Hey! This is "Andrewlovesgrunge" from eBay, "Andrewwritesmusic" from Myspace, and "Andrewdoeshair" from Myspace and OSG... I just joined Jag-stang...
I'm so beyond stoked to see you guys talking about what I've been doing! I feel very complimented by what I read; THANK YOU.
I AM a new builder, but I am completely addicted to the hobby. I've been a guitarist for like 14 years, and I took a chance to build a cheap Jazzmaster a few months ago, using only a hand router. Somebody offered to buy it from me for twice what I paid to make it, so I figured I could put that profit toward another tool, and just build myself another.
Then I had a friend ask me to do a Telemaster. I told him I'd try it if he bought the wood. So when he shows up to get it he goes "Thanks, I bought you this." and hands me an RO sander... Long story short,; I'd try to make a unique body, run into a problem, sell some basic bodies to buy the tool that fixes or prevents my problem, then build myself a bad ass guitar. The great thing is, even when I mess up, there s always another builder out there who can take my mistake and turn it into a great guitar; I can at least break even at the end of the day.
I am in no way trying to make a buck with this though; every penny I've gotten has gone into parts, tools, and materials for more builds. My only resource for learning about building has been some of the doods on OSG, but I eventually plan to put myself through a luthier program at the musicians institute in L.A. (40 minutes from my house) by selling guitar bodies out of my garage... And maybe someday working in the Fender custom shop (it's 3 minutes from my house; I pass it on the way to work every day.)
But that's all mostly a dream. Today, I buy wood I can afford, and build bodies that you can afford; JUST because it's fun! And I call the operation Garagetone (becuase it all happens in my garage)...
http://www.myspace.com/garagetone
