Grteetings And Salutations

[Chuck_Chill-Out]

Just to introduce myself, I am Chuck piper in Lancaster, PA. I have been a vocalist for 30 years and do NOT know how to play the guitar. This is my story into the deep, dark pit of dispair known as guitar building .

Last year, an Almirez dreadnought was left in the dumpster where I live. It was strung for left handed play, but the saddle was never flipped, therefore the bridge plate cracked and the neck was lifting off of the body (this I know from the luthier I took it to). The said luthier estinated it would cost sround $450 to get it in playable condition or, for $300 I could have this brand new Martin he had hanging on his wall.

I did not have $30, let alone 300 so I asked him to show me how to repair it, since it was in the dumpster, what have I got to lose. He told me the bare-bones repairs to get it playing so I got to work.

$6 poorer and a couple of weeks (more like months) during lunch hours at work, and the thing keeps decent tune. Now I am hooked on building/rebuilding guitars.

[Strato-Master]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

out

[kpcrash]

Chuck, thanks for sharing.

My name is Kevin and I'm a guitaraholic. (17 and growing)

Welcome to the strangely addictive, incredibly opinionated, very friendly, damn frustrating world of guitar building.

This forum is FULL of information and some awesome stories about how people got where they are and how to put stuff together. I was a long time lurker before joining and try to jump on here at least once a day because you just never know when some good info may come up.

I was just through Lancaster recently, BION, on my way to a nuclear power plant up that way. I was shocked that I couldn't find any decent woodworking shops around. Kinda figured with all the Amish influence on parts of PA, that certainly somewhere close to 81 you could find a decent place

-kpcrash

[Kenny]

Chuck! good to have you on the forum! guitar building...according to the DEA is more addictive than heroin...so beware. you might find yourself spending all your spare money on parts and equipment, then reminisce a few years and realize that you have a wood shop in your garage equipt to the hilt with the best instrument making equipment

lots of friendly people here, so if you need any help, opinions (there are lots of those!) or ideas, you know where to look!

Kenny