greetings from Kilmarnock (Virginia, not Scotland)
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:16 am
Hi,
I'm new to the forum, so here's a short intro. I got and learned to play my first guitar in about 1963; I can still play just as well today! As a guitarist, one tinkers with their guitars and over the years one thing led to another. I started buying old electric guitars and "fixing them up". Eventually, my wife bought me a Kit guitar (a 000 12 fret cutaway) for Christmas in about 2004. I was completely overwhelmed and lost as to where I should begin. Some months later, to my surprise, I found an ad in the local paper looking for a guitar builder apprentice. I live in a very rural area (county population @ 5000) so I saw this as a "sign". I applied, and was hired by Merrill and Company. Soon after, I built and finished my first "kit" guitar, as part of my apprenticeship. I worked there until 2010, and learned a great deal about building and repairing acoustic guitars (mostly pre-war Martin"type" guitars, Dyer harp guitar replicas, and a few ukes). I also built a few "solo" builds after hours (with the owners permission) all the while accumulating my own shop tools and equipment.
In 2009 I partnered with another former Merrill builder to form "East Virginia Guitars". Our public debut was at the 2nd annual Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Exhibition, where we first met John (great guy). We had some sales success, and positive reviews in Flatpicker Guitar Magazine. In addition, we were able to secure floor space at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, and Mandolin Brothers in New York (among others). Ultimately, given the poor economy of the times, we were not able to sell enough guitars to maintain the cash flow to continue, so we reluctantly closed our doors in 2013. Since then, I've gone back to "hobbiest" status. After recently talking John, I decided to join this forum. I hope I can be of help.
George
I'm new to the forum, so here's a short intro. I got and learned to play my first guitar in about 1963; I can still play just as well today! As a guitarist, one tinkers with their guitars and over the years one thing led to another. I started buying old electric guitars and "fixing them up". Eventually, my wife bought me a Kit guitar (a 000 12 fret cutaway) for Christmas in about 2004. I was completely overwhelmed and lost as to where I should begin. Some months later, to my surprise, I found an ad in the local paper looking for a guitar builder apprentice. I live in a very rural area (county population @ 5000) so I saw this as a "sign". I applied, and was hired by Merrill and Company. Soon after, I built and finished my first "kit" guitar, as part of my apprenticeship. I worked there until 2010, and learned a great deal about building and repairing acoustic guitars (mostly pre-war Martin"type" guitars, Dyer harp guitar replicas, and a few ukes). I also built a few "solo" builds after hours (with the owners permission) all the while accumulating my own shop tools and equipment.
In 2009 I partnered with another former Merrill builder to form "East Virginia Guitars". Our public debut was at the 2nd annual Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Exhibition, where we first met John (great guy). We had some sales success, and positive reviews in Flatpicker Guitar Magazine. In addition, we were able to secure floor space at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, and Mandolin Brothers in New York (among others). Ultimately, given the poor economy of the times, we were not able to sell enough guitars to maintain the cash flow to continue, so we reluctantly closed our doors in 2013. Since then, I've gone back to "hobbiest" status. After recently talking John, I decided to join this forum. I hope I can be of help.
George