Official Luthiers Forum!

Lance and I have been batting an idea around, and before we seriously explore this it might be a good idea to get some feedback from you folks.

Suppose that the OLF created an affiliation with a very well known luthier (maybe someone who teaches professionally, maybe someone who is just a phonomonal builder but doesn't teach professionally) and we offered a class, would you consider attending?

Obviously this would involve travel, some expense for the course, and time away from your work and family.

If so, I would like to see some comments about what you would be interested in.

For instance would you prefer, beginner classes, intermediate classes, specific skills training, build a guitar with ________. Really we are looking for any ideas or suggestions you may have.

Additionally, how long would you like to see the class and would you prefer it to be during the week, or span across a weekend.

Thanks for your help. This might be a "nothing" idea, but I think it could be something we would all enjoy and benefit from.

I usually try to take some kind of course every year, and I get a ton out of them. I think it might be kind of cool if we had enough interest to sponsor a class comprised of our community members.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Could this possibly turn into something like the ASIA convention? I like it.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Oh so cool of an Idea!!!

It would be easer for me to do a week long or weekend class depending on the travel and dates. I would like a specific skills class. I can think of several areas of study I would like.

It would be super if you could get three affiliations, east coast west coast and central or western reagin so that everyone could have a reasoable shot at going. Most of our member are in the eastern US so I know that would the most likly area. but you asked for a wish list

Michael -
Actually Brock and I have been talking about classes regionally located for members on at least the east and west coasts. So your question is a good one!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

This won't compete with ASIA. If anything, I would like to create some relationship there as well.

My preference would be a week long class.

I would love to hear your specific ideas Michael.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

If you say no. I would be interested in hearing why. This information is valuable too.

There are no right or wrong answers here... I am just soliciting a level of interest.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I don't think the location has much to do with it. Sure I'd rather be on a plane for 2hrs vs. 7hrs but if the course is worth it I'd be there. So a plane ride and hotel is the same pretty much wherever you go ( with some exceptions of course). I don't think many would be driving to the course.

I think that special skill/advanced courses would be of interest. The basic stuff many books/videos and live classes abound. Personally I like/need more of Ervin Symogyi level stuff......FABULOUS IDEA GUYS!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

A wonderful Idea! What about adding an online live video feed for those of us that cannot attend. For a nominal fee, of course.

Ok Brock here are a few:
top tuning
various bracing techniques
snonic affects testing and study
I could always use some neck carving improvment
gee I could go on and on, but a good intermedate build class, Im sure would go over good

[QUOTE=Dave-SKG] I don't think the location has much to do with it. Sure I'd rather be on a plane for 2hrs vs. 7hrs but if the course is worth it I'd be there. So a plane ride and hotel is the same pretty much wherever you go ( with some exceptions of course). I don't think many would be driving to the course. QUOTE]

I courteously disagree Dave. Some of us can not afford to fly to the east or west coast and attend a class but can afford to drive 600-1000 miles. I know flying is fairly cheap at times but from Odessa to LA round trip is in $750 range. That is a big chunk out of my budget

Maybe having an affiliation with one on the west coast, one in the central and one in the east could be a possibility. either way, i would be interested in anything as I am still a very amateur builder and could use any hands on instruction

The good folks of New England Luthiers have batted around the idea of ringing in specific guest speakers for events. Perhaps there's a way to create a "weekend" type course where different groups such as NEL could "host" OLF-organized seminars. Since work space is needed for such things, people either have to travel to the shop of the instructor, or we have to bring in the instructor to a specific location, and would serve to work with organizations such as NEL, LINT, or others to provide the needed space and equipment. Food for thought.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Or, if this goes over well, we could do more than 1 class per year.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

If you only do one class, how will you know if it goes over well? A class has to have size limitations, right? You have to think at least regionally. Do another poll, and ask which region people would travel to for a specific class. Maybe that's getting way too far ahead...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Oh, for me, I could do a weekend seminar, but would never have time enough (or money) for a full week event. Just can't happen. Durn that person in Oregon...I was supposed to win the Powerball!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Love the idea and regional sounds great. Love idea of neck, mortis and tenon or dovetail stuff. Jigs and those things. Also like idea if a video thing could be done with a fee. Just idea's. One thing lots of pro's around here. Don't think could do a whole build thing in time limits that most have suggested here. Maybe a long full week course could get it in the white

Great idea. Here is what would appeal to me:

Specific topics,
     i.e. top tuning, french polishing, plane tuning,
     bracing, finishing, setup/intonation,

Two or three days with most on the weekend

Inexpensive as possible

Heavy on the shop time and light on the social aspect (Nothing personal, but I'd rather spend my money on tools and wood rather than food and drinks.)

I think the regional approach is great, but let's not forget that in addition
to east, central & west (and maybe mountain?), there's also north and
south. Gas prices being what they are, driving isn't going to be much
cheaper than flying (or amtrak), once you need several tanks-full to get
there & back. Say, LA./San Diego, Seattle/Portland, Denver, Austin/Santa
Fe, Chicago/St. Louis, New Orleans, Atlanta, Philadelphia/Boston?

Length of the course would matter to me: since I had to go back to work,
I no longer have the flexibility to go off for a week now and then
(although I'd stand a much better chance in the summer (or slow season)).
In fact, it would probably be as easy to get 2 weeks free as to get
one...and then I'd probably need to make a guitar for my boss (no biggie,
since I was planning to anyway). Maybe one week-end a month for X
months?

I think I'd be real attracted to 1- or 2-day intensives (not saying any of
this could be more than introduced in a day or 2) on neck-carving, tap-
tuning, jigs & molds, basic inlaying, bracing in theory & practice, binding
& purfling.

'Course, I'm totally dead-dog ignorant on all this, but I'd love to show up
for stuff like that. Heck, I'd like to see The Hand-Tool Way and The
Power-Tool Way demonstrated - that would mean so much more than
wrangling over pros & cons between partisans....

And as I think about it, simply seeing these things demonstrated and
have questions answered & maybe interact w/ the materials a little would
be huge for me. I am & have been reading while getting the workshop
handled, bu live 3-D A/V would be so much better - and it would require
much less time than taking everyone through it experientially (which
would of course be better, and would require a week or 2).

Anyhow, just some thoughts from Beginners' Alley

A lot of this sort of depends on who we can get as an instructor, so there will be some give and take.

But some ideas I had for intermediate things might be.

Build a fanned fret guitar (box, neck, etc.)
The sound box of a wedge guitar
The sound box of a wedge guitar with a Laskin style armrest.

Or we could do some repair classes

Or we could do an intonation class

Or possibly a voicing class.

Again. Once we have some ideas of interest we will go on the hunt of someone to teach it.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

The Michigan Luthiers Guild has started something in line with this thought. It’s a way for fellow Luthiers to get together and maybe pick up some tips.

The last meeting I invited Eldon Whitford to lecture on Gibson guitars design and history.

Remember the Northwood Seminars? Those were pretty cool. This was a group of participants (you) who pooled their finances and gathered a list of experts to demonstrate at a 4-day conference. All the money raised went to financing all flights, hotels, meals and a small allowance for the instructors. Total none profit. In the beginning it was sponsored by ASIA.

The average cost per person was $750.00 for the 4-day conference (based on about 30 people) and that secured 6 to 8 instructors. This included the training and lunch. By the time you add in a special rate at the local hotel for rooms and food you have a $1000.00 long weekend of training. When you think about it that’s pretty darn good and the list of people who instructed was the who’s who of the business. Some of you may remember these things.

I have thought many times of offering my facility (which is ideal for this propose) to be used for such a conference again.

Oh Yeah,This is a really good idea! I would take the weekend course for sure and possibly the weeklong too. Brock: The wedge w/armrest sounds great.   Also I would like : Voicing tops,Finishing, Inlay,and Fretting.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Wow Bryan great to see you here. Yes as a former student, I would agree Bryan's shop is a great place. Are Russ and Sam still there, and if so say hi to them for me. Matt Steffan's is up here in Maine, the same as I am. Hope to hear more from you, your expertise would be great. For those who don't know him, he is one of the really good guys in this business. His school as I have posted numerous times over the last couple of years can't be beat, for those looking. I am saving to go back.

Odessa TX - LA round trip +-3200 miles gas at 3.00/gal 20m/gal =$480

round trip Odessa-LA $882.50 + 20 a day car rental for 5 days=$982.50

It is different if you are flying from really major hubs. but stuck out here in the dead middle of the country it is very expensive to fly to either cost. the difference I pay for air fair pays my hotel. This is why I have not attended any of the major show and symposiums.

Bryan, welcome. Please hang around...it's a very good group of people.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Taking a lot of time off would be an issue for me, but maybe a Friday-Monday schedule would be do-able. I would definitely be up for an intermediate builders course, although I don't know how much could be done in such a short time.

Specialty courses (intonation, finishing, setup, whatever) also sound good, and would probably fit in the long-weekend timeframe. Perhaps a course on jig building.

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53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/