Grant's Back Yard Build

[Ventura Bill]

Hi Grant,

I do dearly love the "Black Spruce" Soundboard of your build. That grain is really distinctive and straight as an arrow. The Northern states sure have a lot of nice trees growing locally. I am glad to see folks building using local woods. Maybe they can become a new tradition as the former woods are getting more and more difficult to get. Thanks for sharing this project with us.

Ventura Bill (a transplanted "Yooper")

[Glenn]

Hey Grant,

I was hoping somebody would resurrect this backyard build idea. I had scrounged up some local wood to do it with when you first suggested we do it. It's been drying for a few months now. I guess I'll cut some plates today and start my own...Thanks!

Glenn

[Dennis Leahy]

Hey Grant,

I was hoping somebody would resurrect this backyard build idea. I had scrounged up some local wood to do it with when you first suggested we do it. It's been drying for a few months now. I guess I'll cut some plates today and start my own...Thanks!

Glenn

I remember seeing the changing of the guard and/or the changing of broadcast networks for both David Letterman and The Daily Show. One thing I noticed is that in each case, some IP ("intellectual property" - gags, shtick, featurettes) went with the person that came up with the idea, and a few things stayed with the show. I assume the dividing line was whether the show's writers (hired guns) created the concept, or whether it was the star/host of the show that created the concept. So, in my opinion, those of us that created some concept, and premiered it on some other forum, have every right to bring it here and to blow on the embers to get it going here. Grant had a number of very cool ideas, among them the "Back Yard Build", where luthiers were challenged to create an instrument from materials growing as locally as possible. Another of Grant's ideas was the "Reclaimed Materials Build" (can't remember the name that was used) in which luthiers were challenged to create an instrument from mostly salvaged materials. (Just for good measure, I'll mention that "The Gathering" was also Grant's idea, and his terminology.) We already have reignited the Gathering as The Stringfest, and I propose that we re-introduce the Back Yard Build and Reclaimed Materials Build, and bring them back to life here.

Dennis

[whitespruce]

Well, ya, that whole concept was my idea. And I gotta be honest with you that it was not appreciated where I first proposed it because it didn't "sell expensive wood". Was kinda talked about as "building with junk rather than real tonewood".

However, I still think it is an interesting idea, and since thet don't want it elsewhere, I suggest we go for it here.

I don't for a second think that it will replace the market for "real" tonewood, if you want to use that term. Actually, I think it might serve to put things into perspective and help us think about what we are doing a bit more. There will come a day when "building locally" will be even more significant than it is today.

Now all this coming from somebody who needs to sell tons of instrument wood to be able to subsist during my retirement

G

[Eben]

I second that - Lets do it, that WAS cool and fun and as the year slows it's a great time, and in keeping with the shitty economy, too!



Grant, would you post up some rules, and I'll make a forum for it and let's rock!

I got some cool prizes in mind for this already; tops, bandsaw blades, tools, something like that pique anybody's fancy?



E

[whitespruce]

I second that - Lets do it, that WAS cool and fun and as the year slows it's a great time, and in keeping with the shitty economy, too!



Grant, would you post up some rules, and I'll make a forum for it and let's rock!

I got some cool prizes in mind for this already; tops, bandsaw blades, tools, something like that pique anybody's fancy?



E

Well, OK. And in keeping with the times, maybe we should call the forum "The Bailout Builds".

There will be 2 divisions, the first one is caled "Home Grown Guitars (and other stringed instruments)". Now,for these, all of the wood parts must be from wood that was actually harvested within 50 miles of your shop, or from species known to grow there that could come from within 50 miles of your shop. As an example, that's what my build is, and that's where it needs to be put.

The second division is called "Midnight Requesitions". For these it is "no holds barred, whatever wood you can scrounge" But....the wood had to have lived part of its life as something else before being incorporated into your build. And it don't matter if that was an old pallet or Aunt Tillie's BRW piano On these use your judgement on picking the minor wood parts, such as blocks and bracing, etc. Do try to keep these selections within the spirit of the concept.

So that's the basic idea. This can be both fun and enlightening...and...there will be some fine instruments produces, trust me on that one

Set us up, E. I will continue posting my build after things get cleaned up.

G

[Dan Minard]

How about make it 100 miles instead of 50?
I have been commissioned to build a 100 mile guitar for a guy in Toronto Ontario. He was raised here in Powell River BC & recently bought land here to build a retirement place.
But I digress...
The back & sides are local big leaf maple, nice flame figure.
The top came from a "second growth" Sitka spruce log which washed up on the beach (complete with all its roots) at a friend's place in Desolation Sound. I sliced up one round & got some pretty nice tops... We figure the tree washed down a nearby river during spring flood a few years ago.
The neck will be big leaf maple with Pacific Yew centre lamination.
Fingerboard, bridge head plate, bindings etc. Pacific Yew.
I have some local walnut I may use if the colours work better than yew wood.
Sitka bracing & yellow cedar kerfed linings keep it "all local".
The maple came from over 90 miles away, so it'd be nice if we could extend the boundary to 100 miles.
Sounds like fun!
Dan

[whitespruce]

Hey Dan. You live with al that good wood growing around you and you want the distance expanded

OK, that should work. Dosen't change the cocept and it might make it easier for some. We will do it.

G