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I am getting ready for my first build and wanted to know where people in the states get their wood from. I was thinking about doing walnut back and sides with a sitka spruce top. I am trying to keep the cost down for my first few builds so I can gain experiance.

Is there any vendors you guys recommend? Also is there an inexpensive wood that is user friendly for a first build.

I saw some wood on ebay but after reading the other post I do not know how I feel about it.

Thaks
Matt

Matt, Try any of our forum sponsors above they are all professional and very willing to discuss the possibilities with you. Walnut/Sitka is a good start and will finish nicely. The folks at Allied usually carry a lesser grade of Indian Rosewood that would be great for a first build. It looks good, bends easily and will give you some practice on pore filling prior to finishing. Give them a call and discuss it with them.

Sapele would be good also. It is inexpensive and makes for a nice first instrument. In any case I would recommend that you get some "orphan" sides and practice your bending technique before you try it on your selected woods.

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Peter

For a first build, I'd suggest getting a getting a kit from LMII. Its not a kit like a Martin kit with pre-bent sides, joined plates..., but you can get that on there if you want under services. The kit wizard will let you pick whatever parts you want from there catalog and you get a break on the parts buying it in the kit form.

I also believe John Hall have some nice kits, but I can't comment on those as I only ever bought a kit from LMII.

For purely experimental stuff, you can go to Home Depot and check out their selection of clear cedar trim...some amazing colors and is very soft/easy to work. I'm in Oregon so prices on cedar aren't too bad and the selection can be good. Found some red cedar there once...oh my it was pretty!
If you're willing to dig, they occasionally let some flamed maple sneak in amongst their cheaper stuff.


Higher quality, I'd say Woodcraft or Rockler (if you have a local store) and LMI or one of the forum's sponsors for web ordered.


-Matthew

Spruce...pine or fir alll acceptable about $5 a 2x8x8 feet...local lumber yard...will yield up to 8 tops.

Ask if they have walnut....always is gonna be cheaper than a tone wood dealer.

If you are rural then find the local saw mill, make friends, take a 6 pack say hi... cut a deal.


blessings
the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Thanks for the tips guys. I'll have not had to much luck with the local lumber yards in the past but I'll see what I can find.

I'll see what kind of deal I can get with the kit wizard, that may be the way to go for my first.

Also just picked up a new book from the library david russell young: the steel string guitar: construction & repair. Has anyone read it and how useful was it.

thanks again
matt

Hi Matt,
You can buy the "second quality" east indian rosewood sets from Allied Lutherie for $34 a set. If you buy 6 sets it's $30 a set , and for 12 + sets the price goes down to $26 a set. Buying multiple sets gives you a better chance of matching similar grain and color between backs and sides. These sets are seconds because of color, odd grain and small pin holes. They are about as cheap as anything I have found for precut guitar sets.

Thanks thats worth looking into.

Hi Matt,
I have the David Russel young book.-It's OK There are some good things in it-HOWEVER he uses a butt joint for the neck glued with epoxy. If you want to use a butt joint (I do) then use inserts and bolts with no glue.
He also uses a non adjustable rod which is pretty rare these days.

Local lumberyards sell mostly materials for construction. Also look in the phonebook for hardwood suppliers - if you find one go down and wander around. They should have lots of cherry, walnut, and probably some rosewoods and mahogany too along with plenty of other interesting woods.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Hi, Matt-
I built my first (4-5) steel-string guitars using Young's book, 30 years or so ago. As far as I know, they are all still going strong. It's an excellent book, and can get you to a good-sounding guitar without a lot of delay/expense in building complex jigs, etc. I recommend it highly.

As Brad mentions, a couple of Young's techniques could/should be updated.
I'd definitely add a truss rod to the neck, rather than the fixed 'beam' reinforcement which Young modelled on the Martins.
Though you will read criticism of the epoxy butt joint for neck attachment - from folks who never used the technique, or who used dime-store epoxy- it actually works well and will not come apart. That said , I agree 100% with Brad's recommendation to switch to a bolt-on style neck, since it makes a future neck re-set so much easier.

You can learn a lot from some of the older books like Sloane and Young- they have ideas that work well in a smaller shop, for folks who still want to build 'from scratch'. (They are often available on the used market at reasonable prices- abebooks.com or similar).

Cheers
John
PS- Go with Indian rosewood, not walnut. Sapele also makes a good-sounding guitar.