Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi everybody,

I'm just getting started, I'm working on "Build #0"... ( acquiring tools, creating a work space, getting my mind right )

I'm looking for back and side sets and tops for practicing thicknessing, joining, and bending. Does anyone have a source for this, or suggestions?

Thank you, much appreciated!

-John

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-John

I bought some B grade sets from Old World Tonewoods. When I got them, (I got 3) one was a little to thin on one end to use for a bigger guitar, but the others were , to my eye, very nice. They were $9 a piece, I think. I'm using one on my first build now, and it's a handsome piece of wood. I also bought some billets of bracewood.

This is Carpathian Spruce.

Excellent, thank you Mikey V for the suggestion, I will check them out.

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-John

Hey John,

I got the wood for my first guitar off of eBay for $35.00. Maple back and sides, and pretty reasonable quality, though it was a few years ago now...

And Mikey is spot on concerning Old World Tonewoods. I use Carpathian almost exclusively, and their "B" grade tops are wonderful!

Best,

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

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Shane at High Mtn Tonewood was selling low-grade Lutz bundles on the cheap.

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Shane at High Mtn Tonewood was selling low-grade Lutz bundles on the cheap.

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Bob has some Orphan sides and backs for $5ea.
http://rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=84

Is this right, I understand orphan to mean the corresponding book-match piece is missing from the back or side set?

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-John

yep

A cheap no risk way for getting a feel for bending is to get some 1/4" X 6" X2' poplar from lowes. Just plane or sand to thickness.

Excellent suggestions and tips, thank you all very much for being so welcoming and generous!

I will soon be in possession one complete top and 6 side and 6 back pieces.

I've located plans for some jigs and things I know I'll need, I have a good number of well-kept hand tools, and I'm pretty good with sharpening them to arm-hair-shaving-not-yanking keenness. And a serviceable workbench. That I built on the floor of my garage, very painful to the knees. I can feel a Nor'easter coming by the way. The next one I build with the aid of a bench will be a lot more handsome.

I also have a Craigslist practice cadaver guitar to work on my fingerboard truing, fretting, nut-cutting and saddle-shaping setup skills, and maybe reassembling if I ever feel destructive.

I am feeling very dangerous now

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-John

john I live in lee/s summit. My shop teacher said practice on scrap. At our local homeless depot they have scrap bins of spruce , fir,pine and cedar for free. Also motorcycle shops and car dealers have at the back if you ask nicely pallets from overseas. I built a large tool chest in 1979 from recycled pallets. Free wood is everywhere in Kc. if you look , then once youve mastered making good joints , move on to "luthier wood"

Thanks Ernie, I think your shop teacher is giving good advice, and I appreciate your advice, too.

The pieces I have coming shouldn't hurt me too much - the "orphan" pieces mentioned above, and something else I found that was closeout. But scrap is free which is even better. I don't think the Man Mall in my area has scrap bins, at least I've never seen them, but now I'm going to ask.

Thanks again

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-John

Your velcome john . H depot has the scrap bin at the back of the store where the slidng /horizontal saws are located to cut customers wood.Ask ?/ also check places in Kc that have pallets , in the back . I think gail/s harley davidson off 71 hwy , plus another motorcycle shop in grandview 71 north of main st. Don/t know where you live , but free wood is also on craigslst. and I have harvested quite a bit of wood from our subdivision longview farm , and the right of way by the dam off raytown rd at longview lake. Hope you have a good jack or try plane , keep it sharp and practice , practice.