Official Luthiers Forum!

Just posted this yesterday and have already had some nice emails about it.

http://www.theluthierblog.com/articles/ ... tar-maker/

What are your best tips? Let me know and they can go in a future post.

Nigel
http://www.theluthierblog.com/articles/
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/about-me/

Great stuff Nigel!

_________________
Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Nigel,

Thanks for sharing. This is super stuff!!

Phil

my best tip: have a sturdy bench. and keep it tidy and clean.

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes

I would add two things:
1. Be self actualized, you cannot improve if you lie or male excuses for your work
2. Hold yourself to an un achievablely high standard so even if you are close it is great and there will always be room for improvement

Know and understand when you are tired and quit for the day.

My problem isn't knowing, it's the doing.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Why hand plane the top? I have my reasons of why I do it but I'm curious as to yours? Cleaning up after every job is great advise. I think we all know it's great advise but probably many of us fail to do it regularly. Knowing where your tools are is a huge plus too. Have a spot for every tool and always put a tool back where it belongs!

A variation of Haan's good comment:
When something is going wrong, or just not going right, don't bulldoze through that task. Take a break, have a cup of coffee and when you return to the task, I find I normally see what I was doing wrong, or am just relaxed enough to finish it correctly,
Mike

So much agree with those above regarding not working through when tired or frustrated. Patience is king. And for me, that is always a problem I am working on. It's amazing how time away from the bench improves time at the bench.

Thanks guys I appreciate your help with us beginners. Haans I actually put your advice into practice the other evening. I was just really tired and instead of pushing on I gave up for the evening. It felt good to just kick back and watch a little TV. I do need to improve my skills. I made three mandolins about 25 years ago. Just putting the finish on a baritone Uke right now. Have another Uke to make then I begin my first commission. A Tenor guitar. So I want to do the best job I can.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Forgive yourself for not being perfect.

_________________
Cheers,

Frank Ford

FRETS.COM
HomeShopTech
FRETS.NET

Don't work in a vacuum.
Guitars have been made for hundreds of years during which many ideas were tried.
Study what's gone before and if you like what you see, absorb it into your style.
As you develop your own work it will then have a pedigree.

Repeat.

Don't accept substandard work because it's too hard to redo it. For example, if the top is just not right then remove it and make another. You'll learn a lot.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

for every idea that you have about doing something there are a dozen internet experts who say it will not work and that you must do things their way because they were taught that way by (famous luthier). know what you want and set out to do it. guitars of quality aren't built by a committee of internet forum buddies. absorb what is necessary and find your own truth.

Another to remember along with Steve's comment is that you might only have one chance to fix something gone wrong. Hang it up for a day or two and consider the fix. Figure it out and you might have saved a disaster. If it looks worse redone, you have to junk it.

Good stuff here thanks Nick

I have a mantra.

"This counts"

I repeat this when I'm working any instrument part.

It's not necessary when making jigs etc.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ken

_________________
Ken

#1 When something goes wrong, DON'T PANIC! (This is the same advice that was hammered into me when I learned to fly). Calm down, step back and think of every possible solution. The first one that pops into your head is not often the best.

#2 Nothing that is done with Nitro Lacquer can be done faster! Blow drying, sanding or buffing too soon, too many coats too fast, etc. The dang stuff takes time & patience which can be very frustrating to an impatient person.

#3 Do something every day to improve your shop or method. Continuous improvement should always be a goal.

Mike Franks
www.mjfranksguitars.com

no matter how hard you try , any hand made guitar will show that fact. How obvious is where the skill comes in. Learn , Observe , Think , repeat. If you have only made a few guitars , find a mentor , learning to share what not to do is often more valuable than learning what to do.
Avoid the my way is the only way thinking. The more techniques you can acquire the better builder you will be.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I would say try not to rely on power tools too much.
There are times when you can do a much better job with hand tools.

"Don't make the perfect the enemy of the good"

I am guilty of not following this simple rule. I am a perfectionist in almost everything I do and I beat myself up over stupid little things.

Probably the best words of wisdom I have heard in a long time. Thanks Frank.

Bob