Happy New Year!
January 1, 2009
It was one year ago when I embarked on guitar building. I will recount my accomplishments during the year of 2008 and look forward to what lies ahead in 2009.
This all started with a Stew Mac 000 kit which I received as a Christmas gift from Carol, my wife. It started as an experiment to determine whether I should add something meaningful to my “free” time, as I was spending much too much time in the chair. After spending an absurd amount of money on tools and expanding my workshop, I completed the Stew Mac 000 (guitar 801) in March.
Before I completed my first guitar, I knew I was hooked. I discovered LMI and used their kit wizard to purchase the components for a rosewood OM (guitar 802), which ended up in my daughter, Rachel’s hands before she went off to her sophomore year at NYU in August.
I sent out feelers for commissions, a means to continue building, but getting someone else to fund my efforts before I could legitimately sell custom guitars. My friend and music partner Larry ordered a maple OM using the LMI kit wizard, and guitar 803 was born. I just finished 803 on December 31st and turned it over to Larry.
Through Larry, I got a second commission from one of his business associates. Guitar 804 is a Koa Parlor, also sourced through LMI, which is 75% complete. See “looking forward” below.
In June I attended a guitar building workshop from Charles Fox and the American School of Lutherie in Portland.
I did a few repair jobs, one of which was a refret/refurbish of an old 5 string banjo for my friend Tom. I also took possession of a classical guitar with serious neck and top problems from my brother-in-law Bim.
And, guitar 805 started construction in November with wood stock from a tree farm which will end up being a 12 string dreadnought.
Finally, in wanting to do something for myself, I started guitar 901, a zebrawood resonator guitar which needs to sit idle for some time while I finish things earlier in the queue.
Later tonight, I’ll lay out my roadmap for 2009.