Official Luthiers Forum!

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

First of all I think I speak for everyone at the get together when I say "Bruce Dickey is the MAN!"
I had a great time, and I was happy to meet a bunch of great guys
Just being there has made me even more motivated to build(if that's possible), but I coundln't sleep last night because i was thinking about building, which hasn't happend to me in a few years.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next meeting, Y'all

Matt

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

[QUOTE=Jimmie D] Ron, what's the OT forum?? Great meeting you too.[/QUOTE]


On the opning page where you click on "Main Forum"; right under that is the OT "Off Topic" forum.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

It is wonderful to have faces to go with the names and forum monikers. Thank you!

From all the beaming smiles a good time was had by all.

Bruce, you have serious WAS! Your friends here at OLF are here to help you with that type of syndrome

Everyone, send you name and addy to Bruce and help him eleviate the extra "burden" of zoot Bruce - send your zoot out and see the path to WAS recovery overnight!!      

[QUOTE=Mattyeod] Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next meeting, Y'all
Matt[/QUOTE]

I'm with you Matt. There is just so much ground to cover it's like trying to catch every BB of a shotgun blast, which is impossible.

I was actually jealous when you guys went out on the drive sharing your apparati while I was on the deck cooking. I missed some BB's.

Matt, you are right, it fuels the passions a bit to see what others are doing and at such a high level too.

Here are a few of my personal observations and points of our guitar get together:

1. Focus on Specific Results in Guitarmaking, (quit being a wandering generality)

2. I learned from Jimmie that even a plain set of wood, mahogany, can become an abosolutely beautiful guitar by adding the flame of koa binding.

3. Details make the guitar, we had several guitars that fit that bill, Matt's and Dave's combined some fine woods with fine detail work. I wish I'd had time to photograph those guitar details. Whose guitar had the tiny rings of brass with red epoxy for dot positions? Oh my.

4. Allow yourself to completely and thoroughly enjoy the enthusiasm of another in "their" music. Steve Couch playing Bass with Big Daddy and the Pork Chops and Paul Gandy doing some amazing patriotic song on the couch with his thumbpick, whoa!

5. Inlays by others, hey it's okay, Andy DePaul did a couple for Ron and Dave, very impressive. Not to mention Matt's Eagle and fretboard Maple Leafs, really nice. Chris Verhoeven's Frog and Moorish Idols got passed around as well. Details, they are truly important. I know I missed some.

6. Everything I needed to know about life I learned in Kindergarten. Sharing is a basic truth. Give and it shall be given unto you sounds like a worn out proverb. But with each gift, a basic spark of friendship comes to life again.

7. Some people look at a junkyard and see junk. Through Paul Gandy's eyes he see's luthier machinery. Walk with a wise man and you become wise. Those are my notes to myself during the sermon this morning....

Since I'm a tad late to this thread, there's little to add, except my thanks to all of you for the warm welcome and the pleasure of your company, and for the opportunity to play your excellent guitars. It was truly an inspiration, and I had a blast, despite my hay fever.

As I promised, I signed up to OLF, and this is my first post.

Bruce and Kay, thank you for opening your home to us, for the great lunch, the shop tour, and for the beautiful tonewood.

It was great to be amongst so many friends that I'd never met before....

Chris

I think Mike Spencer has offered to host in the fall. That's in Texas, but it is still midwest.



Welcome, Chris, glad you left the lurker category, and it was nice to meet you.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Texas in the midwest?!    I know the world is shrinking, but not that much.    It looks decidedly southwest to me. I think it's gotta be north of the Tennessee State line, west of Pennsylvania and east of Wyoming to be in the midwest. Any "yeas" or "nays"?

Welcome to the OLF Chris!

Todd Stock work was there too, I showed his fret-slotting aluminum rules. We have some real talent here on the OLF. Totally amazing.

[QUOTE=Hesh1956]

Paul - YES we need to have a midwestern get together. WHo would like to host the mid-western OLF meet?[/QUOTE]
Hesh, since there is NOTHING of interest in Ann Arbor (especially that stinkin' university) there's not point in you holding a get-together. Besides, how many people can realistically fit in your bathroom/shop at any given time? Just razzin' you a bit.
I agree that Texas is SO NOT in the midwest. It's big, but not that big. The southern line of Missouri drew the Mason-Dixon line so anything below that should not be "allowed" in the mid-west. Though, I'll go out on a limb and say that everyone is welcome to the yet-to-be-planned midwest luth-a-thon. Hey, even you Aussies are welcome!

[QUOTE=CarltonM] Texas in the midwest?!    I know the world is shrinking, but not that much.    It looks decidedly southwest to me. I think it's gotta be north of the Tennessee State line, west of Pennsylvania and east of Wyoming to be in the midwest. Any "yeas" or "nays"?[/QUOTE]

Anything above Oklahoma is in the NORTH, doesn't matter how far west it is.    Texas is just in the southernmost portion of the midwest.     (I understand this doesn't agree with the cartographers point of view, but I like my designations better.)

Actually, on my atlas, only the El Paso area is in the southwest. This atlas draws the line pretty much on the Texas-New Mexico border. They say Texas is South central, which geographically is right. When the country was expanding Iowa might have been in the west, but geographically, it certainly isn't now. Of course every place is west of something (except the poles, I reckon).

I don't understand how Pennsylvania could be the boundary between east and west. Maybe at some point in history, but not now. Some folks use the Mississippi river as a boundary (like UPS). To my way of thinking, which is fueled by grits and turnip greens, a N-S line thru the center of the country would divide east from west, then half the distance between that line and the specific ocean would be exactly "midwest".

Mmmmmmm grits and turnip greens.

Ronold man38950.6563541667

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

I love GRITS! Where I come from that means Girls Raised In The South.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I just Googled "Arkansas Luthiers" and ended up on this post. I am a beginning guitar builder in Little Rock, Arkansas and have been looking for others in this area that I can learn from. Looks like I just missed a great get-together in this area.

I have built one guitar and have a second one underway.Matt H38950.7988425926

Welcome to the best forum around Matt! Sure wish you would have googled a week earlier.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Welcome Matt H. Yep, you almost missed it, we have pictures....

Matter of fact, here is one of the "LOST" ValleyFest Pictures I finally found, it's Dave Rector standing at the rear of the crowd during the performance by Marshall Tucker's Band.

Thanks for poppin' in and don't be a stranger. There are more guitarmakers 'round here than I ever knew about. Glad to meet one more. Tell us about yourself and toss up a picture of some of your work....

This is Dave:

They may have, but you see, I don't know their music. Dave might remember? Dave....

Welcome, Matt.    YEAAAAA!!! another ARKANSAS luthier. I'm a beginner too. One finished and #2 and @3 about 80% done.
I'm only 30 miles or so north of you, in Beebe. Bruce, the most experienced of the bunch , that I know of, (in Arkansas), lives in Russellville.    Sorry, too, that you missed our first Ark. get-together. It won't be the last, I'm sure.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Hesh, we didn't stay for the whole concert. I' sure they probably did Can't You See somewhere near the end. I don't think it would be quite the same without the dearly departed Toy Caldwell though.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

[QUOTE=old man] Bruce, the most experienced of the bunch , that I know of, (in Arkansas), lives in Russellville.   Ron[/QUOTE]

Ron, you flatter me. I felt like a newbie when looking at some of the guitars present Saturday. Some of the guys have definitely focused on Quality instead of Quantity.



And you bet Matt, you'll be welcome when we do this again. The next get together must include a mini-concert. We might as well get some pickers to perform at these things. Sorry that didn't happen this time.

I liked it for what it was Chris, a simple inlay pattern on a fretboard, and practice.

I think that a couple of things would have helped artistically. (Yes, I know this pearl was furnished for free.) The black of the idol and the black of the fretboard were really close. Some black type of pearl with irridiscence in it would have distinguished it in contrast to the flat fretboard.

Also, the silver wire may have looked like waves or undercurrents in your mind, but they look like silver wire to me. Of course, that's what I told you via email. Or one might think a loose trotline, etc..... grin. Remember the hook idea? That reminded me of fishing instead of free fish in an ocean. Now if those were large mouth bass and I were a rabid fisherman, the hook might work with a plastic worm on there might be good.

I jumped in here, not to prevent others comments but just so someone would answer you Chris. We all want to comment in the positive when commenting online, right? I think your offer to do these idols was a great deal for both of us. You needed the practice, I was willing to offer a fretboard for your canvas and it turned out fine.

One last comment, the Idols could be further made realistic looking by the addition of some minor engraving and fill. A tiny amount of detail on the fins or eye and tail would help the inlay even yet.

I hope this helps, I heard nothing but positive comments.

Chris, I had a look at the fretboard while at the gathering. I didn't really study it very much but I would have to agree with Bruce as far as the silver wire goes. The fish themselves were pretty well done as far as I remember. I think you definately have a lot of talent and would like to see you continue with the craft. Who knows, we may be critiquing the next Lavin, Bordeaux or Roninson here!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

[QUOTE=Dave Rector] Who knows, we may be critiquing the next Lavin, Bordeaux or Robinson here![/QUOTE]

Well put Dave. Chris's enthusiasm is evident for his work. I hope he shares the whales soon. The drawings and early cuts looked great.