Official Luthiers Forum!

When people realize you make instruments, do things change?

Somehow I've totally underestimated the impact this stuff can have on my
social life, and somehow my friends have totally been unaware that all
these random instruments that crop up are things I've built.

I used to run a small woodshop in college for my school building puzzles
for the math department's work with local schools in bringing new ways
of demonstrating math to classrooms. One night I brought all my friends
to the shop since we were on campus anyway, and we poked around.
This morning one of them (and female!) saw my nearly completed guitar
and said, "When did you start making things?!"

Better late than never.

You just found this out? That's why I build guitars!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

A Corvette might be cheaper!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[QUOTE=James Orr]
This morning one of them (and female!) saw my nearly completed guitar
and said, "When did you start making things?!"

Better late than never.[/QUOTE]

James-
Hope the 'guitar as chick magnet' thing works out for you!
On the other hand, there may be visions of renovated kitchens dancing in the young lady's brain!
John

Haha, well I'm not just speaking specifically of woo, but friends in general
   Though, I thought about responding, "You know I can moonwalk
too, right?" just to make sure.

Moonwalk!

I can build a pretty fair guitar, but I sure can't moonwalk.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Has anyone heard the phrase? "You built that?????? NNNOOOOOOOO!  It's gorgeous.  Some I may be able to respond with more than a blush and stutter.

Kirby

After building a desk, Chair, Table Couch, 176 sf addition ans several gigs. When I told my neighbor that I was going to challenge building a (Stew-Mac) guitar... His comment?

"What Took You So Long?"

You just found this out? That's why I build guitars!
Arnt - 3 kids is proof enough for me

On the other hand, there may be visions of renovated kitchens dancing in the young lady's brain!
John - that's the best laugh I had today - thank you

You know James if you can moonwalk while you play guitar, you just might be on to something

Good thread James!

JJ and I were just talking about this the other day...I've gotten mixed reactions from:

Q: "Oh, that's nice."
A: Hey I like your new Mercedes!

Q: "Why do you do that....?"
A: Best fix for a mid life crisis, you should try it!

Q: "Where do you find the time?"
A: How much TV do you watch per week?

Q: "Could you build my son/daughter one?"
A: Tell you what, take the kids off my hands every now and then and we'll talk.

I've recently started a new job that involves working with oil/gas field operations and construction personel who initially viewed me as "just another corporate suit". I showed a few of fellas pictures of a couple archtops I built and one fellow just gave me two big slabs of ironwood cut from his farm. Pretty cool huh!

[QUOTE=verhoevenc] Ironwood? LUCKY!
lol
Chris[/QUOTE]

???

I keep most of my hobbies a secret, until I started building guitars.

I don't know if I come across as a slavering imbecile to my friends, but their jaw drops when I show them what I've made. It's like..."YOU've made...this?"

I really do need to start bluffing more...

Now that is what my friends know me as...not an artist, which is what I really am, but a guitar builder taking a long detour back to painting. It's really interesting, as the "identity" people see me as a guitar builder has stuck on me more than the other identities of "artist" or "musician". Why? DO I rant on about tonewoods a little too much? Have I got too nerdy?

Lillian in this crowd you certainly aren't nerdy

I didn't know you were a painter on sabbatical -- you must show us some pictures of your paintings!

Anthony, here is one of Sam's paintings (the most recent one)

I'm testing this photobucket thing at the same time




Hey, it works! I'll let Sam explain...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Anthony, I am a bit nerdy actually. I've built every computer I have ever owned, with the exception of the one I gave my son this Christmas. I bought all the bits and pieces and stood back and watched, hovering just in case he needed a hand. When I'm not being nerdy, I like to work with my hands. Like Sam, I am taking a long leave of absence from painting. Unlike Sam, I'm not that great. But I enjoy it. I have to be doing something.
Lillian

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Aoibeann

Sorry Sam for mistaking you for Lillian in my reply. Thanks for posting the pic Alain -- nice painting Sam! We have to get you doing some inlay work!

Lillian you aren't nerdy either

Don't know about that Anthony. I have an HP48 calculator and I do know what all the buttons are for and how to use them.      My son told me that my calculator doesn't work, it must have been dropped. It was adding the wrong numbers. It uses RPN, number, number then action, instead of number action number. Its hard for me to use "regular" calculators now.

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Aoibeann

[QUOTE=Anthony Z] Sorry Sam for mistaking you for Lillian in my reply. Thanks for posting the pic Alain -- nice painting Sam! We have to get you doing some inlay work!
[/QUOTE]

Already have...

/\ Sorry for the poor pic quality.

Very enjoyable thread! Sorry I haven't responded in a bit. Moonwalking
with a guitar would be INCREDIBLE.

Sam, awesome inlay!

Sam, that's a great rosette. You need to do a tutorial on how you do those. I would love to have a go at one like that.

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Aoibeann

Thankyou very much, Lillian!!

When I buy a decent camera, I'll post a tutorial (my best digital cam broke a month ago.. )

Well, okay. But try not to keep me, ah, us waiting too terribly long.   

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Aoibeann