DIY university talk

I’m happy to have you show people in VZ some of my work. You can go to my website.

Funktronic | shape • sound • color

The li’l Lady lived in Caracas for a while. I haven’t been there myself.

 

All you have to do is start looking at all the build threads here, including the winter mashup competition.

 

If you have your talk Tuesday, you need to get going. I would go to each build thread, and PM each builder.

 

My name is Jeremy and everything on my website is there for anyone to look at, so you’re not going to cross any ethical boundaries by showing it to other people.

And yes, the li’l Lady is the woman I live with.

 

I think it’s good and proper of you to ask. It seems like most of the people here on this forum post because they want to share their work and the trials and tribulations that go along with building musical instruments.

If you want to share an interesting anecdote with your fellow students here’s something about my work that I have not written here nor on my website:

I name most of my instruments in Spanish. I don’t speak Spanish myself. The li’l Lady is Mexican and Spanish is her native language. We live in a small agricultural town in California and most of the people here are from Mexico or other places in Central America or are the children of people who have immigrated from those countries. So there's a lot of tacos, a lot of Cumbias y Rancheras, quinceañeras, and when the little lady sends me to get groceries, the shopping list is in Spanish. To make a very long story short, I use the names of the instruments as a fun way to acknowledge the influence and inspiration that Latin American culture has had on my personal life.

I hope that helps.

 

I just wanted to say: The Sirena Modelo looks like a really sweet bass! I'd love to know how much they're selling for?

 

That's pretty funny....

You are welcome to use any of my pictures.
(Just give credit )
RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
All are process documented here as well, over the last 4 years
I am "Self Taught"... inasmuch as anyone can say that these days.
I have learned a lot from Luthiers in this forum, and extensive self study elsewhere.
I am just a craftsman from Arizona. USA
As far as DIY....by myself...I have taught myself 3 Artistic Manufacturing skills in life...
(A few more, but not worth mentioning )

Stone Carving:


How to build a solid body bass...
(And do some inlay)

And.... how to build this custom motorcycle....

Yes... We make stuff.
Some of us like to "show off" ...just a little, as well.

 

I have seen the US described as “a nation of basement lathe operators.” I have found the culture of DIY and “makers” to be a wonderful collection of people, from 20-year-old hipsters in the big city to cranky old farmers.

I will PM you a couple of pics.

 

If you want to bring in guitars rather than just basses, the TDPRI has a VERY active DIY section. The site is dedicated to Telecasters, but they welcome all comers. Especially in their build threads.

Good luck!

 

What beautiful bass!! Ritter has nothing on you!

 

Since you specifically mentioned the DIY ethic, here's a copy / paste from my old website relating to that. It's banjo-centric, but it applies to all instruments:
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"Why would you want to build your own instrument?"

I've been building most of what I play for over 30 years now. I started my journey into instrument construction when I began to desire a really good acoustic guitar but lacked the funds to purchase one. I considered my options and after much deliberation I decided that DIY might be a good option for me. I realized that putting my sweat equity into making one would greatly offset the total cost. I possessed the mechanical aptitude for the job, and realized that somewhere in a far-off factory someone just like me was actually responsible for building the object of my desire. So off I went for schooling. Not literally, but I did what I could in the days before the internet and purchased a book that would guide me through the process of constructing a guitar. Actually two books, everything I could find at the time! I read them cover to cover and combined techniques from the two authors to create my first guitar. Two books turned out to be a good idea as it brought me to the realization that there are multiple ways to accomplish the same task, some good and some not so good.

I followed my instincts and turned out a pretty good first attempt as that guitar is still being played today. It made me realize that there is a bonding process that takes place when a musician plays an instrument that they have created that a lot of other folks don't get to experience. It brings a smile and memories back when I catch an occasional bit of aroma emanating from the sound hole on particularly humid days. I'm instantly transported back to the steam bending of the sides and forming the walnut into what would become my very own creation. That's something that no amount of money can buy.

Beyond the intrinsic connection that can be made by playing what you have made with your own hands, there are creative and economic aspects to consider. I get much joy from pushing the creative envelope to build instruments that I feel are unique and possess details that are not available anywhere else. The banjo is certainly an instrument that is somewhat frozen in a design from an earlier era and is ready for some creative input. What I come up with may not please everyone, but I'm pretty satisfied with the direction that I'm going with it.

From an economic standpoint, banjos in particular are slanted disproportionately in price by the labor involved in producing one. If you're willing to learn a little and spend time rather than money you can make a really nice instrument for about a third of what it would cost to purchase one ready made. That's some serious cash, so purchasing a few specialized tools may be good economics. This would be particularly true if you already have a well-equipped workshop.

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I was young in the 90’s, and those must have been different raves.

DIY in the US has deep roots; it is a large and sparsely populated country where people had to do most everything for themselves. Perhaps you have heard of “Sears houses?” It was possible in the early 20th Century to mail order a kit to build yourself a house.

I am most familiar with the DIY history of firearms; people have been customizing guns and inventing “wildcat” cartridges you can’t get in stores since brass cartridges were invented in the 19th century.

Robert Goddard came up with liquid fueled rockets in his backyard. In the 50’s the sport of model airplane competition was created—50 years after two bicycle shop owner invented the airplane. The Grapes of Wrath contains the interesting assumption that anyone who knew how to drive was also a competent mechanic. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates both got their start messing around with a kit computer.

Obviously no statement can apply to 350 million people, but Americans are tinkerers, and the myth of the lone inventor toiling in his garage to change the world exists for a good reason.