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Catharsis... Guitarsis... (explicit)
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14193		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  jfrench [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:20 pm ]
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[Parents cover your children's eyes....]

A good friend of mine who is a notable German guitar maker and a big inspiration to me has told me on more than one occasion that every maker should at some point experience what its like to put a guitar in the fireplace. I grill a lot, but rarely use the fireplace.

I was always intrigued, but never quite understood.

Then tonight, after a less than stellar night (to say the least) I decided I'd give it a go. I had a guitar laying around, one that I made, that had earlier been the victim of a freak incident over a year ago. I;d already salvaged the fingerboard anf bridge and figured I may as well move forward with the indescribable...





It was actually quite enjoyable! Sorry if its disturbing..
Author:  Shane Neifer [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:45 pm ]
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You're a sick man!!!    At least you could have had a weinnee over that flame!

I suspect we will see a phoenix rebirth from this?

Man, you should be in a rock band.....

Shane
Author:  jfrench [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:22 pm ]
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Shane, People always think I'm in a rock band!

With the kind grilling that goes on here 3 times a week, that guitar was in good company! Spanish Cedar burns just like mesquite... it'd be great if it didn't taste so foul.
Author:  Dave White [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:03 pm ]
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Joshua,

Now that's what I call a proper Viking funeral
Author:  Colin S [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:21 pm ]
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Joshua, you're just supposed to wipe a bit of alcohol on the back and set light to it just to soften the HHG before roping on the backplate, I think you put too much alcohol on there!

You have given me an idea though, we are just coming up to Guy Fawlkes Night over here, when we have fireworks and bonfires where we burn an effigy on the fire. Maybe one of Paul Simon holding one of my old badly made guitars!

See I told you all that they are only expensive kindling until they make music. A true La lena!

Colin
Author:  John Watkins [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:37 pm ]
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Been there; done that.....

Author:  robertD [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:47 pm ]
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This sort of reminds of an old movie. “The Fountain Head” where Gary Cooper plays
“Howard Rourke” an architect. Well into the story, he reluctantly helps an old friend, who is also an
architect, down on his luck. Rourke designs a beautifully simple and efficient multi-dwelling
complex, (Something he’s always wanted to do) and allows his friend to put his name on it. His
friend is railroaded by the big wigs, into making changes that are completely different from what
Rourke had designed. Rourke feels that it has been altered to the point where it no longer
represents the integrity that he designed into the building. Of which, he takes very personally.
You see, Rourke believes that “a mans ideas are his own, and not public property.” So, with the
help of a beautiful woman (Patricia Neal) He blows it up!

Moral of the story;

If you don’t have time to burn it yourself, get the help of a beautiful woman!

Robert
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:08 pm ]
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Well, Joshua told us recently that he gets a cranky when he has the flu, but this is ridiculous!
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:08 pm ]
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Oh, I forgot...

Author:  John How [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:49 pm ]
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I have burned rejected necks and scrap guitar wood in my campfires but never a whole guitar. I have a likely candidate thought that died on the concrete floor in front of the buffing wheel, so I think I'll give it a go next time I go camping.

This also makes me wonder how many guitars met a similar end this week in southern California.
Author:  Brock Poling [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:50 pm ]
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[QUOTE=robertD] This sort of reminds of an old movie. “The Fountain Head” where Gary Cooper plays
“Howard Rourke” an architect. Well into the story, he reluctantly helps an old friend, who is also an
architect, down on his luck. Rourke designs a beautifully simple and efficient multi-dwelling
complex, (Something he’s always wanted to do) and allows his friend to put his name on it. His
friend is railroaded by the big wigs, into making changes that are completely different from what
Rourke had designed. Rourke feels that it has been altered to the point where it no longer
represents the integrity that he designed into the building. Of which, he takes very personally.
You see, Rourke believes that “a mans ideas are his own, and not public property.” So, with the
help of a beautiful woman (Patricia Neal) He blows it up!

Moral of the story;

If you don’t have time to burn it yourself, get the help of a beautiful woman!

Robert[/QUOTE]


You know... that was a pretty good book before it was a movie.   



Author:  jfrench [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:37 am ]
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[QUOTE=Hesh1956] This has to be one of the most interesting posts on the OLF in a while.

I wanted to have one of mine run over by a goon in a beer truck since I have the goon and the beer truck in my family. I thought that seeing it destroyed would do two things for me 1) remind me to not take myself to seriously and 2) represent a rebirth of my work where from that point forward my guitars would be better.

Some other OLFers stopped me saying that I should give the guitar to a kid before destroying it so I gave it away. I understand that you had already canabilized this one so that was not an option for you.

Why did you do it Josh?[/QUOTE]

Hesh - the guitar suffered a bad accident about a year or so ago and was practically unusable. i salvaged the fingerboard and bridge and let it sit in a closet until I could decide what to do with it. Though, I suppose, I already intended to burn it at some point.

I'm moving my shop next week (next door) and having been here for the past five years it seemed an appropriate time.

But the feeling you get from it... its really very humbling and I believe I needed that. It was extremely enjoyable and uplifting!
Author:  robertD [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:44 am ]
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jfrench,

I must admit, I didn’t quite get what you were trying to say at first. I think I have a better idea now.

I can see where, this could symbolize a moment of self-realization, or perhaps, the strengthening
of ones character. And, that certainly would be enjoyable and uplifting.

Robert
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:19 am ]
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Joshua, next time you are so tempted, call me.
I would proudly hang one of your "catastrophes" on my wall.
The most troubling thing to see was the burning of that handsome rosette.

So you're moving next door, huh?
Even closer to Clark's?
Maybe I should come down, help you move, and do some probing through your closets???

Steve
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:40 am ]
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[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird]
The most troubling thing to see was the burning of that handsome rosette.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was thinking about.  My latest experience made me think It would be a cold day somewhere before I would burn one of those, and Joshua's are such masterpieces.  I know he has it down to a science, but it is still tedious work.
Author:  jfrench [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:51 am ]
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Steve - actually I'm moving one door closer to the bar! The top floor of the house behind mine became available at a better price and I have much unused space here. Better light there, more windows, cheaper... I think its going to be a good thing.

You're more than welcome to come help me move! 3 books could be written about all the crazy experiences that have taken place in this house. This place has a legacy...

Assembling one more guitar here before the move.

Colin: A true La lena indeed! She sounded very beautiful before she got damaged. I thought it was some of my best work, too. This past week I finally delivered her replacement. Expensive kindling for sure, but who would have thought I'd find it such a profound experience. I highly recommend it.
Author:  douglas ingram [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:11 am ]
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I got it right away.

Good for you to have the resolve to walk away  and make burnt offerings.
Author:  David Myka [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:56 am ]
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I didn't intend this to be my first post but why not? I totally get why you did this. I have done it myself (and got a lot of heat for it on another forum (pun intended)). As opposed to just letting the guitar collect dust I decided to transform it into another form of art. My only regret was not taking some video of the event. The time lapse photos would have been incredible.

The reasons for this one going to the fire were many but the main things was an error on my part in the materials selection and design. I chose a very lightweight piece of body wood. After chambering the guitar, routing for pickups, and finally a tremolo route the body lacked the resonance I was looking for. Actually it was about as lifeless as could be. I learned some big lessons in what I call solidbody acoustics. So after thinking about how to fix it for a couple of years I finally got it off my backburner for good.

Here is a picture of my cathartic treatment of this guitar:




Great forum by the way. I have a couple acoustic projects coming up that I will post. If there is an interest in electrics here I can share some of those as well.

~David
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:10 am ]
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Welcome, David, to OLF.  Good post.  We are an eclectic group, and some build electrics too.  Some even build b***os.  The other thing is, we all love pictures of someone else's work, so post away, electric or acoustic.
Author:  Mike Collins [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:12 am ]
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The best Barbecue is maple and mohagany-no glue or finishes !
Both sweet woods!
the meat & veggies will be suculant!!!!
I've done it many times with the people eating the results saying WOW-HOW did you cook these!???
It's just the best woods to use-not to smoky & no bitterness without using allot of sugar!


Mike


Author:  jfrench [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:23 am ]
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David - thats perfect for a first post!

but did you have to mention video?? I'm kicking myself now for not using the video option on my camera!
Author:  fryovanni [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:23 am ]
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[QUOTE=John How] I have burned rejected necks and scrap guitar wood in my campfires but never a whole guitar. I have a likely candidate thought that died on the concrete floor in front of the buffing wheel, so I think I'll give it a go next time I go camping.

This also makes me wonder how many guitars met a similar end this week in southern California.[/QUOTE]

I have a candidate that hit the floor in a similar buffing accident. I have had it hanging in my shop for a little over a year now, and every time I look at it I get a little mad at myself , and remembering how I felt when it happens makes me slow down and be more cautious.

Good to see you posting here David

Rich
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:20 pm ]
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I've yet to burn anything, but then again, I don't have that big of a 'collection' behind me; I like keeping my guitars within sight, as each one is a reminder of the progress I've made along the way, and the things I've learned to do better. Probably helps I own 90% of the guitars I've ever built, and that the others are in the hands of very good friends (and those are the ones I'm most proud of, frankly). If it doesn't meet my standards, it won't leave the door, but at least I haven't got any complete tonal duds. Yet. I'm sure that day will come.

David: interesting re: weight on the solidbodies. As you probably know, I chamber most of my electrics, and I've found that the ones that feel most like solidbodies (ie, aren't that light) sound best. Same applies to a little more mass in the neck (all of them mahogany-necked, but different profiles/sizes). None of mine are particularly lightweight, though.
Author:  TonyKarol [ Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:32 pm ]
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David ... oN the MIMF way back Mario said the best meal he ever had was pork tenderloin done over a smoker with BRW shavings in it .. I can almost taste it
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