Why do You Build ?

[PhilHill]

Cool thread. Thanks for starting it, PhilHill.

Building, for me, started as a way to increase my knowledge of how guitars work, and make it permanent. It's the way I learn. I study, and then create something that solidifies my knowledge. I call my technique "research and regurgitate".

For example, many years ago when I decided to put all my effort into songwriting and pitching my songs in Nashville, I began by learning everything I could about writing in the Nashville style. I crammed hard for a year, absorbing everything I could from everywhere I could. Then I wrote a book about songwriting, aka regurgitated all I had learned. Then I started writing songs and pitching. (Ironically, that book has earned me more money than all but a few of my songs!)

With guitar, I would watch over their shoulder as techs did various things to my guitars (this was before YouTube, etc), and think to myself....that's easy! I can solder and change a set of pickups. I can set my action. I can adjust my trem system and my truss rod. So I learned to do those things. It just felt like a natural extension of being a guitar player. At some point I felt like in order to solidify what I had learned I needed to build a complete guitar. And I learned so much from doing that that I felt like I needed to build another.

And now every time I build a new guitar, it's a little, um, regurgitation of all the stuff I've learned.

OK...wait....this metaphor is getting away from me. I better just stop.

So.....What your sayin' is, that you have reached the lofty position that you now hold, by losing your cookies.

 

[Axkoa]

I ordered my first Warmoth just recently. I didn't order it because I couldn't get stuff that I wouldn't on retail guitars. I could have picked a Reverend, Yamaha, or another Ormsby with similar specs to what I want. But I just love the idea of being able to pick the parts I want and put it together myself. It just makes it so much more personal.

 

[Cactus Jack]

I read a nice book recently about the history of guitars in America, in it the author meets a guitar builder who feels much like you do. He defined a "Luthier" as someone who charges thousands for a guitar you can get for 500 somewhere else.
The factories and the Luthiers are pricing themselves right out of business anymore. The other day I saw a review for a 1500 dollar guitar made out of basswood. I have an old First Act sitting in the back of my closet that originally sold for 200 bucks brand new with a 5 watt amp . Guess what it's made of? I realize wood is getting harder to find and more expensive, but let's get real folks. The imports are going to do the same thing they did when the large corporations took over Fender and Gibson in the 60's and started putting out junk instead of quality. Their going to take advantage of the situation .

That's happening already. We're living with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to instrument choices if you don't limit your view to the usual suspects who are trying to live off their names. I have an Agile 3200 (Korean) here that I'd put up against any LP Custom that cost literally an order of magnitude less than the "real thing".

I have a Agile 3500, which back in the early 2000's was their flagship model. I bought mine new for $360 and the guitar came with a full 3/4" flame maple top over mahogany body and neck, ebony fingerboard, Tone Pros.

I just looked at what they're offering these days and now you get 12-16" compound radius neck, neck through construction, Ebony fingerboard, contoured heal, Graphtech bridges with String Saver saddles, coil splits for both humbuckers, Grover tuners, Graphtech nut, all for a smooth $500. If Gibson was on the headstock folks would pay $5,000 all day for those features.

 

[BigSteve22]

I began by learning everything I could about writing in the Nashville style. I crammed hard for a year, absorbing everything I could from everywhere I could. Then I wrote a book about songwriting, aka regurgitated all I had learned.

I was taught that that's the way we learn something that stays with us. It's called the three R's: Receive, Retain, Release. We obtain the knowledge from a source, think about and use it for a while, and then teach it to someone else. And it's not until we teach it to another person, that we have really learned it completely. Too philosophical? Sorry, I'll sit down now....  :binkybaby:

 

[PhilHill]

I began by learning everything I could about writing in the Nashville style. I crammed hard for a year, absorbing everything I could from everywhere I could. Then I wrote a book about songwriting, aka regurgitated all I had learned.

I was taught that that's the way we learn something that stays with us. It's called the three R's: Receive, Retain, Release. We obtain the knowledge from a source, think about and use it for a while, and then teach it to someone else. And it's not until we teach it to another person, that we have really learned it completely. Too philosophical? Sorry, I'll sit down now....  :binkybaby:

That's quite true. There's something about the act of teaching that makes us review the whole thing and realize it amounts to mare than just the sum of the knowledge.  Then there's that famous Nashville saying, " What makes a good song? Three cords and the Truth."

 

[rgand]

I began by learning everything I could about writing in the Nashville style. I crammed hard for a year, absorbing everything I could from everywhere I could. Then I wrote a book about songwriting, aka regurgitated all I had learned.

I was taught that that's the way we learn something that stays with us. It's called the three R's: Receive, Retain, Release. We obtain the knowledge from a source, think about and use it for a while, and then teach it to someone else. And it's not until we teach it to another person, that we have really learned it completely. Too philosophical? Sorry, I'll sit down now....  :binkybaby:

That's quite true. There's something about the act of teaching that makes us review the whole thing and realize it amounts to mare than just the sum of the knowledge.  Then there's that famous Nashville saying, " What makes a good song? Three cords and the Truth."

Having been a flight instructor I'll vouch for that. You have to break it down to basic elements to teach it.

 

[rauchman]

I guess like a lot of others here, I build because of the personal satisfaction of making something exactly the way I want it.  All the time and effort that goes into one of these puts a lot of "soul" and bonding into it.  Assuming I could buy the exact same guitar off the shelf, it wouldn't have the same connection with it, due to it not being made with the time and effort and bonding of the home built version.

I've always loved to tinker with things.  For me, it doesn't get much cooler that marrying that love of tinkering with the passion for the instrument that I connect with.

 

[PhilHill]

I guess like a lot of others here, I build because of the personal satisfaction of making something exactly the way I want it.  All the time and effort that goes into one of these puts a lot of "soul" and bonding into it.  Assuming I could buy the exact same guitar off the shelf, it wouldn't have the same connection with it, due to it not being made with the time and effort and bonding of the home built version.

I've always loved to tinker with things.  For me, it doesn't get much cooler that marrying that love of tinkering with the passion for the instrument that I connect with.

Well said. It's been said of Leo Fender that his guitars were his children.

 

[Logrinn]

I'm like Mayfly - I build because Warmoth is the only company that offer what I need with the level of quality I want.
And what I want is a high quality 24" scale guitar*.
It took me 40 + years to realize that the scale length is crucial for me to bond with a guitar.
I've said it many time's here - one of the most important things when choosing a guitar is to make sure it's the right size for you.
Just like you chose clothes and shoes to fit you.









*Ok, so Fender makes 24" scale guitars, but let's face it, Fender's quality is what Fender's quality is ... meeh :dontknow:
The only other option that I didn't explore before choosing Warmoth was Brian May's guitars.
But having something that I could modify appeals greatly, so Warmoth it is.

 

[PhilHill]

I'm like Mayfly - I build because Warmoth is the only company that offer what I need with the level of quality I want.
And what I want is a high quality 24" scale guitar*.
It took me 40 + years to realize that the scale length is crucial for me to bond with a guitar.
I've said it many time's here - one of the most important things when choosing a guitar is to make sure it's the right size for you.
Just like you chose clothes and shoes to fit you.









*Ok, so Fender makes 24" scale guitars, but let's face it, Fender's quality is what Fender's quality is ... meeh :dontknow:
The only other option that I didn't explore before choosing Warmoth was Brian May's guitars.
But having something that I could modify appeals greatly, so Warmoth it is.

I fully understand what you mean. I am a big fan of smaller sized acoustics and parlor guitars simply because they allow a more intimate feel and experience with the instrument. Which goes a long way toward allowing you to get the most out of your time with it.