and built it using my bandsaw and belt sander. It turned out really nice. What shocked my more, was just 2 years ago I had no wood working experience, and would not have even known how to begin a project like this. I even go to use my new circle cutting tool that I used to cut out the sound hole of my cigar box uke. Anyway, my wood working skills have increased dramatically over the last 2 years thanks to guitar building!
Tracy

I've always been brilliant!

Kiwi

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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We knew that Craig, you are very famous in the UK

Yup! ,, all over the world !


   ..........Just something I've learned to live with !

Kiwi    

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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You must get fed up with all those Girl Mobing you though Craig ?

Yet another thing I've learnt to deal with.


As for Guitar making?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Huh!,,A Snack!

Kiwi............

Got to go,,,, More bloody autographs. Geez

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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I have a cabinet builder friend that nearly five years ago told me that the mired of complicated jointly required to build a bound curved box let alone an instrument was far above my skill levels and it would take many years to produce a guitar that I would be totally satisfied with. After four years and 27 guitars I have to say he was right, but not in the inference of his statement.

It did not take me that long to learn the skill to produce good joints. I had a good bit of training working in my grandfather’s cabinet and furnisher shop as a teenager. While not at all displeased with quality of my current work or skills, I am never satisfied with remaining at a plateau. I am ever seeking new challenges and techniques to add to my skill base. This is the fix for the addiction that drives a luthier forward.

So in a differnt way than he meant, my friend was right. I am not satisfied, and hope never to be.

Man it's nice to have people who understand you! No one in my circle of acquaintences has a clue about this craft. I appreciate ya'll putting up with my random thoughts. I love this forum.

And, Kiwi Craig, you must be famous all over the world. Even here in Arkansas I saw your name, Kiwi, written on our grocery store window, and it said "Special today".


Ronold man38654.7444328704

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

   Yes Yes!! I've been told a number of times by experts that I'm a "special case"

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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Ron,
Craig's name is everywhere. I've got some of his shoe polish.


We once had a dog named Kiwi. (This is a bit off-topic.)
He was named that because he couldn't fly.
But I bet Kiwi Craig could do that if he put his formidable mind to it.

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Yes Steve, I fly Australia/NewZealand regularly.


      Tiring ??

Yes, it is a little.

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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