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This is my first Guitar build and also my high school senior graduation project i need to have this done by January 2015. i just need to know from you guys with experience to tell me if i'm doing any thing wrong and if i have the right tools i have a band-saw and drill press and radius sanding dish Thanks. I started with the neck building process here are some pictures

What book(s) or information are you using to guide you building?

You may want to find a builder near you to help with bending the sides.

Good luck with your building. It will be a good experience when you stick with it - and will take steady work to finish by January.

Ed

i wish there was a luthier close by, but i cant find any builder within 200 miles. i'm using these books and dvd but still need some help. i'm doing this with no help and i'm probably the first builder in Yakima county.

I'm in Port Townsend.

That's less than 200 miles.

Welcome Gerardo,

I recently just finished my first build although I have been repairing them for quite some time now. I tool almost a year to build my parlor which was a pre-serviced kit from LMI. I didn't have the experience or knowledge to bend the sides or do the neck joint or cut the fret slots so those were parts I had pre-serviced for my build. After having built my first one and having read a lot I now feel confident to build one from scratch.

I personally think you are asking a lot of yourself on your first build to complete it by January especially since nothing is done for you. You will have a pretty steep learning curve in a short time but I am sure it can be done. As Ed stated you will have to be very diligent with your work schedule to be able to complete it. I am not saying it can't be done by any means, however I would suggest you lay out a schedule of what needs to be done and a time line of when each step should be complete. Give yourself a bit of leeway in your schedule since things will always go wrong and you will need time figure out a plan of action.

The one thing I will note is that you have 2 separate instruction methods which are very different. I built my parlor using the Robbie O'Brien DVD and a lot of help from this forum. I just recently decided to switch to the Cumpiano method and bought the same book you have. Both are viable ways to build but very different. Be cautious in mixing the 2 methods because I think it will get you confused. I just finished reading the Cumpiano book through for the second time and feel I have the concept down. But be warned... there is a lot in the book that is outdated and needs to be updated by going to his web page and changing some of the processes.

I think you found the right place to help you and there are a lot of great people here that know their stuff so don't be shy about asking questions.

A suggestion I might make is that you start a new thread in the Document build section and document things as you go. You can pop over to this section to ask questions but if you document your build with pictures people can reference what you are doing and may be able to help you better.

Again, Welcome to the forum and best of luck on your build.

Cheers,
Bob

Thats awesome but a bit to far but thanks.

Thanks for your help i really appreciate it.

Try this

http://blackbearukuleles.net

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

Thanks!

My first build took 10 months, so I hope you're faster than that! I am a fan of the Cumpiano&Natelson book. Minimal tools and jigs, which makes the approach very flexible for building different instruments. A few things I don't like, though... particularly the weak upper bout structure, and the pinned neck joint, which I've never tried, but looks very difficult to get right. The updated barrel bolt tenon is good: http://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Articles/Special%20interest/headblock.html

For the upper bout structure, I'd recommend either A-frame braces, or L shaped headblock butted and glued to the upper transverse brace (endgrain joint, but large enough area that it's plenty strong)

As for tools, a flat hand plane and some good sharpening stones were the top things I was missing at first. What's your current sharpening setup, and what kind of budget do you have to work with?

A block plane, 1/2" chisel, and card scraper are also essentials for me. Though scraper sharpening does have a pretty steep learning curve, and you can do most scraper things with sandpaper... it's just a lot more dusty and unpleasant.

The neck looks good I'm just about to glue the scarf joint on one of my current guitars, actually. Personally, I prefer to taper the neck blank from 3/4" thick at the heel to 5/8" thick at the nut before I glue the scarf. That way, the glue line is at the angle transition area, rather than somewhere in the middle of the back of the headstock.

The January 2015 due date sounds a bit ambitious to me , especially for someone with no experience.
For your senior project why not try something like a Stew-Mac ukulele kit with a Tru-Oil finish, easy peasy. Build the guitar on the side and take your time with no stress.
The graduation project judges will be just as impressed with your product and presentation.

I say go for it. My first build took 6 weeks from a pile of timber to a guitar, using Kinkade's book. O'Brien's a good source, plus you can reference his tutorials on U-tube....

Don't let anyone tell you you can't do something. Only you can make that decision.

Don't get me wrong, you'll need to stick to it and will suffer more than one setback, but that's also a life lesson for a young fellow, so do your best, and I bet it'll sound great!

Heck, you're almost done already!

Document here and ask questions if you don't understand anything. Preferably BEFORE you attempt to do something of which you are not sure you understand. You'll get 10 opinions, but one of them is sure to make sense.

Good luck and have fun!

Thank you for the inspiring words.

Will do, thanks.

Thanks for the heads up.

I would like to clarify my remarks if "don't let anyone tell you you can't do something" was a reference to my post. I merely suggested he consider another option, that's all. I don't know if he can do it or not but I would just hate for him to be disappointed in the end.
Around here, senior projects are s Big Deal, count for a good part of their grade, and absolutely required for graduation if they want to walk the stage. Projects have to be completed on time and decently executed as well.
There is research, documentation, finding and getting advise from a mentor as well as other activities and keeping up grades in other classes.
I don't mean to discourage the OP, just want him to go into this eyes wide open.
My wife is a HS administrator and every year someone in some HS in the district does not complete their project, or does a crappy job, or cheat, etc. all with a sad ending.

I know its going to be a challenge for me, i will try to get help from my wood shop teacher.

Good for you Gerardo! Good luck, definitely have fun, and remember there is always good advise on the OLF.
- Rusty

YouTube, this forum and other luthiers were far more helpful to me than the Cumpiano/Natelson book. There are lots of cats to skin while building a guitar and lots of ways to skin them. Pick the methods that you are most comfortable with and have fun!

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

Gerardo all the best buddy. It's not as tough as it may seem. Bending the sides will possibly be the toughest part. Go slow take your time. I started out bending wood over a burning candle. Made 3 instruments and bent binding on two others using that method. Sounds harder then it is though. Although I now have a bending iron it's really no better then the candle. Good luck to you with your school project and welcome to these pages.


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The Cumpiano & Natelson book will serve you well (but use a bolt on neck joint - a simple butt joint with inserts and bolts is easy and completely sufficient). Given time constraints, I would build free form as shown in that book, though later down the line you might find using molds useful too. I would also keep all appointments and binding schemes simplistic.

Looks like you still need tools for bending (get a pipe and a propane torch and go to town), binding and routing (bindings and rosette). Unless you finish the build with lots of time to spare, I would also recommend use of a good wipe on, probably oil-based, finish. If you plan on a "dipped in glass" finish for this one, allow just as much time for the finish process as it took you to do the woodworking (plus additional money, tools, expense, and hair loss).

What you propose is do-able, assuming you start now, work hard, and stick with it on essentially a daily basis.

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Aaron Craig

Remember to look up the online updates to Cumpiano's book, particularly the new neck/body joint he recommends. It is much, much easier and better than the pinning method shown in the book.

Thanks Aaron.

No, Rusty, I wasn't referencing your remark particularly.

I've met more guys in the past two years that have spent so much time analysing and talking about trying to maybe one day build a guitar, but i have the tiumber, the tools, etc, etc....but they've not yet built one.

I've built 10 in two years, and sold 4.

My point was rather a general comment on simply spending the time the lad might be dithering on actually building, and, yes making mistakes, but still ending up with a pretty good product. so, no offense intended.

Mate, I still say, Go your hardest and you'll end up with a piece to be proud of. Best of luck, mate.