While Kermit wasn't singing about guitar building, the lyric still applies. The reality of building guitars today, especially in a large production setting, is that it can be a toxic, very non-environmentally friendly process. Big manufacturers have come under fire for depleting forests in search of tonewood and exotic veneer. Some finishes they use contain highly toxic compounds. The 21st century, mechanized manufacture of guitars relies heavily on CNC routing which turns most of the lumber into waste wood.
The DIY guitar builder can actually be worse than the big manufacturers. Youtube videos of amateur builders time and again show unsafe and potentially hazardous handling of materials. No eye, ear, or respiratory protection gear in sight! Joe Luthier trying to spray a 'burst on a'59 Les Paul copy in his garage is likely spewing all sorts of volatile organic compounds into the air. (and his lungs!) Wood dust, nickel in hardware/frets, solvents and finishes all create their own potential problems.
I believe there is a solution, and abiding by a few key principles will go a long way toward creating guitars that are beautiful, sound great, but won't make the builder or player sick. I'm my own "canary in the coal mine:" My neurological issues (hemiplegic migraines & Parkinsonism) let me know right away if I'm handling something problematic, or in an unsafe manner. That said, here are a few key principles that govern how I build guitars:
1. Use only wood that is reclaimed, FSC certified, or "farmed." (A big shout out to
Oregon Wild Wood. They provide "Cerificates of Source" for their tonewoods.
Luthiers Mercantile also indicated when its fretboards & necks are FSC certified.) Also, use everything! I'll be posting how I milled several bodies, necks, pickup rings, truss rod covers, and other odds & ends from the huge slab of mahogany I purchased from St Charles Hardwood.
2. Use no finishes and solvents that are high VOC content. No nitrocellulose for me! I use a modified French polish finish that uses alcohol as the solvent (only danger is getting tipsy!), and shellac as the finish. Shellac is what the food industry often uses to coat things like candies.
3. Use appropriate dust control measures whenever milling lumber, and avoid those wood species known to cause the worst health issues. I use a mask, but a honkin' dust collection system with HEPA filtration is for my family & neighbors too. ALL wood species can potentially cause irritation, but the really exotic ones I just won't use.
4. Limit potential problems caused by nickel & lead that may be in the hardware, frets, and electronic components. I'm more at the mercy of the manufacturer here, as I don't do my own metal millwork. I do use steel, brass or aluminum when possible when choosing components. I'm also trying EVO non-nickel fretwire on my next build as well.
Finally, I believe a great guitar is created like a work of art, not manufactured like a toaster oven. The finished instrument should be something that invites you to pick it up and play it, and reward and inspires the player.
