Who are you?

[guitar ed]

Hi All,

My name Ed. (This feels kind of like the opening to an AA kind of meeting.) I am not a bass builder per se, given that I have built only 1 bass, and about 10 guitars.

I started building about 8 years ago. I have tried acoustic guitars twice, and both times I have ended up with firewood. So electrics only.

You can see my efforts HERE.

In the "real" world, I have been a stay-at-home-dad for the last 6 years, and now I need to find a job. It could be worse.

Later,

edg

 

[eleonn]

Cleve,
I really wish you would reconsider. There are many idiots that post in here, ignore them, develop thick skin and take the high road, but above all, keep mid-humpin'.

A HUGE +1

 

[debassr]

Cant believe nobody has replied with....

"Who, who, who, who? I really wanna know!"

 

[scottyd]

Cant believe nobody has replied with....

"Who, who, who, who? I really wanna know!"

That song's been in my head everytime I see this thread.

 

[mikeyswood]

I expected Grissom to have a witty line to start this thread

 

[john turner]

good idea for a thread. i'll stick it (at the top of the forum)

 

[T2W]

Thanks John, Its always good to know more about the people we become friends with. Thanks for replying guys ! Its nice to see a face with all these posts. John, I sure hope that avatar ist your real face!

This thread should now be open to everyone who has held a chisel to a bass. Jordan, Paul, Enrique... what are you guys up to ?

 

[Gone]

Hi everyone.

I'm Jeff. Live in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm 23.
Programmer by profession which I enjoy! Work at a small (but prominent) VoIP company in SA. Specializing in Asterisk PBX's and other VoIP services. Finished studying computer science and psychology (yes I know it's a strange mix) about a year ago.

I'm very active in my church (and play bass amongst other things).

I've got ambitions of taking my bass building interests at least part time. Hoping to build at least 2 or 3 more basses this year and approach some local music stores to discuss marketing possibilities and the like. Also this year I'm hoping to put together a website.

Also enjoy my motorcycles. Did a cool road trip in France last year (grew up in the UK). Hoping to do some more touring around southern africa at some point.

Jeff

 

[eleonn]

Hi. Just came from some little vacations so its my time to post here.

I'm Enrique. I'm 35 since yesterday (time flies these lasts years!! ) I'm peruvian and live in Lima. I'm into IT. Not married. No children. Have a 6 years old american bulldog called Killa which means moon in a local language. Called her like that because she is all white with just one black spot on the left eye.

How do I get into building? My grandfather was a woodworker, died when I was two but I remember me as a boy playing with every scrapwood that reach my hand. Two years ago I was looking for a second bass (after a several years away from music) and felt over some sites of guitar building. It become pretty clear for me then that I should build me a bass instead of buying one so I can "play" with two things I like: wood & music. So far Ive build one bass and have another one on paper which is waiting and hope to start before the end of the year.

Id like to do this (guitar building) as a hobby but building in a brand-oriented third world country will be kind of hard. I plan to build a guitar after the second bass and try to show it to some people to see if some of them are up to pay for my hobby .

I like too many things other than building but from all of them I guess the beach is the #1. I could not live in a city with no sea.

Im the guy on the front

 

[maybass77]

Hey everyone!

Shawn...31
Southeast Michigan area
No kids (don't get my mom started...)
Day job: Music equipment sales
I've been building for about 5 years, 11 under my belt and #12 near completion
Was in a signed band (Virgin Records) until 2001 when i moved to Michigan from Cleveland
Back problems
Wood-aholic

 

[mikeyswood]

Id like to do this (guitar building) as a hobby but building in a brand-oriented third world country will be kind of hard. I plan to build a guitar after the second bass and try to show it to some people to see if some of them are up to pay for my hobby

Hey Elonn - That is the way that I do it Trouble is---people keep buying these from me and feeding my addiction

 

[eleonn]

John, I sure hope that avatar ist your real face!

It wasnt?? really??

 

[scottyd]

Have a 6 years old american bulldog called Killa which means moon in a local language. Called her like that because she is all white with just one black spot on the left eye.

I love dogs, alot. I couldn't help but laugh at this, here in the USA we call most of our bull dogs Killer! Which just means killer

 

[Ray Holt]

Been a while since I've been on here...

My name is Ray Holt. I'm 21 years old. I grew up with a dad who could do anything, build a house, fix a car, weld in a powerplant... so I had a good sense of how to use my hands just from that experience. Right out of high school I went to SUNY Buffalo for Music Theory, was at the top of my class, but decided it wasn't what I wanted to do everyday. That's when I decided to do something I had thought about for a few years...

So I went to luthiery school. I went to Roberto-Venn in Phoenix, Arizona. I graduated at the top of my class and they asked me to stay on as a workshop assistant for the class after mine, and I did so. It was a great experience, I got to learn even more stuff and get some more experience building. I built four guitars while there, 3 electrics and one acoustic.

After my year at Roberto-Venn I landed a job at Benedetto Guitars building high-end archtop jazz guitars. This was really an amazing experience. Working with Bob, having him critique me was incredible. All of the other craftsmen in that shop were top of the line too, even though we were all young (most under 28 or so). My main job was sanding, Rough sanding bodies, then using the sander to level the binding, then doing a final sanding to 320 grit after the neck got put on. I was the last person who touched every guitar before it went to finish. I was also in charge of routing all of the pickup holes, and drilling all of the holes for the electronics. The last few months I was there I also worked in the body department laminating tops, backs and sides and then gluing them all together to make a box. My eye for detail reached amazing heights at this job. When I first started I had a couple guitars sent back from finish cause they had scratches, but after that my eye got even pickier than the finishers, and very often pickier than Bob's. He could see what I saw, but he knew that there were times when you had to let stuff slide because no "normal" person would ever notice the tiny things I saw.

I spent a year at Benedetto, but because of a lot of reasons decided it was time to move on. I now attend SUNY Oswego for Technology Education. My plan is to become a shop teacher and build my own guitars during the summer time when I have off. Hopefully by the time I retire from teaching I will have built up a reputation and be able to build guitars full time in my retirement.

Link Removed

That's me and my niece

 

[moonshinegtrs]

Okay, My turn. First off,I am pretty new to TalkBass,but I have really enjoyed being a part of it. It's nice to see all these different builders coming together to offer their views on bass building. There is truly some really amazing basses being built out there. About Me: My name is Rick Wilson, I am 48 Years old. Been doing this for 25 years. Started out as an apprentice for Ron Lira(Honest Ron's Guitars in Okla.City). Ended up in Nashville,Tn. I have worked for various companies here(Gibson/Tobias/Steinberger) as well as being fortunate enough to work with Greg Curbow in North Ga.,Came back to Nashville and worked with Mark Taylor @ Crafters of Tennessee before ending up doing restorations at Gruhn Guitars(Truly an honor to work with some of the best repair guys out there!). I lost my beautiful wife and best friend,Kim to lukemia in 2007 and left Gruhn's at the beginning of 2008 to step out on my own to allow me to take care of my three children(I had been running my own business on the side since 1999,doing custom building and repairs). That was the official beginning of Moonshine Custom Guitars(www.moonshineguitars.com). Since 1993, I have built 39 instruments(I have four more instruments under construction at this time), most of them basses,but I also have built acoustic and electric guitars,mandocellos and mandolins. I still offer my services as a custom builder,but have concentrated my efforts on building a line of electric/acoustic resonator instruments, as well as continuing to offer repair and restoration services. While I am not getting rich running my own business,I thank God everyday for allowing me to do what I love for a living,and at the same time allowing me to raise my children on my own. I have been truly blessed! I have been a bass player for 30 years and after a five year hiatus,spent last year playing in a contemporary Christian band and now I am having a blast playing in a southern rock/old(read:real)country cover band(this is Nashville!). I have done millwork and cabinet making,as well as worked as a guitar tech over the years,never planned to be a guitar(Bass) maker,it just ended up that way. I also enjoy hot rods and vintage japanese motorcycles as hobbies(you can't build guitars all the time!). Once again,Thanks to everybody here for allowing me to be a part of this. God Bless. Moonshine

 

[MadMan118]

Hey all, been here at Talkbass for about a year. Never spent much time in the luthiers section, but this is my introduction.
Im 27, and have been building since I was 17, and am an accountant. I originaly went to SAE L.A., but due to personal affairs changed careers. I currently live in San Fransisco, CA, with my girlfriend of 6 years, we will be getting married this summer. I usualy do my building on weekends, mostly Fender copies P and J basses and Strats too. I am hoping to move in 5-7 years to Santa Cruz where I can start my own firm and have more time to go back to building and repair. See you guys around.

 

[XylemBassGuitar]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Anthony Olinger, I am 25. I grew up in Durango, Colorado, went to school in Fort Collins, Colorado and am currently living just outside of Chicago. I started woodworking with my dad when I was about five years old. He was always building something onto the house, making cabinets, carvings, you name it, so I always had access to a big shop with lots of great tools (that I miss very much) as well as my dad's creativity and experience.

I have a B.S. degree in zoology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where I completed an honors thesis on spider silks and I've wanted to make guitar and bass srings out of that amazing material ever since.

I have been a bass player for six years, building basses and guitars for about five years and repairing/modifying for three. I'm in the process of making guitar/bass building and repair my full-time profession, though I am doing web design on the side to make sure the bills are paid.

I built my first bass in college out of my apartment and a small shop above the Sunset Event Center in Fort Collins since I couldn't find an affordable 32" scale bass at the time. I even managed to squeeze some college credit out of that first bass.

After I graduated I moved up to the Chicago area with my girlfriend (of four years since last December) in an effort to find better career opportunities in my field. But, I got a job as a manager and repair tech at a local music store. I couldn't shake my obsession with bass and guitar building though, so I finally just went for it.

I am a big fan of Primus and a huge fan of Carl Thompson (as will be apparent to anyone that sees my work). Though I love all the classic rock, jazz and blues artists and am open to most kinds of music, I really enjoy bands with unique sounds. I have been listening to a little Gruvis Malt, Bob Log III, Aesop Rock and others like them to fulfill my idiosyncratic tastes lately. I also just discovered Toots Thielemans (thanks to Carl Thompson), probably one of the best harmonica players in the world.

Aside from building and playing I am a fairly accomplished rock climber. Yes, I'm dying inside just a little from living in the flat lands in the midwest and being separated from the wonderful land that is Colorado. Fortunately, there are a lot of great building climbs here and the local climbing gym is one of the best in the world. Lately I have been staying up very late at night trying to make all the jazz changes automatic to my mind and fingers so I can tackle almost any jazz (or any other genre) gig.

I am also constantly helping my girlfriend with her busy dog walking/pet sitting business.

It has been really great hanging around on TB and reading through this thread to learn a little more about you guys! I hope you'll accept a young whipper-snapper like me into the community. I have learned a lot from your wisdom and experience, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Anthony

 

[hoytbasses]

wow... LOTS of great experience and interesting backrounds! glad to be a minor part of it.

kfh

p.s..... Ray: after 23 years as a psychotherapist and social worker, I went back to school for tech ed: i've been teaching woodworking and guitar building for 10 years now..... I love going to work every morning! The other thing is , because I don't have to rely on my half-dozen commissions a year to pay the rent, I can take on all kinds of challenging and fun instrument projects. Ive built mandos, guitars, basses, archtops, acoustic flat-tops, rebuilt ancient upright basses, and rebuilt a whole pile of traditional portuguese instruments.... it's never boring

 

[deepwaves]

Hi, like someone else wrote...my grandfather was a carpenter...did not learn woodworking from him, but, learned to love the smell of wood dust.

I grew up in the 60's playing bass when bass came of age...YEAH! Wondering if this "economic slump", like that era, will bring new great music to pass. Did a few years starving and playing tri-state area around...yeah...Cleveland (mistake on the lake)...(but knows how to rock...ha-ha)... doing original progressive rock in the top-40 clubs. Finally went to college and worked in semiconductor and now software which led me to Virginia.

Know any good sources of (exotic) tonewood in VA? (hate buying it on ebay). Like someone else mentioned...I am also looking for a worthy bandsaw to attempt to do resawing.

Over the years dabbled in small woodworking projects...I love refinishing wood! Like using WATERBASED analine dye and tung oil (willing to discover other finishes and techniques that does not affect sound). Got intrigued while doing research on tonewoods for musical instruments.

Just finished my first bass from scratch...5 string-36in...even the bridge is from scratch...buffalo horn and camel bone...no metal anywhere...takes the vibes directly to the solid bubinga body and the laminated through- body neck (wenge, mahogany, paduk). The through-neck does not show on the back or the front of the body!!! Yeah...took me extra time. Bubinga fretboard. Bart pu's & preamp.

Experimented in much of the design...learned much...but, happy with it...it growls...sounds better than my warkick tumb!

jp

 

[Phil Mailloux]

Great thread Mario

Name: Philippe Mailloux for you non-frenchies, the "e" is silent I can't stand being called "Philip-pee" all the frikin' time. 37 years old, originally from Canada, I now live in Australia. Married with a Dutch woman. The day job was being a chef for 18 years but that has now changed 2 months ago. After having spent the last two year studying engineering full time I'm now working in the engineering industry for a company that does non-destructive testing.

I was pretty much raised as a woodworker. I remember helping my father and grand-father building our week-end country house back when I was still a child. There was always some kind of woodwork project going on while I was growing up. I studied both carpentry and cabinet making in high-school around '86-87. I first got Melvyn Hiscock's book back then and wanted to start building a guitar then. That didn't work out at the time.

I ended up dropping the woodworking thing and hadn't touched a single woodwork tool until '97 when I built my first strat body to go with an existing '74 Fender neck. I was immediately hooked. It wouldn't be before 2003-2004 before I would plunge head first into my first total scratch built. 2009 marks the year that this hobby becomes officially a company. It'll stay a part-time company though for the foreseeable future.

I must have put that pic up before but its the only one handy with one of my basses