How Did You Get Into Making Guitars?

[Mitch]

I got into it when I was on youtube and I saw someone saying they where playing a homemade guitar so then I looked for some videos on people making their own guitars and it inspired to make one myself. Then after I just started (because I was a bit noobish and unprepary then) My friend let me borrow (he just had them for some reason) Melvyn Hiscock's book and Martin Koch's books. After I finished I thought my guitar was the best thing I ever made and I don't plan to stop now..

[Bmth Builder]

Its been a fleeting intrest of mine to want to build my self a custom guitar one day, mainly because in the beginning I was naive enoiugh to think building could be cheaper than buying lol

but my interest was peaked by a gallery over at ultimate guitars guitar building and customising section, where there was some pretty cool guitars made by people but I guess what threw me over the edge was a thread there 'callum barrows double neck buid' if any of you know it, the kid is younger than me, and he has made his most amazing first build, when I saw that I really started looking into building my own.

Now I am hooked and can reel off a list of a least 7 guitars I want to build

[rhoads56]

I got bored with my job, so decided to start making guitars.

I used to read the first edition of Melvyn's book in the school library though. Hardcover and all

[RDub]

I grew up making things in my dad's woodshop. When I started to play guitar, I thought it would be cool to make one. Finally like 15 years later, I got around to tryung it out. Now when people ask, I just tell them it's because I sure can't play the stupid things, so I gotta find some way to have fun with them.

[Daniel Sorbera]

My grandfather passed away and we inherited his wood shop. I didn't know anything but the basics of woodworking and I had just started learning guitar so I thought it might be cool to put the two together.

[Narcissism]

When I get new things, my first thing to do with it after i'm done playing with it is to take it apart. I got kind of sick of guitar at one point and I took it apart and put it back together. Then I decided "why not scallop these frets?"

Then I decided "why not replace these pickups?"

Then I decided "why not replace this neck with a fretless one (on the bass)"

Then I decided "I've got every part of repairing a guitar down... I should build one!"

[RestorationAD]

I was poor when I was a kid and I took everything I had apart and put it back together, sometimes better, sometimes not. Dad used to make me try to build everything before he would buy one for me. Learn to weld built a bicycle... learned to bend plywood built skateboards... learn to frame built ramps for the things ... I learned to play guitar on a pawn shop Harmony Flying V and when it was time to upgrade I couldn't afford it so Dad said "Why not just build one". Ummm ok. Bought a copy of "Constructing a Solidbody Guitar" by Roger H. Siminoff and went to work. Then I spent all the money I had buying tools and wood some of which I still have. I built way more guitars from my $100.00 belt sander and $100.00 scroll saw than I ever could have purchased.

Then while in college I got a job as a luthier in a small shop that primarily worked on Brass and Wind instruments. That is when I actually got to the point where I could sell my creations.

Now I barely find enough time to build... man it was nice when I had no real responsibility.

[Mickguard]

I accidentally stumbled across this forum while looking for info on cigar box guitars. Next thing I knew, I started dreaming about building my own. Never touched a power tool in my life up to that point.

So it's all you guys' fault. :D