Man-o-man, finally, after a two year dry spell I have a build contract at last! This economy thing just about did me in guitar wise.
If it wasn’t for the set-ups and repairs, the shop would have been totally inactive. So much so I have been thinking about building myself another instrument!
Now, all that is a moot point. I’m building an acoustic with KOA sides and back and a masters class sitka spruce top with a mahogany neck. My client wants a deep, rich sound, this wood should do the trick.
This unit has a vine inlay of mother of pearl all the way down the ebony fretboard and I have about 35 hours in that alone. I LOVE DOING THAT!!!
The sides are ready for the top, I’ll do the rosette this coming week and then start bracing the top to ready it for attachment to the sides.
I wish I knew how to post pictures here, guess I’ll contact my web guy and see what we can do.
My thanks to everyone who has asked about my building, I appreciate the concern.
God’s best to everyone and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Shalom,
Will Riley

My winter off was great, now I’m back at it in the shop.  My third book also just came out last month and sales are good.  I’ve taken a bit of time off from writing since July, but am going back to work at it tomorrow.  (Does this song resonate somewhere in your memory?)  Guess I must be getting old!  The loafing times get closer and closer together and last much longer!

I won’t do that, however, if I’m building a guitar, that requires steady effort to do it right and I see no other way to produce true value in an instrument.  Give me a call just to let me know how you and your music are doing together.  (And don’t feel bad about putting me to work.)

Shalom,

Will

Hi All,
Well, I decided to take a few months off this winter to re-establish my fervor. The last two instruments I built were not fun. That’s not because they were so difficult, quite the opposite, they should have been a breeze because they were V’s.   But, I found myself not wanting to go down to the shop at various times, something that had never happened in the nine plus years I’ve been doing this. I examined my feelings and felt that a few months away from building and just playing instead will get me back in the groove. I figure by the time the outside “rough” shop is warm enough to work in without the heater on I should be chomping at the bit!
I have some neat ideas for a couple of instruments already.
What would you think of a basswood semi-hollow body bass? The last guitar I made was basswood and the sound is incredible! Deep, rich and jazzy sound that just hauls off and turns you on sound wise.
Anyway, those who have been wondering if I fell off the edge of the earth, that’s where I am, and, quite frankly, I’m enjoying my time off doing a lot of reading, playing new stuff, and writing my third novel.
One thing I want to share before signing off; I purchased a new computer program called Riffmaster Pro that will loop sections of a song for you, will slow it down either 10 or 20%, your choice, and is an awesome learning tool for those covers you want to do but seem to slip away from you. I heartily recommend it, and the price is really low.
Take care, play loud and in tune.
Will

I am so excited to be invited to participate in the Gene Autry Days in Kenton, Ohio on June 27 and 28! I’ll be presenting my books, Lonely Are The Hunted and Mountain Odyssey for sale at the event all day, both days. Come out and visit with us and see all the incredible things the committee has planned!

My second book, Mountian Odyssey, the sequel to Lonely Are The Hunted will be released May 15th. I’m very excited to see the continueing lives of characters I fell in love with while writing the first book chronicled in this manner.
Now, on to the next part of their lives! (And mine.)
Blessings,
Will

Wow, after all these years of trying to get published and then just giving up a publisher found me instead of my finding him!  Skip Coryell of White Feather Press has published my western adventure novel, Lonely Are The Hunted.  I am, of course, very excited about this as it is a lifelong dream come true.

Check it out at www.authorwillhinton.com and see what you think.  Skip’s web site is www.whitefeatherpress.com  or www.skipcoryell.com

Many blessings,

Will

I recently had the wonderful experience of meeting these four great young guys and hearing their concert in person.  I delivered a Crossover Elite guitar to their lead dude, Brett Swayn while they were in my area.  Brett is an amazingly humble guy as are the other three.  Bass man Tracey Pfeiffer became a personal friend a couple of years ago and really impressed me with his dedication to Christian music and that dedication has resulted in a combination of four very talented musicians with a mutual/single purpose of spreading the word of Christ’s love through music.  If you have a chance to catch a concert be sure to do so, and be sure to meet the guys afterward!

You can reach their myspace site through my links page.

Blessings,

Will

The Ultima semi-hollow body bass is now delivered and under evaluation and so far all looks great. The comment was made that it “rattles the pictures on the walls!”

Another comment was that it has a “tubby” sound, near that of an upright bass. That is one of the results for which I was striving with this design. I am very encouraged.

Will

Tomorrow being Monday I have to get back to work after a nice weekend off. That’s the problem of working at home, I can’t get snowed in! I have the proto-type Ultima semi-hollowbody bass ready for final sanding and buffing, which I hope to do tomorrow. It has been an exciting venture and my client, John, has been most supportive! Thank you, John of Albuquerque! I’ll try to get a couple of pictures on sometime soon.

Blessings,

Will