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My first build
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=27561		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  rasmus [ Tue May 25, 2010 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  My first build
I've been reading and gathering information about building acoustic guitars for more than a year. Now that I have necessary machinery I'm ready to build my first guitar.
I thought I would lay out my plans for wise people here to show me the flaws in my plans. It's much easier and cheaper than finding out problems when already building the guitar.

I picked www.madinter.com to order the wood and hardware.
Shape/size: OM
Top: Engelmann spruce (madinter)
Back & Sides: Maple (Got some from local luthier who had been drying it for more than 20 years)
Neck: Maple (same as above)
Fingerboard: Ebony (madinter)
Bridge: Ebony (madinter)
Binding: Padouk (madinter)
Rosette: Minimalistic dark wood around the soundhole (probably can find the wood locally)
Frets: 2.0mm brass (madinter)
Tuners: Gotoh SGM-05 (madinter)
Internal wods: Spruce (local)
Reinforcement wood: Maple (local)
Fretboard markers: Small white pearl dots (madinter)
Bridge pins: Ebony (madinter)
Headplate: Ebony (madinter)
End pin: Ebony (madinter)
Truss rod (madinter)
Nut and Saddle: Bone (local)
Logo on the headstock: Abalone (madinter)
Finish: High gloss (haven't decided on what to use yet, suggestions would be great)

Are those materials beginner friendly (easy to work)?

Is madinter trustworthy place to order? Are their woods dried properly? Is there a better (price and wood quality) place to order materials in Europe?


I will also post pictures of the progress when I start building and keep all those happy who like reading build threads.
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Tue May 25, 2010 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
Those ingredients should make a terrific guitar. My concern is related to your choice of Maple for body and neck. If you are bending your sides by hand you may find the Maple can be difficult to bend into nice smooth curves. Even more difficult is working a Maple neck. Maple is very hard and can be very difficult to work if you are not an experienced woodworker. You must use very sharp tools. A better choice for your first effort may be mahogany, which is easy to carve and makes perfectly good necks.

Either way, go for it!
Author:  NWflyonly [ Tue May 25, 2010 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
I'd have to agree with Steve though I don't have his experience, but if it were me I would probably start with something a little easier to bend. Mahogony is great and walnut bends quite nicely as well.
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Tue May 25, 2010 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
Nah, maple isn't that difficult to bend, unless it is very flamed, of course. Ask Haans, he bends F5 mandolin sides that are 3 mm thick! eek Anyways, mahogany is often a lot more difficult to bend IMO. I am assuming the maple you got is local, correct? If it is European maple Acer pseudoplatanus, it is a great tonewood, just ask any violin maker.

To your questions:
Are those materials beginner friendly (easy to work)? See above

Is madinter trustworthy place to order? Absolutely

Are their woods dried properly? Some of their woods are sort of "green" and need further storage before they can be used, but if you in for the long haul you'll stock up, so this is not a problem.

Is there a better (price and wood quality) place to order materials in Europe? Perhaps, but Madinter is high on my list.


Now I have a question for you: You mention "Reinforcement wood: Maple (local)", what is this for?

Happy building!
Author:  rasmus [ Tue May 25, 2010 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
Arnt Rian wrote:
Nah, maple isn't that difficult to bend, unless it is very flamed, of course. Ask Haans, he bends F5 mandolin sides that are 3 mm thick! eek Anyways, mahogany is often a lot more difficult to bend IMO. I am assuming the maple you got is local, correct? If it is European maple Acer pseudoplatanus, it is a great tonewood, just ask any violin maker.

To your questions:
Are those materials beginner friendly (easy to work)? See above

Is madinter trustworthy place to order? Absolutely

Are their woods dried properly? Some of their woods are sort of "green" and need further storage before they can be used, but if you in for the long haul you'll stock up, so this is not a problem.

Is there a better (price and wood quality) place to order materials in Europe? Perhaps, but Madinter is high on my list.


Now I have a question for you: You mention "Reinforcement wood: Maple (local)", what is this for?

Happy building!



Yes, It's European maple. I could probably find few with fewer flame.

Surely I'm in for long haul but I wouldn't want to delay my first build. Is there a way to not get "green wood" from madinter or should I order from somewhere else?

I meant reinforcement wood as neck block and "the block opposite to it" (I don't remember how it's called :oops: )

One of the posters mentioned using mahogany neck instead of maple. Would maple B&S work with mahogany neck?
It would also kind of ruin the idea of white creamy guitar with redish bindings and dark fretboard, headplate.
It's just a little dream I've had for awhile, to build a guitar like that. If It's not appropriate for first build then I'm gonna have to put it on hold.
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Tue May 25, 2010 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
rasmus wrote:
Surely I'm in for long haul but I wouldn't want to delay my first build. Is there a way to not get "green wood" from madinter or should I order from somewhere else?
Personally, I've only ordered madrose and coco backs and sides from them, and they were all properly dried when I got them. I have heard others mention that that's not always the case, so I would just call or write them and ask. Like I said, I've had nothing but good business dealings with Madinter, so I would expect them to be trustworthy about this. Why wouldn't they be?


rasmus wrote:
One of the posters mentioned using mahogany neck instead of maple. Would maple B&S work with mahogany neck? It would also kind of ruin the idea of white creamy guitar with redish bindings and dark fretboard, headplate.
Sure, a mahogany neck would work, but if you have you mind set on maple, I say go ahead and use it (I like your design concept BTW). Maple is a fine, traditional neck wood, somewhat heavier than mahogany, but very strong and a pleasure to carve IMO. From your description I gather the wood is not very figured, which is good for stability, and it also makes easier to carve. You'll be fine!
Author:  DennisK [ Tue May 25, 2010 6:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
Looks like a good list of supplies to me, although I'm still on my first build as well.

True that maple is harder than mahogany, but mahogany is already hard enough that you need good sharp tools to carve it. Probably the heel will be the biggest pain. And maybe the headstock, if you have a complex outline with curves and points like mine, which I'm somewhat dreading beehive
Carving smooth things along the grain like the neck shaft, or planing the back/sides to thickness, the hardness isn't such a big deal.

As for finish, I'm going to be trying french polishing for a nice gloss and easy pore filling. But I've also considered the KTM-9 water based finish, which can be found on LMII here. Possibly on top of a shellac layer with pumice pore filling, or the egg white pore filling method. Not sure if there are any places in Europe that sell it though.

Good luck, I look forward to watching the build. love the design concept :)
Author:  Jake Archer [ Wed May 26, 2010 8:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
Rasmus

The materials sound great, although I would have to agree about using something other than maple for your first, as it is more of a challenge to work with than mahogany, walnut, or sapele, but as Tony Stark said in Iron Man, "You have to run before you can crawl" (or something like that). If you feel up to the challenge, go for it.

As far as a finish suggestion, I would suggest Birchwood-Casey's Tru-Oil. If you use a filler, such as Z-Poxy, shellac/pumice, or some other material to fill the pores, you can then apply thin coats of tru-oil with a rag or sock, after several coats (I don't know how many, depends on how thick your filler is, how heavy each coat of oil is, etc) you will see is really start to gloss up. After you have applied a suitable amount of coats, let it cure for 10-14 days. You can use Meguiar's polishes sequentially (or other buffing methods, I do it by hand) to bring it up to a high gloss. It looks great, and it feels better! I find it easier to do this than to try to spray lacquer or polyurethane, and it seems to do the instrument more justice, IMHO.

Whatever you choose, good luck! You'll find this to be an addicting hobby!
Author:  Mike Collins [ Fri May 28, 2010 1:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first build
If this is a steel string I would not use brass frets!
To soft !
Go with nickel/silver
Mike
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