Emmet McCusker has a rather intricate and time-consuming hobby.

When heB次元官网网址檚 not filling his role as deputy city engineer with the City of Colwood, McCusker spends his time building guitars from scratch, a hobby which is blooming into a side-gig, as notable musicians begin to take notice of his work.

His all-consuming hobby started in 2005 when McCuskerB次元官网网址檚 wife bought him a Gibson Les Paul guitar.

Always a tinkerer, McCusker decided he wanted to try a different pickup (the device which picks up the vibrations in the instrument for electric amplification) in the guitar. When he took it apart he noticed the woodworking in the guitar and thought B次元官网网址淚 could do that.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hat was the beginning of it and it just went from there,B次元官网网址� McCusker said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of more than hobby, but itB次元官网网址檚 in an interesting place right now, itB次元官网网址檚 in a real transition.B次元官网网址�

Now McCusker is starting to build guitars to order for musicians he knows, including American musician Marcus Eaton, who played guitar on the latest David Crosby album.

The guitar for Eaton is an acoustic, which McCusker has only built a few of. They present a whole other level of challenge because every choice you make will affect what the guitar ultimately sounds like.

B次元官网网址淭he electrics are fun to make, but basically the electrics are probably a little bit better than high-end furniture making,B次元官网网址� McCusker said. B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e into an acoustic itB次元官网网址檚 science and magic.B次元官网网址�

A player since the age of 15, McCusker has been in a couple of bands and continues to play back up guitar for some local musicians.

With a hobbyist background in woodworking, building guitars has seen passions merge for McCusker and has become a new obsession. His house is full of guitars and the walk to his front door is lined with slabs of wood drying for guitar building.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the sense of creating something and the absolute thrill of playing something youB次元官网网址檝e worked, in the case of an acoustic, upwards of 180 hours on to build,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a great thing.B次元官网网址�

The concentration needed while doing the work is also nearly meditative, McCusker said.

His latest electric is made mainly from local maple, a material he said forestry companies often consider as firewood but is actually quite sought after by guitar makers for its distinctive rippling grain.

Looks come second for McCusker though, whose main focus is tone and playability.

B次元官网网址淚f I want to build something that looks nice, IB次元官网网址檒l build furniture,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l make them look nice, but itB次元官网网址檚 all about tone.B次元官网网址�

Visit vicnews.com for a video of McCusker playing the first acoustic guitar he ever made.