Official Luthiers Forum!

It's time I built one of these wonderful little shapes, the L-OO, Nick Lucas, etc.
You who have built one of these, could you advise as to the best plans available?

Many thanks in advance,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I haven't built one, but Christophe Grellier's plans seem to be well-liked, and they're free...

http://www.grellier.fr/plans.php?lang=en

I used and liked the GAL plans.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Steve,

I've used Mark Swanson's plans from MIMF for a few. A little bit deeper than the original. I've been pleased with the results, my customers too.

Please post what you build!

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I can't speak to the result yet, but I am currently building with the Grellier plans mentioned above. The plans are pretty complete and straight forward; you can't beat the price. Hopefully others will chime in with the results they have had with them.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

FWIW I built a 13 fretter on the Grellier body shape, shifting bracing as required. Was really happy with the results.

+1 on the Grellier.

This plan has all the measurements from a Gibson including some SUPER tall braces around the sound hole as well as the fingers. I definitely don't make them that tall.

I use most of the brace dimensions but install an A-Frame style trellis (ala Martin 16 series) and am happy with the results. Very happy in fact. The depth is varied at 4 5/8" deep on the butt end. And I've done several 13 fretters with shifted bracing.
By getting the bridge closer to the widest portion of the top, it REALLY makes things ring.

Please do post results.

Elderly carries a case for the deep L-OO

Dave

Dave, I'm just at the point of roughing out my brace stock for the top (using this plan) and noticed the very tall soundhole and finger braces. What height do you go with? I'm glad you weighed in on the other braces, I was wondering if the x was heavy as well. Based on your comments, I'll keep mine close to the plan (then go by feel).

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I used the Grellier plans for a L-00 and was very pleased with the the detail of them. Are the the best? Who can say, but it documents one version very well, even though the L-00 changed over time, as did the L-0, L-1.

I didn't work from the plans exactly, but applied some other learning to them. I am pretty sure that I didn't screw things up!

GAL has a good plan available, as well as Mark's already mentioned plan.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

From Grellier plans...

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MK5acoustics.com

Bryan,
I brace pretty instinctively and start with 1/4" bracing stock. The X starts at about 1/2" high. Legs, a little shorter and fingers and A-frame shorter yet. Then I carve and shape from there.

Dave

I know it wouldn't be authentic, but does anyone scallop their L-OO braces? Just curious.

Thanks guys--good stuff. I will post pics as I go.
So far, though we're still in the planning stages, customer wants Cuban mahogany b&s w/ Adirondack spruce top.
Should be fun to build.

Thanks again,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Well Steve, You'll like this than. This is the 1926 (I keep saying 29 for some reason...) L-00 Nick Lucus that I built 2 years ago. I actually made it a long scale at 25.6, I really like the sound of it, it's braced pretty light.

Oh, and that's Cuban mahogany b&s w/ an adi top

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

OOOOOOO Steve, I like that.
Did you find a case to fit it?

I find that shape much more appealing than the traditional L-00.

Where did the plan come from?

Dave

Rod - that one always makes me drool. Just beautiful!

Yeah, what Dave said: that's really nice.
Fretboard looks nearly like Snakewood...'zat so?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks guys.

Fretboard, bridge, bindings, headstock veneer are all Tasmanian Blackwood. Fretboard is holding up just fine.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I like the shape of Rod True's 1926 L-00. I don't know a source for the plans for that particular shaped lower bout. However, if you take a look at http://www.luth.org/plans/archtop.htm. The later L-00 is available and I have built from it. Plans for the early L-0 with the rounded lower bout are also shown on the same page. I have built from them, too, and was very happy with that little guitar.

Regards,
Tom

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I spent most of my money on women, guitars and whiskey, the rest I wasted.

Thanks Tom!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve,
I used the GAL plan for the shape on my 1st L-00.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Steve, I 'loosely' followed the CG plans to build this one that I finished up a couple of weeks ago. Great little guitar that was a huge hit even before I strung it up. But once the strings were on, I couldn't seem to keep it around. It has spent more time out of the house than here. A buddy now has it, and I get it back just in time to send off to college with my son at the end of the month.

Good luck with your build!

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

Thanks, Dave, and Ken--that's lovely!
GAL plans are a'coming. Thanks for the help guys, especially Rod!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I found a lot of extra info here: http://www.jameseinolf.com/

I don't know much about James Inolf, but he does seem to be specializing in the L-1, L-0 guitars, and by extension I would assume the L-00 as well.

I'm just about done my L-00 in Mahogany and Spruce. Just finished the bridge and have a little refining of the neck fit to do, just to make sure that it lines up with where the bridge is supposed to go! The big bottle neck is getting ahead of the bills to get the discretionary money for the tuning machines, and deciding which ones to go with...so many choices.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what a Kinnaird L-00 will be like!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

My Po'Boy is a L-00. I based mine (and so did John Greven) on Mary Flowers when John had it in his shop for repairs. Hers is one of the better if not best sounding ones I've ever heard.
Take note that the pre-war models were VERY cheap guitars, so the construction details varied greatly (brace size, placement, etc) , as did the construction quality. Braces were left with rough sawmarks (as do I) and were never scalloped or even capped at the X (piece of canvas and glue @ notch). Braces are "knife" shaped i.e. beveled on a table saw as lengths, then cut and notched.
The new breed of "prettified" L-00's are certainly lovely instruments, but not exactly in the spirit of the originals. I rather like it when a dog growls....
I'd be happy to send a pdf of my top and brace layout. I may even have a side/cross section view. They are my drawings, and not from a published plan. You'll need a big printer to output, or take to a blueprint shop.
-C

Update - plan added as pdf. This is only an outline and brace layout. There are no construction details, as I work those out in the shop real time as the dynamics of the materials dictate. Trim details such as bindings, etc are very simple - single plastic, no purfling, again in the spirit of the original.

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