How many instruments have I made since setting up my own shop? Around 340, I think. Where most of them are now, I couldn’t tell you.
For years it never seemed to matter. When I worked for Stefan, serial numbers were more decoration than an accurate record of events. I don’t recall ever putting serial numbers on my own work. It was all a bit workmanlike compared with what I see now on social media: wax stamps, certificates of authenticity. We were making instruments to be played, and I still am. An instrument went out the door, the owners got in touch to thank us or to order another one.
Up until around 2014 I used Hotmail and BTinternet for email, possibly Gmail too. Then I switched to Runbox, and later Fastmail, over privacy concerns. At some point, probably during one of the moves between countries, I deleted all my old business emails. I have nothing before 2014. Somewhere in those accounts were the names of the people who bought my first guitars. What a plonker.
A few days ago I set up a register and asked owners to put themselves on it. Sixty nine have so far, with eighty eight Forsters between them. I put them on a map. There is one in Taos, one on Vashon Island, one in a village in the Ardèche, but I know there are a few in Canada, Japan, and loads more in the US.
Eighty eight is not many out of 340. The map has large blank spaces, and I know some of those spaces have instruments in them.
The map is just for me. If you add your details, they stay private. I’m sharing pictures of it because it looks nice, and because I’m hoping it will encourage you to add yourself. If I can make a version of the map that removes everyones information, that will go up.
If you do, I’ll send you the latest price list so you know what to insure your Forster for.
Here is the link to register your Forster: https://nkfguitars.com/owners-club
