Official Luthiers Forum! :: View topic - Guitar building in Norway

Well not even sure if anyone could make a living building guitars... seems as though it's something that takes a huge amount of skill but have so pitiful return on investment.

Maybe I should take up boat building too...

Imponerende!

I like the look of those slotted headstocks. Are they your own design?

Tai Fu wrote:

Actually, boatbuilding pays just as little as guitar making and it requires a bigger investment to start with. Both are jobs you do because you love doing them, not to make money.

PeterF wrote:

Tai Fu wrote:

Actually, boatbuilding pays just as little as guitar making and it requires a bigger investment to start with. Both are jobs you do because you love doing them, not to make money.

Peter, I have been boatbuilding sins 2003 and its possible. But its hard work to get paid, compare to a desk job. But as you say its not all about the money...

Beautiful guitars. Welcome to the forum.

Some questions...

How do you do a squared headstock slot? Router to as close as you can and chisel and file? How do you make it look good? When I tried it always look rough no matter what. Either the corners are not square or it looks chiseled.

For your ovankol guitar, with that inlay extending into the back, how would one do a neck reset on it? That inlay would make neck removal complicated.

Author:	Hjortland [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:27 am ]
Post subject:	Guitar building in Norway
Hi. Im building acoustic guitars here in Norway. It started around 1999 with trying to build a nylon guitar, but I dident finish. So in 2007 a started again by reading luthier books and internett. The first guitar a got some help from a luthier in Bergen. I was lucky, because sins he lived in a woodenboat ( and im a woodenboat builder) we just helped each other.... At he moment I building 4 guitars. One D,Om,000 and a SJ. I will post some pictures when they are ready. When these are done,I starting 2 euphonon 16". One with the Larson rod inside the box. Eir back side. Adirondack top. All my guitars are of solid wood. The finish are schellack. The great ting about building guitar is when one is finish I want to start building 4 more... Åge

Author:	George L [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Aage, Welcome! It looks like you are off to a great start. Another great thing about building both guitars and boats is that you will never run short of oars. Nice work! Keep those photos coming.

Author:	Tai Fu [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Man that's really good for a first build... it's almost as though you've been building for years.

Author:	Carey [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
That's a lovely first guitar! Can't get enough of those little ones.. are you located near Bergen?

Author:	CharlieT [ Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Really beautiful guitars, Aage. Thanks for sharing the pics.

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Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Thanks for your kind words everybody. Im living in a small town south of Bergen. Fitjar. In Bergen there are a few luthiers building guitars, but only one living of it. Near Stavanger its a small company,Strand Guitar, they are educated builders that went to USA to get building experiens. They build realy nice guitars. Pictures is from the 4th guitar. It has ovankol back side and sitka top. The top is ladderbraced. The guitar has a delicate tone good for fingerpicking.

Author:	Colin North [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:04 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Hi Aage, good to see you have a few builders in your area. Those are really nice guiters. I really like the heel cap idea on the Ovankal guitar, and the overall look of it. Nice one!

Author:	Tai Fu [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:59 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
It sure helps to get a master to mentor you the whole way... where I'm from other builders (especially one making a living at it) isn't easy to talk with so I have to make a go at it all on my own... using the customer's satisfaction to tell me if I did a good enough job.

Author:	Colin North [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:44 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Hey Tai, you're never on your own when you are a member of this forum!

Author:	Sondre [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:51 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Imponerende! I like the look of those slotted headstocks. Are they your own design?

Author:	douglas ingram [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:59 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Welcome to lutherie Åge! I am also a wooden boat builder, working on canoes for the last 20 years. There is alt least on other guitarmaker from Norway who participates here. Arnt Rian in Trondheim, his work is very, very, nice.

Author:	Tai Fu [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:04 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Well not even sure if anyone could make a living building guitars... seems as though it's something that takes a huge amount of skill but have so pitiful return on investment. Maybe I should take up boat building too...

Author:	PeterF [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Tai Fu wrote: Well not even sure if anyone could make a living building guitars... seems as though it's something that takes a huge amount of skill but have so pitiful return on investment. Maybe I should take up boat building too... Actually, boatbuilding pays just as little as guitar making and it requires a bigger investment to start with. Both are jobs you do because you love doing them, not to make money.

Author:	Tai Fu [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:05 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Well is there anything to do with woodworking that makes you decent living? Or there is none? So far most of my "investments" are tied up in paying the landlord and the power company.

Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Douglas: I restore caravel boats up to 80 feet. At the moment putting new frames and celing in a 73 fet cargo ship buildt in 1950. This boat is now us for plesure. The celing and planks are 2,5 inch, so its something els to steam 2mm guitar sides. One of my favorit design is L F Herreshoff Araminta. I recived the plans From Mystic Seaport a few monts ago. Maybe I start building this boat someday..

Author:	Arnt Rian [ Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:56 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Velkommen Åge, vakere arbeider! Stikk innom hvis du er på disse trakter. There are a few more or less professional guitar makers in our country, but about the only way to make a decent living is to do mostly repairs, and lots of them. I started building acoustic guitars about 15 years ago, got commissions early on, I now have a long waiting list etc., but I can assure you it is not an easy way to support a family. Most builders, unless they are single and willing to scrounge by (or they have a very patient and well-paid spouse...), do it part time or on nights and week-ends. Its no different than most other places, I guess. Who is the luthier in the wooden boat in Bergen? I know at least a couple of builders down there

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Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Sondre wrote: Imponerende! I like the look of those slotted headstocks. Are they your own design? Thanks, Its based on headstock design in late 1800. I also like the square slots and the mulit layer headplate. Its a bit work with these slots,but it gives a different look than the round corner slots found on Martin guitars and others.

Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:37 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
PeterF wrote: Tai Fu wrote: Well not even sure if anyone could make a living building guitars... seems as though it's something that takes a huge amount of skill but have so pitiful return on investment. Maybe I should take up boat building too... Actually, boatbuilding pays just as little as guitar making and it requires a bigger investment to start with. Both are jobs you do because you love doing them, not to make money. Peter, I have been boatbuilding sins 2003 and its possible. But its hard work to get payd, compare to a desk job. But as you say its not all about the money...

Author:	Tai Fu [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
I always figure it would work on an island, but I don't know about guitars. There are many boatbuilders in Taiwan but most don't work with wood, they are mostly mass produced FRP stuff. I wouldn't mind getting a job there, except I have no idea where to look. It's not all about money but it sucks when I'm paying bills all day and have seen miniscule income in over 3 months. When I say miniscule I mean one setup in a month, that's it!

Author:	Tony_in_NYC [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Beautiful guitars. Welcome to the forum.

Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Tony_in_NYC wrote: Beautiful guitars. Welcome to the forum. Thanks tony

Author:	Tai Fu [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:57 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Some questions... How do you do a squared headstock slot? Router to as close as you can and chisel and file? How do you make it look good? When I tried it always look rough no matter what. Either the corners are not square or it looks chiseled. For your ovankol guitar, with that inlay extending into the back, how would one do a neck reset on it? That inlay would make neck removal complicated.

Author:	Hjortland [ Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Guitar building in Norway
Tai Fu wrote: Some questions... How do you do a squared headstock slot? Router to as close as you can and chisel and file? How do you make it look good? When I tried it always look rough no matter what. Either the corners are not square or it looks chiseled. For your ovankol guitar, with that inlay extending into the back, how would one do a neck reset on it? That inlay would make neck removal complicated. I first mark the slots the drill out as much as possible. Then use chisel,file and sandpaper to finish the job. Its much worke to get it paralell. To get the corners right I make small sanding sticks, maybe 10x10mm and 10cm long. I have many times tougth about making a router jig for slotted head, but this metod also works.. To do a neck reset on the ovankol, I have to remove the inlay. Or chisel it away and make a new one. Its correct it makes the reset more complicated.