Official Luthiers Forum!

First the Scotch!!!
Yes I'll have a WEE dram!!

I started out only using hand tools -there was no Stew Mac or Luthiers supply -just a small bit of knowledge & a HUGH need to make a guitar!
I planed & scraped all my tops ,sides & backs by hand-there where no available sanders for small shops then!
I planed my necks to thickness-I even made laminated necks and spend hours making sure everything fit perfect!
I loved doing that -but it was hard!
Now we all have so many devises to help us!

Michael Gurian was in the wood cutting & guitarmaking business in southern New Hampshire and I went to Charles Foxs school in Vt. in 1977.
So us students went down to Michaels to buy wood-he gave us a tour of the factory-I especially remember a stack or cedar tops that a Ramirez rep. picked out!(I got one)
Brazilian sets were selling for $40. -Indian $15!!!!!!!!
Real German Spruce $15.
But we all only had so much to spend-Man if i had a time mnachine!!!!!

Now to answer your question!
I absolutely love to work the woods by hand as mush as time will allow!
I make every bridge by hand-every rosette-all my bindings!

I thickness tops by sander then plane and scraper.
B & S with the sander!
I've spend 8 hours in the 70's scraping a Curly maple& Braz. set !!!!!!!!
I do use a jig now for cutting fret slots!
It's much more accurate !

Working the wood by hand to me is a great way to get in touch with them!
And a way for me to really appreciate guitarmaking!!
mike

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Mike Collins

That's a great story! Love the Brazillian sets fro $40! I think anyone who builds will apprecuiate what you mean by getting in touch with the wood, and I think there will always be things we do purely by hand - I also think everyone has their favourite bits and those they would be happy to let a machine do! , I loved hand carving a bridge, but give me a thickness sander anytime for when it comes to thicknessing the b+S especially as on my first I used macassar ebony - but my tutor said on the 1st learn from first principles!

I have a friend who does not use any power tools whatsoever and I mean NONE! is name is Boaz.His craftmanship is absolutely ''haute voltige''!!!!