The Story
The Inciting Moment
I have been playing the guitar since my early teens. In mid 2016 I had saved up some money to buy a new acoustic. After playing many different brands and models, I could not find something that “fit.” The problem was compounded by having the opportunity to play several hand-made instruments during that time. The factory made instruments just could not compete with the tone and responsiveness of the hand made ones. The problem was a hand-made instrument was WAY outside my price range.
The Big Idea
At that time, I happened upon a blog which traced someone building a guitar in a small apartment in New York. That sparked the idea that changed everything: if a someone can build a guitar in a small apartment, why can’t I build one on my carport?
I had no illusions that my first guitar would be a great instrument. But so many of the people I read repeated the encouragement that motivated me to give it a try: I would probably love my first hand-made guitar more than one I had bought.
The Learning Curve
I began doing tons of research online. Like most who start down this trail, I soon found Cumpiano’s Guitar Making: Tradition and Technology and as I was looking it up on Amazon, Johnny Kinkead’s book was recommended. I got both and devoured them. I built a workbench in my backyard and got moving.
Although the books were helpful, the real break through came in discovering Robert O’Brien’s Online Courses and Resources. I probably could have built a guitar by just reading the books, but I think it would have taken much longer and I would have made a ton more mistakes (not that I didn’t make a ton…). Watching someone work through a step in building and then doing it myself fit my learning style and accelerated my build.
The Hook
I figured it would take me a year to finish my first. It took less than two months. And the guitar? I loved it, warts and all (And it had plenty of warts). I was hooked. Within a few weeks of finishing the first, I was thinking about how to make #2 better. In the first year, I built 6 instruments three of which were sold to others!
Since then, I have been building regularly, learning constantly, and growing painfully. I discovered that building was more than just a hobby; it has become a form of therapy and sabbath - a retreat from the pressures of our fast-paced life. Building has provided a source of contentment and joy that I had been missing for some time.
It is a great time to be in luthiery. The “open-source” spirit that exists in the building community is cultivating a golden age in guitar building, especially for all us hobby or non-professional builders. Building the first guitar was seriously one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. But as with most things, the difficulty is directly proportional to the reward. I am blessed to have the opportunity and the ability to make things that bring joy to me and others.
If you have ever thought seriously about building a guitar or uke, I say, jump on in and get it did.