Reflections and such.
It has been a very interesting and fulfilling two weeks. The 80 hours or so I spent on this project was as focused and intense an activity as any I've engaged in in quite a while. There were few distractions and the detailed work demanded a high level of concentration. Unlike much of the work I have done during my career, this endeavor results in a visible, tangible product which will also have a unique musical voice. It's a lot of things coming together in a very holistic fashion and it has brought closure to something I dabbled in over thirty years ago. Working with wood is both challenging and satisfying. Process and precision are the foundation, however, feel and a good eye are key aspects to the quality of the outcome. I know that playing a guitar which I've built myself will add to the enjoyment.
That a lot was achieved owes much to Chuck's support. He has the experience of having built some 25 guitars but beyond that his approach is that of an engineer. He is process oriented. He measures, thinks and makes adjustments to the process with the result that I encountered no serious oversights or setbacks. He was patient and open with his advice and access to his tools, even his fine quality chisels.
Chuck clearly has a passion for what he does. He studies guitar building and has taken a workshop class from Charles Fox, a renowned luthier in Portland, Oregon. He exchanges ideas with other luthiers including Howard Klepper and Kent Everett (see links below).
I came across Chuck's offer to steer someone through the process of building a guitar on Craig's list. I was fortunate to be in a position to be able to dedicate two weeks of my time and as mentioned above, it was full time work for those two weeks. I worked one short day because of a prior business commitment, however, I worked two long days to make up for it.
If you are interested in finding out more about Chuck's guitars or taking a construction class similar to that described in my blog, he can be contacted at:
cg3167@swbell.net
Links to other luthiers:
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