Official Luthiers Forum!

This is just an informal poll. How many guitars do you make a year? I used to make 40-45 a year mostly electrics about 5 of those were acoustics. That was a lot of work but I did have a couple of apprentices for a while. Getting back into it after a 4 year lay off. I am thinking about 10 a year 6 acoustics and 4 electrics.

I did the finish on about 150 guitar 40 Ukes 5 Mando's and a lute or two this year plus a bunch of repairs. Next year I hope to do the same. Plus make a guitar a month, we will see.   

Last year I made about 15-19 acoustics, about 20-30 ukes, and about 4-5 electrics. Next year I'm shifting my focus to only acoustics and I plan on making 30 acoustics next year.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I am just starting, and only am able to build part-time, but given how far I am on my first two (acoustics) it looks like about one every six-seven weeks or so. A lot of my build time is taken building jigs and templates and benches, and...

I hope to get to one a month (part-time) by the end of 2006.

-Mark
Mark Tripp38701.9950810185

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Pullman, WA

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

trippguitars.com
OR
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Well I only repair so I guess it doesn't really count, but I am just over 1200 guitars for the year

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

It's a hobby for me, but the most I've ever completed in a year is 4, normally it's 1 or 2 instruments. I'm shooting for 4 per year for the next few, time permitting.

3 or 4 per year, all acoustics.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Used to be 14 or 15, but now with the number of students, plus more cutaways, armrest and ribrests, it will be more like 8. Where does the time go ??? sanding I tell you , sanding.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Was doing about 6 a year all acoustic. None this year as I was doing an apprenticeship for awhile. Hope to get setup and start again. I am behind on 4 guitars for clients (I don't know if by giving away guitars to them make them clients, but I want to treat them as if paying big bucks anway)I need to make a couple of more to help pay for the others.

[QUOTE=stan thomison] Was doing about 6 a year all acoustic. None this year as I was doing an apprenticeship for awhile. Hope to get setup and start again. I am behind on 4 guitars for clients (I don't know if by giving away guitars to them make them clients, but I want to treat them as if paying big bucks anway)I need to make a couple of more to help pay for the others.[/QUOTE]

They're still clients ;-)

I mean, I building for friends right now, pretty much at cost. And half my builds are still electrics. I just want to get my instruments into the hands of people who'll play them. I barely have the time to play the instruments I've already got.

3 to 4 a year mostly acoustics but the occasional Warmoth body electric, plus 10-12 repairs, re-frets and general setups on various guitars. I am thinking of taking more commissions this year. In the past I built only one guitar at a time. I am at present working on one commission, one personal and one display guitar, I am finding that I can keep up and focused better than I thought I could while working on multiple guitars.MichaelP38702.4428935185

I think I made 6 or 7 last year.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I compleated one acoustic last year and one this year. I figure if I sell one for $40.000 I could quit my day job.
I have parts for 20 guitars though and every jig I could ever need.
These things take time. But we are all getting better at it, thanks to you guys!

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

[QUOTE=Wade S.] I compleated one acoustic last year and one this year. I figure if I sell one for $40.000 I could quit my day job.
I have parts for 20 guitars though and every jig I could ever need.
Wade[/QUOTE]
Like your perspective. I need more jigs! More fixtures!

I built 31 acoustics this year and a batch of 8 are more than 1/2 way complete but I probably won't get them done by the end of the month.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

This thread is depressing me, even the hobby/part-time guys. :)

I still haven't quite finished the guitar I mostly built in Harry Fleishman's class two years ago, but I've started two others, nothing finished yet. I've been spending a lot of time converting a spare bedroom into a shop this last year, and starting from scratch on the woodworking tools, overhauled a 1946 Delta bandsaw, etc... Also, I watch a lot of TV.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Jon don't be depresed. Too tell the truth when I first got started, I almost started two at once but a good friend of mine told me to do one at a time so that I did not repeat the same mistake twice. I have done that every since until now. The three I have going is the first time in over four years of building for sale that I have ever worked on more than one untill it went to finish.

I'm not actually depressed or down, I'm having a great time and learning a ton. I'm not under any pressure to produce, with the exception of friends always asking me if I'm done yet.

The only reason I've got two going is that a few months after I started on #2, I joined the "Build Off" contest over at luthierforum.com which runs for a year, so I started #3 for that. So far it's worked out okay, and one benefit is that it reinforces and refines my methods when I do a process twice in succession. It's not much of a time saver like I think a lot of people imagine it will be.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

As a hobby luthier I feel fine with 3-4 acoustic guitars per year. I have a 4/4 violin build on my workbench also and a bounch of cracked czech ones I'll never repair or finish.

Gg

Unless you need to mass produce to make a living, it's not about quantity.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

[QUOTE=old man] Unless you need to mass produce to make a living, it's not about quantity.

Ron[/QUOTE]

Amen! It's the journey, an the experience that counts!

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

It took me a year to build the first one. 2 years to build the next 3 . Don't know about this year yet. I have wood enough for 4. Since I already have a lot my jigs made, maybe I can get these finished this year. I'm still not thrilled with my binding setup, which is where I have a LOT of trouble.Jimmie D38703.318587963