Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi there,
This is my first post here. Im on a few other forums but this is the first luthier-based forum I've found, so hopefully I can learn some things and share some things peculiar to Luthiers:)
Ok, first of all I'm not a luthier as such, but have am working on numbers two and three. All are my own designs and reasonably unique. So far it's all been about me, but I would definitely like to make some for others. This isn't a career move for me but hopefully I could make some money in the future.
I wondering why others make guitars. Is it just for you? Do you plan on selling or taking commissions? What's the plan?

_________________
Music. And Stuff.

Easy ...

I do guitar making like things because it's great therapy for having to grind through a 40 hour work week. I've never sold a guitar, and have never given one away. I still own every guitar I've built and most of the guitars I've ever bought. I have a lot of guitars. People ask me why I keep making more guitars. I just tell them it's because I like doing it.

Eventually I'll probably make some donations to Guitars for Vet's or something...

_________________
Jim Hansen

`Cuz the chicks dig it!

_________________
Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

I work a job where I don't really get to use any of my creative side. I've been playing guitar for over 20 years and decided I'd like to make one, and it gives me a great outlet for my creativity as well as an opportunity to learn new skills. I love doing things with my hands, plus when I tell people I'm building a guitar, they're somewhat impressed. I don't get the chance to impress people very often

Reasons:
a) I like guitars, playing them, etc.
b) I like making stuff.

Here is my other reason: a (somewhat) unique "business" plan.

Each year I try to make one
i) for me to play,
ii) for me to sell,
iii) for me to give away.

That way I get more guitars, can afford to keep making guitars, get to make somebody happy (including me) by connecting a deserving person or charity with a guitar.

_________________
"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

I've been learning to play them since I was 7...56 now and
thought I'd give it a shot.
Two years of great enjoyment so far.
No plans for it to be a business...especially with my
current skills.

I started playing in Jr. High, 1970. I haven't been too faithful to the guitar in that I go months without playing, then play every day for a few months. I never got really good, but I love it. I went through a period at work where there wasn't anything to do for almost two years. Luckily, they had to keep me on because I had certain knowledge that they couldn't lose. I'm no genius, just in the right place at the right time to gain the knowledge. Anyway, I got really interested in studying guitar construction to pass the time. I eventually started a guitar design business (www.guitarplansunlimited.com). The next logical step was to actually build some of my designs. Being overcome by life's events has limited my build time, but I will get back to it within the year. I'm still designing guitars, though.


http://www.guitarplansunlimited.com

I've played guitar for at least 25 years. I absolutely love them. I can spend a lot of time just holding them and running my hands over them. They are beautiful, and they beckon to me. I can't help it.
I have looked at them, handled them, played them, and have wanted to build them for a long time. I learned everything I could about them, and started building. I'm still learning, and building, and it's not possible at this point for me to stop building. It's in my blood.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

For me it's the process as much as the finished instrument. I'm my own worst critic, but I get a little better in fits and spurts. My friends think my instruments are cool, and they want them whenever I'm ready to give one up. There's that sort of gratification, too. But it's not an ego thing. It's the process, from drawing it out to stringing it up. Then it's like "I've got to do this again."

I'm new to this also. That being said I can already tell that building guitars is like wood crack... I've always built things creative, mostly street rods and high-end car stuff, but I've also built houses and some furniture quite a while ago, and can repair anything mechanical. I've always repaired and modified my own guitars. I've also been a professional player for a long time. The natural progression is to build a guitar and already I am hooked big-time. In my case I also like that I should be able to build a really cool guitar in a couple of months (at my present rate) instead of being married to a car project for a couple of years. On a comparative basis it's instant gratification and keeps me enthused.

Welcome to the forums! I have been playing guitar for 35+ years, teach guitar for a living and last year I realized that woodworking was my best "therapy" too; it calms this savage beast per say, so what better thing to do than build guitars - I just started last year and am currently working on #2, 3 & 4. I'm hooked.

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

It's therapy for me too. I'm staring at a computer screen all day and have to get away. Plus running my own business can be quite stressful so I need something else to fill my head! I've only built one and am working on #2 and #3.
steve , that's a great plan. I like it! And Sandy, having seen your tele, you could easily sell some. That is one stunning guitar!

_________________
Music. And Stuff.

Most certainly a career goal for me

I enjoy creating things out of thin air. Want to work at it and get good enough that I can make this a retirement project. Want to make basses and guitars that play well out of the box.

That's interesting Jim, same here. Although my retirement is twenty years away! Perhaps I'll be good at it by then.

_________________
Music. And Stuff.

Not only to say thank you very much Nick but to also mention; I'm in front of a computer doing my job for a large company and I've learned that trying my hand at building has been a benefit fit to me any many ways.
The issue that I imagine would not be good is if I sold any instruments - it could possibly bring problems into the trip.

I can understand completely a customer not being satisfied -the deal is I don't want to be dealing with their issues. I don't
want to take the chance or "open the door" for anything or anybody that could add negativity to something that has been
so positive...so far. However, nothing remains the same but currently that's my thoughts and I realize that I'm ignorant to many aspects of building and selling instruments.

You're welcome, Sandy. I see your point, and I think thats why I enjoy guitar building so much - no clients! In my business (I'm a graphic designer) I'm constantly trying to focus and move away from potential problem clients. Pricing myself out of cheap markets helps as I've found many nitpickers are cheapskates and want everything for nothing. Perhaps that would work with guitar building too. In business there's always a magic price point that puts your product in the realm of clients who know what you do and appreciate that they are paying for quality and understand that you are the potential. So if there's a way to make sure people appreciate what you do then it could still be a positive experience. I'm considering putting one or two in the hands of some pro friends and seeing what happens.

_________________
Music. And Stuff.