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Craftsman sells his handmade creations throughout Ontario and in the U.S.
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Framed by a mould that he designed and built, John LaCroix files down the neck of a guitar in his home workshop in St. Thomas, Ont. Seven years ago, after losing his job in the printing press industry, Mr. LaCroix decided to convert his part-time hobby into a full-time profession.
(Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix lays a design for a pic-guard over the primary design of his guitars, which he makes on a commission basis and for retail sale. Each of his guitars, which sell for $3,000 to $10,000, takes around 250 hours to build. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix lays a design for a pic-guard over the primary design of his guitars, which he makes on a commission basis and for retail sale. Each of his guitars, which sell for $3,000 to $10,000, takes around 250 hours to build. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix lays a design for a pic-guard over the primary design of his guitars, which he makes on a commission basis and for retail sale. Each of his guitars, which sell for $3,000 to $10,000, takes around 250 hours to build.
(Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix files down the neck of a new guitar. His customers are both amateur and professional musicians in Canada and the United States. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix files down the neck of a new guitar. His customers are both amateur and professional musicians in Canada and the United States. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix files down the neck of a new guitar. His customers are both amateur and professional musicians in Canada and the United States.
(Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![A fleur-de-lis design is often used in the headstock of LaCroix guitars. This template is used by Mr. LaCroix to create the precise cuts required for the mother-of-pearl design. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "A fleur-de-lis design is often used in the headstock of LaCroix guitars. This template is used by Mr. LaCroix to create the precise cuts required for the mother-of-pearl design. (Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
A fleur-de-lis design is often used in the headstock of LaCroix guitars. This template is used by Mr. LaCroix to create the precise cuts required for the mother-of-pearl design.
(Mark Spowart/MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Bending forms sit in the foreground as Mr. LaCroix works on the primary design for a new guitar in his climate-controlled workshop in the basement of his 100-year-old home in St. Thomas, Ont. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Bending forms sit in the foreground as Mr. LaCroix works on the primary design for a new guitar in his climate-controlled workshop in the basement of his 100-year-old home in St. Thomas, Ont. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Bending forms sit in the foreground as Mr. LaCroix works on the primary design for a new guitar in his climate-controlled workshop in the basement of his 100-year-old home in St. Thomas, Ont.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix selects components from stock in his workshop. All of his guitars are handmade, and commission clients often are involved in some of the design aspects. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix selects components from stock in his workshop. All of his guitars are handmade, and commission clients often are involved in some of the design aspects. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix selects components from stock in his workshop. All of his guitars are handmade, and commission clients often are involved in some of the design aspects.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix uses cardboard to create full-size models of new designs so that clients can see how the guitar will "fit" them before it is made. In addition to making guitars, he also repairs them and teaches. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix uses cardboard to create full-size models of new designs so that clients can see how the guitar will \"fit\" them before it is made. In addition to making guitars, he also repairs them and teaches. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix uses cardboard to create full-size models of new designs so that clients can see how the guitar will "fit" them before it is made. In addition to making guitars, he also repairs them and teaches.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix cuts and shapes a strip of white maple used for bracing inside the body of a guitar. He has been known to strip a guitar down and start again if he us unhappy with the results. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix cuts and shapes a strip of white maple used for bracing inside the body of a guitar. He has been known to strip a guitar down and start again if he us unhappy with the results. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix cuts and shapes a strip of white maple used for bracing inside the body of a guitar. He has been known to strip a guitar down and start again if he us unhappy with the results.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix makes design changes to the body of a guitar in production. If a guitar "doesn't feel, look or sound right," he will often spend additional hours making sure the final product is exactly the way he wants it. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix makes design changes to the body of a guitar in production. If a guitar \"doesn't feel, look or sound right,\" he will often spend additional hours making sure the final product is exactly the way he wants it. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix makes design changes to the body of a guitar in production. If a guitar "doesn't feel, look or sound right," he will often spend additional hours making sure the final product is exactly the way he wants it.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![All finishes are hand-polished, ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer. Neck and tail blocks are solid mahogany. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "All finishes are hand-polished, ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer. Neck and tail blocks are solid mahogany. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
All finishes are hand-polished, ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer. Neck and tail blocks are solid mahogany.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix taps the body of a guitar to test the acoustics. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix taps the body of a guitar to test the acoustics. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix taps the body of a guitar to test the acoustics.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL) -
![Mr. LaCroix takes a break from work to play one of his own creations. He says his love affair with guitars began when he was 18 years old and picked up a guitar for the first time. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)]( "Mr. LaCroix takes a break from work to play one of his own creations. He says his love affair with guitars began when he was 18 years old and picked up a guitar for the first time. (MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)")
Mr. LaCroix takes a break from work to play one of his own creations. He says his love affair with guitars began when he was 18 years old and picked up a guitar for the first time.
(MARK SPOWART FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
