Upon deciding that I could build my own $3,000 dream Taylor, at the age of 16, I ordered my first LMI “scratch” guitar kit. After watching the Robbie O’Brien instructional DVD, it was abundantly clear I was in over my head and didn’t have access to any of the required tools for success. I sold that kit and went full blown information overload, joining all of the forums and luthier groups that I could to fully understand the building process.
My first successful build was a Stewmac HD-28 kit. Before that build was done, I had purchased a bulk set of Martin factory reject parts on eBay, including a mess of back and sides, fingerboards, and 13+ necks. Every piece having it’s own defect. Before build 1 was done, I had started number 2… and then number 3. Once I had finished my first 5, I was signed up for luthier school at Minnesota State Southeast Technical College - Red Wing in 2010. I completed the full year for guitar repair and building and then returned for a second year to do the violin repair and construction program, where I built a violin and cello. It turns out it only took about $15,000-$20,000 and years of my time to be able to build that dream Taylor.
After finishing school, I have worked in various shops doing repairs around the country. My repair scope was primarily focused on acoustic guitars, especially motivated by the “big scary” jobs. With each city I had moved to, I always started a new shop venture. A new place to build guitars. Each place having it’s own challenges and each time requiring different setups to achieve the same goal. Over that time, I’ve learned so many different ways to tackle the same job. I’ve found the cheapest, most primitive ways to build quality instruments, while understanding and mastering some of the most hi-tech methods.
Over some years, I had so many conversations with folks that wished they had the time to take a lutherie class. Other guys, counting down the days to retirement so they could pursue their interests with instruments. And some people just envious of the opportunities I had. The culmination of the bunch prompted me to try to share what I did with anyone interested.
I found that in my attempt to create an acoustic guitar building class that friends of mine would have time to finally build guitars of their own, I had really found the most enjoyable and rewarding compartment of lutherie I had experienced yet. I found that stringing up your first guitar is wildly more fulfilling than stringing up my next build on my own. I found that spending 2 hours on the phone helping some random guy from a Facebook group successfully set his first dovetail neck and work around some missteps in the build process of his first garage Stewmac build was the highlight of the week. And I found that while guiding 4 individuals through their first or second builds that I would be poised to learn significantly more from them, than they would from me.
Every single one of groups that I have done this class with has been an excellent experience. Some of my favorite people are just random guys from Craigslist, that just so happened to come by my shop for 6 weekends, while I put them through the emotional rollercoaster of thinking they’ve ruined their first guitar at the end of a Sunday, while I chew on the best approach for the fix during the week leading up to the next gathering.
I’m excited to take this opportunity to bring this class back to life and I look forward to stringing up guitars with everyone that’s up for checking it off of the bucket list.