Official Luthiers Forum!

So here is the next student to complete, last night. Bearclaw top over birdseye maple body and 5 piece neck, rosewood binding and headplate, braz bridge, paua shell rosette, border, headstock border and frog inlay. Curly maple backstrip and armrest. Gotoh 510s. We had the strings on it last week, but finished up the setup and polished it last night. It was a bit weak in the bottom off the bat, but in a the last week it opened up a bunch. It should be really nice in a few weeks as it plays in. Finish is nitro.

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

wow
Your student should be very pleased with your instruction Tony.
Nice

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Stunning
Clearly the teacher is the reason!!!!!!
You make us all feel inferior!!!!!!!!

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

Tony,
That is truly amazing. Please tell me this isn't the students first guitar. If it is, I think I'll go home and kick my first guitar around the room!

I'm just wondering, how much one-on-one attention does your students get. Do you just show them how to do it and have them go do it, or do you stand next to them watching them, and when they get stuck you step in? Just curious. Thanks for the pics!
Tracytl50736238828.5080439815

Sorry, but yes this is his first. I do watch as they do some of the more critical things. For instance I did the first mitre, the one on the top at the cutaway point. But Jonathan was more than talented enough to handle the rest - took them slowly, sharp chisel, pared his way up to the final chop.
I teach mostly one on one, some nights I have two, but each is working on completely different stuff. I am there to watch them execute at first, then can do some stuff on my own until they are ready for the next steps. Of course I am always there if they are unsure, or have questions on techniques and whatnot. I think a big part of success is having access to tools and jigs that work because they have been proven in during my building. A lot of students then make copies of stuff I use for themselves. As well, the ability to show someone what to look for is very important - they may do something, more or less blindly because I (or a book) say so, but then once I give it another look, can show them what it is I am looking to see. As we have seen in other posts, something that seems as easy as sanding can get you into trouble awfully fast if you are not watching for the right (or wrong) things.

It still amazes me that even after about 50 guitars on my own, a student will say something that makes complete sense about a technique, making it better or easier to do. Its true that more than one person thinking about something can yield a better way. Thats what the forum is all about too.

thanks for the kind words .... the students deserve a lot of the praise - after all, they did ALL the sanding !!!

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

OH BE QUIET!
You are building these arent you?? There are no students People!
Just Kidding - Im just jealous as all get out that I dont live close enough to be ur student!!!!
I used to live in Onterrible, but I couldnt stand it.
My skin didnt stop itching til I made it to BC.
Bsides - Where I used to live theres a Danged revolution going on right now too
The landlords are getting evicted!
Seriously nice guitars both - I would L O V E to hear some soundclips!!!!!
Cheers
Charlie

Ahh .. another transplanted Ontarian (have a sister in law out there the same as you) - OK, I'll fess up, I am building them (kidding) .. they pop out one a day just like Serge says, dont you know.

I could live out there as long as its in the mountains, where there are still 4 seasons - not this cold rain nonsense Vancouver gets for 7 months.

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

Admittedly we had alot of rain this year - but it didnt get below freezing!! Take your pick!
Ill take the rain - you dont have to shovel it.
Besides.... its easy to take 4 months of rain when you get 8 months of Summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its 20degrees outside my door right now!
Nice work, your students must be proud, and you must be proud of them.
cheers
charliewoodcharliewood38828.5787268519

We didnt have to shovel any this year either !!!! .. but thats what I have a 4 wheel drive for - well that and hauling ZOOT.

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

Tony, if i would have known how much money i would have spent in the last year only on toolin' up, i would have taken some time off the day job and have paid you for a course and have an outstanding guitar like this one, believe me Man! Well, i can't afford it no more but i'd strongly recommend your courses to anyone starting in this endeavour! The results are just amazing!

Serge

Charlie, if you sell that beautiful guitar of yours, i'd give it some thought!