Building A Guitar Is Like Raising A Child.

Usman asks:

What is toughest when building a custom guitar?

 

Rick Mariner

Hi Usman,  Interesting question. Building a guitar is like raising a child.  Any parent knows that some children are easy to raise and some are especially difficult all the way through from beginning to end.  It is the exactly the same with putting a guitar together. And like children, they are all different. Some are easy from the beginning until the end, then there's the rest.  Seems like most of the time new builds are very predictable. Therefore, no problems are expected.  Because they're so much like children they can behave unusually.

Knowing how to handle each behavior that results from having a difficult child is important. Also, a difficult guitar needs to be dealt with properly. Dealing with guitars day in and day out gives builders a perspective that no one else can share.  So,....If I think something is wrong, I find out what and why.
Furthermore, like children and adolescents, guitars can have disorders that interfere with the way they feel, and act. As a result, we have to diagnose each and every problem that arises. A builder needs to keep building the guitar on track to be a great instrument he can be proud of.  And like children, behavior needs to be monitored constantly.

"Play well with others"

From the very beginning people have preferences about the way they like guitars and children to be. As we grow and learn, our preferences can expand and become more sophisticated. They can also change with new experiences. Do you ever find yourself saying to your child or your guitar, “But you always used to be more like X.” or "Play well with others"?
Whenever there are difficulties, and there will always be difficulties, ones ability to resolve these difficulties may very well hinge on the strength of experience.  Therefore with raising children and building a guitar, we have to keep in mind creative and enjoyable ways to live harmoniously together.