Malachy on guitar making

On making my guitar in Goa:

I worked for three weeks with Chris Horton, the most laid back luthier on the planet at Jungle Guitars, check out the website: www.jungleguitars.com.

I can’t recommend this course enough for anybody into playing guitar or working with wood in general. It’s an awesome way to spend a few weeks, not only do you get a priceless guitar (seriously my guitar is hand made from solid wood, a Malachy original!!!), but a wonderful experience in a chilled out learning environment. I found the process of shaping the wood wholly consuming, clearing my mind in an almost meditative way!

The course runs for about three weeks, working from 10am to around 3pm (schedule depends on daily progress, how many tea breaks etc) Monday to Friday- not exactly intensive but allows for a wonderful balance of work and play. As you can see the workshop is out in the jungle, literally outdoors under a banana leaf roof and a few beams suspending some fans!

There are just four workbenches, keeping the course intimate, and a tool bench which mainly houses hand tools, hence I built my guitar almost exclusively by hand: a unique feature offered on this course.

On my first day I met my sheets of wood that would eventually sing to me! The days were spent moulding and shaping the wood using saws, rasps, chisels, planes and other hand tools. I had a homework assignment on my first night: to design my rosette- the pattern around the sound hole. In keeping with the theme of our travels I decided to try to incorporate a compass design onto the guitar. This is not a case of drawing it on - each letter was carved out and fitted into the soundboard. See what you think (the 'E' is on the guitar head):

Chris is a really great guy, so easy to talk to and the days just flew by. As a teacher he was relaxed, informative and encouraging. Any mistake could be corrected; he instilled in me a new love not only for guitar making, but for wood work in general. I can’t wait to get my hands on some tools when I get home (Joe are you down with that?).

After the first two weeks an American couple- Rustin and Kelsi, arrived to jointly make a guitar and co-incidentally they were also just married and on a round the world honeymoon! Needless to say the work began to slow somewhat due to longer tea breaks, they were really fun interesting people and the conversation flowed becoming boisterous at times! Chris had to occasionally intervene and remind us that he needed to get home before dark! But that didn’t stop us from bringing our chats to dinner on a number of occasions and we hope to meet up at some stage in the future.

The final stages of the making the guitar involved a lot of sanding- which Stephanie helped out with (helped/hindered??- Chris suggested that less work was completed when the spouses were present; although never discouraged anyone from actively participating). I finally lacquered my baby, put on the strings and set it up. It needed a night to settle in, I waited with baited breath for my first born to cry in tune and she didn’t let me down, sounds fantastic! The intonation is perfect and the action nice and low- just how I like it.

If you are in anyway interested in this course, go to Goa and just do it!!!