What's Happenin' Now

Lostie

2010-06-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

I can't say that I've ever been so into a TV show that I felt like I was part of it. I always looked at Trekkies as being that way and couldn't imagine myself in that position. Now that Lost is a complete series I believe that I am a Lostie. I may not be the extreme case but I love the show and would attend a Lost convention:)

When I first watched the finale I was slightly taken back by the approach that they took to end the show. The second time through the finale, it moved me more and I have recently gone back and started watching from season one. It's slow going but from watching the first few episodes I can see that they did have a master outline of the show's story line. I am very impressed with how they tied it up and I hope that watching the whole series again will reinforce how much the show impacted me.

Things are good here. I'm looking forward to a visit from family next week. Serenity and Sara are beautiful as ever and Lisa is working hard. I do miss all you Las Vegans and hope to see you again soon. My mind is a little burnt but overall I feel excited about the shop and the great customers we have. We are truly thankful for our health and great friends here. Before I go you should know that I've looked into the eye of this Island and what I saw was beautiful...

L O S T

Tap Tone

2010-05-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

I read an article the other day in which the author stated that tap tuning was an inadequate method for building a good sounding acoustic instrument and that measurements and placement of bracing was a better standard. He went on to say that each luthier that was asked how they tap tuned could not give an exact description of what they were looking for and therefore it can not be a good method. So I thought I would blog my method.

I believe all of the above to be true for the new builder, but I've found in the years that I've been building that there definite benefits to tapping tops and backs before bracing, after bracing, again after carving the braces, after the top is on the sides, and finally after the box is complete. At first its awkward. You must learn how to hold the plates properly so not to fully impede the vibration. Then you have to learn where they resonant which I've found to be generally the center of the lower bout. Finally you have to learn how to tap it and what to listen for. The main thing that I listen for is the pitch and duration of the tone that the plate produces. For beginners getting the plate to a roughed in thickness and then tapping it periodically through the planing process helps to establish the changes that a plate goes through when it gets thinner.

Once you have a baseline you can start using it to change the overall resonance of the plates. After I brace a top or back I tap it and notice the difference from before it was braced. I then carve the braces a little at a time until I find a nice ringing sustaining tap tone. I generally am not concerned with exact pitches. For example I do not tune a plate to a specific pitch. Although I've found that for certain builds that making the top have a lower pitch did make it sound bigger with fuller bass response, but I couldn't tell you what the exact pitch was. I do strive to keep the top and back plate different pitches from one another to avoid common problems that can occur when that happens. Once the box is together I tap the top then the back in the center of the lower bout and listen through the sound hole to finalize my mental data. All of this doesn't start paying off for many instruments down the line, but it has payed off in the long haul for me and I think the catalog of tap tones has helped me build better and better instruments.

This is the main concern I believe the author of the article has with tap tuning. It is not a text book method. It is a long process that is general in one sense but in another completely dependent upon the individual luthier's ear. It only serves the purpose of allowing a luthier to shape the tonal characteristics of a guitar while they are building it.

The reason I think this method is far superior to measurement alone is that each piece of wood is different. One piece of spruce may ring and sustain while being on the thicker side and another on the thinner side. Then add the brace material, the neck, and the back and sides all being different pieces and types of wood. Wood is organic and therefore so should building be. I do not discount measurement as valuable tool. I use it because it works for the majority of things. It also keeps one from going to far because there are certain limits to how thin a plate can get. But when it comes to making the final touches I let my ear be the judge.

Death and Flooding

2010-04-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to look at the positive things in life when the shit hits the fan. Overall things continue to go well in daily living here at the Reinert household but in the past month, our dog Mickey died, and our house in Las Vegas flooded causing severe damage. A line going to the upstairs toilet broke and since the house was vacant,and no one was there to notice, it caused the ceiling in the downstairs to collapse. It caused major water damage to over half of the house. On top of that we had just got an offer from a buyer on the house. Now we are stuck with it for lord knows how long.

Mickey dying affected me a lot. He went too early. I worked so hard to train him and one day he was gone. It was a sad day. I miss him more and more as time passes. He was a big part of the family and never let you forget he was there. He would come up to me with a ball and drop it, then pick it up, drop it, pick it up...over and over. He was a lover and a licker. I'll never forget his great personality.

I'm working even more hours recently. I have taken on a lot of things that may or may not pay off in the end but they all are good. I just don't have time for much except work. I like it but it does take it's toll. Someday I'd like to make real money doing less work, don't we all. New guitars are coming down the pipeline slowly but surely. I'm writing a few music books based on a great idea that a friend came up with. I'm keeping up the website, designing products, repairing guitars and the list goes on. It seems as though things are really working. We shall see what the future holds. Today things have built up and I feel tired and mentally worn. Many little stresses and a couple big ones have affected my mental state. A new day will come.

Changing Times Changing Weather

2010-04-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Raleigh things have changed a lot. At first Lisa spent all of her time at home with Sara. Now she is working as a part-time nanny. It's great because she can take Sara with here and we don't have to pay for daycare. I thought we were busy when I first moved here but it has become much busier and diversity of business is growing. When we first opened the shop we had a wide range of services that we were offering. This helped pay the bills and get things off the ground. Now that we have a larger client base, each thing is starting to take off, so our workload is far greater than we can handle. Thankfully Clay Conner is working with us and has made it much easier to get things done in a reasonable amount of time.

I've also been playing music with two guys that I met through a mutual friend. We've been playing acoustic instrumental music which I am very excited about. Currently we are continuing to grow our song list and working towards solid recordings and performances. As we get there we'll start releasing material for you all to hear.

In addition to all of this I have been asked to write a series of music theory books for a string company that is just about to launch their product. I was hesitant to take it because I can barely do the work I need to now. But it's a good opportunity and I like the idea behind the strings so I am going to go for it. Many people struggle for work everyday and I am blessed to have more than I can handle.

Depressing or Not

2010-02-01T15:17:00.001-08:00

The human mind and body is quite fascinating to me. It seems that even when all things are on the up and up one can feel like complete garbage. I experienced this yesterday and most of today. There is nothing to be depressed about, yet I am. As I get older I can feel it coming and try to prep myself for it so that I don't rely on the emotions tied to it. I know I will come out the other side fine because I've done it over and over again. But being in it is no fun.

On a lighter note, my teeth are jacked up. I haven't been to the dentist for a couple years now with moving and having no insurance so it's getting to be that dreaded time. I can just feel that they need attention. Metal objects scratching bone, drilling on nerve endings...not overly enjoyable, but necessary.

I'm learning "Have You Met Miss Jones" (Joe Pass Version) and it has been very good for me. It is the type of song that keeps interest with key changes, interesting chord movement and blazing licks. Thanks Joe.

The Better Gene

2010-01-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

When I was 9 I started taking piano lessons at the local music shop. I didn't care much for reading music but I did it because I wanted to be better at playing. I could already play the piano by ear much better than I could read the music. I was writing songs (simple ones) even before I started taking lessons. I eventually quite lessons because of finances if I remember correctly. At that time I was 12 or 13. At age 19 I started playing guitar and devoted myself to it. And my life is what it is because of that decision. There are obviously much better things that have happened to me over the years; my wife and kids being the greatest.

Since a young age I've always had a deep longing to be better at whatever I was working on at the moment. It has never been about competition between myself and other people or to puff up my ego. It's just part of me. It's more of a competition between myself and myself. I think it's an inherited "gene" that makes me this way. It has it's positives for sure. It has allowed me to become great at my job and do lots of really cool stuff. It is certainly tiring. It even creeps into my off time. I can't just simply beat a video game. I must conquer every aspect of it, find all the hidden secrets, beat the hardest level, it becomes work. In my guitar playing I must learn the most complex piece I can handle at the time. Measure by measure I play every note like it occurs on the recording or the sheet music. After I learn it I must figure out how and why it sounds like it does related to theory. I don't even care if I ever perform the song. I will sometimes share it with my friends, more so out of joy of the music than anything.

It certainly comes in handy with my job. Since it's a professional field one has to be good to keep business coming. I am able to learn a lot about any given part of my field if it hits the mark in my brain that says "go for it". I found I have little control of what it is that takes my mind to that place. It seems to be, that when I focus on something or get a good idea, my brain decides for me to either go on without being over excited or to take the thing and run with it. So I try to be selective of what I put in front of me or what I think about for extended periods of time. I have little control of what will consume my time with betterment. The older I get the more I recognize the signs that it's coming and so I've learned to shut off the process early if I catch it. Sometimes I realize I'm in the middle of something that is a waste of time and I'm learning to break the course with certain activities or distractions. Other times I recognize that it will be good for me to learn or do whatever it is that has caught me and off it goes. Hopefully one day I'll have the rhythm down.

2010-01-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

Since opening the shop we've been through a lot of changes and unique challenges. We have so far conquered each obstacle and things have always returned to smooth operation. We are currently facing an interesting and quite positive hurdle. Tons of work! In the beginning I would never have imagined the amount of work that is now in our shop or on our list of things to do. It is a little stressful because we have many customers relying on us to get the work finished on time. I couldn't be more pleased with the positive buzz and the great loyal customers that we have. Clay has been a huge help to us and hopefully he'll be able to work more and more until we can all make enough to keep food on the table. There is nothing like running your own business. The amount of time required to keep it going is off the charts. Websites, product development, repairs, sales, inventory, customer satisfaction, classes, the list goes on and on. Yet these are the things that keep our shop growing in popularity and keep interest with those who visit frequently. This should be a great year in Guru land. Thanks everybody.

Family and Guitars

2009-12-11T04:45:00.000-08:00

Time has literally slipped away this year for me. I would venture to say the reasons are that we added a new family member, new business, teenage daughter, and so on. I certainly could not do it without Lisa. I also would be in deep water if it wasn't for my business partner Howard. It all seems heavy some days but I couldn't be more happy. For the first time in my life I am at a place where I am able to stay emotionally balanced in tough situations versus being all out angry or completely shut down. I can't attribute the change to any one thing.

Before having a family and children I always imagined the beginning stages of parenthood being the most difficult (changing diapers, poor sleep, loss of freedom, etc.) But as I've raised the kids I realize I was quite off in my thinking; although in 10 years I'm sure I'll have yet another view. At the moment I would say having a teen in the home is a big challenge. I feel fortunate because Serenity is really a great person but the level of drama and sneakiness is tough for me.

This day and age is also very different from when we were teens. One thing that I am experiencing is that facebook allows me way more information about Serenity's life than my parents ever had about me. Some would say it's good...but you haven't read the things I have. I would imagine a lot of parents are experiencing the same. I know I'm not saying anything new but it is extremely hard to have your child that you've raised and helped through the years treat you or your spouse with such blatant disrespect. We love her more than she can understand at the moment.

Sara is doing well. She loves Serenity so much and I'm really enjoying this age of innocence. I am trying not to let this time with her just slip away and then come to realize shes grown up, doesn't want to be at home anymore, and curses me behind my back when she doesn't get what she wants.

The store is going well. Business seems to be picking up a little going into the Christmas season. We just had our first student recital and it went very well. I was so impressed by them. They all worked hard and did a great job. Thanks to all the Guru Guitars fans out there. Keep spreading the word!

I hope you all have a great Christmas. I'll see some of you soon.

Wood

2009-05-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have a book that I reference from time to time when I'm in my wood shop. I like it because it was written before I was born and it lays out, step by step, how to build an acoustic guitar with mostly hand tools. It has a lot of good ideas that I like and it's quite large so I always learn something new when I look at it. Nowadays there are tons of luthier supply places that have tools to make the job easier and faster. Sometimes I don't want it to be faster. Building a guitar is special and it should take time and energy. The energy is certainly felt when you pick up a hand made instrument. That being said I do try to streamline my building as to not waste time. There are certain tasks that I have jigs for because they are very time consuming and I do have to make a living. But, when I can, I switch back to a chisel or knife. Slicing a thin layer here and there to get the shape I want is just so rewarding. Plus being able to make a guitar using a hand saw, chisel and knife is freakin' cool. I have a little ways to go before I can do the whole thing with that few tools. One day I'd like to.

Wood is truly an amazing organic material.

Quick Post

2009-05-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

I had my first sick day from Guru Guitars today. It sucked. I have a lot to do. I'm starting feel better but you know how it tends to linger a little at the end. I'm glad it was only a days worth.

Sara cut her two top teeth recently. She's been a ball of fire; takes after Grammy.

Serenity said that I was the best dad today. It made me teary eyed.

I am so thankful for everyone who has been a part of my life yet I seldom do anything about it. If you are reading this then you are one of those people.

Shysters and Posers

2009-05-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

During the short time I've been alive I've found, for the most part, that people choose to do the right thing when faced with tough decisions. It seems as though many folks who would never consider themselves to be spiritual seekers or religious tend to do the moral thing and be honest in their daily lives. I'm always reminded of The Brothers Karamazov when this observation arises because there are some themes in the writing that suggest: people have no reason to be moral when god, karma, judgment, etc are absent from their belief system; and if there is no god than there is no one to answer to. But we still have to answer to fellow man. Even without a spiritual belief system a person must deal with humans on a daily basis. Therefore we must treat each other with respect and courtesy. We must be honest and help one another.

But there are some...the shysters, who have no problem ripping of their neighbors and burning bridges with gallons of gasoline. In the end they reside on a isolated island with no friends and no enemies because they are alone; only by their own doing. It makes me a little sad because they can be kind and nice and maybe even looking for redemption. I deal with them regularly in the business I'm in. It seems as though they often try to redeem themselves by doing something unexpected and regular. But once the arrow is released it cannot be taken back, so I keep up a guard.

The posers do much less harm but still make you wonder; what the hell? In this day and age there are so many avenues to find a person and check up on their validity. But more than that, a person's work shows all. If I claim to be a luthier and the guitar I build is a honk of garbage would anyone call me a luthier? Reading Heidi's comment about people lying about their Pilates experience to get into her class made me think of some things I've experienced recently. Hence, the posers section of today's blog.

Then you have the people who manage to be both at once, which is really a bummer.

The redeeming part is that the vast majority of people I deal with on a daily basis are honest and genuine. That being said we are all messed up in some way. We have our issues, our shystiness, and our insecurities. Thankfully someone has redeemed us, loves us and reaches out to us; all we have to do is look for him.

Mickey O' Neil

2009-04-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

Mickey is our dog. Many of you who are reading this know him or of him. He is very well trained and has a great personality. We lost him for over a day. He left us at 8am on Monday morning and we finally found him today at noon. He had made it to the NC State Campus and was picked up by someone. Thankfully they dropped him off at a vet clinic and they sent him to the SPCA shelter where we had put a lost dog report in.

I felt a sort of sadness yesterday as the time he was away grew longer; but not until this morning did I truly feel the dread that he was gone. He hadn't come home. We searched a bunch yesterday, put the missing reports in, and put up the lost dog add. Lisa felt bad for leaving the door open and we all were afraid that he would not come home again. He is a special creature. He is the mischievous dog that steals the cats food, sneaks a snack from the little kids hands and jumps on visitors with dirty paws, but he is a great part of our family and I am very happy to have him home. Like a lot of other relationships in my life, I have not invested enough time with him, centered around him, and not myself.

2009-04-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Since I've moved to Raleigh I've met a great number of people. We have a growing number of friends every day. Lisa and I really felt a loss of community leaving Las Vegas. We did not expect to have a good group of friends here in Raleigh so quickly. I also did not expect to be so near to family.

I have many relatives here in Raleigh that I didn't know about. Some of us met together last night at my mother's cousins home in Durham, NC. My mom's brother was also visiting from Florida (his daughter lives here as well). The family has a lot of interesting history and so a lot of conversation revolved around years past. It made me happy. I haven't seen any of them for so many years and yet I felt at home.

What is the draw that pulls us to the table to talk about our stories and share our lives together? There's something special about it and more so with family than anyone else.

From my small vantage point it may be a mute observation or a slap in the face to those who have no family or a bad relationship with family, but I've also experienced this same emotion when around friends who were as close as family. Either way I believe it's spiritual. Those who are looking to connect on a deeper level will do so by sharing there lives with each other and not being afraid to connect with those who happen across their path. We are fortunate to have family here and look forward to sharing our lives together.

Raleigh, NC

2009-04-21T05:53:00.001-07:00

Our move to North Carolina was an interesting journey. It started a little over a year ago. A friend I'd met in Phoenix while learning to build guitars called me and said that a great storefront had opened up by NC State. He said it would be worth checking out. So on a whim I flew out to NC and checked it out. We deliberated for a couple days; I flew back to Vegas. After a week Lisa and I had basically decided against it. I'm not 100% sure what the turning point was but within the next few days we both had a strong feeling that we should do it. And so we began the test of nerves and patience. To this day I don't know how we managed to do it all and keep our sanity. I was making trips back and forth to help remodel the store. Lisa was pregnant and working full time. Howard was working non stop trying to get the store finished up while I wasn't there. Some of his closest friends and his dad helped him constantly. At the time we both were building guitars for store inventory and we had to get all the other inventory together which meant searching for cool used stuff and setting up dealer agreements with manufacturers. Not to mention the signs, advertising, security, insurance, permits, the list goes on. I had no idea the amount of time that would go into just opening the doors. Our family was also getting ready to move 2000 miles across the country. Serenity and I, with our cat and dog, drove the long haul in our Honda. Lisa and Sara flew out a few days after we left. We had my truck shipped and a moving company haul the trailer that we packed. We could not have done it without the help of many of our friends in Las Vegas and I will always be thankful for you all. We miss you.

That being said, I'm so glad that we did it. Now the store's open and we are working hard to keep it open. Raleigh is a great place to live. We've met a bunch of great people here. Our neighbors are awesome. I walk to work. Lisa can be at home with Sara for the moment and Serenity will be in a school with an orchestra this coming year. I have quite a bit of family in Raleigh that I didn't even know lived here (my family is gigantic in numbers). We are getting together with them this coming Saturday.

At the moment it's a little scary to look at what we left behind. Amazing friends, health insurance, steady income, job security...but the move was the right thing to do and I don't regret it. It has been a great 6 months and I hope we can sustain our simple lifestyle here for years to come.

Blog Blog Blog

2009-04-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

For a while I was not in any mood to blog. I got tired of it. I'm not sure if I'll continue blogging. I was inspired by Joe Boyd who sent me an invite to the blog network on facebook. I recently met someone who sends newly published books to bloggers for them to read and blog about. It's a unique way to promote new material and I think once in a while I'll do that.