Greetings from the Wolverine State

[DavisLee]

Davis Hemmings here, am enjoying my first guitar build, glad to discover this forum rather accidentally while looking for help on correcting some mistakes already in the early stages...John at Blues Creek Guitars has already been a tremendous help in advising me on proper un-gluing technique with an iron and repairing a small crack with super glue and sanding (both worked beautifully John). Back on track now, ready to install the kerfed linings.

For me, guitar building is a new and exciting but somewhat bittersweet endeavor. Unfortunately, lost my wife of 30 years very suddenly a couple of months ago, and in our grief recovery group we have learned that while we'll never return to our old selves ever again, we'll eventually come to know a "new normal," and that one of the many keys to a healthy recovery, is to pursue new activities, particularly things we may have never done otherwise and to do it to the best of our ability to honor our loved one. I have always had a love for music, playing guitar and 5-string banjo in my bluegrass band in college during the 70's, later taking a turn into the classical guitar world since the 80's and then into the Great Highland Bagpipe for the last several years.

Never got away from my bluegrass roots however, deeply seated in my southern Indiana upbringing I suppose, and my hopes now are to become a maker of primarily steel string and classical guitars and eventually some banjos (no plans or desire to build bagpipes however). The StewMac dreadnought seemed to be a good place to start, with the kit approach, and so here we meet.

Thanks for letting me share, and I look forward to a long association with the fine people of this forum!

Hello Davis,
Welcome to KGF. Hope you find your new normal quickly and what better way to achieve that end by building a guitar. Feel free to ask questions and share your building experience with us. We won't hold those bluegrass roots against ya. ;-}

-tommy

[DavisLee]

Thanks Tommy, it's usually the bagpipes that people hold against me anyhow, all pipers are used to that!

[Darryl Young]

Davis, you've come to the right place.......Welcome!

Very sorry to hear of your loss. There is a time to grieve and a time to move forward......and the good news is you don't have to leave your loved one behind to move on, they get to come with you.

Welcome to a fun and fullfilling hobby!

[johnnparchem]

Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear of your loss. If you catch the bug building instruments is a deeply engaging past time. It is good to participate in the forums; besides the good advise as instruments builders are few and far between and sharing in a supportive community make the hobby all the more worthwhile.

John

[DavisLee]

Thanks everybody for your support, am really looking forward to this being a fun, interesting and rewarding long-term endeavor!

[tippie53]

Sorry for your loss. There are never good words to say in that situation but , allow time to heal and find the simple things that bring you joy.
Have fun with this hobby and we will do all we can to help

[JVan]

Welcome Davis! You will find everything you need here and have fun!!!
Bagpipes would be an interesting build...but.......


Jeff

[B. Howard]

Greetings from the Keystone state.

Greets from the Tollbooth state.