Coming soon...a new kid on the block!

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by gitarro

Some good points there by ptl.

I think as well that apart from tbe tone of the guitar that has to be really top drawer to stand out nowadays, the design of the guitar itself also has to really pop and stand out. It cannot be derivative or look too much like the others, but at the same time it has to have a timeless classiness about it. The overall effect should be that it should be deeply impressive at first glance and the impression be further enhanced the more one examines close up the different parts of the guitar. Nowadays the standard is so high that the starting standard for fit and finish seems much higher than it was 30 years ago. There are also so many more luthiers working in the industry that if you throw a stone in a crowd and chances are you will hit a luthier! So if you want to have people know who yoi are and desire to buy your guitars, yoir guitars need to look good to stand out from the rest and evoke desire to buy.

I recall Michael bashkin's original design - it took design ideas from Michi Matsuda but it was wholly his and you could tell it was his guitar across the room.

Likewise with Isaac Jang - he spent 10 years being Kathy wingert's apprentice but he must have been fine tuning his design and the whole package because when he finally exhi ited his guitar for the first time, it immediately impressed everyone who saw it for its fresh design and artisans skill in flawlessly making it to a very high fit and finish standard. He took an Uchida bendaway design and made it his own with a fresh twist.

Another example was Casimi guitars. Their guitar design is so avant garde that it will attract as many people as it repels traditionalists. But it is undeniably stylish and the fit and finish is clearly top class. It looked like nothing else.

So for your friend to be able to hit the ground running, my suggestion is that he needs to refine his design concept and come out with a design his own.

If he is as skilful in voicing his guitars as you believe, then he owes it to his talent to spend the requisite time to really birth a design that is his own and that will measure up aesthetically to his tone. Anyway that's my two cents worth anyhow...

Very true...everything.

In truth, I don't know if he is skilful at voicing guitars...yet, but most guitars on the market are not "voiced" they are simply built and that seems to have little impact on their follower base! What I do know is that the first guitar was outstanding, not "outstanding for a first attempt"...just outstanding so we shall see how things pan-out. I am hopeful!

He is working on the deign and look now and he has a good eye for simplicity and elegance which is a great starting point!

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I'm not a professional luthier nor a professional musician, but the step to "quit his job and become a luthier" may not necessarily improve their financial picture.

I would strongly suggest they seek out the advice of others who've gone that route.

If I had to support myself as either a luthier or musician (both fields being full of very talented, driven, and already established people) I would not be able to have the instruments I do, or the home, or hope of retirement.....

Why would you assume that they are doing this to improve their financial picture? He isn't. He knows that following this path involves a significant pay-cut and will require a lot of good fortune to get established.

But this what he WANTS to do. He wants to do something with his hands. He wants to create things. He is a craftsman and wants to follow that dream. Who am I to do anything but encourage that.

The world is too full of people who are doing things they hate for the money rather than doing what fulfils them.

I have nothing but respect and admiration.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by Adamski

The world is too full of people who are doing things they hate for the money rather than doing what fulfils them.

Isn't that the truth!!

And what fulfills you can change along the way. Those who are willing to take the chance will likely be the happiest, long term.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Isn't that the truth!!

And what fulfills you can change along the way. Those who are willing to take the chance will likely be the happiest, long term.

Agreed. I quit my full-time day job over 20 years ago to pursue the fulltime solo music career. It was work getting it off the ground, but work I wanted to do. And I have been very happy pursuing the dream.

A funny story, a few years back, I was coming home from a gig at night, and I hit a patch of black ice. The next thing you know, my car was heading right off the road, and if it would have kept going in that direction, straight into a river. Most likely I wouldn't have survived that crash. And as I was heading in that direction, my life flashed before me. I saw that my son was doing great, and all of my grandchildren too. I was also very happy that I have a great love in the girl that I'm with. And to top it off, I thought of how I got to make my living as a musician, my dream. So if it was my time to go, I had a life worth living!

But just as I was about to go off the road, my tires caught on some dry pavement, and I got the car turned around. Unfortunately, now I was headed right into the side of a semi truck and that prospect didn't look too good either. Fortunately though, I just hit one of his tires and bounced right off. The front of my car was crunched (they totalled the car), but I came out of it unscathed!!!

Long story short, it was quite the ordeal, but at least I got to see how good my life really is and has been!

If you have a dream, pursue it, and work hard at it! As they say, it's better to try and fail, than not to try at all and wonder about it the rest of your life. And there's a good chance, if you put the work in, you can make it happen!!!

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Agreed. I quit my full-time day job over 20 years ago to pursue the fulltime solo music career. It was work getting it off the ground, but work I wanted to do. And I have been very happy pursuing the dream.

A funny story, a few years back, I was coming home from a gig at night, and I hit a patch of black ice. The next thing you know, my car was heading right off the road, and if it would have kept going in that direction, straight into a river. Most likely I wouldn't have survived that crash. And as I was heading in that direction, my life flashed before me. I saw that my son was doing great, and all of my grandchildren too. I was also very happy that I have a great love in the girl that I'm with. And to top it off, I thought of how I got to make my living as a musician, my dream. So if it was my time to go, I had a life worth living!

But just as I was about to go off the road, my tires caught on some dry pavement, and I got the car turned around. Unfortunately, now I was headed right into the side of a semi truck and that prospect didn't look too good either. Fortunately though, I just hit one of his tires and bounced right off. The front of my car was crunched (they totalled the car), but I came out of it unscathed!!!

Long story short, it was quite the ordeal, but at least I got to see how good my life really is and has been!

If you have a dream, pursue it, and work hard at it! As they say, it's better to try and fail, than not to try at all and wonder about it the rest of your life. And there's a good chance, if you put the work in, you can make it happen!!!

That is a wonderful story…good on you.

Similarity, a few years ago I had a cancer diagnosis…I looked back over my life for regrets, there were none really. So, like you, I thought if this is my time so be it.

It wasn’t.

It did show me just how lucky I was though.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Adamski

That is a wonderful story…good on you.

Similarity, a few years ago I had a cancer diagnosis…I looked back over my life for regrets, there were none really. So, like you, I thought if this is my time so be it.

It wasn’t.

It did show me just how lucky I was though.

Great that you beat the cancer!!!

[gitarro]

Originally Posted by Adamski

Very true...everything.

In truth, I don't know if he is skilful at voicing guitars...yet, but most guitars on the market are not "voiced" they are simply built and that seems to have little impact on their follower base! What I do know is that the first guitar was outstanding, not "outstanding for a first attempt"...just outstanding so we shall see how things pan-out. I am hopeful!

He is working on the deign and look now and he has a good eye for simplicity and elegance which is a great starting point!

I hope he does have a consistent and measurable way of optimising the bracing and tonewood thickness so that the best possible tone is obtained from the whole system, because if he doesn't, he may not be able to achieve good effects with subsequent guitars especially when entirely different woods are used.

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Great that you beat the cancer!!!

Thanks my friend...I have so far...we shall see!

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by gitarro

I hope he does have a consistent and measurable way of optimising the bracing and tonewood thickness so that the best possible tone is obtained from the whole system, because if he doesn't, he may not be able to achieve good effects with subsequent guitars especially when entirely different woods are used.

He's an engineer so I imagine he will be off to a good start in terms of understanding how a guitar works.

He's full of ideas so let's see how his work develops.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by PTL

A luthier's success, economically speaking, is based not only on his abilities as a luthier but his ability as a marketer.

^ this in spades.

In this age of information, it's so easy to build a "reputation" quickly if you are Insta savvy etc. or if you are being hyped by a dealer etc., who will do that stuff for you.

I've been so disappointed on many occasions when I've held these holy grail (for which read expensive) guitars in my hands and, similarly, astonished when I've played instruments by guys (like the OP's chap) who have very little media presence.

I will say this: Experience, with plenty of guitars under your belt, counts for a lot. A whole Lot.

Cheers,
Steve

[TomB'sox]

Just a quick word, we do not know of this person's financial status or what he does or does not need, but knowing many luthiers personally, it is pretty rare to find the luthier building 10-12 guitars a year that does not have another source of income. You might or might not be surprised to find how many have another full time job or at least something going to generate additional revenue. It is one of the reasons I am passionate about my guitar show being luthier-centric as anything I can do to help them makes me happy.

[Bill Kraus]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Just a quick word, we do not know of this person's financial status or what he does or does not need, but knowing many luthiers personally, it is pretty rare to find the luthier building 10-12 guitars a year that does not have another source of income. You might or might not be surprised to find how many have another full time job or at least something going to generate additional revenue. It is one of the reasons I am passionate about my guitar show being luthier-centric as anything I can do to help them makes me happy.

There is a certain reality to the luthierie business that this post sums up very nicely, and most people outside the business do not have this kind of insight.

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by Adamski

He's an engineer so I imagine he will be off to a good start in terms of understanding how a guitar works.

He's full of ideas so let's see how his work develops.

You're not an engineer, are you ;-) I am - BSME. There's a lot I learned in school and on the job over the past 30 years. None of it is readily transferable to luthiery, IMO.

I'm sure acoustic engineers get some training on this, and industrial engineers may have a leg up on manufacturing processes. Not sure that your standard electrical, computer, civil or environmental engineer have any more ability for "understanding how a guitar works" than you or I or anyone else.

IIRC Lynn Dudenbostel was an aerospace engineer before he got into building exquisite instruments. I'm sure there are other engineers who became successful luthiers. But there are likely a lot more great luthiers with no formal engineering training.

[nootis]

I've been friends with many luthiers for several years now, and often meet many others at shows like TomB'sox puts on. At one point or another they have ALL told me that they have greatest job in the world. To me, that says it all, and it is something that I am now striving for. Not that I am the jealous type or pine for what others have but hearing this over and over again has really made me take a look at my own situation. As an owner of a construction business for the past 30+ years I have had my share of ups and downs and have had my back up against the wall too many times to count. While I've managed to make a good career out of it and make a modest living, I've never felt that I have the greatest job in the world. Not even once. Don't get me wrong, I respect what I have accomplished, I love the people I work with, but it is a constant battle. Goals, passions and wants don't get you anywhere unless you make it happen. You can't get to the finish line if you don't start! So, for the past couple of years, I've been actively trying to take myself out of the pressure cooker that I've put myself in and I'm working towards selling my business. If I'm successful at doing so, my plan is to pursue my passion and desire to make guitars at my own pace, and for nobody else but for myself. Almost 2 years ago now, I had a student build with the Kinnaird West boys, and I would love to build some more. I've been so serious about it that I even built myself a shop (just finished it a couple of weeks ago).

So back to the OP and this guitar: I have nothing but respect for the people that can make a living at building guitars or doing anything really that they are passionate about. Godspeed to anyone that is pushing themselves in pursuit their passions.

[Dogma]

Originally Posted by nootis

I've been friends with many luthiers for several years now, and often meet many others at shows like TomB'sox puts on. At one point or another they have ALL told me that they have greatest job in the world. To me, that says it all, and it is something that I am now striving for. Not that I am the jealous type or pine for what others have but hearing this over and over again has really made me take a look at my own situation. As an owner of a construction business for the past 30+ years I have had my share of ups and downs and have had my back up against the wall too many times to count. While I've managed to make a good career out of it and make a modest living, I've never felt that I have the greatest job in the world. Not even once. Don't get me wrong, I respect what I have accomplished, I love the people I work with, but it is a constant battle. Goals, passions and wants don't get you anywhere unless you make it happen. You can't get to the finish line if you don't start! So, for the past couple of years, I've been actively trying to take myself out of the pressure cooker that I've put myself in and I'm working towards selling my business. If I'm successful at doing so, my plan is to pursue my passion and desire to make guitars at my own pace, and for nobody else but for myself. Almost 2 years ago now, I had a student build with the Kinnaird West boys, and I would love to build some more. I've been so serious about it that I even built myself a shop (just finished it a couple of weeks ago).

So back to the OP and this guitar: I have nothing but respect for the people that can make a living at building guitars or doing anything really that they are passionate about. Godspeed to anyone that is pushing themselves in pursuit their passions.

Very nicely put! I am sure this speaks to/for a lot of people. And, good for you! Keep the flame alive.