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What do we do?

What do we do?

Just curious. I know I'm a relative "newbie" here to the site, but I feel like I've already made some real good friends in a very short time and hope to keep adding to the list.

I know we all love to: build guitars, play guitars, look at guitars, discuss guitars and occasionally the music we make on them. But that's all I know. I've always found the cross section of society that we musicians (and builders) make up, pretty interesting, and I'm just curious about what some of us do for the "day gig".

Some of you may be lucky enough to do this full time or even make a living playing music, but I'm sure most of us aren't. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to get "too" personal. Company names and such are not necessary or asked for. Just curious what you might call your "profession", and I thought it might be a good way for some of us to get to know each other just a little bit better. If this is too "off topic" or if no one is interested, I apologize for the intrusion, and the written results will speak for themselves.

So here goes: I'm a printer. Technically, I work in what is called the prepress department. Been in the business for almost 40 years (I'm 57 by the way). The people in my department PREpare the files and documents for the PRESSes. I got into it by accident as a part time job back when I was in college (a LONG time ago) to make some money so I could by a Fender Rhodes electric piano. Found out I liked it, the pay wasn't too bad and it was even somewhat creative.

Back in the old days it was all cameras, film and chemicals. In 1991, the company I worked for at the time decided to get one of those "new fangled" Macintosh computers and I was selected to see if I could make it work for us. This was back in the early days of what was then called "desktop publishing". Computers were expensive and slow at the time. An 8 megabyte RAM upgrade cost over $3,000 and that was a HUGE amount of RAM at the time. In the mid '90's our first gigabyte hard drive for file storage was ONLY $1,000 ($1 a megabyte) and we thought that was SO cheap at the time.

Anyway, I'm still at it after all these years, and I haven't looked back since. In between times, I've been lucky enough to have been married for almost 35 years, raised a beautiful daughter to adulthood and her own marriage (still waiting for grandbabies!) I've played in a couple of very good semi-pro bands (blues/rock) and have had my share of good times doing that. In more recent years I've been concentrating on just improving my playing, doing a little home recording when I can and building up my guitar collection (about 17 as of last count - not including the ones I've built myself).

Well, That's what I do. How about you?

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Permalink Reply by Vaughan S. Nelson-Lee on March 23, 2011 at 2:26pm

Still in high school (I'm a junior), but I've had a job doing woodwork to help repair a fishing boat for someone. Just applied at West Marine- I either want to go into film/design or the maritime industry.

Interestingly enough, my dad does pre-press work as well!

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Permalink Reply by Jon Pruett on March 23, 2011 at 2:43pm

This is a great thread to read over - lots of experience and interesting stories out here. I started out in Montana as a ranch hand, wild mushroom picker, landscaper, and wild game butcher for a couple years (cycled through the jobs depending on the season). Moved east, finished school, and spent about 6 years as a computer draftsman in a small architecture firm. Then moved into web and database programming for about 5 or 6 years, and am currently managing software system development at an independent government agency. Picked up the CBG addiction a year or so back. Still haven't figured out how to play these things. :)

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Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on March 23, 2011 at 4:31pm

I am a Respiratory Therapist and work part time in the hospital. I wrangel our 2 kids the rest of the time while my wife is at work. I am 55 and they are 7 and 11.

I use to be a pro photographer and traveled around with this, back in the olden days when film was used. I built furniture for a living in my own shop off and on. I did trace metals analysis at the government. I will skip the less engaging jobs.

3 years ago I built a workshop in the back yard and planed to build some furniture since I have all the tools. I thought I will build some nice stuff for myself for a change. I build a bit but it quickly went off the rails, I forge knives, build graphite fishing rods and bamboo rod.Anything that sounded like a interesting challenge to make.

Then my son wanted a djembe drum to play in a Sunday drum circle in the park, so we made a few, his sister needed one and so did I. This led to some diggeridoo making. A Hank propane Drum. I would see these things on You Tube and think Wow what a wild thing, gotta make one. Next a thumb piano. Working on some ocarinas.

My wife said whats with the instruments. I said, I have been resisting making instruments all my life and have finally given in. I make them for the kid, not really, I love making these things.

I found Keni Lee on You Tube and was hooked on the CBG thing. So I have been making them for the kids, friends myself, co workers..... i was figuring this was a step to a "real guitar" but can't see that happening any time soon.

Can't play worth beans but I have fun with the kids anyways, and they like to help make them with me, so it is all good. Well it was what do you do, hang out and make things mostly I guess.

Cheers Ron.

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Permalink Reply by Rich Gillen on March 23, 2011 at 9:39pm

I'm a semi-retired business guy, worked in the medical device industry most of my career. Born in New Jersey, then lived in: Upstate New York, Minnesota, Mexico City (Mexico), San Diego, Paris (France), Berkeley, Santa Barbara...and White Bear Lake, Minnesota. BA in English, MA & PhD in Organizational Psychology - all from Univ of California, Santa Barbara. I now teach classes in business settings in Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Logic/Rhetoric, Erotetic Logic (the logic of questions), and Group Dynamics and Organizational Leadership.

Played drums in bands with buddies through my 20s and 30s. Also, been plucking guitars for years but with a little more effort the last 5-6 years after my wife gave me a nice Ovation for Christmas in 2005. Picked up a Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody for a steal a couple of years ago, and that really prompted me to start playing more. The CBG connection was a fluke. I was looking around for a used Dobro online just a few weeks ago and found a link to building a CBG.

I'm now designing a Project Leadership workshop in which CBGs will be built by teams in a manufacturing simulation. The idea is that teams will build CBGs from materials...have to figure out how to organize the work, divvy the resources, etc.

The end product of built cigar box guitars will be used by a Music Teacher in his 3rd grade curriculum. He emphasizes the engineering aspects of music in 3rd grade...unbelievable what he's doing at that level. So the CBG really plays into the basic engineering of an instrument and its relationship to musical scales, etc. That should motivate the teams in the business setting...often workshops like this use nonsense products as vehicles for the team interaction. Hopefully this will matter much more.

Any inputs on that workshop will be greatly appreciated. And thanks to all here for your encouragement and inspiration. Though many of you weren't around in those days of the 60s, much of what occurs here (thanks Shane) reflects what we were hoping for in terms of communities. I'll have to make sure that Stuart Brand (Whole Earth Catalog and Inventing the Future at MIT) knows about this world.

Peace.

Rich

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on March 24, 2011 at 12:58am

Hey, I just saw this. I run my own small graphics business, Squier Design, designing and producing vinyl graphics for race cars. Most of it is done on Macs, but one of my machines is run by a PC, I like the Macs better. I studied Industrial Design in college and ended up in this by getting a job at a sign shop. Stated trying to play guitar at the young age of 40, I should be good by now, lol. After building my fisrt CBG I decided I could add this to the list of things Squier Design does and Country Boy Guitars was born.

Its really fun to be able to do a variety of creative things, keeps the mind working.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Lanford on March 24, 2011 at 2:30am

Wow - just saw that this old thread had been bumped back up again. Thanks to all the latest entries. More computer graphics guys' too. It is a small world after all! I first posted this a long time ago because I felt it it would be nice to know a little more about what all of us do when not building stuff and how we all got into it. Please keep it going. I love reading this stuff! Take care - T

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on March 24, 2011 at 4:03am

Rich,

That is really cool stuff.... as far as the manufacturing environment, it seems to be that it you show them a finished simple three or four stringer and then a "kit" with the basic compoenents prebuilt, then they can figure out building up the compoenents for assemble into finished CBGs.... I'm sure you can handle it, but I'm always willing to lend a hand if I can.

the best,

Wichita Sam

BTW, I've done several "student" workshop environments and I can say that we always underestimate what kids can do... - WS

Rich Gillen said:

I'm a semi-retired business guy, worked in the medical device industry most of my career. Born in New Jersey, then lived in: Upstate New York, Minnesota, Mexico City (Mexico), San Diego, Paris (France), Berkeley, Santa Barbara...and White Bear Lake, Minnesota. BA in English, MA & PhD in Organizational Psychology - all from Univ of California, Santa Barbara. I now teach classes in business settings in Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Logic/Rhetoric, Erotetic Logic (the logic of questions), and Group Dynamics and Organizational Leadership.

Played drums in bands with buddies through my 20s and 30s. Also, been plucking guitars for years but with a little more effort the last 5-6 years after my wife gave me a nice Ovation for Christmas in 2005. Picked up a Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody for a steal a couple of years ago, and that really prompted me to start playing more. The CBG connection was a fluke. I was looking around for a used Dobro online just a few weeks ago and found a link to building a CBG.

I'm now designing a Project Leadership workshop in which CBGs will be built by teams in a manufacturing simulation. The idea is that teams will build CBGs from materials...have to figure out how to organize the work, divvy the resources, etc.

The end product of built cigar box guitars will be used by a Music Teacher in his 3rd grade curriculum. He emphasizes the engineering aspects of music in 3rd grade...unbelievable what he's doing at that level. So the CBG really plays into the basic engineering of an instrument and its relationship to musical scales, etc. That should motivate the teams in the business setting...often workshops like this use nonsense products as vehicles for the team interaction. Hopefully this will matter much more.

Any inputs on that workshop will be greatly appreciated. And thanks to all here for your encouragement and inspiration. Though many of you weren't around in those days of the 60s, much of what occurs here (thanks Shane) reflects what we were hoping for in terms of communities. I'll have to make sure that Stuart Brand (Whole Earth Catalog and Inventing the Future at MIT) knows about this world.

Peace.

Rich

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Permalink Reply by Toby on March 24, 2011 at 9:04am

Well, I'll keep this going. I'm a 42 year old stay-at home dad (13 years). Before that a kitchen manager at a cafe. Sold real estate, jewelry and toys. Needed something to do part -time and worked seasonally for a yearbook publisher (prepress- since that seems to be a common thread through here) and after that started buying and selling antiques from home.

Finished college when I was 31 and my oldest was 4. Now he's 13 (too damned smart): my daughter is 8 ( wants me to build her a cb fiddle, Darn you Charlie Daniels) and the youngest is 3 (whoa I'm to old for this. He likes to help build by drilling holes that aren't needed into cigar boxes)

I've spent the last 7 years making movies, some shorts and some features. I also am a photographer doing actor's head shots. Here's my IMDB page if you're interested-- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2799323/

My best CBG story would be when a guy from church brought over a friend to introduce me to him. I had my 4th build on the kitchen table needing strings.. The guy saw it and went crazy for it.

Guy says, "How much do you sell these for?"

My wife, "Oh, this one is going to be $150."

Me, "No, no..."

Guy says, "I'll take that one."

I sold it to him in my kitchen and my wife got double of what I wanted for it if I wanted to sell it. Of course she took her cut -- HALF!!!

Well, I tried to make it interesting and I'm trying to post more on the Nation, Not good at this random posting stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Rose on March 24, 2011 at 10:53am

I'm a 28-year-old mall maintenance man. Still on my first job, which most of my friends can't say. I don't have a computer at home, so I come to parents' house every day to use the computer, and get dinner, because Mom's a much better cook than I am. When I'm home, I read a lot, or watch movies (no TV antenna/cable either), or build guitars.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Lillo on March 24, 2011 at 11:36am

My name is Mark and I started this new addiction last March after watching one of John Mcnairs' videos on youtube.I was kind of shocked when John got in touch with me wanting to buy one of my resonators. I have built 25 since last March and sold all but 7 of them. Just started 26 a week or so ago. I am a sheet metal fabricator by trade, been doing that for close to 30 years. I also do wood working as a hobby, building cabinets and hutches and a 40 foot bridge across the creek in our backyard. I have been married for almost 34 years ( wife has been a printer for the same 34 years). We have one son who is a drummer, which comes in handy. We played our first outdoor festival last June and had a blast. I am glad I stumble upon this site. I have meet alot of very helpful, supportive people here.

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Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on March 25, 2011 at 12:47am

My start with CBG making/playing came in a very similar way to Mark's. Found one of John McNair's vides (wonder if it was the same one) on YT. Thought I might buy a CD, then decided that I might be able to go one step better and learn to play, so looked at eBay for instruments. Then thought that if I could learn to play one I could almost certainly make one. Found this site and that's it.

Originally studied viola and harpsichord at the Royal Academy of Music. By the time I got to the end of the course (I was there for five years) I had decided not to be a musician after all and went into making bows (for violin, viola and cello). For those who don't know, bow making is really a strange combination of woodworking, engineering, jewellery - there is quite a bit of silver or gold on a decent bow - and skills specific to making bows. Did that for eleven years and a combination of boredom with endless workshop work and being allergic to the wood prompted me to stop.

A few unsuitable jobs followed (me unsuitable for them or the other way round I'm not sure). Worked for a short while with a friend making flutes but that was more workshop stuff so I didn't intend that to be long term. Fell into a full time course in photography.

Since 1997 I've been working as a commercial photographer. I also teach photography and image editing. This IS my last career. I intend to be a photographer until I get board with breathing air.

Discovered CBG's around last September and had my first one finished in November. Can't make many as the wood is still a bit of a problem. I thought it was only pernambuco (from which bows are made) that was giving me congestion and some breathing difficulties but it seems to be other woods as well. I just need to manage where and when I work quite carefully.

This is a great site and a wonderful community. Long may it flourish.

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on March 29, 2011 at 3:57pm

I am a photographer by trade. Ran my own portrait studio for 20 years or so. Now I do tech support for high end digital cameras. I've done all kinds of photo processing and finishing. We did all our own film developing, printing (color and black and white) mounting , canvas mounting, retouching (by hand with colored pencils and lacquer!) custom framing and had a one hour photo lab too at another location.

Have a 17 year old son by my first wife. Current wife is the head of photo dept. at local college. We have 2 dogs, 2 cats. We like to travel when we can. I had never been anywhere before meeting her. She has turned me on to the rest of the world! Paris, Hawaii, Malta, Italy,Aruba, California (that's almost like another country!) NY (Ditto).

I play blues harp, washboard and sing in a 3 piece blues band called "Blues Committee". I also love to build CBGs and other weird instruments.

Besides music, my other passion is Bonsai. I have a little Bonsai garden beside the house and have about 25-30 Bonsai trees in various stages of development. Nice place for morning meditations.