Luthier, Fretted instrument restorer.

[Kevin Hall]

For over 35 years I've been able to hide from an honest days' work by building guitars ( mostly acoustic), a few banjos, and restoring old 'uns. These days I am about 90% retired, but still do a few restorations that are interesting to me ( mostly pre-war Martins) and build a few guitars and ukes when it's too cold to play outside.

I've done warranty work for C.F. Martin for 30 years on and off, and worked for the company for a while in the late 70s, so am well versed in the strengths and weaknesses of that product line.

My own instruments are marketed under the name 'Timberline'.

I'd be happy to help any club members who need guitar work or advice, especially if they favour the older instruments as opposed to new, off-shore stuff. If any of you fancy trying to build your own instruments I can help out with materials and design guidance.

My 'Coals to Newcastle Dept.' is currently building a $4,000 ukulele for a chap in Hawaii. Comical, that; a bush-dwelling Canadian hermit making ukes for Hawaiians. <G>

K.Hall
Timberline Guitars,
Rockingham, Ont.
613-757-3027

[Ken McAdam]

Thats gotta be the coolest job I have ever heard of. While I do not play anything more difficult than a CD player I can certainly respect such a talented profession.
Just had to comment (ya I know what new with that? )

[Sean]

This thread is a year old but..... I have a few guitars, all off shore 1's I have 1 Strat copy and there are really thin cracks where the necks attached to the body, should these cracks be fixed or are they just some sort of stress cracks in the wood?

Thanks

[frasermanx]

I restore and repair saxophones for students, noobies, collectors, players and pro players --- VRRA members will get a discount ! I have also ridden, repaired, raced many motorcycles since 1959. Mostly now in the past I worked on film crews as sound recordist, cameraman and occasionally made a 16mm film. 1972 24hr. race at Mosport for example which at the time was the only privately financed 1/2hr. film ever shown on CBC-TV about motorcycle racing.

Fraser

[Kevin Hall]

Hi Fraser; If you're a horn man and have been racing bikes since '59 you're probably old enough to remember Fraser McPherson the west coast jazz guy. In the late 60s I was a green kid working at a little music store in Vancouver; Coda Music, and Fras. was a good friend of the owner. I was doing some guitar work, but had no idea which end of a sax the music came out of.

McPherson had a collection of every size in the flute family from piccolo to bass flute, and he wanted them all fitted with the then-new Gibson Maestro electric pickups and effects unit. These were solid silver instruments, each one probably exceding my total net worth at the time.

The store owner, Gav Hussey, told me to drill every head joint and instal the pickups. No drill press, no experience, no clue. I forget whether I had to tap them as well or if those pickups were just epoxied in, but I did have to drill them all and do the instal. To me all that air-powered family of instruments were bowling trophies and plumbing supplies but the boss said 'do it' and it was done.

McPherson was a stunning player and a really nice guy in spite of being the biggest noise in town in the jazz scene at the time. Braver man that I am, turning all that costly hardware over to a dumb kid. Anyway we got away with it and he was happy with the work but I still think about drilling those holes in my darker moments.

The same week Fras went into the studio to record multiple tracks for the Datsun " More For Your Money Car" jingle using those flutes; one take each track.

Seems to me I've seen you advertise some old Norton bits on the site. Do I have the right guy?

KH
Timberline Guitars and Ukes
Rockingham, ON

[frasermanx]

Yup met Fraser MacPherson in Toronto about 1978. Funny 'cuz we both extended our hands to shake and said at the same moment "Hi Im Fraser" ! ...but never saw him after that.

Never had Norton parts forsale but my pals have Commandos... although I do have some GSXR parts extra and I did own about 5 Nortons during the 60's '52 Domin, '48 Inter, '55 Manx SS, '52 long stroke Dohc, '62 Manx ( new )

I know what you mean about doing work for the first time without guidance but being super careful and patient has helped me through many a crisis of confidence.

In the 60's I was a very serious racer at Mosport on Manx and TD1c ... Canadian GP etc. Hopefully I will be able to get a bike out for the VRRA meet at Mosport ... maybe it will be my '90 GSXR if it can qualify in any category. I'd like to get a lap in at under 1:50 which despite my creaky body I think is possible -- that GSXR reminds me of a futuristic Manx !! Wow we would have loved that bike back then !!! What 30 years of development can do !!

Fraser

http://ecommons.net/~frax/sax/