Luthier Build: Dane Nichols

Dane Nichols has been on quite the journey into the world of guitar making. About 25 years ago, he dove into crafting electric guitars after picking up some instructional VHS tapes and Melvyn Hiscock's book. What started as a hobby designing his own guitars turned into a side gig as friends and clients wanted copies of his unique creations.

While Dane has always found time to repair electric and acoustic guitars, it was only in September 2023 when he was able to actually build his first acoustic from start to finish. Actually, it was two 000 12-fret guitars with slotted headstocks.

For his builds, Dane sourced AAA Engelmann Spruce tops from our online shop and scored some beautiful 90-year-old quarter-sawn Mahogany from a fellow builder for the backs and sides. The neck blanks, made from genuine quarter-sawn Mahogany with Ebony fretboards, came from Stew Mac.

Dane discovered us through our YouTube channel and was impressed by our willingness to work in miserable weather. One video where we went to the Vancouver International Guitar Festival showcased the quality of our stock and decided to try them out. Upon receiving the tops in the mail he was really impressed with how well quarter-sawn they are and how tight the grain is.

Transitioning to acoustic guitars wasn't without its challenges, though. Despite his background in cabinet making and guitar repair, acoustics brought new challenges, especially with neck. Mastering the art of side bending on a hot pipe was a real struggle at first, resulting in a few scorched mishaps before Dane got his hands on a used side bender that made all the difference.

Building his first acoustic guitar took Dane about a year, as he was still working during the day and worked on it on nights and weekends. It's a more involved process than solid-body guitars, requiring precision with jigs, molds, and delicate maneuvers.

If you are curious about some of his other work, Dane has his own Youtube channel with videos showing some of his other work.

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