Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of Brian Moss's Guitar: The Raven
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How did you get started as a Luthier? I have been very interested for a long time (built a few parts-casters and lots of guitar rewiring) but never a full build. Would you suggest schooling? I previously looked into Roberto-Venn out in Phoenix but couldn't justify the cost after spending so much on an art degree (not to mention loan repayment has me stuck at my current job). Or is this something better learned through apprenticeship?
Love the Raven - such a great tone from that guitar
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@square_slices said in Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of The Raven:
@andrewthomas @damian
To Andrew: ranch or bleu cheese?
To Damian: you're disgustingFair
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I know nothing about crafting an instrument. Can you tell us a little about what goes into creating tone, why you'd choose different woods, etc... How do you know that the instrument is going to "work" and not come out sounding like a $90 Mexican Strat.
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In which pieces of which songs do you hear the Raven and think - OMFG, it doesn't get any better than this?
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@andrewthomas how did the creative process for making the Raven unfold? where did you start, what were your inspirations along the way, any challenges or unexpected events, etc?
Thank you for creating the instrument that has all of our ears glued to its tones!
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I am curious how often you work on the Raven. I did see you doing some touch ups prior to 2016 Halloween LEL show. Excellent Royal Tennenbaums costume btw!
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This is not something that one learns from youtube videos. Sorry if I missed the explanation on your website, but how did you happen to this profession? I noticed you work on a lot of different instruments. Also do you play?
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Donny or Walter? Elaborate point/ counterpoint if you would please. If you are out of your element on this @damien could perhaps help out.
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Those Shoes??? How about them pants??? How did Andrew squeeze all his junk in those white, disco bell bottoms???
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@uconnwes said in Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of The Raven:
How did the Raven come about? Interested in Andrew's relationship with Brian and how they collaborated on the amazing sounding axe. Did they noodle on design details for days or did Brian provide some general guidance and Andrew ran with it? Why did Brian need the Raven built say vs. sticking with Gibson or a PRS HollowBody? Deetz man, give us the deetz!
This was basically my question. I was at the show when Brian received the guitar and I slightly remember it was a gift from his wife. Did Brian know the guitar was being made?
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So, we starting this party?
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Hello all! Thank you @damian for hosting this Q&A. And thank you all for your interest in my work. I hope to answer your questions in the next 90 min or so, and I will do my best to follow up at a later time if needed. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not thankful I met Brian, and that I have the opportunity to work with Spafford and learn from them and help them where I can. I am so grateful for this community that we have created - that we can all come together like we are now and discuss what we love and share in common.
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@uconnwes I'm here. Hello Wes! I'm working on you question right now...
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@RadiantDarkness I will quickly answer your question now and elaborate in my reply to Wes. You are correct. It was a gift from his wife, Nicole. I'm glad you got to see that show! He was very nervous about playing it that night... but he didn't let it show.
Brian and I had been discussing the guitar for about a year before Nicole came up with the idea to surprise him for his birthday.
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@RadiantDarkness And no, he had absolutely no idea.
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@andrewthomas said in Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of The Raven:
@RadiantDarkness And no, he had absolutely no idea.
Wow! what a gift and amazing wife! I should add that Brian not knowing prob really screws up my collaboration theory!
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@andrewthomas What are the main differences between his previous guitars and the one you built? Have you noticed a change in his playing since making the switch?
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@uconnwes said in Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of The Raven:
How did the Raven come about? Interested in Andrew's relationship with Brian and how they collaborated on the amazing sounding axe.I saw my first Spafford show in the summer of 2013, after @Andrew-Beckius (who pretty much introduces everyone to everyone/everything here in the AZ music scene) for months kept saying, “You have to check out Spafford! You must!” Eventually, my wife, Melinda, and I did just that, and needless to say we were blown away… We saw them every chance we had that summer and fall and eventually, I couldn’t hold back my desire to talk to Brian about his guitars and the possibility of making him a custom guitar.
Melinda and I just got married in October, so I was standing a little taller - a little bit high on my horse - feeling good about myself that year. We went the the 11/24/13 show at the Sail Inn, and I remember my conversation with Melinda that night going something like, “Brian is insanely good. He needs a custom guitar, now. Why is he just playing a Gibson like everyone else?”
I am fairly shy around new people (except maybe behind the mask of a costume), so I needed a little help. With Melinda’s encouragement (and the help of maybe a little too much liquid courage) I went up to Brian after a show and somehow managed tell him what I do and get some info. I actually still have the note saved on my phone:
“November 24, 2013 at 1:21am
booking@spafford.net
Guitar
Les Paul and 339.”
I like the dedicated line for the word “guitar”, just in case I forgot the subject of our conversation.
Brian was really receptive to the idea of a custom guitar but had no idea when we could make it happen. In the meantime we worked out a deal where I would become their local guitar tech in exchange for Melinda and I getting into the shows for free. I’d also learn how Spafford works in case the needed a road tech in the future and I’d find ways I could help. This allowed some time before shows for Brian and I to talk about his current rig and his ideal guitar. Some shows I would bring guitars that I built or had and he would say what he likes and doesn’t like, and that sort of became our groove for 2014. We shared our ideas and learned a lot from each other.
It wasn’t until the fall of 2014 that Brian’s wife Nicole reached out to me and said she wants me to build Brian a guitar for his 30 birthday, but with one catch: it needs to be a surprise. I should have known it was coming becasue at many shows prior Nicole would always say something like, “You two have been talking about this guitar for a while now. It’s going to happen, so you better get ready!”
The whole surprise factor to this equation made the process interesting and fun to say the least. I had already drawn up some concept designs and narrowed down quite a few aspect of the build, but we still needed answers from Brian. Nicole and I were constantly hounding him with very specific questions about guitars. She was even going through guitar calendars and books: “That ebony binding looks really good on the walnut body, right, Brian? Much better than the maple binding, right? And those smaller pearl dots on the fingerboard, rather than those big Gibson ones, yes?” It was that obvious… but Brian is always such a busy bee that I’m pretty sure we could have said “Andrew is ordering tuners for your custom guitar and wants to know if you like gold or nickel hardware…” and may have still gotten away with it. -
@uconnwes said in Q & A: Wednesday 1/10, 5PM Eastern - Andrew J. Thomas, Luthier and Creator Of The Raven:
Did they noodle on design details for days or did Brian provide some general guidance and Andrew ran with it?Brian wanted an amalgamation of his two guitars, his Les Paul double cutaway and his 339. He preferred the tone that he got from the 339 semi-hollow body and its pickups, but missed the 24 frets and playability of his Les Paul.
As far as design goes, I had to follow some rules but Brian always had an open mind and trusted that I knew what I was doing. Certain parts of the guitar had to be symmetrical (the headstock with 3+3 tuners, fretboard inlay dots, f-hole placement, etc.). As for the body shape, I really wanted to design something that suited Brian’s playing style, sort of an aggressive yet elegant combination. -
Thanks for the info! Really cool backstory
