Nathan Rigney
When did you start building?
I started in 2016.
Do you build as a hobby or professionally?
Hobby.
How did you learn to build guitars?
At the time, I was ending my run as a touring musician, so I had a lot of van time. I watched hundreds – maybe thousands – of hours of youtube videos during this time. I was always into woodworking and thought this would be a perfect way to combine my two passions.
What’s your favorite part of guitar building?
My favorite part is carving the neck. I saw a woodworking meme, once, that basically said, “Cut away everything that doesn’t look like a guitar,” and that is literally what you are doing when carving a neck.
What’s your least favorite part?
The fact that there isn’t more time during the day to do more guitar building!
Is there a guitar-building skill you want to improve?
I am still working on my skill with hand planes. I would love to eventually get to a point where I can build a guitar exclusively out of hand tools.
What was your most recent build?
I am currently working on a telecaster that is partly made out of a Napa wine barrel that I dismantled.
What are you planning to build next?
A hollow-body Jazzmaster.
Favorite tools?
The Shinto Saw Rasp. That thing is just a beast.
What Potvin templates do you use?
Telecaster, Parlor, Mustang, Jazzmaster – Basically all of the guitars I always wanted to own but never could buy.
What was your building experience like before using Potvin Templates?
Was there a time before Potvin templates? Actually, I have only built one guitar without a Potvin template.
How have Potvin Templates helped you in your builds?
In my previous woodworking, I never used templates for anything, so I didn’t even think about it. In my first build, I used a to-scale printout and glued it to the wood. It worked well enough, but then I discovered templates and I doubt I’ll ever do it differently again.
Are you a better builder or player?
Probably player, but I’m working on the building.
What’s your favorite band, or style of music?
I listen to a wide variety of music but currently I’m on a funk kick – Sly, Parliament, Herbie Hancock.
Got any non-guitar hobbies?
I recently started a music blog/monthly playlist email blast. I was bored of listening to the same things all the time and I made it a priority to find new music from all genres, from all around the world. I started making a 20 song monthly playlist of things I was listening to – new (to me) and old – and it has kind of bloomed into this project called unsolicitedpretentiousmusicadvice.pizza. No desire to monetize at all, I just want to contribute to the music experience.
Anything else you want us to know?
I am honored to have caught the attention of Mike. He’s out there taking requests and making our lives easier!
Where can people find you?
Instagram @natefrogguitars for guitars (more like a photo journal of what I’ve built), @upmadvice.pizza for music; Twitter @upmadvice; unsolicitedpretentiousmusicadvice.pizza
See some of Nathan’s work in this video where I feature his and other customers’ awesome guitars!
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