Official Luthiers Forum!

If you want something that makes a little money you could try repairs since a lot of factories can produce something of good quality at good prices and when you go above $1000 they will pretty much demand brand names. I think players rather have their headstock that says "Martin" or "Taylor" or "Gibson" and are willing to sacrifice things they might not like about a particular factory guitar than pay similar or less on a custom made (to their specification) guitar because in their mind brand name just looks good. Thing is a lot of factories in China makes counterfeits although they are utter junk they are cheap and if they put their efforts in they could make something just as good and so real that even employees from Martin could not tell it's a counterfeit then they will sell it for 1/4 the price.

You might consider giving the build to a church or other charity organization or just give them to a missionary group. There's a lot of churches in third world countries who couldn't afford anything decent and perhaps one of your build would be a huge blessing to them. Or you might try selling them at ebay starting at one cent but you will sell them at a loss but at least you get something back...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Basically, just like the rest of you, I got into it for the easy money and as Howard mentioned, the babes!

Joe

Any advice on the 'Kinkead or Kinkade' book? I have purchased the book and studying. I am new to this art and ready to start. I would appreciate tips on getting started. Mistakes to avoid. Mold building. Doming the workboard. Just anything would be appreciated. Thanks, kevin

As a very average player, I never got the chance to play a decent guitar until I was a student (that's what Student loans are for! ). It was a smal 'Blind blake' model by a well respected UK luthier Tom Mates, a plain little Mahogany/ Cedar model that ust had this charm.. cant describe it, but it sounded sweet and had very little decoration, just simple. Roll o 20 years and I finally had somemoney and began buying, selling exchnaging guitars for a few years as I looked for something that suited my average playing style best... must have owened some 15 different acoustics and all the time quized those more knowledgeable about what madeone different from another, tonewoods, bracing etc, and as I got more exposed to the larger veriety of instruments, I started to have this strange desire to actually try and build one - just one mind - to give it a go... and as I was only ever going to build one, I thought I might as well try something different to Indian and sitka - so fell into the next trap.... visiting a tonewood suppliers... the smell of the wood, the exotic hardwoods ... and that sort of led to buying wood... and more wood .... so now I have to build to use it up!

This thread was dug up from the dead and lives again....

Hi Kevin and welcome to the OLF!!

The Kinkade book is good and so too is Cumpiano and Natelson's book which is what many of us used. One thing that you will learn very early on is that there are LOTS of ways to build a guitar....

Something that helped me a great deal were the free-for-download dread kit instructions from Stew-Mac, an OLF sponsor with a link above. If nothing else it's a good read when you run out of guitar building things to read.

Many of us here on the forum will be happy to help you out any way that we can. Please do use the search function and I suspect that most of your questions will have immediate, decent answers available simply by searching the forum for past relevant discussions. And of course as you can see we are happy to talk you through things too.

Welcome aboard!

Oh yeah, for sure, the babes

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I first got the first impulse to build a guitar in 1977, about two years after I started playing. It was not practical at the time as I didn't have much money and the information available was minimal. I tried again in 1986 and got as far as making a side bender and carving a neck but with kids the same money issue (as in not enough) I had to scrap the idea again.

I was passionate about building a guitar and felt even a little insane at times about the need to do so. This insanity had one great aspect to it. It left me with a great stash of wood! It has always felt like there would be some hole that would be filled if I could build the guitars that I was making music with - something very soulful about it.

On to 2007......kids are all out of the house (no excuses anymore). Work is busy but I started the current push. This first guitar saga needs at least one volume written about it, but I am now in the finishing stage (yea I know over two years for one guitar). It's a beauty and I do feel the hole is a little smaller.....how many will it take to fill it?

I'm going to try and find out.

I've been asking myself that question for a loooong time.....!
At first it was just to get a guitar because I could'nt afford a decent one. Now it's the pull of trying to learn more about how the guitar works....there does not seem to be an end in sight.I find it quite a joy to learn or discover something new about this mystery.I'm sure it will keep me going to the end of my days.
Tom

LOL.. This post sure did come back up from the dead again!

Anyway... I think it boils down to being much better at building and fixing than at Playing!

It all started for me about 15 years ago when I was in College... I wanted a Guitar, and ended up with a beat up Pawn Shop Ovation (One of their weird fan braced Celebrities.. Complete with split top and pulling bridge..)

I played it for 2 years or so... the splitting top and bridge kept getting worse and worse and worse....

Eventually, I found a copy of the Cumpiano book in the Library and decided to Retop the guitar (Of course, you can do amazing things when you don't know it's impossible..)

I ended up successfully retopping that Ovation. It sounded quite good, but the intonation was a little too far off... (The bridge was about 1/8" off)

Eventually, I gave up playing Guitar and gave it to my brother (The one good at playing Guitar!).. He HATED Ovations (And still HATES them..)... He kept it for a few years... Being a good brother... He kept trying to get me to come get it back... (I had totally sworn off playing guitar...).. Then finally threw it out about 5 years ago..

Fast forward to Last Year... I was Thrift Store shopping and found an Esteban Steelstring for $30.00... I didn't know anything about Estebans.... but figured I would clean it up and learn to play again... It was an unplayable pig... Neck joint coming apart, Bridge 1/8" off, Action totally out of whack... It made me hate trying to play it... so I retopped it, reset the neck, made Bone nut, saddle, etc. This time I got everything right (Neck set, Action, Intonation, etc.)...

And.. I was Hooked!

So I decided to make a "Real Guitar" -- and that went well... so I built another "Real guitar" (Which I just glued the bridge onto last night!)

Thanks

John

The truth is, I don't know........
The visceral craving I get from trying to build a better guitar is better than just about any other high I can think of.

It's also such a clearly objective process - you make a mistake, it shows... You work hard and take your time, and the results are extremely tangible, and gratifying. Such a difference from corporate work and (lack of) results.

There's also nothing quite like the smell of sawdust, and the feel of a sharp chisel or plane, taking a ver fine shaving off of a piece of mahogany or spruce.

It’s all part of my rehab program.
The doctors say I’m doing fine.
They may let out soon.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

I traced the curves for my first steel-string from a picture of Rita Hayworth.
I think that's the closest I've come to getting babes.

Guitars have individual personality and I enjoy having as many around me a possible. I love them all! I may never sell one...but It seems I have more and more family members playing and hoping one falls under their Christmas tree every year. I'll do it this way as long as the $ holds out.
Kent Bailey

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Back 4 years ago I wanted a better guitar and since I had just retired and had the time I figured why not build myself one. What a decision that was, the 1st turned out much better than I expected so I decided to do another, then another. Numbers 6 and 7 are in the shop now with bodies complete, they will be into the finishing stage within the month. Since Luthiery is my winter hobby I may have to start number 8 next month. I was lucky enough to sell number 5 so that has helped pay for this obsession.

My greatest joy is hearing the 1st notes and playing the 1st tune on a just completed guitar, the next enjoyment is hearing someone else play them. I am lucky to be able to attend the Michigan Fingerstyle Society concerts and workshops and have had the pleasure of hearing some of the best pro fingerstye players pick my guitars. Their comments have be a real inspiration to continue building.

I am having the pleasure of helping a buddy Tim Sheldon build his 1st in my shop, and now we have another Luthiery addict. He just finished bracing the back and installing his rosset yesterday and will be back this week to start bracing his top. Tim does clean accurate work so will have a great guitar when its completed.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

I love guitars, my uncle loves woodworking. Neither of us individually make a luthier, but together we just about make a complete luthier.

I also love the sound of my wife complaining that I spend too much time in the shop.

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Always remember you are unique......just like everyone else.

DIsclaimer: I haven't read all of the post. My attention span is way to short for 4 pages





I build guitars because I want to be like..............HESH!!!!

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

SYCOPHANT! ( There's no "kiss *ss" smiley to use here )

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Hank Mauel

I'm like the rest, wanted a sound I could not afford, I have been in the woodworking trades and have most of the tools. Barely finished a guitar and am hooked. My wife likes that I am happy and in the shop. It is the top level of woodwork, and I am over all the stuff I have done a million times, this is what an evolved woodworker gets into. I love it because every one gets to be right, every guitar has a sound at least a mother or father could love.
Cheers
Rob

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

So my friends let's hear why you build guitars, how you got started, and if you have any particular guitar building goals. By goals an example would be to give a guitar to a loved one like George just did or to have a better sounding guitar than you have ever had before, etc.

Thanks! [/quote]

I started playing guitar when I was 7 years old and played steadily through my 50 years. After stumbling upon some How to build a guitar books I thought; I could make one of these! So with no real woodworking experience I decided to build one. Some deficiencies were present in the first so I gave that one away, and built another and it was a cannon, and I was hooked. Now I crank one out when I feel like it. I still find something to improve upon with each one. I think that is the mystery and fun of guitar building. A professional flamenco player is going to play one of my guitars in a performance tonight so I am very excited. He has been a great critic on past builds. Thats my tale!

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John Nowicki

Because I enjoy making lots of mistakes! Fortunately, Alan Carruth has so far always had a way to fix them!

Seriously, I heard the term luthier for the first time about 12 years ago. I thought it sounded like a very cool thing. I was taking some Masters of Counseling classes and one of them was career counseling. I had to do a fairly in-depth project on a career choice. I thought, hey, why not do the project on lutherie? After that I got it stuck in my head that I should try to build a guitar. Several years later, I bought a few books on lutherie and eventually read them. I understood a lot of it but some of it left me wondering just what the heck they were talking about. So, I started looking for a class and found Alan late summer 2007. I'm not really sure why I wanted to build one. I think I just thought it would be really cool to have a nice guitar that I made. I mean, I'm really not that great of a guitar player! Now, whenever I show it to someone who hasn't seen it before, it's pretty cool seeing the amazement on their faces when they say "You built this?!" Not bad for someone who'd never done any woodworking at all. Now I'm working on one in class and a couple at home. One's for my brother and one's for a friend. It'll be cool to see their faces when they get them. And, thanks to Alan, I should be able to get them sounding at least pretty good. Maybe not as good as the ones made in class, but I'll keep working on getting better with each one.

And I've already finished more guitars (1) than Masters degrees (0).... Someday I might stop going to Alan's class and finish that project up. But this is way more fun!

Matt

My grandpa was/is my hero growing up, he could build anything. He was a perfectionist machinist mainly building gatling guns and revolvers. I wanted a nice guitar that I couldn't afford. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife and pointed to a dead cherry tree out in his orchard. He said "go put this knife to work on that tree and remove everything except for that nice guitar you want." Sounded simple enough.

Some 43 or more years ago, my dad took me to a guitar builder who a friend of his recommended. I've never forgotton his backyard shop where he built and repaired guitars, mostly Mexican styles, bajo sexto's, requintos, steel sting, nylon string etc. he showed my dad a used nylon string guitar (which by the way I put steel strings on first chance I got, I know, I know,). I loved that guitar but sadly when my dad got me a Gibson later on he decided I didn't need that little guitar anymore and so he sold it behind my back . I would give a couple of gibsons to get my guitar back if only I could.
Flash forward to about three years ago and retirement breathing down my neck I wanted to do something that I want to do not just have to do. So here I am still working on number one and reminising the good old days with my little guitar and serenading my girlfriend to beatles love songs, the man who gave me my first lessons, Mr. Tony Adriano. Anyway I want to build guitars because as a player I suck.

René

More similarities here than I would have guessed, ha.

I started playing when I was 14 on an old family guitar that my dad and uncles learned to play on. I'm curious by nature (later earned a mechanical engineering degree) so wondered how they were built....but it seemed there was "magic" there so didn't take it seriously at the time. In the mean time, I played mandolin in a bluegrass group and learned to love the old Martin guitars.

Fast forward 20 years and I became interested in woodworking and later built several RC airplanes so I started collecting woodworking tools. Jump forward another 5 years and somehow I got my hands on a Stewart McDonald catalog.....and there was a guitar kit. That intrigued me though I wasn't able to get the kit at that time.

In 2008 my 2 older daughters (13 and 9 at the time) expressed interest in taking guitar lessons. I had a cheap dreadnaught and a large body Ovation and neither fit them so I took them to Guitar Center and Ben Jacks Music store to see what was available. Everything sounded like crap.......$600, $1,200, even $1,500 for 000 sized guitars that were duds. So sitting in the store I decided to build them a guitar as I knew I could build a guitar that sounded better than these (not saying a lot). I guessed I would save money compared to the $1,500 model (ha!)

Well, I've learned a lot since and have spent close to $1,500 and I'm not yet done buying all the tools. But hey, I'm sure enjoying it. I've spent more time reading than building as I'm focused on getting the best tone and playability I can more than looks for this build.

So that's why I got into it......but I haven't yet finished my first. Now that I'm this far along, the thought has crossed my mind that if I can one day build quality guitars, this is something I would enjoy doing in my retirement years that might give me a way to earn a few bucks on the side (though I have no plans for this to be my only source of income).

Why do I enjoy it? Similar to previous posts my line of work is technical (industrial automation) and building guitars gives me a creative outlet totally different than my day to day job. And, I love to play bluegrass and hear and play a quality instrument.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I want more than anything to build a mechanically perfect one. Tone is subjective, fit and finish are measurable. These darn things are SO HARD.....

Struggling up a steep slope, Mikey

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The Biggest Little City, Nevada
www.hammondguitars.com
I love building guitars!

Mikey, if you think guitars are hard, try an F5 mandolin.
I got back into guitars cause I'm too old to be a greeter at Target (Probably not "happy" enough either).