Engineer decides to build his own classical guitar
By BURLON PARSONS bparsons@journal-spectator.com

Staff Photo by Burlon Parsons Studying classical guitar for two years, inquisitive Wharton native Darwin Johnston got curious about building his own instrument. The one behind him on the far right he constructed from scratch.

Wharton native Darwin Johnston, 82, is inquisitive by nature. He likes to find out how things work and how they are made.

His latest interests are not only learning to play the classical guitar, but building one of his own.

Johnston's curious nature took him out of Wharton at age 17 to "see the world" with the U.S. Navy until 1945. That translated into service during World War II in the South Pacific Theater and earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and six Air Medals.

But more importantly the use of his GI Bill of Rights after the war allowed him to get an education with an electronics engineering degree from the University of Houston. With degree in hand he married his childhood sweetheart.

His degree also got him a job with Bell Telephone in White Sands, N.M., for seven years. Then he moved to California to work with Ampex, a tape recording company for about eight years.

Technology was booming in his area of California.

"Developing the semi-conductor was under way and advancing nearly weekly," Johnston said. "This is before there was a Silicon Valley, but staying up with the technology meant new small companies emerging and technical people hopping from job to job and taking teams of research and developers with them."

To deal with the stresses of evergrowing technology, he and his wife bought a horse ranch. It became a place to relax for them.

"As another diversion, I thought about learning to play the guitar at that time," he said. "But the metal strings just hurt my fingers too much. I quit learning."

Johnston went with the flow in the high pressure atmosphere until 1985. That's when he decided to return to Texas.

That first attempt was thwarted when he had a daughter traveling in Europe and leaving an empty house in California she needed them to stay in.

Not long afterwards his wife got ill and eventually died. He made the decision and moved home in 2001.

"It was the best move I ever made, except for asking my wife to marry me," he said. "I have a great social life and lots of friends who keep me busy."

He also picked up the guitar again two years ago. Johnston found out that there were classical guitars which could be played with nylon strings which did not hurt his fingers.

"I taught myself some things, but there is only so far you can go on your own before you need a teacher," he said. "I found a world-class instructor and performer for the classical guitar in Katy. I drive there every two weeks for lessons."

With his inquisitive engineering background Johnston wanted to know more about the construction and mechanics of the classical guitar.

He even purchased a handbuilt guitar to perform on.

"My time is my own and I decided to try and build one," he said. "First I had repaired the electrical pickup on one and understood some of the structure of the piece."

After purchasing several sets of plans for classical guitars, he ordered special woods from lumber yards in California.

"It takes mahogany, iron wood, rose wood, and spruce or cedar," he explained. "Right now I do all my work at the kitchen table. I will need to set up a workshop before long."

Johnston says learning the woodworking techniques has been a challenge for him as an electrical engineer.

"But I enjoy doing it and only do it for fun," he said. "I only work on it when I am able, it does not consume me."

Johnston is one of those thinkers who likes to figure things out for himself and "build a better mouse trap."

He's already designed his own fold-up three-legged chair with custom cut-away seat for playing the classical guitar.

He also designed his own guitar holder to help hold the guitar higher for playing without have to be permanently attached to the guitar's body.

Not a big deal to Johnston. "I just like to figure things out that I need and then make them to suit me," he said.