Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, after 7 years in New Zealand, my wife gets a call out of the blue -- "How'd ya like to work in Kenya". Didn't see that one coming, but after some discussion and a quick trip to Addis Ababa and Nairobi, we bit the bullet and said "why not?" Not as if it's the first exotic location we've lived: China, Tunisia, the US (seemed pretty exotic to us Canucks) and then New Zealand. The thing that had changed was that I had gotten into guitar making in a relatively serious way. No way I was giving that up -- the whole kit and caboodle would have to come with us.

Packed everything into a container on December 17 in New Zealand. The thing took 4 different vessels to find its way to Kenya, and spent 5 extra weeks sitting on a dock in Port Elizabeth while things cooled off after the Kenyan National elections. Finding a house to rent was easy -- finding one with a potential workshop was a LOT harder. But, we found one, and on April 20 the container showed up at our door.

All of the guitars made it in good shape -- we'd done our best to insulate them in the middle of the load -- and the only damage we've seen so far is a broken brass fitting on the compressor. The movers did a stellar job.

Everything would probably be set up by now, but I fell through a glass door on Sunday, requiring surgery to repair severed muscles and blood vessels. Kinda sore and can't do bugger all with my right arm, but there's no nerve damage and the fingers seems to work OK. After 4 long months wondering about the fate of our personal effects, they're finally here and I'm stoked!

You might ask "Is there a big community of guitar makers in Kenya?" So far, I know of only one builder of solid body electrics/basses. Gonna be interesting to see how the market will develop. And I've already discovered the reality of supply issues (high shipping costs and astronomical duty and tax). If you're coming to visit, just know that you'll likely be asked to be a "mule".

Let the African adventure begin ...

Just think of how easily you can now obtain "exotic" (now for you domestic) woods! Very cool. Wish you the best in your recovery and new location.

Short hop (9 1/2 hrs) to Duncan Africa in Mpigi Uganda....
Heal well....

Good luck with the healing and the shop setup. Should be a interesting adventure.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Great story & great adventure Tim ('cept for the glass door part!).
Good luck!

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Dave
Milton, ON

Geez....NZ wasn't exotic?? Hope you get to like Nairobi.

Yep, coulda done without the glass door. Life is full of surprises, but I'd rather not take on any blood products while I'm here, thank you.

Yes, have found Duncan and his operation in Uganda and maybe we'll find a way to meet up. Also have a guy wanting me to start a local factory, but that's not really my interest. This my second career, indulging my art, not industry.

We have a friend who teaches at an international school there.
Have fun and enjoy a new culture!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Interesting. We have a French teacher from the ISK living next door. Really is a small world.

Wow Tim, sounds like a grand adventure. Enjoy!

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

The glass incident sounds scary, but I'm green with envy about the rest of your adventure. I hope you have a wonderful time there.

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George :-)

Wow, glad you're okay after the glass. As George said, that sounds scary. This sounds like a really great opportunity. Not for me, per se, but a cool opportunity nevertheless. Are you having any issues with electrical power conversions at all? I've always wondered if all countries adhere to similar standards for power distribution and receptacles etc.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

So how do you get consistent electricity there? I heard most third world countries have very inconsistent electrical service.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Let the adventure begin! Sounds like a fun ride. Best of luck.

Danny

We are quite experienced with electrical challenges. Really, there are only 3 distinct power supply standards: North America's 120V, 60Hz; Japan's 100V 50Hz; everybody else at 230V 50Hz. Adapting most things is rarely more complicated that transforming the voltage and adapting to the local receptical pattern. Here in Kenya, they generally use UK-style plugs, but they're dirt cheap, so changing things over not a problem.

We've got a collection of tranformers and adapters from our various travels and overseas assignments. My office computer runs on a New Zealand power bar, no need to change all the plugs, just the connection to the supply. The workshop stuff is both 120 and 230, but most can run from power bars or a simple extension, so again no need to swap much. I've got 2 transformers that deal with most conversion, and my Delta table saw runs better on 230 anyway (dual voltage wiring) -- a little slower, but more torque.

Electricity consistency is another question. I've just spent the better part of $500 on UPS equipment and various protection devices, but that's nothing compared to what we paid for a generator to run the house AND the security systems. We have at least one guard on duty 24/7 (2 at night) and one of his jobs is to fire up the generator when the power fails -- which is pretty much every time there's a heavy rain -- and it's now rainy season. The guards also call the calvary when the master of the house takes on glass doors and requires hospital transport, stat! We had 6 security officers here within 3 minutes when I fell through the door.

Living in third-world countries entails a number of risks. You accept them, or you don't stay.

You must be super rich to be able to afford security guards... unless it's cheap by your standard.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

reading between the lines, it would appear as if the move was because of Tim's wife's work situation...and hence I would assume costs such as security (along with moving) were being borne by the employer...

Mike had a good read on it. My wife's employer did pick up the tab on the move and virtually require us to have 24/7 security and monitor our alarm system. This is true for virtually every internationally recruited employee at her institute, regardless of rank, and for the various other NGO and government missions in Kenya. Nairobi has attracted many such organizations by offering a variety of concessions equivalent to diplomatic status. But, it cannot claim to be a safe city. Our house compound is quite typical: electric fence, razor-wire topped walls, security lights, a "safe room", steel grills covering every door and window, electronic alarms, locks everywhere. Yes, it feels a bit like a prison and is most certainly a different way of life.

Are you allowed to own a firearm to protect yourself, or is that only for the security guard?

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Security guards are generally not armed -- only police and military. Yes, I can own a firearm, and in fact I'm in the process of getting the appropriate paperwork to import my two fullbore match rifles for use in competitions here. They couldn't come in with the container, as there was no way to get the certificate before trying to clear customs -- they would have been seized (and likely vanish). I dropped them off with my brother in Canada on my way here.

Hi Tim, sounds like you and your other half are used to facing challenges.
Sorry to hear about your accident, bummer.
I thought I had a hard time after argument with a Stanley knife!
I hope you mend quickly, and to hear from you again on the forum with more pictures.
Best of luck in your stay in Nairobi.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.