I’ve learned a lot in the past 25 years of building basses under my own name, acoustic guitars for Dana Bourgeois, violins & cellos for Jon Cooper and electric guitars under my own name. I think the most important thing I’ve learned is that a person’s music, or the instrument a person chooses to express their music on, is personal. You could hand the same instrument to twenty different players and the music you’d hear would be expressed twenty different ways. I think this is what makes music so special. It’s as individual as each one of us.
And because our music is as individual as we are, so is our individual taste in instruments. For someone to say this guitar is better than that guitar, I think, is us as humans trying to impose our will or desires onto another person. The fact is the best guitar is the one that inspires each guitarist to allow the music that they feel and hear to flow out of them and through their gear. Dosn’t it make you wonder what Hendrix’s music might have sounded like if he would have fallen in love with a Les Paul instead of a Strat?
So, as a Luthier, I’ve come to realize that each component in the makeup of someone’s guitar is as personal to them as the guitar itself. For me to say this radius fingerboard is better than that radius, or this scale length is better, or these pickups are better is just my opinion. What really matters is, will this guitar I, or any other Luthier, builds for you, not only inspires the music you feel but allows it to flow from you, because the radius of the board feels right or the scale length is what you like or the sound coming from your gear is exactly what you wanted to hear.
Which brings me to this point: I love guitars. I love playing them, listening to them and I especially love designing and building them with the hope that whoever buys one will fall madly in love with it. So to try to make sure that everyone who owns one of my guitars falls in love with it, Richard and I are now offering any of the models we build with your choice of scale length or fingerboard radius along with all our other options.
All I want to do is build the finest guitar I can build that will allow each individual musician to let their music flow.
For those of you who own my guitars I thank you and love you for allowing me to do what I love so much.
I hope to make more friends like you.
Respectfully.
Chuck Thornton
April 21st, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Well said, Chuck. As one who is campaigning hard to become President of the Chuck Thornton Fan Club, this is more great news from the shop. I can honestly say that is why I come to you FIRST. I can’t imagine anyone taking their craft more seriously. Your love of your work and all things guitar show in your shop, your choice of materials, your attention to quality, your focus on each customer’s joy, and in each guitar you build. Enabling full choices of scale length and radius is another positive step towards earning the delight of every new customer. Since becoming a CPT Fanatic just 4 short years ago, I am truly blown away with the innovations and the design improvements you have blessed the music world with during that time. I’m grateful for WHO you are as well as WHAT you do. I can’t imagine where you’re headed next.
Jay
April 21st, 2010 at 6:33 pm
I totally agree with Jay and I will nominate him to be President of the Chuck Thornton Fan Club.
I believe opening the path for each person to build their instrument of choice is a great offering.
I think it will be quite challenging for you Chuck as there are a lot of details to keep track of for each customer but it will truly allow people to have personally unique instruments if they so choose.
I am so fortunate to have 3 different CpThornton instruments, fourth on the way, and they are truly unique unto themselves.
I think this is a great choice Chuck and will be great to see what instruments and options people choose as time goes by. Now about a nice…..Jazz box….
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:31 am
Production guitars are just stepping stones. If that’s what you’re happy with, then who’s to argue?And yes, Gibson and Fender certtainly paved the way. But, until you have a guitar built for you, you will never know the difference. If I may be so bold, owning a CP Thornton makes it a CP “Dave”, or CP “Jay”, or CP “Lou.D”, and all the other CP owners. Having a guitar built becomes so much an extension of the player, and Chuck listens to the customer, then uses his skills to craft a work of art. Certainly a challenge in and of itself, to offer more options, but “nothing you can do that can’t be done”. An artist or craftsman have to grow, and by offering more will allow you to do this, Chuck. And who knows? This may open up new ideas in design, all to craft a better guitar. The passion is inbred, and it shows. Look out Montreal!
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:34 am
Right on Chuck!
You are one of the hardest working men I’ve ever known. Always dedicated to perfection, service, and sound.
Well done.
April 28th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Hey, nobody told me the CPTFC was holding their first meeting!
Sitting here surrounded by hand-shaped tone machines from our friend, and club provost, Chuck Thornton. As hours of practice and play time pile higher the wisdom of tone is revealed. Our skills get honed and the tones of our head get more complex. We need instruments that can generate those sounds from a cerebral concept to life. My CPTs (158,166,177,191,210,228) do that because of the quality of the tool. A Thornton guitar is designed to be part of your body and thereby the play is easier and the birth of the notes is more natural. I only have to tie them into a well-tempered amp that is an equally capable instrument and the product is most memorable.
In these last two years we have seen other luthiers move to further simplify their lines. To his credit and a testament to his commitment and strive to make the best ‘bester’, Chuck Thornton listens to his fellow musicians. He is sensitive and considerate though wise in aiding the artist with rational decision making in taking a thoughtful concept and crafting it into a workable and remarkable instrument. So, if you are reading this and want to venture into a custom guitar, this is a guy you ought to call. Field your ideas and take a day to consider the recommendations offered by a world class luthier. Then, you’ll order a beautiful guitar that happens to be one of your most cherished instruments… oh, then get a CPTFC t-shirt!
My best, Paul.
April 29th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Ok, So I have a Cp Thornton t-shirt, now who is doing the CPTFC shirts? I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler but I’ll buy a shirt if there is one to be had?
How about a shirt with all of the different model guitars on it?
How about a imprint of Chucks hands and a saying like, ‘from my hands to yours, only my best for you’ or “Cp Thornton Guitars, If you have to ask your missing out’, or ‘I tried them all and then there was Cp Thornton’.
Well not great ideas I guess but it’s a start, any others? Let’s have some fun with it.
Lou D.
May 1st, 2010 at 9:49 pm
I like Lou D’s idea. We definitely need a special CP Thornton Fan Club t-shirt. I’m sitting here racking my brain & so far have come up with “When you MUST have the best”, “When only PERFECTION will do”, “When you’re ready for THE guitar”, … none that I like as well as yours about Chuck’s hands and “from my hands to yours”.
I’d kinda like a black t-shirt that had the “CP Thornton” logo on one line & “Fan Club” on the line below that. All this in white on the front upper left shoulder, with an otherwise blank front. Then on the back a partial pic of Chuck’s face in the upper right shoulder area, his 2 hands just below the face, & 3 vertical guitars [a thinline archtop, a Fusion, & a classic] centered & leaning slightly towards each other. Then the saying/quote below the guitars.
Jay
May 5th, 2010 at 1:17 am
“Guitarists have their pick…so pick a CP Thornton.” “Design, Craft and Elegance”. “Caress the neck and feel the notes at last!” (hmm, too sexual?) I read these replies and I am amazed at the love for the man and especially the guitars. Anyone visitng this site for the first time should take the time and read these, because these are true testaments for something that is truly a wonder of craft and design, and for someone who has worked diligently, putting his heart and soul into each and every guitar! I like Jay’s shirt idea, but eegad man! You can’t leave out the Blues Queen! My fave!
May 9th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
This is great news…I have been dreaming of a ‘short scale’ CP Thornton ‘Legacy’ Goldtop with P90′s. As the proud owner of ‘Elite’ #46, I am constantly being asked….”Wow! What a guitar! Who made that beauty?” Honestly, I love answering that question….
May 9th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Correction….Make that a ‘Legend’…sorry Chuck~
June 10th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
So much good going on in Maine. To lend a little help, Dan and Brian at CCI Screenprinting (http://www.cci-screenprinting.com/) are helping Chuck and Richard in crafting our CP Thornton Fan Club T-shirt, down here in Virginia. Initial designs have been seen but these artists are keeping us at bay as we await the final product. Don’t delay though. Get your request into Chuck and Richard soon as these shirts will move quickly. I’ll post when they are finished. Play on!
June 15th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Hey Paul,
I missed that last post about the shirts, now that is great news. I definitely will purchase 2 of these, one for wearing and one for display. If anyone needs some up front contributions for the work, let me know, I’m in on that!