What do you do when,,,,??

Talk about musical instrument construction, setup and repair.

Moderators: kiwigeo, Jeremy D

Post Reply
User avatar
rocket
Blackwood
Posts: 1210
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:43 pm
Location: melbourne,, outer east
Contact:

What do you do when,,,,??

Post by rocket » Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:13 pm

Yeah, what do you do when five months after inseption you are applying the final coats of lacquer and the instrument falls from its hook and crashes on the floor, splits the treble side from butt to neck and God knows what else is fu@$;d coz now it sounds like a baby's rattle when tapped.
I seriously doubt whether I should continue in this field, although I've produced some really nice stuff in the past it seems so much of a struggle, continually playing catchup/coverup from whoa to go. I think I need a break away from instruments and reassess my path from here.

Cheers.

Rod.
Attachments
IMG_1172.JPG
IMG_1171.JPG
IMG_1170.JPG
Last edited by rocket on Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

User avatar
Bob Connor
Admin
Posts: 3132
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:43 pm
Location: Geelong, Australia
Contact:

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by Bob Connor » Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:28 pm

I trust you didn't swear Rod.

What a bummer.

Regards
Bob, Geelong
_______________________________________

Mainwaring and Connor Guitars

User avatar
rocket
Blackwood
Posts: 1210
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:43 pm
Location: melbourne,, outer east
Contact:

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by rocket » Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:36 pm

Yeh Bob, shit does happen! At least I didn't get that case yetšŸ˜€
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

blackalex1952
Blackwood
Posts: 776
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:36 pm
Location: North East Victoria

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by blackalex1952 » Sun Jun 18, 2017 5:46 pm

Don't give up Rod. Your builds are great!
It is a scary process as builds progress, an accident is of greater consequence the further into a build one gets, there is so much effort that can be wasted in a momentary lack of concentration. You won't make that mistake with your hanging system next time!!!
Perhaps you just need a break and a "bread and butter" line to keep the finances straight... along with a little more consciousness and attention to details like the hanging method that failed! My main thing is playing guitar, which I have done for years now...as soon as I'm not enjoying it I step back and do something else that I enjoy. For me it's just like getting too close to one thing and loosing site of my appreciation and passion and getting caught in my ideas- my work and my playing suffer from too much thinking and not enough artistic passion...The magnifying glass of doubt is a useful tool, as long as I don't get my eye stuck in it! If I'm thinking too much that is all I have, but when my inspiration leads the way, I have that passion AND my mind, along with a stronger sense of patience. I try to let my heart win! I think that there are better ways to make a living than either guitar playing or luthierie, but for me the two give me a focus that is much more satisfying than sacrificing irretrievable moments of this precious human existence for money. Don't get me wrong, I like money but not at too high a personal price. I can keep the love I make in this world in my heart but money comes and goes. That guitar look pretty repairable, cracks like that on the sides are usually an almost invisible mend. The back can come off and new bindings after any internal repairs..at least that's what the photos indicate...
Cheers! Ross.
"Everything I say on the topic is based solely upon inexperience and assumption!"

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10582
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by kiwigeo » Sun Jun 18, 2017 7:16 pm

Feeling your pain Rod. There were times during my recent multiscale build when I could have happily set fire to the workshop and calmly walked off to the the pub to get shit faced. I didn't though....on those days I just took a few days break from the building. Ive got at least 3 guitars sitting on the shelf that have turned into disasters and Ive stopped the builds and moved on to other builds. I'll go back and finish those guitars one day.
Martin

curly
Blackwood
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:25 pm

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by curly » Sun Jun 18, 2017 8:21 pm

Geez Rod ,
That's gotta hurt .
I can see how you'd be feeling like reassessing . Only thing I could add is that if your anything like me it's possible to do ok or f up just anything you try so a new endeavour isn't necessarily the answer. Your work is awesome . Hang in there mate
Pete

User avatar
56nortondomy
Blackwood
Posts: 674
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:56 pm
Location: Melbourne western suburbs

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by 56nortondomy » Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:42 pm

That's a real bummer Rod, just don't make any hasty decisions, you do do great work like has been mentioned so just think about things a bit, we all f%&k up. Wayne

User avatar
Trevor Gore
Blackwood
Posts: 1605
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:11 pm

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by Trevor Gore » Mon Jun 19, 2017 12:16 am

Stick with it, Rod. You make beautiful instruments. It doesn't go right all of the time for any of us.

User avatar
peter.coombe
Blackwood
Posts: 723
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 2:52 pm
Location: Bega, NSW
Contact:

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by peter.coombe » Mon Jun 19, 2017 9:20 am

What to do? Put it aside and forget about it for a while. Start the next instrument, finish the next instrument. Maybe start the next. One day get back to it and fix it or put the bandsaw through it and chuck it out. By then the impact of the time spent on it will have lessoned and you don't care so much about it any more. Been there done that, we all make mistakes and have accidents.
Peter Coombe - mandolin, mandola and guitar maker
http://www.petercoombe.com

Bruce McC
Blackwood
Posts: 395
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:29 pm
Location: Canberra ACT Australia

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by Bruce McC » Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:47 am

Hi Rod

We all feel your pain as we all make mistakes. Take it easy on yourself
your work speaks for itself.
Bruce Mc.

User avatar
rocket
Blackwood
Posts: 1210
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:43 pm
Location: melbourne,, outer east
Contact:

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by rocket » Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:21 am

Thanks to you all for the empathetic, understanding,and encouraging response.
Although I do still have the strong urge to continue with the building of instruments I'm going to turn most of my efforts to the more domestic jobs that I've been putting off for a bit too long and although my wife has been patient and supportive of my favourite method of making sawdust I think she's waited long enough for the new kitchen I promised her three years ago.
I will however be attending the Melbourne guitar show in August as I'm already committed .
I fully intend to repair and complete that mandolin a bit down the track but will complete an F5 I've started first but after the kitchen is in!!

Thanks again

Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

Crafty Fox
Blackwood
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:09 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: What do you do when,,,,??

Post by Crafty Fox » Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:10 pm

I too would like to encourage you Rod. Your work is an inspiration to me. Sure, take time out and reeeelax, but I hope you come back to what you do exceptionally well.
Ken

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google and 100 guests