Official Luthiers Forum!

    Recently I mentioned building a Christmas gift for a family friend who is battling arthritis in her hands. The guitar needed to be easily held and played. The traditional Martin 000 shape sits in your lap perfectly and I braced it for either silk or nylon strings (gasp). I used a redwood top for responsiveness and a short scale for even softer strings (double gasp). The action is set as low as I could possibly get away with. The body is claro with Shanes koa bindings and Gotoh matte gold tuners.
   I know the purists are going to tear me apart for creating an oddball like this but remember it was built to answer a specific need. I will say it plays like butter on a summer afternoon.....









Enjoy!

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The Biggest Little City, Nevada
www.hammondguitars.com
I love building guitars!

Why would a purist have a problem with a nice guitar like that?

Also, tell your friend to ask her doctor about capsaisin creams and liquid.   I use "Capzasin", an over the counter liquid. It depletes the arthritis site of a neuro-transmitter that sends out pain messages. Weird science, but it works. Try Googling it.

Mike,

What a great thing to be able to do for someone, provide an instrument that no big factory could ever do. Good on you!

Oh, very nice guitar, too!

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Mike,

That's a gorgeous little guitar that's going to bring a lot of joy. I've said it before and I'll say it again - curly koa is my all time favourite binding, and the claro and redwood just work so well.

Well done

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Great Axe!
Sure is purty! I just love koa, its so warm...
Im sure your friend is going to love it... and well if they dont - just let me know...because I will love it forever...    
Good work
Cheers
Charlie

Very nice guitar Mike, congrats!

What is the nut width?

Great little guitar Mike!

My 5 year old son wants to start guitar lessons, so I guess I will be building an "untraditional" tiny little guitar very soon as well.

Thanks for sharing!

Shane

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Canada

What a beautiful, personalised guitar!

[QUOTE=Rick Turner] Why would a purist have a problem with a nice guitar like that?

Also, tell your friend to ask her doctor about capsaisin creams and liquid.   I use "Capzasin", an over the counter liquid. It depletes the arthritis site of a neuro-transmitter that sends out pain messages. Weird science, but it works. Try Googling it.[/QUOTE]

Capsiacin is the active ingredient in chilli peppers- the gating theory of pain is pretty much proven by it's clinical action.

It's quite a good drug just don't forget to wash your hands after using it- whatever you do don't rub your eyes or head to loo without doing so!

Terence

Mike it an stunning guitar and even better considering the lengths that you went to to create this very special guitar for a specific person with some special considerations.  Creating a "special needs" guitar is IMHO what separates a good builder from a great builder.

Remember Mario's slope shoulder dread for a female player who wanted an smaller upper bout?  Same thing in my view - being tuned in to the special needs and wants of a specific customer is what it is all about.  Bling is one thing, player ergonomics and playing style is where the rubber meets the road in my view.

Nice job, beautiful guitar, and thanks for remembering too that it's all about the musicians that play our guitars as Rick so rightly points out - often

That is a nice guitar!

I have similar concerns, but not for arthritis, I live with the effects of a spinal injury.  I've got about 25% strength and dexterity in my left hand, I can use all the help I can get!

Details, tell us details!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Very nice
Love it

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Why would a "purist" say anything negative as Rick said. Lets see, you had build that had specific request. Whether for friend and good deed or commission.

So what you did it called making and design that you thought out and then carried out for that specific player/owner to meet their needs. One important thing is you stuck with the plan and design and knew what you wanted and made a beautiful guitar for that person. This is what a purist builder would do. You did this for a friend, but same concept if doing it as a commission. That is what a luthier\builder does if they plan and design and put it together for the player. If want to be successful in the business (if that is your plan, but if not for others).

You thought outside the box and maybe plans, and designed a guitar that is special for that player. You met the players need and in case of commission demand for that need.
Good for you and it is a really fine guitar.

I shouldn't post when can't plan and design a statement like above, but hope got the idea. Also shouldn't do so when hacked by the Bronco's play

She`s a Beauty.I`ve been thinking about something similar for my grandaughter.Did you attach the neck like a steel or classical?
                   James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Are there purists around here?

Nice guitar. No need for preemptive gasping.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I don't see any real outside the box thinking in that guitar.   Then again I prefer to think that the box is infinitely large in all dimensions.

Beautiful little guitar! The fact that you went to extremes to provide an instrument for a special needs person makes it all the more special. GREAT job!

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Reguards,

Ken H

What a wonderful guitar, both in design and in execution. I know it will be well loved.

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Aoibeann

What a nice looking guitar.  You have done a good job and a great service.      

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Outstanding job!! That's a fine looking instrument.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Rick,I wasn't talking in "outside the box" as a maybe sounded, well Howard like, or what the "box" is as most guitars from outside look pretty much the same.

Not being a Rhodes Scholar and such, cain't do them there words and talkin to good on that computin machine.

I don't know Mike or even if established builder or hobby, but maybe wrongly so was thinking hobby or fairly new in the business. I was thinking of "out of box" or "expanding skills" as not using same made up plans, or copy of anothers in using skills to build something different in use of bracing stuff inside the box (body). I am sure many, many builders have made lots of guitars to do what he did. I was thinking he came up with a for lack of better term a "plan" for what he wanted to do for a specific player and made that plan work on his own. I may be completly wrong, and if so sorry. It was just way I read and interpeted the post.

Again looking at outside of guitars as far as shapes, woods etc. most look the same, even with bling, that others then copy and that becomes or has become the standard box. I am probably wrong and not such a thing as "thinking out of the box" just some ideas builder comes up with for specific players needs and make them work with bracing, thickness of ribs, back and sides and materials. The one off stuff.

Other than that everyone pretty much does the same thing everything is pretty much copies of everything else and no such thing as one of kind guitars (saying that not directed at any builders particular slogan) just those kind of terms in general.

gosh will sure be nice when get that word fixin button back. Rick please don't take my stuff at you, I would never do that as your one guy I completly respect and will never get there to even your chisle. I shouldn't have put your name there in post and doing so I am sorry. They say to many years in USMC in the 60's on and cop work in Denver, I need to go to counseling and learn to think of what saying and not get for lack of better word aggressive before speaking. The PTSD thing which can be a cop out though.

I was just trying to make a general point, but probably did so wrong. Mike's guitar none the less is very nice and he should be very proud of it as should the resipient.

Mike, Way to go man! That's a nice guitar that you made for someone with special needs. I'm sure the owner will be forever greatful to you .

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Mike,

Great job! What a wonderful way to help one in need enjoy one of life’s little pleasures.

You have provided me with inspiration. I have a cousin who is quite a large man. He towers over most anyone and when I shake hands my large size hand disappears in his as if I were a child. In the last few years he has come to love Hawaiian music and has tried to play some of my ukuleles to no avail because they are just too small. I guess I could build a ukulele with a real wide fretboard and string spacing so it would work for him. Hmm, I don’t think I have ever seen a ukulele with a 5 string bass width fingerboard.

Thanks for getting me started down this path.

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.