Oscar Wilde wrote, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
Most people, it seems, mistakenly think lutherie is about wine and romance and flamenco music playing in the background; when in reality it’s about lots of sawdust and bone dust, and hard, physical, often tedious work over long hours; most of them spent standing on your feet at a workbench, or at the design desk. Yet there is a romantic side to this art of crafting instruments. It involves a connection people have with their guitars – sometimes exhilarating, often times frustrating – and how the very “soundtrack” of a person’s life becomes in some way bound up in their guitar when they play it.
I have always thought of my mission as a luthier not unlike that of the player’s. For the guitar player it is a lesson of ever learning, be it a song, a musical phrase or movement, a turnaround; a new and better economy of picking; how to create the sounds that represent the sense and feeling of what the player longs to express through their instrument. It speaks to the often frustrating task of self-betterment in pursuit of something excellent. The luthier works in the same pursuit of something excellent. With each undertaking of a project that involves building, modifying, repairing or restoring an instrument, it becomes as much about the improvement of the guitar crafter as the creating or improving of the guitar itself. It is a mission of mastery in either case.
When you become involved in building or servicing an instrument for someone you have to listen carefully to what they say about their current playing experience. You come to the workbench with that information, and then listen to the instrument you’re crafting and/or repairing. It is an intuitive process on either end of the information flow: what the player is saying about their experience and what the instrument is informing of itself as it evolves under your hand. There is a synergistic relationship between the two — the player and the guitar — and it is critical that the luthier develop an intuitive “sense” of how to use this vital information in the crafting effort. How exactly this intuitive sense “works” in the process of crafting a guitar is not a thing that can be easily taught to someone, but it can be acquired as a skill over time much like any skill that is learned via a process-driven activity. I like to refer to my part in this endeavor as not unlike that of a match-maker, where the goal of all remedial objectives functionally serves one purpose: that the player and her or his guitar fall madly in love with each other and make beautiful music together!
I’ve often heard from people who after servicing their instrument told me, “I was planning to get rid of this one. Now it’s my favorite guitar!” In many cases a person who’s owned an instrument for years, having it now serviced and setup properly, comes back to report that “…it’s never played and sounded so well before!” What they’re telling me is that for them, this is the playing experience they’ve come to expect from their instrument. For me, it always translates as: “Mission accomplished!”
Until the advent of the Internet, lutherie, much like any craft steeped in centuries of artisan tradition and mystique, has remained something of a black box of abstruse subject matter. This perception of arcane esoterica surrounding the craft has been valid to some extent up until recently. Now, thanks in part to the Internet which has provided an avenue for making the open exchange of information highly available to a wider population, much of the shroud of mystery surrounding how a responsive guitar is made and works is being removed; which in turn is producing an evolving culture of more intelligent luthiers and players. At least in theory! Quite frankly, on the flip side of the coin there is also a lot of misinformation in the guitar making industry — an inevitable downside to coming up in this Information Age. Once one gets down to the business of actually crafting some guitars though it becomes apparent that the self-described “gurus” and “propeller-heads” are usually not the best choices for mentoring in this trade. There is a lot of “personality cult” mentality at play, and it drives a kind of herd instinct where the name of the game becomes “add more followers” and more “likes” on one’s social media pages. How this may or may not render a person as being perceived a subject matter expert in anything is a discussion for another time. Suffice it to say, this “perceptionism” is real, it is facilitated via algorithmic and Internet driven infrastructures, and it is pervasive across many disciplines in these present times. It is, in my view, something to be aware of, clue into, and watch out for. In my opinion, the world needs less “good Influencers” and more bonafide “influences for good”. Full disclosure: In my years of playing and teching guitars I have met and worked alongside of, and have been mentored by some amazingly talented people. None of them wore a long purple robe and pointy hat with the moon and star emblazoned on it, or had a magic wand that released pixie dust sprinkles on their work bench and made things all golden and perfect! Sorry to disappoint. Still it’s fun to fantasize, isn’t it? A little mystique every now and then is a good thing, perhaps even needful to keep things fresh and exciting, whether one is out at the woodshed building those chops or in the workshop making lots of dust!
At the bottom of this page there is a funny little meme about luthiers. It illustrates what people on the outside looking in think we who do this crazy stuff actually do. I’ve never promised to make someone a better guitar player just by servicing their instrument. Making you a better guitar player is largely on you! What I can say is something I learned long ago as a young guitar player noodling on his own guitars and those of his compadres: When you have an instrument that’s put together well, with a killer setup that just “invites” you to play, you’re going to be inspired by that. Indeed. You’ll move heaven and earth some days just to play your guitar!
And that, friends, is something worth talking about.
WHAT FOLKS HAVE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT…
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“Glenn Arnold is a master! He gave my Telecaster a complete physical and talked me through the whole process. She looks and sounds great; ready for the next string of shows. Thanks Coastal Guitarworks!”
– Patrick Carroll, Brooklyn, New York, Guitar/Vocals with Les Racquet
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“Thanks for the setup yesterday! Not only are you a wizard of all things lutherie but your depth of musical knowledge is a treasure trove to behold. Thanks for the great time and great work.”
– Kenny Murphy, Brooklyn, New York, Bass Guitarist/Vocals with Les Racquet
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“If any musicians out there need work on their guitar, check out the FABULOUS Glenn Arnold, a true master of the instrument (he even builds beauties from scratch). He did some work on my guitars and they sound better than ever and he is very reasonable, plus he’s a very nice person!”
– Sandy McCloud, Tybee Island, Georgia
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“Glenn, this Gretsch really has a phenomenal sound…thanks!”
– Bob Duncan, Savannah, Georgia
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“I just wanted to say thanks again! Intonation is now the best among my basses and this neck fell quickly into my favor… I wanted to express my appreciation for your fine work and great attitude. I’m more stoked to be playing this bass than I thought I would be… Thanks!”
– Adam Jones, Tybee Island, Georgia
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“Thanks again for your help. I know it was short notice but you fit me in… and it was a job well done! I really appreciate that.”
– Luke Lander, Singer/Songwriter, Luke Lander Band, Savannah GA / Nashville TN
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“I have known Glenn for ten years and the pride and detail he takes in his work is that of a classic artisan. Glenn has never let me down and anyone who does business with him is blessed.”
– Rob Wolfson, Silver Spring, Maryland
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“Glenn is The Guitar Whisperer!”
– Mike Byrd, bass guitarist, Savannah, Georgia
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“Great looking fret job… Thanks Glenn Arnold!! Great communication and pointers on maintenance.”
– Michael H. Robinson, Vicksburg, Mississippi
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“Glenn Arnold is good people. He’s someone you want to have a beer with and listen to for hours. However his work is anything but casual. He treats instruments as if they are patients. He is thoughtful and careful and a wonderful communicator – everything you want in a luthier.”
– Payne Bridges, Singer/Songwriter, Savannah, Georgia
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“Glenn’s attention to detail, passion for his craft, and pleasant personality make for a great business experience!”
– Tim Morin, Savannah, Georgia
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“I had my first experience with Glenn a week ago. I was looking for someone to do setups and any repair work I needed done. Someone to trust. First let me say it was a pleasure talking with him. He took the time to talk with me about what I wanted done and what he thought should be done, and to show you why it should be done and explain it all in detail. Later there was a problem he found that neither of us knew about, he e-mailed me telling me what was wrong and took the time once again to call me and discuss the problem. After the guitar was finished a 1998 Fender USA Strat I couldn’t believe the difference in it. I had another place I took it to and was really disappointed in their work. I have 7 guitars and finally have found the RIGHT person to do my work… If you need any thing done to your guitar don’t hesitate to head to Coastal Guitarworks to get the job done and get it done to your satisfaction.”
– Ken Albright, Savannah, Georgia
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“Glenn did a fantastic job restoring my 1965 Fender Mustang. After a complete refret job, fretboard restoration and professional setup, it’s very possible that it plays better today than it did coming off the factory floor. He went above and beyond to deliver quality workmanship with friendly service. Highly recommended.”
– Lee Heidel, Savannah, Georgia
Review the repair blog on restoring Lee’s ’65 Mustang here: ’65 Fender Mustang — An American Classic
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“My guitar plays and sounds great. I enjoyed talking to you and sharing your knowledge. The thing that I am taking from all this, is that you don’t have to spend thousands on a guitar to have a fine instrument. Just your expertise. Thanks again and look forward to working with you again in the future. Kent”
– Kent Mulhan, Midway, Georgia
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“Hey Glenn, I just wanted to take some time out to thank you for all the work you’ve done for me. Your attention to detail and wealth of knowledge always makes the experience of stopping by your shop both enjoyable and enlightening. Your passion for your craft is inspiring, and though I’ve only been by a couple of times, your particular brand of individuality seems, I think, indicative of a genuinely wonderful person to be around. There has been a handful of people I’ve considered myself lucky to have met throughout my journey in music, and you’re certainly one. You guys take care, and hope to see you again.”
– Chadd Jones, Savannah, Georgia
“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what’s a heaven for?” – Robert Browning
To visit the lutherie projects blog on this site, click here or on the pic above.
My Numinosity... 