Weekend with Joel Michaud

[Marcus Wong]

So, as some of you already know, I had the AMAZING opportunity of visiting Joel Michaud last weekend in his home base - Calgary, Alberta. I don't even know where to start... It was arguably the most memorable weekend I've had as I got to spend some quality time with my "Guitar Hero". Joel was a great host and we had a great time doing guitar stuff as well as non guitar stuff

Maybe I will just start off first with a quick tour of his shop. Those of you who have seen build photos taken in his shop might have noticed that his shop is exceptionally clean. He does not clean up his shop just for the photos, but is instead in a perpetual state of cleanliness!

First, the door to his workshop. As you can see, there is a make-shift knocker complete with a handle made out of one of his old necks which he had pulled out. Not sure if it's the same with most of the luthiers, but Joel makes A LOT of his own things which I shall feature in subsequent posts. I don't think there is a room in his house which doesn't possess something which he has made himself.



Opening the door, this is the first sight that you would see which you might recognise from his build photos



Looking left, this is where I imagine Joel spends most of his time



And looking right (that cupboard on the right is where he keeps the good stuff - finished guitars and closed bodies)



A quick look at the jigs he has made for his various models, all neatly lined up



And here you can see just how organised the man is. Sandpaper cut and sorted out based on their grit, and pre-made binding/purfling slotted into their respective holes





And lastly, a pretty good shot to give you an idea of how tightly radiused his backs are

[Diamondave]

Having a picture in my head of where and how guitars are being made is fascinating, thanks for sharing! Nice shop...!

[JSDenvir]

Geez Joel, do you make guitars or perform surgery there? :-)

That is the cleanest shop I've ever seen.

Steve

[JDatlen]

I have serious shop envy now.

[IBKuz]

Thanks for posting the pics Marcus, Joel noted to me that he enjoyed your visit as well. I too am in envy of his shop, and astounded by its cleanliness

[Marcus Wong]

Originally Posted by Diamondave

Having a picture in my head of where and how guitars are being made is fascinating, thanks for sharing! Nice shop...!

It is pretty cool indeed. There are so many tools required to build a guitar, I have no idea how people even get started in the first place! This is the 2nd workshop I've ever visited, the first being where your Buendia was being built

Originally Posted by JSDenvir

Geez Joel, do you make guitars or perform surgery there? :-)

That is the cleanest shop I've ever seen.

Steve

Well, you luthiers are kinda surgeons too in a sense with all the intricate work that you do with your hands. But you are right, it is even tidier than my bedroom!

Originally Posted by JDatlen

I have serious shop envy now.

Better get to it then John

Originally Posted by IBKuz

Thanks for posting the pics Marcus, Joel noted to me that he enjoyed your visit as well. I too am in envy of his shop, and astounded by its cleanliness

If I am not mistaken, your guitar is housed inside the middle drawer of the cabinet

[OM-42]

Thanks Marcus for those great photos. It's fun to see where the magic occurs.

I can only imagine how much fun the two of you had. You certainly bring out the best in each other. I look forward to your next video.

I also hope you're healed so you can attack that amazing guitar that Joel made.

;-)

OM-42

[doodahdoug]

Here is Marcus last weekend checking out progress on a German Spruce - Madagascar Rosewood O-R that I have commissioned. Good things come in small packages.

[Marcus Wong]

Originally Posted by OM-42

Thanks Marcus for those great photos. It's fun to see where the magic occurs.

I can only imagine how much fun the two of you had. You certainly bring out the best in each other. I look forward to your next video.

I also hope you're healed so you can attack that amazing guitar that Joel made.

;-)

OM-42

Thanks OM42! It's slowly getting there! I can play a bit in moderation now

Originally Posted by doodahdoug

Here is Marcus last weekend checking out progress on a German Spruce - Madagascar Rosewood O-R that I have commissioned. Good things come in small packages.

Is that a short joke?! hahah

[Marcus Wong]

So when you're in a luthier's den, you will of course check out their wood stash. Joel has some pretty incredible wood and builds coming up. I shall be sharing some of my favourites and I hope their respective owners won't mind!

Some beautiful African Blackwood to start it off


And of course every luthier has to have Brazilian Rosewood in their stash (though Joel is trying to steer away from using such a scare and endangered resource)


Pernambuco - the aesthetics of this wood aren't for everyone but I am quite fond of it. Taps really well too!


Panama Rosewood - Joel's favourite tonewood as it taps like Brazilian Rosewood but without the issues of cracking


And here's a plank of quartersawn Padauk. It is my first time encountering such a tonewood and boy does it ring when tapped. It is potentially my favourite tonewood tap-tone-wise... lovely stuff!

[iim7V7IM7]

Thanks for sharing Joel's woodlocker...

[IBKuz]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

You might need to take some of these Padauk pictures down from your thread or crop them. Not sure what a good old Calgary boy is doing with an Edmonton Oilers Hockey team clock on the wall, but if his neighbors find out, Joel's going to be in trouble trying to explaining it ... lol

[David Wren]

Nice shop Joel!

[Marcus Wong]

Originally Posted by IBKuz

You might need to take some of these Padauk pictures down from your thread or crop them. Not sure what a good old Calgary boy is doing with an Edmonton Oilers Hockey team clock on the wall, but if his neighbors find out, Joel's going to be in trouble trying to explaining it ... lol

I don't know enough about hockey to even pretend I know what you're talking about Joel's a player himself though!

[Marcus Wong]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Thanks for sharing Joel's woodlocker...

Any time Bob. Joel is very fortunate to have about 10 upcoming builds in "The Tree" so I had the chance to see the raw sets in person. He probably has the most sets of "The Tree" after Jay Howlett himself