Thread: Girl makes her first Guitar in Aussie Timbers!

Hi Kiwigeo,

Did anyone actually see the "girl" or the "Guitar"? I walked past the stand and had a quick look at about 11:00 Saturday, but didn't play any. No sign of her or the guitar. What I did see was not very inspiring and I actually preferred the Maton entry. The pics we saw here were of a guitar several levels higher in quality (IMHO) than those on display. Also, given that I can buy a Martin HD28 kit for about A$1-2K, I'm not sure I can see where A$3K went into those on display. Since I have 4 guitars at present and have had several others (Martins, Matons, Gibsons, Fenders) I feel some qualification in giving a humble opinion.

Regards

Rob

Just to clarify,
The guitar entered in the "create from a crate" exhibition was not a maton entry but by an ex maton employee .

Originally Posted by Flowboy

Hi Kiwigeo,

Did anyone actually see the "girl" or the "Guitar"? I walked past the stand and had a quick look at about 11:00 Saturday, but didn't play any. No sign of her or the guitar. What I did see was not very inspiring and I actually preferred the Maton entry. The pics we saw here were of a guitar several levels higher in quality (IMHO) than those on display. Also, given that I can buy a Martin HD28 kit for about A$1-2K, I'm not sure I can see where A$3K went into those on display. Since I have 4 guitars at present and have had several others (Martins, Matons, Gibsons, Fenders) I feel some qualification in giving a humble opinion.

Regards

Rob

Yes. I did. Chatted to Fiona for quite a while.

She is a nice lady who enjoys woodwork generally.

Originally Posted by myguitar

Down in Eltham, Melbourne, Victoria I just finished my first guitar at a School of Guitar Making. Great experience. I have no previous woodworking skills or machinery skills (router, ban saw etc).

I used all aust timbers, Fiddle back blackwood back and side, King Billy Top, QLD maple neck, Jarrah and Houn pine bindings, Gidgi fret board and Bridge. Just beautiful.

I am happy to respond to questions regarding my experience. Yes I am a Chick.

The school is www.thomaslloydguitars.com . 9431 2490 Chris Wynne is the Luthier and Teacher.

Beautiful work MG. Being from Tasmania i reckon blackwood (excellent firewood btw) is an ugly timber. I've never liked it. But then again I have 2 Ovations (plastic backed)....yeah yeah I know. They're both over 30 years old and sound brilliant. One of my brothers has 4 Acoustic Matons, 1 Fender Strat and a Washburn, another owns a 6 string Woodtone and a custom made 10 String Woodtone. Click on the Unofficial Woodtone Site on the opening screen and you will go to my brother's UK Woodtone site. They both love playing my Ovations....
I'm gonna have a go at making an Acoustic one day...

Thanks .

When I spoke to Chris Wynne on the phone last week, to get an answer to a question Fiona received from a Forum member and should have replied to,he seemed a genuine person, I just wasn't impressed with what I saw and would have liked to see the one shown here and be sure it was actually done in what is effectively 6 days. That is all, no vitriol, no packdrill.

Regards

Rob

I called by the stand and got to see 'the guitar', Fiona and Chris as well.
Extremely nice person to chat to and very passionate about guitar building. She's definitely motivated to build more acoustics of differing varieties. And good on her ,too. I've got to say I've contemplated doing that course, but it's alot of bikkies to pull out of the tin. Must wait for the next tatts winfall,

cheers, Stu

Originally Posted by Flowboy

Thanks .

...I just wasn't impressed with what I saw and would have liked to see the one shown here and be sure it was actually done in what is effectively 6 days. That is all, no vitriol, no packdrill.

Regards

Rob

I calculated out hours it takes for me to knock up a basic guitar without any fancy inlays...about 200 hours, and thats only if I get a continuos chunk of time off the rigs to concentrate on the task. I certainly couldnt get a guitar belted out iin 6 days. If sides were prebent and top and back sanded to close to final thickness that would save some time. On alot of courses some of the "difficult" tasks are done by the tutor before course starts. Nothing wrong with this...it keeps costs down.

Looking at the poll in this thread it looks like Im the only one who voted "with a tutor".

MG hasnt filled out the poll......Fiona????

I guess i would have to say "with a tutor" as well because when i started at Maton I had no experience at all and got taught and work along side and pick the brains of guys who have been there for 20 years or so..

Although this was a great experience and i feel comfortable with a lot of the tasks needed to build a guitar ...doesn't really prepare me for building one from scratch though...still a lot to learn

Grant,

Your time at Maton gives you a definite edge over rank amateurs like myself. Im envious..would love to spend a few months working at Maton.

Good Morning you bunch of Rascals!

This is quite funny! Your all chatting without me. I have been busy with the wood working show and have not had time to reply... so here it is.

As you know I was seen and spoken to at the show and yes My Guitar and I were on the stand. My small bodied accoustic was at the end of the stand near the TV. Most people that saw it were quite impressed.
2 people from Maton that we know, also The guy (andy?) who entered the Packing create guitar - cedar and other timbers (who won in his catageroy), and yes used to work at maton. Also Phil Crickmore!!! yes we know Phil and he was quite impressed!, Several players who are prof and will keep names quiet have also seen and played my guitar. Antony Field is one of them and quite impressed with the Sound. He is waiting to see how my classical will come out! They think sound is most important the the obvious visual wood working skills later.

Also the course is 60-80 hours which is 10 classes at 6 hours. (Not 6 days)
We are all novices at this craft.
Chris has been building for 18 yrs and took Phil Crickmore's first ever guitar making class.
The 3K is becuase it is all solid timber and high selection grade. Only 3 in a class (usually 1-2) mid week and 3 weekends so you get one on one with chris, you do get good quality strings, machine heads, case etc.

I am fine with all this banter. Just wanted you to know that I am very excited that I was able to make one after all these years of knowing chris and happy to help him in his dream to find and spread this craft to others.

Chris has had 3 students go thru the course that now have found work at Maton and Cole Clark. Even Barry at Wood Tone is excited by what Chris is doing.

I hope you enjoy my response. I lenjoyed meeting some fellow forum guys, they were genuinely keen to see the guitar.

Flowboy you can come up anytime to the workshop and meet chris and see the SAID guitar for your perusal, and have a cuppa with chris and the students. Theres nothing to hide in the workshop.

P.S. The two classicals that were on the stand had just come back from 1 year in Italy. Yes they had some usage marks on them, they were part of a Landscape series of aussie blackwood and Black Heart Sass. to show off in Italy. They went very well. The acoustic bass was a big hit in italy too.

Must away. I look forward to seeing more works and I know some other students are keen to post here cos the feedback is great and inspiring to keep going.

Cheers Fiona

Spoke to Chris, seemed a nice guy.
Still maintain the guitar you showed is higher quality than those I saw.
No need to thank me for answering a question you were asked and didn't repond to.
Never said there was anything fishy in the class
60 hrs eqautes to 6 days in my life, possibly even the full 80.
Don't need to visit, don't need a cuppa either.
Just unimpressed with the way you handled this.
All the name dropping you want to use to flatter yourselves and potential students really has no effect on me.

Rob

Thanks Rob.

The guitar is real. Sorry your not happy with the response. Just wanted to let you know we are all learning and everyone is welcome to thier opinions. I am enthusiatic and its great when others in the field make positive comments on your work.

I have re-read the forum link and I am not sure what the questions was that I have not answered and to who?

Let me know who it was and I will get back to them.

Fiona

For the life of me I can't work out what's going on in this thread. There seems to be an undercurrent of bad feeling being generated by some people over whether the guitar featured in the original post was built in the time frame claimed by Fiona and even whether its her work. I know from experience that if I'm into an exiting project its head down bum up until I'm finished. I can recall when I started work on a pair of repro Queen Anne bed-side tables at 7.00 on a Saturday morning and completed them - except for varnish - the following tuesday at 3.00 in the morning. All I had in those days was a Stanley RB10 plane, an old tenon saw, a 3/8 makita drill, a jig saw, a couple of cheapo brazilian chisels and a hammer. I ran into the couple I made them for the other day and they are still n use and llook as good as when I made them 30 years ago.
I think its fantastic that a non-player is so obviously excited about her achievement. If she is motivated enough to shell out 3 grand to go one on one to build an instrument then good on her. The detractors can sit in the corner and sulk.:mad:
Good on you Fiona. Greenie for you.