When I cook, often as not, there’s music playing. When I reach for a guitar to play along, it’s a good chance it’ll be a guitar I made, and if not, one I’ve modified to my liking. Lutherie is a lot like cooking, actually – there’s an artistic and a science side, and while most luthiers lean one way or the other, there’s always a balance struck.
I’ll go a step further and say that the best builders I know are or were all repair folks at one time – For a long and detailed enough stretch to know guitars inside and out.
Kevin Chubbuck, back in my home Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is one of my fave builders and repair guys. His shop is a hive of activity, but he always finds a way to smell the roses, even on the busiest of days. And perhaps most importantly, he’s as passionate about sharing the art and science as he is about doing it.
Check out this video from Kev’s shop – perfect example of what I’m talking about – and if that floats your boat, subscribe to his stuff and learn something new, see something cool, and hear great sounds.