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The Cover Plate

Larry Clinton is responsible for contributing this really nice brass control cover plate. You can read the inscription for yourself! Larry has provided us with a little personal profile...

I've been married for 27 years and have two grown children and two grandchildren...and a cat. I started into instrument building late in life. I've played guitar since I was about eleven, but it never became much more than a hobby. A few years ago I found myself unable to do the job I had been doing for twenty-plus years so I made a change. I went into woodworking, something I've dabbled at all my life as my father was a cabinetmaker and architect. I've always enjoyed woodworking, too, so it was a fairly easy transition from high tech to low tech. I've considered building instruments before but never followed through when the urge hit. While I was out on disability the urge hit and I had the time to follow through. I started like many do, with a small kit instrument. For me it was a mountain dulcimer kit, and then a flat-top mandolin kit both of which came out much better than expected. Then, two years ago I participated in Bill Moll's bass course and built my first "from scratch" instrument. You can see it in the picture. It still needs a little work on the finish but it plays and sounds very nice.

Last year I had the opportunity to write a review of Frank Finnochio's guitar making video set, and in the process, build my first acoustic guitar. That one came out far better than I could have hoped, except for some cosmetic flaws. It's still in the finishing process(the part I dislike the most)! But I've got my second acoustic started(barely) and enough quartersawn mahogany for two back/side sets. I also have a cherry/maple telecaster copy under construction right now, as well as another flat-top mandolin from scratch copying the one I built from a kit. You can see my acoustic hanging around in the picture. It's just waiting for the lacquer to harden. Instrument building is addictive...and I'm definitely hooked!

Here's a link to Larry's Website.