www.KitGuitarsForum.com

Bill Cory posted this week for the first time in a long while. I know he used to be very active but lost some ability to build but that is what tweaked my brain.
During the run of this forum I made a lot of friends and business connections. Bill brought up the point that this was a kit forum and in the beginning it really was. The basic desire of this forum was and always will be information. To get the best information out there to the members.
When Bill first started this it was about kits but after I took this over it was about kits as they were the stepping stone. As the members gained in skill they went off to making their own guitars a graduated from kits. Yes many still use kits and many started with kits but I allowed you to take the forum to this direction. We still support kit building but the kit industry has changed. Martin used to be the big supplier but they started to use production off falls and the kit quality went down . Blues Creek kits LMI and Stew mac make nice kits but now the kits are getting more custom. This is not a bad thing.
This was never to be a blues creek guitar commercial and I try hard not to do that. I do want you all to know that I value the relationships we formed here. I can't say I agree with everyone all the time but that goes both ways so the best thing I can do as an administrator is allow the forum to develop its own personality. I am active as a member but I want to thank all the members for they way you all act. We have no bickering and respect each other.
I am getting older as we all are, but I enjoy pulling up older threads and looking at how we all changed. The guitars you guys are making are great. Maine Geezer every now and then posts a pic of some jig or do dad that he made. This is what makes this forum so enjoyable. Ruby post something interesting Diane throws things out there and I try to stay in the background.
to those that have passed I hope we never forget you , those that left because you lost interest in building , you will always be welcome. To those that are the back bone of this group and help newbies thank you .
Just wanted to let you all know that this is your forum and you make it easy to monitor.
keep bending wood and tuning up
thank you

John, I certainly appreciate all you do to make this forum possible. I think we're all doing the best we can to contribute and help each other. Personally, I enjoy the forum and get a lot from it.

thanks Maine you are one of the root members that contribute a great deal.
I am happy to be a small part of this group

I have the highest respect for Bill Cory. I found this forum through his site and his book, which I still own and cherish. I've progressed to building from scratch, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect and love our kit builders. I try to help our new members as much as possible.

I've found this forum to be a safe haven, free from the nastiness that plague some other forums. I like the fact that everyone is welcome, no matter their level of building, or experience. I learn something every day.

I thank Bill for starting the forum, and you John, for keeping it going.

Diane Kauffmds wrote:I have the highest respect for Bill Cory. I found this forum through his site and his book, which I still own and cherish. I've progressed to building from scratch, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect and love our kit builders. I try to help our new members as much as possible.

I've found this forum to be a safe haven, free from the nastiness that plague some other forums. I like the fact that everyone is welcome, no matter their level of building, or experience. I learn something every day.

I thank Bill for starting the forum, and you John, for keeping it going.

Well said, Diane!

thanks
I believe that this is the spirit from Bill's original forum
we will maintain that

John I second Diane's sentiments. I came on board early on back in 2008, found this forum by accident really as I was thinking about building a KIT guitar. I purchased Bill's book, even his little binding routing jig and took of to the races! John you were on this forum back then too and remember those days. Bill is a friend, and I'm sorry that his ability to build has become limited, he gave us so much information to get us jump started on this journey, and I appreciate him for that. I personally don't see that the focus of this forum has changed all that much!

I never built another kit guitar, but I have built 13 more guitars and this forum has always, and always will be a place to look for, and ask for help and assistance. That help was always been available from Bill, you and many many other members of the forum, past and present. I value being able to come here and participate, although I'd don't seem to have as much time to do so as I used to, I'm thankful that when Bill needed to pass it on, that you John could jump in and keep it going.
I too am getting older and time seems to be running out in some ways, but I have at least 7 more guitars to make and supplies to make a few more than that. And just as soon as I get started on the next one (its been a year since I finished the last one) I will be here more regularly and hope to share the process....which is really what most of us have just done over the years, share what we are doing, and how we are doing it. That is how we help each other.
Thank again for carrying this torch! And to Diane, you are great too!.
Love this forum.

Kevin

I think this forum is great and has a good group of contributors. I have been on the forum from right before it switched to the new forum. I thought Bill's post could have been handled better with an email to John, it took me a bit to realize his issue was that his books were not mentioned, but to relate that to the spirit of the group was wrong. I even suspected that seangil questions were a test. I have Bill's books and did find that they helped with the step by step when I built my first steel string. But I appreciate that John provides a friendly and helpful forum that encourages and helps it member grow and move beyond the assembly of kits.

John

We all owe you a debt for keeping this forum running. Like many, I built a couple of kits, then went on to scratch building, graduated to other forums, but have never left this one. I have noticed in the last few years that all of the forums have changed a bit, and activity is down on all of them, but I still enjoy and learn from reading what others have done or are about to do right here. The perspective of someone who has not done these "50 steps, none of which you have ever done before", brings a clarity to what we are trying to accomplish.

I did not find Bills' books til after my first kit, but they have been very helpful since then. I am sorry that Bill's letter had the tone it did, and that perhaps he did not, as John said, communicate with you directly.

Thank you again

Ed

I don't take Bill's comments to heart , I suspect he had a bad day or after all the written word is often mis understood to the spoken words. I am happy with the way things have gone in the last few years.
The forum chose its own path more than I directed it. I am thankful we have an active group and share the info. That is the spirit here and I hope it continues
.
Don't forget ASIA symposium in June