Is lutherie hard?

[Blackstar1099]

I started building from scratch almost 5 years ago with very little woodworking experience and a basic understanding of guitar construction although I've been playing since I was a kid. I learnt from online forums, videos, youtube etc. I've had no hands-on teaching from anybody. I've since completed 2 acoustics and 10 electrics, 2 of which were for others. They are both very happy with them. One saying it's the best guitar he's ever played. I've gotten a lot of positive comments from other people about my apparent "exceptional talent" (my sister's words).

I say to people that it's not that hard when you know the processes and have the right tools but some say back to me that no you have a real talent.

So is it possible for some one to have a natural talent or is it something that anyone can do if they've got the drive, patience and tools.

Piero

[johnparchem]

It is relatively easy to build a working guitar. It is really hard to build guitars that meet the requirements of professional player and maintain a consistency of results. As a design engineer I experienced that in nearly anything it takes 10% of the time to get 90% of the results. Gathering the remaining 10% gets increasingly more difficult.

[nkforster]

Yes, getting to a professional standard isn't easy. But making guitars is only part of it...selling guitars, that's pretty important too.

[Allen]

By far and away the most difficult and time consuming part of building instruments with the intention of selling them at a price point that support you is the marketing.

[routout]

Natural talent or passion for a craft there is the leveler loaded question,it is a passion for me I could not be bothered with the sales side .In saying that there are makers who dedicate an extraordinary amount of time to perfecting their craft and that part to me is both fascinating and encouraging for all .On the other hand you know the family member who sings every one says they sound wonderful even if they make your ears bleed ,enjoy it's meant to be fun that's what I do cheers John.

[kiwigeo]

I'm too anal to ever make it as a professional builder. Minor things that the average person wouldn't notice drive me nuts unless they get fixed. A majority of my instruments have had a back or top lifted or replaced at some stage during their construction.

[ozziebluesman]

Hi Piero,
My two bobs worth!
I think you do need a certain natural eye for detail and loads of patience. Also after building a few a set of stages is going to help you make a better guitar so you don't glue on the bridge down and then think about what finish your going to apply. Building a guitar is like playing one you have to use your senses, hearing, sight, feel even smell and it's not what you do, but how you do it. It is a great hobby but very hard to make money out of making stringed instruments. Firstly an instrument has to be played to be appreciated but if it's not appealing to look at no one will pick it up for a strum.
Enjoy your building
Cheers
Alan

[slowlearner]

Depends what you call "luthiery". I was talking to a mate the other day who was a builder and a chippie. I told him, "building electric guitars is not really even joinery". You barely join a few bits together. Most of the work is in making sure the neck and frets are straight. Everything else is just sanding, finishing and soldering properly. I don't think it's particularly hard. Acoustics, werl that's a different bag of ferrets.

[kiwigeo]

Depends what you call "luthiery". I was talking to a mate the other day who was a builder and a chippie. I told him, "building electric guitars is not really even joinery". You barely join a few bits together. Most of the work is in making sure the neck and frets are straight. Everything else is just sanding, finishing and soldering properly. I don't think it's particularly hard. Acoustics, werl that's a different bag of ferrets.

You're opening a can of worms there mate....

Me......I'm not a luthier..more of a MOGSO...Maker of Guitar Shaped Objects

[Steve.Toscano]

Depends what you call "luthiery".

... and then on the otherside, there's a local guy just west of here who does setups / string changes etc. He called me once asking for advice on how to replace a single fret on a Cole Clark acoustic. He had never done any fretwork before. He asked questions like "what glue should i glue it on with?", "Do i remove the old one with some water and a spatula?", "Can i come around and grab 2 inchs of fretwire from you?". I suggested he bring the instrument around and i would assess it and show him. He never turned up.

I've also had someone bring me a 7 series taylor that this same guy had glued in a generic premade plastic nut on that was over a mm (width) narrower then the slot, sat about 2mm inside the edges of the fretboard on both sides, and was about 2-3mm too high.

I won't name names but this guy has the word "Luthier" in his business name.

[slowlearner]

^ Ouch...

Kiwi, I think I'm with you on MOGSO.

[MattW]

looferie, isnt that somefing to do wiv sponges!?!

I'm halfway through my first acoustic, and its not turning out all that easy. Had to remake the back, oh, and the neck, and install some "decorative" inlay to hide a router incident. Finding time to spend on it as a hobby isn't easy, so progress is slow. The jig making is almost as much fun as making the git and takes twice as long...

However as a hobby when it goes well its worth it. The final guitar wont be the greatest ever, or even that great, but it wont suck.

[simso]

I started building from scratch almost 5 years ago with very little woodworking experience and a basic understanding of guitar construction although I've been playing since I was a kid. I learnt from online forums, videos, youtube etc. I've had no hands-on teaching from anybody. I've since completed 2 acoustics and 10 electrics, 2 of which were for others. They are both very happy with them. One saying it's the best guitar he's ever played. I've gotten a lot of positive comments from other people about my apparent "exceptional talent" (my sister's words).

I say to people that it's not that hard when you know the processes and have the right tools but some say back to me that no you have a real talent.

So is it possible for some one to have a natural talent or is it something that anyone can do if they've got the drive, patience and tools.

Piero

One of the weirdest statements I have heard, is this really a question or are we attempting to self promote.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but again, weirdest wording of a question.

Steve

[simso]

Having made that earlier statement.

I do not think there is such a thing as natural talent in our field, our skill set is made from repetition repetition and repetition, every time we do something we improve, well we do if we are confident and want to learn and just not going through the motions.

We don't just magically create a guitar from a tree, we create a guitar through tried and true formulas, we have success from our own failures and learning from the failure of others.

Which part would natural talent come into play, the working of the wood with our hands, the use of a power tool, the ability to read a set of plans, the hand skills to paint a guitar, these are all skills we learn and continue to learn.

Steve.

[Blackstar1099]

I started building from scratch almost 5 years ago with very little woodworking experience and a basic understanding of guitar construction although I've been playing since I was a kid. I learnt from online forums, videos, youtube etc. I've had no hands-on teaching from anybody. I've since completed 2 acoustics and 10 electrics, 2 of which were for others. They are both very happy with them. One saying it's the best guitar he's ever played. I've gotten a lot of positive comments from other people about my apparent "exceptional talent" (my sister's words).

I say to people that it's not that hard when you know the processes and have the right tools but some say back to me that no you have a real talent.

So is it possible for some one to have a natural talent or is it something that anyone can do if they've got the drive, patience and tools.

Piero

One of the weirdest statements I have heard, is this really a question or are we attempting to self promote.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but again, weirdest wording of a question.

Steve

If I was self promoting I would have added a website, pictures or even my full name, so no I'm not.

[jeffhigh]

“Is sex dirty? Only when it's being done right.”

― Woody Allen

Is lutherie hard?

[Kamusur]

To coin the popular phrase "its not rocket science," its harder.

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Which part would natural talent come into play, the working of the wood with our hands, the use of a power tool, the ability to read a set of plans, the hand skills to paint a guitar, these are all skills we learn and continue to learn.

Steve.

I believe there are some "natural talents" that make some better builders than others. Personality attributes such as patience and persistence are two good examples. How many times have you felt like just walking away from a build that is throwing up challenges? Asthetics is another area where I think some people have a good eye for what looks good and others have absolutely no idea. How all the parts of the guitar visually fit together seems to be something that comes naturally to some.

[simso]

It's also interpretation of what natural talents is.

Natural talent is to me different, we place two people in a room who have never drawn before, give them a pen and paper and ask the to draw what they see, one person gives a stick figure rendition and the other person gives a portrait to scale with correct aspect. Natural talent is at play.

The person that did the stick figure rendition can with repetition and training eventually possess the same level or even surpass the purpose who is natural at it.

In our trade everything is a learnt skill, we are constantly improving on that skill.

Also of course, all stated from my untalented, very hard earned skilled opinion.

Steve

[kiwigeo]

The person that did the stick figure rendition can with repetition and training eventually possess the same level or even surpass the purpose who is natural at it.

He/she probably could learn to do a half decent drawing of a person...but without passion and a desire to draw/paint it's just a drawing rather than something special. With portraiture the better artists are able to capture the personality of the subject not just the visual make up of same.

[slowlearner]

Asthetics is another area where I think some people have a good eye for what looks good and others have absolutely no idea.

Oh man, taint that the truth. There've been some truly awful things done the name of "decorative grain" and even worse in the name of "new shapes for electric guitars".