This is my journal of an attempt to build an acoustic guitar. In a sense it began a long time ago in Ireland. I started playing guitar when I was at college in Belfast and soon got interested in guitar construction. I gathered what information I could from books and conversations with individuals who repaired or built guitars. Such people were few but did include George Lowden who started as a builder around that time and went on to gain an international reputation. Photographs of his guitars and construction techniques can be found at:

http://www.georgelowden.com/

My own early attempts at construction included an electric bass guitar. I still have the major components of this unfinished project and a mould to shape and hold the sides of an acoustic guitar, which I never got around to starting. These reminders of unfulfilled ambition have followed me around for 36 years. if my current project is successful, I think I'll be able to let them go.

A couple of months ago I saw a posting on Craig's List from a guitar builder, Chuck Gilbert in Magnolia Texas, who offered the opportunity to build a guitar in his workshop, under his supervision. I visited Chuck a couple of times and was impressed with his guitars and his workshop so I signed up for the deal.

I start working with Chuck on Monday July 6th and plan to post an account of my progress with photographs over the following two weeks. It will be an interesting exercise. I hope to learn a lot and I'm looking forward to the challenge. Success will be easy to measure. If I complete a guitar it will have a voice of its own.