Don’t forget to humidify in Vermont winter! I was using two “big room” humidifiers previously in the shop but both crudded-out a couple weeks ago after almost 15 years of service. I can’t really complain!
I finally found one I liked (this 5 gallon, 2000 sq ft, Lacidoll, ~$200) and am glad to have one running again. This thing has no problem keeping the shop humidified for real and I have to run it on its lowest output for the most part. It’s shocking how much less expensive ultrasonic humidifiers are these days, too.
A local young fella has been getting some training in the shop and has slowly been getting this weirdo project bass (he bought it as an unfinished husk with no frets and whatnot) into a playing state. It’s getting close! I hope he wants to stick with the work because he’s a fast learner and I’d love to have more hands on deck going into the future.
Another friend of mine is tempted to start the instrument hack-and-slash lifestyle as well and we all prefer bass, so we'll see where this goes. It might be dangerous. I have more work than I can ever do myself and have been turning-away long term work with the expectation it may take years due to a huge backlog of short-term work that's clogged the pipes.
If I can figure out how to get these guys going and figure out how to get them paid, perhaps we'll be on the route to the expansion I desperately need so I can help more people get their instruments fixed. There are a lot of you out there and I'm forever grateful for the job security. You're all great!
This Oscar Schmidt mandriola (12-string mandolin) is yet another trashed bowlback in the “gifted bowlback” pile. I’m thinking I will need to do something ridiculous like make a multi-neck electric mandolin or something… maybe find a similarly-shaped object that can be retrofitted into bodies for all these old bowlback necks? Who knows!
It's mighty tempting to also just stick a big piece of mahogany end-to-end inside the body and figure-out how to make it electric but with a crushed top for "looks." Ideas! No time!
A pair from “Jake’s Room” will be heading to the shop for sale — a nice 1950s 3-string Russian balalaika with moose/elk inlay and a Jake-made 4-string electric mandolin with a fitting, thin-depth, old hard case.
Part of being in business is to know when to quit making dumb choices ("Sure I'll take that in trade! Sure, I can wait until...") and stick a few more paddles in the water, so to speak.
This year has been rough for everyone but the fat cats, financially, from what I've heard through shop-talk therapy sessions. Yeah, I know why you all visit! The cat's out of the bag, folks.
Meanwhile, we’ve been playing this game called Windward with our older daughter Oona and I'm fairly obsessed. Sky whaling! Pirating! Daring-do!
I finally got the hang of using the "longboats" in the game and won my first game by slicing up a bunch of itty-bitty skywhales. They've all been pretty close matches, though!
So far it's Oona (3), Mama (1), me (1). Bonnie beat us good while Oona and I were busy trying to sink one another's ships in one game.
Yep! Don't try to logic it.Also, having a few days off around Thanksgiving meant plenty of proper cocoa (these last ones are Bonnie's pics)...
...plenty of food......and plenty of yin-yang catting.
Hopefully your Thanksgiving was good, too. We had a really quiet one as our younger kiddo Elsa was sick with a fever and so we didn't make the trek down to Connecticut to visit family this year.
I also lost a friend of mine recently and that hit me a bit hard because it was unexpected and sudden. There's been too much of that the past few years. It got me checking-in on folks! I'll write a bit later-on about him as he was quite a character -- inspiring and interesting and fiercely intelligent -- and a fellow tone-chaser also fascinated by all the weird toys.
So -- I'm thankful for lots of things this year, but above-all I'm thankful for family and friends, shelter and food, and work worth doing. We weirdos have to stick together, y'hear?
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