I'm not a luthier...

I really need this explaining to me because it comes up frequently when questions are asked. Why do people preface ill-informed opinion by stating "I'm not a luthier..." ? How can anyone give informed advice - and this is what this forum exists for: real experience, real advice - when they haven't had the experience. I'm mystified It would be like me advising the dentist who has just pulled my tooth this afternoon, how to perform the proceedure wouldn't it?

Maybe people are just trying to help, but are just quantifying their help as 'amateur' help, rather than it being a professional opinion?

Or maybe they're just saying they're 'not a luthier' in case anyone accuses them as passing themselves off as such?

I'm not a car mechanic, but I know a bit about certain cars. I'm not a musician, but I have a knowledge of certain things musical. I'm not a professional sportsman, but I know a fair bit about many sports.

I don't think there's any intention of deliberately misleading anyone .......

Well, I'm not a psychologist but.........

I'm not a prognosticator.... but I don't foresee anything coming of this thread that is positive for anyone. Just my unqualified 2 cents.

hoosierhiver said:

Well, I'm not a psychologist but.........

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Haha good one!

There is no accreditation to become a luthier vs. a dentist. People go to luthiery school but I'm sure some don't.

Many times the advice given is read and just build so probably some have taken that advice and can build an instrument so using personal experience.

Then there's people like me who read many threads and try to regurgitate someone else but usually in the wrong context. LOL

I'm a luthier, but that doesn't stop me from giving advice of which I have absolutely no experience.

Just because someone says they are a Luthier , doesnt mean their advice is good either. Just like in life , you have to sift through the crap to find the truth.

I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV

HELLO...THE UKULELE WAS CREATED BY NON-EXPERT LUTHIERS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!
I'm sure the expert luthiers of the time thought those Hawaiians were foolish.
Sometimes I'm glad the non-experts tried something new.....light bulbs, cars, PC's, etc. But yeah, most of the time the idea is crap

I am not a Lutheran, nor do I play one on TV, but the disclaimer helps to give weight, or context, to the comment. It is up to the reader to judge relevance.

Well, I'm not a proctologist, butt....

DewGuitars said:

Well, I'm not a proctologist, butt....

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Ahhhh ha ha ha!!

Ahh, Pete, so good to see the curmudgeon come out. Sometimes it's lonely here in the cranky old farts corner...

Obviously, another one that gets me is when folks ask for advice and then get it...often surrounded by questions...and then they bitch about being asked to more clearly explain themselves...since they clearly wanted a really dumb-ass simple answer...when that would not be appropriate if one of us who does know what we're talking about chose to tell the real truth.

This whole thing about "can I shine up a satin finish"... The only simple answer is "Maybe yes, maybe no". But if you don't even have a clue as to what the finish is, can there be an answer?

I don't mind claiming that I'm a luthier. I seem to fit the WikiPedia definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luthier I do object to kit builders calling themselves "makers" or "luthiers"...particularly the parts Strat builders and their ilk. I think one should know how to build nearly all the parts of the instruments...and to do so...to really be considered a luthier/builder. And there are some repair luthiers who truly deserve the honorific title...Frank Ford, T.J. Thompson, Dan Erlewine come immediately to mind. And I do remember Michael Gurian once coming up to me at some talk at a luthiers' convention and saying "You and I are the only ones here who could build a guitar with a brief case worth of hand tools." No matter how much we tool up, it is really gratifying to have a foundation in hand tool work. I love how my CNC machine carves necks. I have no problem using a drawknife, spokeshave, and Nicholson #50 either when that is appropriate. And it can be faster!

But the Internet makes all who can type and snap a photo on their phone into ultimate experts... It's up to us to edit.

For myself who's been hobby making instruments for 12 years on and off I wouldn't ever claim to be a luthier - I'd leave that to the pros who make part or all of their income from it. I always say I have an interest in lutherie rather than immodestly claim more than I'm entitled to. Plus I'd be loath to give advice on anything I don't have direct experience of in any field. I was wary of saying the other day to someone that it's possible to mod a Stewmac circle cutter to cut uke-sized rosette channels and soundholes!

And I do try to research a subject before asking about it on a forum. The HVLP thing has me flummoxed because it's only words and pictures on a screen at the moment.

Rick, kind of a side-note here, but since you cited Wikipedia.... Your entry is interesting - reflects a long history in the industry... points out that you don't suffer fools (fair enough).... And then compares you to Simon Cowell So there's another example of working through some crap (Simon Cowell, really?) to find some truth (your experience/accomplishments) - that's the Internet for ya.

This is about the neck-reset thread, isn't it?

The Internet is a fabulous tool...and you have to be very careful about taking things at face value. It's the great un-edited Ganges of information...holy and filled with s** at the same time. You have to know how to ask of it; you have to be careful with that which you receive. But much (not all) is there.

Try, for instance, Googling yourself...you're probably there. Now try Googling your parents...maybe...or grandparents or beyond...probably not. Drops off pretty quickly! Yet my youngest son has a blog...

Rick Turner said:

The Internet is a fabulous tool...and you have to be very careful about taking things at face value. It's the great un-edited Ganges of information...holy and filled with s** at the same time. You have to know how to ask of it; you have to be careful with that which you receive. But much (not all) is there.

Try, for instance, Googling yourself...you're probably there. Now try Googling your parents...maybe...or grandparents or beyond...probably not. Drops off pretty quickly! Yet my youngest son has a blog...

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The great un-edited Ganges of information... simultaneously holy and full of s** indeed - That's the most apt metaphor I've ever run across for the Internet. I'm just going to go ahead and tell you that I am stealing/adding that one to my vocabulary.

And I think a lot of people use the Internet for googling themselves.... although I may be talking about something much less appropriate

well put rick
i have been using the same stone knives for 40 years.
post-fire pete , fellow curmudgeon

Rick Turner said:

It's the great un-edited Ganges of information...holy and filled with s** at the same time.

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Can that be a sticky all by itself? If not I'm getting that tattooed on my body somewhere so that neither I nor anyone I talk to ever forgets it.