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  #16  
Old 10-16-2016, 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by theEdwinson View Post
As a tool-using, bipedal hominid with opposable thumbs, I really enjoy the fact that I'm not merely limited to settling for the random stuff I find while I'm out hunting and gathering.
In other words, after years of refining my skills, I've found that if I'm capable of imagining something, I am capable of making something- actualizing that mental picture into a real, tangible object- an object of beauty and grace! That's pretty cool. Especially since my imagination is chock-full of amazing acoustic guitars, just waiting to be built and played.

That's where the real magic is for me: I begin with a concept, a mental picture; then I can assemble the various materials, and array them on my workbench... The mental picture comes into sharper focus... and then I put my opposable thumbs to work, using tools, and tool-using skills, to fashion these beautiful woods into a tangible, 3-D, playable musical instrument!

In this increasingly digital, virtual world, where reality is more and more becoming a facsimile of itself, having the ability (and the compulsion) to actually manufacture objects of beauty and grace, is immensely satisfying. Nothing compares to the feeling of standing back at the end of a long day of work, and seeing, touching, hearing the actual, tangible results of all my effort and inspiration. It's REAL! And it appeals to the senses on so many levels; tactile, visual, auditory... and mostly, the expression of the higher mind, and the soul, the place where humanity's universal language- MUSIC- originates.

No wonder making guitars is so addictive, for so many people! It is a form of alchemy, practiced in wood, that becomes so much more than the sum of its parts.

And then there's the aspect of the human connection that these objects make possible. Even beyond the ability to express the depth and breadth of our souls through music, I think the most important thing for me is that guitars become objects of desire and passion to the people who own and play them. A fine guitar can add so much to a person's quality of life. They bring creative energy, articulate expression, and joy to people. And the music they play on their guitars brings more of the same to the people who listen to the music...
What a great privilege it is to be engaged in work whose sole purpose is bring that creative energy, expression, and joy to other people! Nothing compares to the feeling of satisfaction you get when a new owner of this guitar that you made says, "It's perfect- it's splendid- it's everything I had hoped for, and more..."

I'm sure I speak for a lot of people here when I say that being a guitar maker is more of a spiritual calling than a "job".

Thanks for asking, Tom!
Now that's an answer. Thanks Steve!
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  #17  
Old 10-16-2016, 02:51 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Originally Posted by theEdwinson View Post
YES! Those of us who have found our purpose in life in building guitars, are creating a legacy that will hopefully live long past the span of our time on Earth. That is a great honor.

And, just the satisfaction that comes from every successfully completed project impels the continuing search to start another, and another, and make each successive guitar better in some way than the ones that came before. It NEVER gets old. Every time I start a new build, I feel the same excitement and anticipation as I did the first time, almost seventeen years ago.
Today, I'm doing the final stage of wet-sanding on my first prototype Eclipse OM guitar, and getting ready for the final assembly and set-up of of this first iteration of a brand new model. I've done this over a hundred times now; but today, I feel like an excited, hyperactive kid, five days before Christmas!

Y'know, if I won a $150,000,000 Powerball jackpot, the first thing I'd do is buy a few acres on Orcas Island, Washington, and hire an architect and a builder to help me build my absolute dream guitar workshop. And then, I'd spend the rest of life making guitars, writing about making guitars, and teaching other people how to make guitars.
Too bad there's no lottery in Alabama!
Well, not really- because I'm doing exactly what I want to do now, and all the money in the world wouldn't make me stop.
HA! so funny, just had that conversation the other day "ya if I won 50 mil in the lottery all I'd do is tool/shop up big time and BUILD MORE GUITARS!" , haha....and hell for what it's worth I've hardly sold any instruments, because I never really tried before, so for me it's always been about the LOVE of it all, every part of it, every guitar or instrument is like a mountain you've never climbed before, and you just HAVE to see what's on the other side, each one familiar, yet completely different from the last, climbing higher and higher, until you just can't climb anymore...
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  #18  
Old 10-17-2016, 07:48 AM
Greg Maxwell Greg Maxwell is offline
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Originally Posted by theEdwinson View Post
Y'know, if I won a $150,000,000 Powerball jackpot, the first thing I'd do is buy a few acres on Orcas Island, Washington, and hire an architect and a builder to help me build my absolute dream guitar workshop. And then, I'd spend the rest of life making guitars, writing about making guitars, and teaching other people how to make guitars.
Too bad there's no lottery in Alabama!
Well, not really- because I'm doing exactly what I want to do now, and all the money in the world wouldn't make me stop.
This reminds me of the luthier's joke:

Q: What did the luthier say he would do if he won the lottery?
A: Keep building guitars until the money was all gone!
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  #19  
Old 10-17-2016, 08:35 AM
PWoolson PWoolson is offline
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I'm always fond of a challenge to do something that I haven't done before.
"Do you think you could do...?" to which I always answer, "Yes, I could do that". (then I have a mini panic attack over what I've committed to)
I've never built the same guitar twice. And I've got no desire to do so. Something new, something different...that's what keeps it alive for me.
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  #20  
Old 10-17-2016, 09:42 AM
CaE CaE is offline
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In order of when it all happens:

1. The collaboration with the player. I love discussing what sort of sound they are after, aesthetics, and personal touches and then finding creative ways to make all of them happen in one guitar.

2. The wood. The original draw to lutherie for me was and is the woodworking. I still find it fascinating that there are so many different textures, colors, and sounds that come from wood- even within the same species.

3. Neck Carving. Neck carving is one of my favorite steps. I turn on some tunes, find my focus and spend a couple hours whittling. It's simply enjoyable.

4. Sound. I love hearing the guitar come to life under the first set of strings it encounters. It's an exciting moment to see all of your hard work payoff.

5. Delivery. After all the time put into the guitar, it is extremely fulfilling to deliver it to its new home and bring the cycle to a close. It started with a player and ends with a player.
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  #21  
Old 10-17-2016, 07:59 PM
BenjaminPaldacci BenjaminPaldacci is offline
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What a great thread, thank you for thinking about that!

Well, the first thing I love, is to talk with my suppliers to know if they could find something great for me. Fortunately, a lot of them are very kind & passionate guys, who do everything to satisfy us.

After that, of course, the seasoning of the wood and take the piece you want for your guitars is something which amaze me! When I have the piece in my hand, I remember when/where I bought it, and I remember a lot about that. I always try to find a good balance beetween my different pieces, about the relation beetween the back and the top, the bracings, etc...

Voicing a top/back is pretty cool too, and when you have great results after some tests, after hours of carving, tap-toned, etc... it is awesome.

There are some things I hate & Love at the same time like bindings for example, but it is always cool to make them!

When the musician play the instrument, it is always fantastic for me to think that I built this thing. Always!
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  #22  
Old 10-18-2016, 05:28 AM
StuartDay StuartDay is offline
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After 11 years of building instruments I've finally come to the conclusion that I dislike the compartmentalizing of instruments. We all do it, by making lists or comparing tone to playability to aesthetics. For me, the most exciting thing about building instruments is the comprehensive and total dynamic package.
You have to develop a mastery over so many different skill sets. Being a professional instrument maker isn't just about voicing tops. Its about sharpening blades, maintaining machines, building a shop, building a business and all that entails... and every new idea you have whether aesthetic or structural or tonal requires you to teach yourself a new micro set of skills or develop a new knowledge. you go into research and development mode, figure it out, then execute.

The whole process of taking something in your mind and applying your available skill sets to bring that concept into a real tangible working form is something that I think turns all artists and skilled tradespeople on. But Luthiers have that added component of sound which is a whole complicated and nuanced rabbit hole that I find very exciting. manipulating kinetic energy through each woodworking decision I make.

but aesthetics shouldn't be thrown to the way side just because Tone is paramount. I really enjoy coming up with new flourishes and new design concepts and working out how to achieve them.

I think I tend to operate on different levels simultaneously. Like, I know my job as a luthier is to create an instrument with tone and playability upfront. I enjoy that challenge. Its an obsession, that never seems to ebb. trying to get each instrument to sound better than the last.
but then as a woodworker, or craftsman, I'm also very much excited about building things. and when I come up with a new aesthetic idea it represents a new challenge that appeals and excites that part of me.

But all that aside I think the most exciting part of building instruments for me is giving them to my clients. I rarely get to hand deliver an instrument but when I do have that opportunity its the best. to see their face light up and get a huge smile and trip over their words trying to say something about the moment in real time. Its really a humbling and happy moment for me as a craftsperson who gives everything to these objects in a shop by myself most days. That human moment of "here is it is!" is unbeatable.
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  #23  
Old 10-18-2016, 07:01 AM
Laurent Brondel Laurent Brondel is offline
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Guitar makers often start by being guitar nuts, so building guitars is a pretty cool way to make a living from that perspective.

On the whole the interaction with clients is low key, relaxed and friendly, as a matter of fact a good number of clients become friends and the relationships extend beyond the ordering and delivery of instruments.

Most hand builders operate a one man shop, it's a pretty solitary activity and appeals to a specific type of personality. Plenty of time to think about stuff, and there's certainly plenty to ruminate about in our time…

Personally I try to build guitars one at a time, that means a typical work day involves a diversity of tasks that are not repetitive, and are always either challenging or at the very least keep me on the edge.

On the same note every instrument presents its set of challenges, so the work is always interesting and hopefully makes me feel I am on an improvement curve.

The most exciting moment for me, besides the completion & delivery of a guitar and the feedback from the owner, is when I lay out all the rough wood and parts at the very start of the project and I imagine all the features and individuality of that specific instrument.
That is, before all the difficulties and challenges arise…
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  #24  
Old 10-18-2016, 01:30 PM
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I can't thank those that have replied enough. It is really interesting to hear the different perspectives of everyone. It does seem like there are themes developing, one of which is the wood and the working with wood to create beauty that sings. That would be it for me, I hope to someday have a shop to do just that.

In addition, it is interesting to note how many list delivery of the guitar as one of the highlights, all that work for another to enjoy, understandable, but also in a way kind of hard to see it go I would think...

Inside the minds of artists....please keep going...
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  #25  
Old 10-19-2016, 11:59 AM
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theEdwinson theEdwinson is offline
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Hey, Tom, I have more to say about this. Sorry, I can't make myself shut up about this.
Purely aside from the Craft perspective- the love of woodworking, the obsession with beautiful, exotic woods, the satisfaction and quiet joy of making tangible, beautiful things with my hands, the other thing that makes this work so enjoyable for me is the HUMAN ELEMENT.

When someone hires me to build a personalized instrument for them, most often a close and trusting friendship develops. I get to know my clients very well. I find out who they really are, what they love and don't love, and what inspires them live their lives and to play their music. And over the years, I've gained a lot of lasting friendships with my people.

There's something about acoustic guitar people that really distinguishes them from the common herd. They all seem to be decent, kind, friendly, tolerant, and of above average intelligence. They are creative, inspired, people who generally seem to concentrate on what's GOOD in the world, instead of dwelling on all the bad, wrong stuff.
What a great privilege it is to spend quality time with these people, and to be able to add something to their quality of life!

And then, there are my colleagues and friends in the biz- my fellow luthiers- for whom all those same characteristics almost universally apply. Luthiers are fine, wonderful people, almost without exception- at least in my experience.
That's one of the things I like best about this Forum- we're all in it together. We encourage and support each other. We value each others' work, and we revel in sharing "trade secrets". We are generous and open with each other. We express unabashed, open-hearted admiration for each other.

Before I got into lutherie, I spent my early adulthood making my living as a commercial photographer (in the old-school, pre-digital era). As much as I loved the art and craft of photography, after about fifteen years, I gave it up; because it was a toxic, cut-throat business, dominated by egomaniacs and power-trippers who were so jealous of their turf, so unwilling to share a slice of the pie with the "competition"... And I just lacked the killer instinct required to be successful in that world.
Lutherie, and luthiers, are the polar opposite. WE get along. WE celebrate each other. WE share the passion for what we do.

And THAT is why I'm in this for LIFE.
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  #26  
Old 10-20-2016, 02:01 AM
LSemmens LSemmens is offline
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I also appreciate this thread. I do wonder, though, how your passion has affected your relationships. That is are you so focussed on building a beautiful (in the broadest sense of the word) instrument, that wife and family have suffered? To me the lot of a true artist can be a lonely one because no one truly understands the passion.
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  #27  
Old 10-20-2016, 06:14 AM
StuartDay StuartDay is offline
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I also appreciate this thread. I do wonder, though, how your passion has affected your relationships. That is are you so focussed on building a beautiful (in the broadest sense of the word) instrument, that wife and family have suffered? To me the lot of a true artist can be a lonely one because no one truly understands the passion.
I can only speak for myself. But the short answer is yes. We all get into this craft in different ways. for me I made a decision to leave college, go to a lutherie school and pursue this as a career right from the beginning. That means I basically had to go all in from the very beginning and as a result I've made a lot of significant personal and financial sacrifices.

But the long answer is more nuanced than that... I mean, I love what I do, yes I lost relationships along the way but I've also gained very rewarding and fulfilling friendships and personal relationships thanks to lutherie as well. I haven't been able to vacation and leisurely travel like many of my peers could when they started getting paid well in their jobs, but I have been able to travel and see exciting places because of lutherie (guitar shows, invites from clients etc...)

the way I've always looked at it is that if this was just a job to me the sacrifices I've made would never be worth it. But its not just a job... its more like a calling. Its who I am, I love getting up every day and doing what I do for a living, I've found a partner who supports me in my endeavor and understands its not a 9 to 5, and at the end of the day I can't really imagine doing anything else. So I don't FEEL the sacrifices as these negative things I've lost in life. I just see them as sad parts of a bigger positive picture.
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  #28  
Old 10-20-2016, 09:12 AM
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It's not really my 'job' per se. Not my bread and butter that is. I build 2-3 per year. Having said that even though I am on my 55th guitar now I still get excited about almost every aspect of it. Waking up in the morning to go out to the shop and unclamp something that you had setting up over night is like opening Christmas presents or something like that.

Two of my favorite things are bending sides on a hot pipe. I'm not even really that good at it but I love it. It makes me feel like it's a sort of old school traditional craftsmanship and lots of pride when it's done right. Second is closing the box and finishing the bindings. That's when you get a good sense of how responsive a guitar is going to be. That's when I do my 'tap tuning' and you can really feel the instrument come alive.

It's an addiction and an obsession but there is nothing better then sitting back and looking at your finished work and even better is when you you put it in the hands of someone who can truly make it sing and will appreciate it for a life time.
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  #29  
Old 10-20-2016, 11:28 PM
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Smile What a cool thread this is

Some very well thought out answers here!

I must say plus one to Edwinson. I want to feel inspired all the time and get to hang around happy, upbeat folks. Sometimes it is my job to cheer them up.

Nice answers, luthiers!

Cheers

Paul
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  #30  
Old 10-21-2016, 01:10 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Some very well thought out answers here!

I must say plus one to Edwinson. I want to feel inspired all the time and get to hang around happy, upbeat folks. Sometimes it is my job to cheer them up.

Nice answers, luthiers!

Cheers

Paul
+1

In a forum filled with optimistic and positive people, Edwinson just may be the most upbeat person of them all judging from his comments.
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