Young builder new to tdpri..... new to the internet. 21 years old

[ghull07]

My name is Grant, I am 21.
I build and repair guitars for a living. (to pay my bills) haha. which for the last few years has been hit or miss. I started when I was 13 tearing apart my own guitars and rebuilding them. Or attempting. I would paint one, then put new pickups in another. they all ended up basically trashed. I didn't really get it until I was 18. I purchased about 1500$ in tools. and began terrorizing the luthier community. id been hanging out at music shops forever. and private luthier shops. but at 18 I decided to get a job building. that was ok. I bought into the hype. attended the NAMM show, and entered the "dream world" of guitar building. needless to say I left the job building guitars and started my own "business". I started by getting small repair jobs and work on my templates for custom builds. I enrolled at a tech school to become a certified machinist. I learned the manual and CNC side of machining. which I am now able to use building guitars. I still do allot of repair, but I’m shooting to become a builder as my main income. I’m almost there just need to move a few more pieces a month. all in all, I love what I do, and hopefully I can reach my goal. if not, I plan to play with guitars until I’m forced to get "a real job". and ill still be happy that I got to do what I'm doing until now. I would love to hear any encouragement from real luthiers. thanks for your time

[Westerly Sunn]

I'm no real luthier, so all's I can say is: Welcome Grant! I think you'll like it here!

[electrablue]

Welcome to the forum!

[tgfmike]

Welcome Grant.

[pontmercy]

Welcome Grant! I look forward to seeing posts of your builds and advice for others for repairs! We share a lot of knowledge around here, feel free to get involved.

On the business side of things, having a good website these days can help you a lot, as well as good marketing materials. Get some business cards, something really nice and memorable to leave at guitar shops. Find a graphic design customer who wants to barter guitar work for marketing help. I'm one and have been involved in music longer than graphics. I've done quite a few band photos and album covers in my time and always try to help the community out. There are surely plenty like me in your area, strike up a friendship!

I think doing what you're doing is a dream of many here, so you'll find plenty of interest and help.

Thanks to this and other sites like it, I've been building since 2008, very slowly. Starting with a partscaster, now moving into more custom builds and starting to do paint soon. Not sure if it's something I'll stick with but I love it.

Take care.

[Nighthawk]

Welcome to TDPRI.

[middy]

Welcome Grant. Please don't bold-face your posts. I almost went cross-eyed trying to read it.

[JohnnyCrash]

I'm not a luthier, but I wish you luck. You've got an awesome attitude.

I'm sure I'll enjoy your posts in the coming months and years!

Welcome!

[FrankJames]

Welcome to TDPRI !!

...and best of luck in the future

[mr newhaven]

welcome home friend!

someone with your interest would fine many friends in a forum like this!
go build forums...and try not to drool everywhere!
haha

there are some real top flight builders on this site and most if not all are more than happy to share an insight here or there...maybe not all their secrets...but they are pretty damn open to answering questions!

ive never seen this before anywhere else but here...in terms of the technically challenging questions that get answered by the world's best builders!

enjoy!

[helectrix]

hi there,

great, love your enthousiasm! I'm a luthier not full time professionally, but that's a choice. If you have the skills, the drive and ! the commercial feel, go for it

cheers

here's what I do

[ghull07]

Thanks for the warm welcome. from what I have seen of the site, I can’t help but drool. this is great. I will be posting my latest tele builds asap. maybe tonight. I'm in the middle of 2 and starting a third. First, a one piece mahogany body, with quilted maple neck and veneer fingerboard. A friend of mine (who happens to be an amazing luthier) built the neck. so yes, I cheated. but anyway I’m painting it surf green, with parchment pick guard, and lipstick pickup. all vintage parts. oh yea, Chinese turquoise dots. I know.... sweet right. at least I like it
Second is a 2 piece mahogany body, with tiger stripe maple neck. the radius on the edge is like a normal tele except where your right arm rests on the body. I gave it a radius like a strat. and worked it in to match the rest of the edge. complicating in words but ill post some pics to clarify.
thanks again for the welcome.

[MickM]

Welcome! Keep those machining skills sharp just in case you need a "real" job. Also as stated earlier, some fine builders here. For a top tier example check out preeb.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...ter-build.html

[ghull07]

Some not so good pics of the rough stages of my tele body. contour sawn on band saw, routed smooth, cavities routed. Roundover routed.