Guitar Builder who doesn't own a guitar....until.....

[Karl Hoyt]

It's amazing to think that I've been building all kinds of stringed instruments for decades now and I don't own one myself! OH.......I have kept instruments for myself over the years, but it seems that my nephews (there are six that play bass or guitar) tend to call and say stuff like 'Uncle Karl..... My electric died,,,,, do you have an instrument kicking around? ". Goodbye personal instrument. I keep having the delusional idea that I'll get right to work to replace the missing guitar.....not. THEN my grand daughter asked me for a guitar. She was the only 8 year old with a hand built walnut and Sitka acoustic. She's moved on to a squire strat that I found for her.

Up until last June I have been teaching guitar building at a high school on Cape Cod and every year I build 1-2 alongside my students, then I'd donate them or sell em cheap to put the money back into the class. So on the '14-15 school year I decided enough was enough.. And I built a 12 fret 000 style guitar with a black walnut body, Engelmann spruce top (Sitka bracing), curly maple binding and Brazilian Rosewood faceplate, fingerboard and bridge.

Here's the sad part. I closed up the box in June of '15. But didn't finally finish it until this week.

It was worth the wait! That sweet 000 tone, nice balanced sound. I might not build anything for a while because I'm having a blast I can't wait until that Engelmann opens up over time!

Here are a few pictures......

[David King]

Way to go Karl!. It's a splendid looking instrument.
I have a classical but I never play it so the strings are always corroded and broken.

[Jason Rodgers]

Very nice! But, c'mon man, let's see a full shot of the back.

I was without a solidbody electric for about 9 years because I sold em to buy tools, so I know that feeling of being without.

Good on ya for finding a place to teach guitar building in a public school. As a music teacher offering 2 of only 5 electives in my school, I know how kids need hands-on courses that get them out from behind the desk.

[Karl Hoyt]

O.k., Mr. Rodgers... Here's a shot of the back.

You'll notice that I didn't try and keep the guitar totally original to a 12 fret 000. The neck was a cast-off blank from a student who left the class, the tuners are the Kluson jazz style tuners that I got a great deal from WD music on. I had a recycled bridge blank that came off of a 1950's D-28 and a teeny stash of Brazilian rosewood for the faceplate veneer and fingerboard. I figure that it was a guitar for me... I didn't need to be historically accurate.....Oh... The body is a bit deeper than a stock 000 as well

I was fortunate that I was already working in this high school as a social worker/bad boys counselor, and when (after 23 years) I was looking to make a change, it just so happened that the wood shop teacher was retiring. I was lucky enough to take that position and for the last 16 years taught generic woodworking and guitar building. A fun departure from what I did in my former life.

[Rodger Knox]

That's really nice. How much did you say you wanted for it?

[Karl Hoyt]

That's really nice. How much did you say you wanted for it?

Haha Mr. Knox......I've lost a couple personal instruments to people who saw them and had to have them... But this one is staying here! .

[Karl Hoyt]

But just for arguments' sake, what's your offer , Roger?

No , no .... Just kidding!