building an acoustic guitar

[sanantoniosooner]

anyone have experience?

I'd just like to cash in on some experience before I take the plunge.

[SoonerTerry]

;) cheap bastard, just go spend some money on a prefab..;)

..but seriously

Are you gonna build from scratch or use a kit?

[sanantoniosooner]

;) cheap bastard, just go spend some money on a prefab..;)

..but seriously

Are you gonna build from scratch or use a kit?
Well, woodworking is in my blood.

I think my first, and maybe a few more, will be a kit. After I'm comfortable, I'll take it from scratch.

I like the look of this company (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Kits/Acoustic_Guitar_Kits/1/Triple-O_Guitar_Kits/Instructions/I-5297.html#details)

If I bought a custom, I like this one. (http://www.nitsugamangore.com/bellucci-guitar-cedar-1c.html)

[rufnek05]

i had a buddy that tired to build his own from a kit, took him about 4 weeks. after about 10 mintues of playing the neck cracked around the base. but it looks good on his wall

[Mixer!]

I used to play around with it years ago. Stew-Mac is the place to get all the things you need to build a guitar. Good folks to do business with. Kit guitars are a great place to start until you get comfortable with the assembly process.

That cedar/rosewood guitar (literally) will have a killer sound. I got a spruce/rosewood steel string jumbo in January, and the sound is incredible. Mahogany sounds dry next to it.

[SoonerTerry]

Well, woodworking is in my blood.

I think my first, and maybe a few more, will be a kit. After I'm comfortable, I'll take it from scratch.

I like the look of this company (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Kits/Acoustic_Guitar_Kits/1/Triple-O_Guitar_Kits/Instructions/I-5297.html#details)

If I bought a custom, I like this one. (http://www.nitsugamangore.com/bellucci-guitar-cedar-1c.html)

The Stewmac looks good, but I would definetly go with the Schaler tuners. Filing down the braces (thining them just a bit) will give you a richer tone with more sustain. Also, the less finish you use, the more the guitar will resonate.

And the custom.. WOW.. what a guitar, great sound and a work of art.. I think I gotta have me some of that. Great price too.

Good luck to ya and put up some pics as the project goes along.

BTW: This is a guitar I had built out of the Carvin custom shop..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/SimTechMan/135insidefront.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/SimTechMan/135front.jpg

[springs sooner]

My Bro builds his own custom guitars. i think they look pretty kick ***. all from scratch. If you are interested PM me and I will give you his info. here is one he just finished.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/lookslikemeband/Pearl%20PRS/Pearl-42.jpg

[sanantoniosooner]

Yeah, I'm digging it.

Show me the acoustic one he built :D

[springs sooner]

i dont have any acoustic pics. as i am work and dont have access to them. i will see if he can send me a pic.

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

I want to build me a new 80GB iPod.

[Fugue]

I don't know if this helps the discussion at all but I'm playing "Thunderstruck" in my office as we type. :D

[Fugue]

Walk in Teh Shadows-Fugue

sorry :O

[sanantoniosooner]

Nice website if anyone else is interested. (http://pweb.jps.net/~kmatsu/)

I've located a few sources, but was curious if someone around here had any experience.

[colleyvillesooner]

My Bro builds his own custom guitars. i think they look pretty kick ***. all from scratch. If you are interested PM me and I will give you his info. here is one he just finished.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/lookslikemeband/Pearl%20PRS/Pearl-42.jpg

That's a serious rig. Makes me miss the band days.

Making no money and having your weekends full all the time. AWESOME!

[springs sooner]

That's a serious rig. Makes me miss the band days.

Making no money and having your weekends full all the time. AWESOME!


thats only one of them. last count he had well over 40 guitars and about 12 different rig set ups. full studio in the basement.

not bad for a junior high science teacher.

i dont really miss the late nights and going to work the next day with about 15 minutes of sleep.

[Boarder]

I want to build me a new 80GB iPod.
You need something to inspire you to do that next.

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

You need something to inspire you to do that next.

Hai.

Hai, I do.

[StoopTroup]

If I ever decide to build my own guitar...

It will have one of those nifty back tats right above the butt.

Example Possibly NSFW (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/laurieannt/backtat2.jpg)

[sanantoniosooner]

Here is a real nice one. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=220090904000&rd=1&rd=1)

Somebody could get this one at a steal. He's sold similar for near $3000 and he has a researve of $1000 on it. I think it will go for less than half of what it would go for brand new.

I've corresponded with the builder and he's just selling it to fund a large lumber purchase.

[King Crimson]

my dad's cousin used to make guitars....he made one for Allen Holdsworth....and toured with Bob Dylan.

[Mixer!]

Odd that he'd call it "painted" when you can clearly see the grain in the photos. Nice, but I'm still digging the cedar/rosewood one.

[sooneron]

The thought of making a guitar interests me, the thought of having the tools to do it (scary tool lists on those sites) skeers me.

[sanantoniosooner]

I already have a lot of tools.

[sooneron]

NO, you are a tool


:D

[sanantoniosooner]

I'm spekking a Hubler for you now.

[Mixer!]

I wish I'd had the money to have seriously pursued this back in the day.

[sanantoniosooner]

I wish I'd had the money to have seriously pursued this back in the day.
It's not too late dude. If you are interested I'll forward all the resources I've found so far.

I'll never make a living as a luthier, but I'll eventually be able to make pieces that will be unique and exceptional.

I've always been envious of people that were able to use their skills to be creative and unique. Like Orange County Choppers. I've done some nice work remodeling kitchens and other home projects, but I'm usually quite restricted by what someone is willing to spend. Some of that is labor, but quite a bit is materials. To use the finest of materials in a kitchen would be out of site. But to use the finest materials to build a guitar or other stringed instrument is reasonable at some point for me. Reasonable enough that I could give it as a gift that would be one of a kind and something you couldn't put a price tag on.

[sooneron]

If I were making guitars, I would only use this-

http://www.koaguitarwood.com/woodsets.html

[sanantoniosooner]

If I were making guitars, I would only use this-

http://www.koaguitarwood.com/woodsets.html
Thanks for the link.

Koa is beautiful, but I've read that it's not the best wood to start with. I still haven't decided what my first project will be.

I've contacted a guy that built this
http://www.violini.co.za/normajean-thumb.jpg

He is planning a classical guitar, cello, and bass with the same design.
his website (http://www.violini.co.za/)

[StoopTroup]

If I were making guitars, I would only use this-

http://www.koaguitarwood.com/woodsets.html
That is a nice site.

I know a guy at work that makes some of the nicest custom wooden bows I have ever seen. The materials he uses are incredible. I was hoping to be able to buy one but now making my own guitar might take precedence.

Thanks.

[sanantoniosooner]

Interesting sites I've found so far regarding guitar construction

http://www.mimf.com/
http://pweb.jps.net/~kmatsu/
http://www.schrammguitars.com/
http://www.stewmac.com/
http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/building_a_guitar.htm
http://mysite.verizon.net/nostberg/
http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/links.htm
http://community.middlebury.edu/%7Esax/guitar_building/guitar.htm
http://onlineapprentice.com/

[sanantoniosooner]

Thanks for the link.

Koa is beautiful, but I've read that it's not the best wood to start with. I still haven't decided what my first project will be.

I've contacted a guy that built this
http://www.violini.co.za/normajean-thumb.jpg

He is planning a classical guitar, cello, and bass with the same design.
his website (http://www.violini.co.za/)
The guy building this project is a furniture maker by trade

Here is his website. Really innovative designs. Looks like he's willing to help get me going on my first project.

http://www.designsunlimited.co.za/