How did that bed turn out you were making?
--
Stoutman
http://www.garagewoodworks.com
"stryped" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
>
stryped wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
Help is readily available at the Musical Instrument Makers' Forum:
www.mimf.com
This is a very civilized place to ask any question and receive timely
and useful answers. No misbehavior is tolerated.
I suggest that you also go to your public library (or to a bookstore)
and check out Cumpiano & Natelson's Guitarmaking: Tradition and
Technology. It's a comprehensive roadmap to building that does not
overemphasize tool-collecting. Moreover, it is only one approach to
the subject, but it is thorough. I built my first guitar, using this
book as the sole reference.
> > Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> > newbie woodworker?
> >
> > Are there any directions on the web?
I haven't made a guitar, but google acoustic guitar plan and there are
lots of pages on that.
Also check out grizzly.com - they have a variety of supplies and
guitar-making kits. Apparently their president is quite an
accomplished luthier (that's the fancy word for a stringed
insturment-maker - try including that in your google searches too).
Andy
I built an acoustic guitar in the Martin D-28 style. I was inspired by
Lynn Dudenbostel's guitar / mandolin series on the DIY channel. I
documented the build on my web site here:
http://www.ccsi.com/~mbrown/Woodworking/Acoustic_Guitar_Page_1/acoustic_guitar_page_1.html
I got all of my supplies (except the spruce top) including a full-sized
blueprint at Stewart-MacDonald. http://www.stewmac.com/
Michael brown
stryped wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
Steve,
Yours turned out very nicely I have to say! I'm also intrigued by
that clamping system, I'll have to look into that.
Michael Brown
Steve wrote:
> Gary A in KC wrote:
> > Mike,
> > Have to say I loved your web photos and the description of the process you
> > went through. Looks like it came out great too. Have you fixed the bridge
> > and played it yet?
> > Building a guitar is at the top of my list for my next woodworking
> > challenge. I took up the guitar this year (like I need another hobby) and
> > spend an hour or two every day playing and practicing.
> > The Dudenbostel series is pretty inspiring. I spent a week at the Adams
> > School of Woodworking this summer and they're planning on doing a guitar
> > making class next year. Rather than wing it like you did, I might go this
> > route instead to get a start on my first guitar.
> > Thanks for sharing your work.
> >
> > Gary in KC
>
> The Dudenbostel series was an inspiration for me too. I had been
> building solid-body guitars and basses for almost three years, and then
> somebody asked me if I would build an acoustic. My response was "no, I
> couldn't do that!" Then I saw the Dudenbostel program, and I found
> myself saying, "I can do that!"
>
> Here's the result:
>
> http://www.cyrguitars.com/AcousticProjectPage.html
>
> I've also built a 12-string guitar and another 6-string
> dreadnaught-style guitar this year. If you go to my web site's "Other
> Stuff" page, you'll find links to several of my other instrument projects.
>
> --Roseville Steve
Yes the bridge is fixed and I'm told it plays well - I'm not a good
enough player to give an informed critique...
Michael Brown
Gary A in KC wrote:
> Mike,
> Have to say I loved your web photos and the description of the process you
> went through. Looks like it came out great too. Have you fixed the bridge
> and played it yet?
> Building a guitar is at the top of my list for my next woodworking
> challenge. I took up the guitar this year (like I need another hobby) and
> spend an hour or two every day playing and practicing.
> The Dudenbostel series is pretty inspiring. I spent a week at the Adams
> School of Woodworking this summer and they're planning on doing a guitar
> making class next year. Rather than wing it like you did, I might go this
> route instead to get a start on my first guitar.
> Thanks for sharing your work.
>
> Gary in KC
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I built an acoustic guitar in the Martin D-28 style. I was inspired by
> > Lynn Dudenbostel's guitar / mandolin series on the DIY channel. I
> > documented the build on my web site here:
> >
> >
> http://www.ccsi.com/~mbrown/Woodworking/Acoustic_Guitar_Page_1/acoustic_guitar_page_1.html
> >
> > I got all of my supplies (except the spruce top) including a full-sized
> > blueprint at Stewart-MacDonald. http://www.stewmac.com/
> >
> > Michael brown
> >
> >
> > stryped wrote:
> > > x-no-archive:yes
> > >
> > > Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> > > newbie woodworker?
> > >
> > > Are there any directions on the web?
> >
Gary A in KC wrote:
> Mike,
> Have to say I loved your web photos and the description of the process you
> went through. Looks like it came out great too. Have you fixed the bridge
> and played it yet?
> Building a guitar is at the top of my list for my next woodworking
> challenge. I took up the guitar this year (like I need another hobby) and
> spend an hour or two every day playing and practicing.
> The Dudenbostel series is pretty inspiring. I spent a week at the Adams
> School of Woodworking this summer and they're planning on doing a guitar
> making class next year. Rather than wing it like you did, I might go this
> route instead to get a start on my first guitar.
> Thanks for sharing your work.
>
> Gary in KC
The Dudenbostel series was an inspiration for me too. I had been
building solid-body guitars and basses for almost three years, and then
somebody asked me if I would build an acoustic. My response was "no, I
couldn't do that!" Then I saw the Dudenbostel program, and I found
myself saying, "I can do that!"
Here's the result:
http://www.cyrguitars.com/AcousticProjectPage.html
I've also built a 12-string guitar and another 6-string
dreadnaught-style guitar this year. If you go to my web site's "Other
Stuff" page, you'll find links to several of my other instrument projects.
--Roseville Steve
[email protected] wrote:
> Steve,
>
> Yours turned out very nicely I have to say! I'm also intrigued by
> that clamping system, I'll have to look into that.
>
> Michael Brown
>
The clamping system is called a go-bar deck, and I've found three
sources for the fiberglass rods:
1) Luthier's supply places such as Stewart-MacDonald and Luthier's
Mercantile ($3.50 to 4$ each)
2) A couple of Ebay sellers have sold them on occasion (about $2.50 each)
3) I made some of my own from 3/16" diameter fiberglass rods I bought in
6-ft lengths from Tap Plastics. I get the rubber tips from Luthier's
Mercantile. (about $1.25 each total cost)
I cut the fiberglass rod on the bandsaw, and realized after I did it
that I should have used an already-worn-out blade. The fiberglass is
really rough on saw blades!
I used 2 layers of 3/4" MDF for the top and bottom decks, with 1/2"
threaded rod at the corners, with appropriate nuts, washers, and
wing-nuts. The wing-nuts allow me to adjust the height of the upper
deck. I can lower it when I'm gluing the braces in place, then raise it
when I'm gluing the top and back onto the body sides.
I have a luthier friend who used go-bars made from strips of poplar.
Why? because it's cheap, and easy to make more at any time. :-)
--Steve
stryped wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
>
On a solid body electric guitar getting the neck/action/intonation right
is the tricky part. As a beginner you may want to start out with a kit.
See:
http://www.internationalluthiers.com/electrickits.php
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]
I have built electric guitars and have repaired just about everything on
acoustics. I no longer do guitar repair except with a gun to my head from
former customers who will not take no for an answer. Guitars used to be
built with a few hand tools in small shops. today they are made in large
factories or by independent luthiers in small shops with a varied assortment
of tools. For a beginner it is doable. Be prepared for mistakes and a lot of
patience. Check out www.mimf.com and http://www.stewmac.com/ for advice and
parts.
Hope it helps.
______
God bless
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS, Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com
"stryped" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
>
It is harder than it looks. Take a gander at this link:
http://www.stewmac.com/
You need lots of special tools and a good place to work.
stryped wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
>
Mike,
Have to say I loved your web photos and the description of the process you
went through. Looks like it came out great too. Have you fixed the bridge
and played it yet?
Building a guitar is at the top of my list for my next woodworking
challenge. I took up the guitar this year (like I need another hobby) and
spend an hour or two every day playing and practicing.
The Dudenbostel series is pretty inspiring. I spent a week at the Adams
School of Woodworking this summer and they're planning on doing a guitar
making class next year. Rather than wing it like you did, I might go this
route instead to get a start on my first guitar.
Thanks for sharing your work.
Gary in KC
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I built an acoustic guitar in the Martin D-28 style. I was inspired by
> Lynn Dudenbostel's guitar / mandolin series on the DIY channel. I
> documented the build on my web site here:
>
>
http://www.ccsi.com/~mbrown/Woodworking/Acoustic_Guitar_Page_1/acoustic_guitar_page_1.html
>
> I got all of my supplies (except the spruce top) including a full-sized
> blueprint at Stewart-MacDonald. http://www.stewmac.com/
>
> Michael brown
>
>
> stryped wrote:
> > x-no-archive:yes
> >
> > Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> > newbie woodworker?
> >
> > Are there any directions on the web?
>
Luthierie is a pretty specialized kind of woodworking. Some folks study and
apprentice for years to get really good at it - especially acoustic
instruments. You might want to start with a kit. Take a look at the
Grizzly web site and/or order one of their catalogues. The president of
Grizzly is big on guitar building and the company offers several reasonably
priced kits and a lot of tools, woods and accessories.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=guitar
RonB
"stryped" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
>
> Are there any directions on the web?
>
"stryped" wrote...
> Has anyone here made an acoustic or electric guitar? Is it hard for a
> newbie woodworker?
Electrics are easier than acoustics, generally speaking.
There are lots of kits available; Matrin sells acoustic kits. I recently
built the "ultimate tele" using a thinline body from stew-mac and a warmoth
neck. I like it. I'll post a pic on a.b.p.ww.
--
Timothy Juvenal
www.tjwoodworking.com