Amateur Success

[Dennis Weaver]

I think the definition of amateur success is this- (well I can only vouch for classical guitars)

I just went to Sam Ash and Guitar Center (both right near each other in Cherry Hill, NJ) picked up and played guitars around the price I spent to make my guitar (500 bucks) and besides woods (laminates vs. solids) I pretty much guitar after guitar of big corporation brand names said MINE SOUNDS BETTER than this.

I would say that is amateur success, now to go from there you would get more control over the exact sound you want a guitar to have, and get other stuff better like set up, finish.

[Clay Schaeffer]

"get other stuff better like set up, finish."
Another fish hooked in the lutherie pond.....
You will find it's not so hard to make a good sounding guitar, but somewhat harder to make a good playing and good looking guitar. And to make a great sounding and playing guitar quite a bit more difficult.

[Jamie Unden]

I attribute my amateur success to dumb luck!

[Michael Lewis]

Yeah, beginner's luck. We have all been smitten with it, and then the real work begins trying to repeat what we did previously. Having participated in several guitar shows over the years I can say that most guitars at the shows look pretty good, not many 'dogs'. But only about a quarter of them actually sound really good. My point is that for most folks it is easier to make an instrument look good than to have great sound. The cosmetic aspect is obvious as you go through the process because you can see it and deal with it if need be. The sound aspect is more arcane and riddled with subtleties. You can directly copy a successful design and still miss the mark a bit unless you have sufficient experience making that design work.

[Mark Langner]

Around the time I started building, I made several pilgrimages to Gruhn's in Nashville. I got to know the people there well enough that they would let me play the $20,000 + instruments behind the desk. I remember especially an instrument by [big name builder] that was so perfect in its detail work that I despaired of ever getting to that level of skill. And when I played it, I thought it was just... dead. No soul. No life. (OTOH, the D'Angelico I played was MAGIC!) Not the only time this has happened. Many of mine have life and soul far beyond that $BIGBUX instrument (and some not!). I've been lucky to get $2000 (or $1200) a few times for instruments I've made. A few guitars I've given away because they would not sell, and I had a friend who deserved to own it. I aspire to be an Amateur in the best sense - one who builds for love.

[Michael Lewis]

Mark, I think we are all amateurs in that sense, even if we make our living making and repairing instruments.

[Mark Langner]

Amen, Michael Lewis.