Complete Guide To Building Kit Acoustic Guitars • Bill Cory

Transcription

Complete Guide To
BUILDING KIT
ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Bill Cory
Discover The Joy Of Creating
Your Own Quality Musical
Instrument
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bill Cory has been a professional writer and publisher for 35 years, and has been building kit acoustic guitars for four years and has played guitar since age 11. After completing ten
kits, he is beginning to design and build his own line of Triple-O and "Small Jumbo" 12- and
13-fret guitars.
Besides building kit guitars, Bill's other passion is playing them, songwriting, freelance
writing and publishing, and hiking in Grand Canyon. His freelance articles have been published in Rangefinder, PhotoLab Management, Westways, Four-Wheeler, Acoustic Guitar and
Woodcraft magazines. This is his second book, the first being Maybe You Should Write and
Publish a Magazine!
Bill's current independent project is to complete the writing of a comprehensive construction manual for kit acoustic guitars that are configured similarly to those from C.F. Martin &
Co. It will soon be available on www.KitGuitarManuals.com and through Bill's other websites:
www.KitGuitarBuilder.com and www.KitGuitarForum.com.
Bill lives in Colorado Springs where he's the dad in a family of four. Plus a cat.
COMPLETE GUIDE TO BUILDING KIT ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Copyright © 2007 by William F. (Bill) Cory
Colorado Springs, Colorado
[email protected]
www.KitGuitarManuals.com
All Rights Reserved.
This publication is protected by United States and International Copyrights.
Without written permission from the Author, no part of this publication may legally be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, copied, or transmitted in any form by any means — electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other method or process — except
for brief quotations in printed reviews.
Throughout this book, Trademarks and Tradedress are used. Rather than put a trademark
symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state here that we are using the names
only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademarks.
Printed in the United States of America.
For permissions, email William F. Cory; [email protected]
2 • Building Kit Acoustic Guitars
CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6
Why I Wrote This Book • What's So Great About Kits? •
What You'll Learn From This Book • Kits and the Mystique of Luthery •
Mistakes?
1
2
FAQs ............................................................................................................. 14
3
What Will You Need? ................................................................................ 34
4
Where To Get The Kit ............................................................................. 42
5
Tools ................................................................................................................. 64
Why Should I Trust The Info In This Book? ... and 30 more
A Guitar? In A Kit? .................................................................................... 24
Many Decisions Made For You • What You Don't Learn From Kits •
What You Do Learn From Kits • My Own Experience •
When You Finish The Kit • What's Cheaper: Parts? or Kits?
How Much Space? • Space For Finishing • Tools •
Time • Knowledge
Luthier's Mercantile Int'l, Inc. (LMII) • Stewart-MacDonald
(Stewmac) • C.F. Martin & Co. (Martin) • Grizzly Tools •
Blues Creek Guitars • Kovacik Guitars • Kenneth Michael Guitars
(KMG) • Additional Kit Sources • A Note on Instructions
What's Wrong With Tool Lists • The Right Tool At The Right Time •
Educate Yourself • Air Quality • A Tool Primer - List of Tools
and Devices • Generic Woodworking Tools • Other Miscellaneous
Items • Steps in Building Kits, Tools Needed (Tables) •
A Sample Tool List (Even Though I Don't Like Lists)
Contents Continued Next Page
Building Kit Acoustic Guitars • 3
6
Illustrated Step-by-Step Building Sequence .................................. 80
7
8
Keeping A Journal Record ................................................................... 104
This is Not An Instruction Manual • Dry-Fitting • Starting Out •
Humidity • The Rim, Mold and Sides • Back and Top • Attaching
Top and Back To The Rim • Neck and Fretboard • The Neck Joint •
More Info on Bridge Placement • Finishing • Final Steps (Setup)
Why Keep A Record? • Complete Annotated Journal Pages in Blank
Tools & Devices You Can Build .......................................................... 136
Guitar Vise • Radiused Sanding Sticks • Shooting Block • Side Shaping
Procedure • Protective Top Pad • Wingnut Wrench • Binding Router Guide
9
Notes On Finishing ................................................................................ 148
10
11
Glossary of Guitar and Luthery Terms ........................................... 160
12
13
14
Two Detailed Building Logs: ............................................................ 188
Oil & Water • Cautions • A Building Caution • Just A Primer! •
Prepping For the Finish • Top Coats • Finish Coat Types
"Action" to "Zero Fret"
Resources ............................................................................................... 170
Accessories • Building • Cases • Festivals • Finishing • Intonation •
Luthiers • Schools • Tools & Parts • Wood • Books • DVD's • Forums
Martin Jumbo • Stewmac Dreadnought
Seven Days In May (+3) ..................................................................... 212
An Experiment: Building of a Martin kit in ten days
Afterword: The Finer Points ............................................................. 220
Is Kit Guitar Building Real Luthiery?
Appendix: ................................................................................................................. 225
My Websites • Wood's Toxic Qualities • Care of Your Guitar •
Photos From Kit Guitar Builders (From back Cover) • Photography Tips
Index ......................................................................................................................... 234
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my loving wife and family for their
encouragement, and to the members ot the Kit Guitar
Forum for their encouragement, information, support, and
photos of their excellent guitars.
To Order A Copy Of This Book
Go to this web address:
Single copies are US $29.95
(plus $5. Priority Mail Shipping in USA)
or
(plus US $12 Global Priority Mail outside USA)
Multiple copies (more than three) may be purchased at a discount
This book is also available through Lulu.com, Amazon.com, Barnes &
Noble.com, and by special order through your favorite real world
bookstore.
However, receive a discount when you purchase through this site
(www.KitGuitarManuals.com).
6
BUILDING KIT ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Start to finish, in only about 150 steps. (Some of the highlights shown above.)
INTRODUCTION
Building A Kit Guitar
My friend, Carl,
works on a brace for
his Stewmac 000.
It’s real woodworking; don’t let anybody
tell you different.
A
quality guitar kit costs $300 – $600, plus more for
tools to build it. Big investment. It leads to a further investment of time. Emotions get involved, too. Those
who build chairs and cabinets might become somewhat
attached to their projects, but building a musical instrument is vastly different: If you are a musician, it promises
joy far beyond that of a quality piece of furniture. And, as
the building proceeds, anticipation builds, to be rewarded
with the first few strums of your favorite chords.
An acoustic guitar kit doesn’t create a “toy guitar,” by
any means. It creates a real musical instrument that can
last decades and easily rival the sound and appearance
of many factory guitars found in music stores. Its quality
will vary, naturally, depending on the builder’s skill, talent,
and understanding of the intricacies of the guitar. But there
are many guitarists — some quite accomplished — happily
playing and performing on guitars they’ve built themselves,
from kits. There’s no reason why a kit, with the right materials and quality of build, can’t become your personal
“Holy Grail” guitar.
First step with a Stewmac kit is to dry fit,
then glue, the rim. Dry fit shown.
High-tech clamping of the kerfed lining. The
pro’s use this method, too!
8
WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
I operate a website named KitGuitarForum.com. The
forum has given me great insight into the questions asked
by potential kit builders: Most of them are repeated in
Chapter 1: “FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions.” All of them
are questions I asked when I started my first kit guitar.
A borrowed drill press and wheel cutter.
You’ll see that many of your own questions — with
answers — appear in the FAQs. There may be some you
haven’t yet thought of, but eventually would. The rest of the
book amplifies those questions and answers and applies
them to specific guitar kits.
By the way, this book is about guitar kits, specifically.
It is not about building from scratch, though that is mentioned from time to time. (And, building from kits might
lead to scratch building for many readers.) It’s about the
kits: How to choose one, what you can anticipate in quality
of materials and documentation, how difficult the project
might be, and how you can expect the finished guitar to
look, sound, and play. But, to repeat: It’s about kits, and
kits, only.
WHY I’M THE GUY WRITING IT
Above, the plan...below, before gluing, the
result.
This book could certainly have been written by an
accomplished professional luthier who has built hundreds
of guitars from scratch. Me, I’ve built ten at this point, all
from kits. I’ve played guitar since I was 11, but that’s not a
qualifier for this project.
At this point in my guitar-building, I could build a guitar from scratch. I could do it only because I’ve built those
ten kits. However, I like kits! Call me crazy, but I now know
the ins and outs of kits from every major kit supplier, and
some minor ones. I’ve built more than one from most major manufacturers.
None of the professional luthiers I know, or with whom
I’ve corresponded, build from kits, or want to. I don’t know
of any who care about kits much: It’s just not their thing.
By the way, I am not saying I know more about any aspect
of luthery than any professional luthier.
Yet, I presume to think I’m qualified to write this book.
Why? It’s because I have studied and built kit guitars for
INTRODUCTION
several years, and I know what the beginning kit builder
needs to know.
The pro knows all of the tricks and understands the
entire craft of guitar building. If he or she built a kit, the instructions wouldn’t even be used. Ask him how something
should be done, and you’d get an explanation based not
on the kit instructions, but on his specific way of doing
things, using professional tools and techniques perfected
over years or decades of building. Furthermore, the pro
doesn’t take kits seriously or know much about them; and,
there’s no reason he should! He spends much more than
an entire kit costs on the wood for one of his guitars’ back
and sides. Why would he know much or care anything
about kits?
An enjoyable task: Carving braces.
If you haven’t yet built a guitar, the pro’s explanations
might be almost useless to you, for four reasons: 1) You
don’t have the pro’s tools; 2) You don’t have the pro’s experience; 3) You don’t yet have the pro’s skill, and, 4) The
pro doesn’t know what you don’t know!
But, wouldn’t it be great if you could get explanations
from an experienced builder who has built the same or a
similar kit to yours ... a person who has encountered and
overcome incomplete documentation (written by experienced luthiers) ... a person who can tell you what problems
your chosen kit will present to the first-time builder, and
how you can prevent or solve them.
One way of clamping the top for gluing.
Other ways are faster.
I believe I can fulfill those requirements. I’ve built more
than one kit from each of the major makers. Though there
are clearly various ways of doing the same things, I don’t
yet have my own habitual ways of doing things. I still pay
strict attention to what the specific kit instructions tell me
to do. That’s good, for two reasons: 1) Because that’s what
you will be doing; and, 2) because I’m “testing” the instructions for accuracy and clarity (a test they sometimes fail).
Finally, the reason why I’m the guy to write this book
is practical and basic: Though I know a lot more now than
I did when I started several years ago, I haven’t yet forgotten all those things I didn’t know when I started out. For
clarity and completeness of explanations, that’s got to be
a good thing.
Internal mold removed ... back goes on next.
10
WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT KITS?
A guitar kit, whether it’s your first or your tenth, is still
a learning experience. Building a kit, you encounter many
of the problems and must master procedures done by all
luthiers. It’s an inexpensive way of learning about guitars,
certainly.
The opening is cleared for the neck tenon.
Note the too-deep channel for purfling: One
step toward learning the rule: “Test On
Scrap!”
I am amazed at how great the guitars sound. (You
can hear some of mine: See “My Websites” in the Appendix.) The guitars I’ve built have good intonation, tone
and volume. They are equal to some of the major makers’
mid-range guitars I’ve owned. Their playability is excellent.
(Honestly, the last few are lots nicer than the first one.)
The biggest benefit of kits is this: You are able to
make them “your way,” with nut width, string spread, action, finish, appearance, etc., all built the way you particularly want them. And, it doesn’t break the bank to do it.
Kits can provide an introduction to woodworking.
They did for me, at age 56. I knew almost nothing about
woodworking before buying and building my first kit. Everything I’ve learned about woodworking has been learned
from building guitar kits. (It’s been great fun.)
First mistake (routed channel too deep) and
the "fix." Best I could do. Mistakes are part
of the process; reading and thinking will
prevent some, but not all.
They save us time and provide a head start. Most
kits arrive with the back and top thicknessed and joined,
and sides bent. Those two procedures alone save a lot
of practice time, material, and money, and keep us from
needing to buy and learn to use a thousand bucks worth
of machinery along with the space needed for them and
the maintenance of them. Not a bad deal, in my book.
Like me, you might not have all the room, resources
or time needed to learn how to produce guitars from raw
wood; that takes a workshop, extensive machinery and
years. I don’t have it, and don’t want to buy it, learn to use
it, or maintain it. Maybe someday, but not yet. And time?
Never enough of that!
The fretboard: A separate process.
Quality materials are available: One kit provider —
Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. (LMII.com) — offers
completely customized kits. We don’t have to settle for the
good, but non-premium, wood that comes in the standard
kit box. We can use First Grade Honduran Rosewood and
INTRODUCTION
AAA Port Orford Cedar if we want to. We’ll pay extra for it,
but we can get it. And, if we want, LMI will join and thickness the back and bend the sides for a nominal fee. (You
can also get customized kits from independent luthiers
who supply kits: All of these are listed in the book.)
Quick reward: Working part time, you can get a kit
body together in two or three weeks, the neck done in one
more week, the finish done in another month, and easily
be playing the guitar ten weeks after the box lands on your
front porch. (The first kit might take longer: My first took
several months, but life sometimes happens, right?)
Taping of glued binding and purfling.
They teach us. After building kits, if I now want to
build a guitar from scratch, I know what needs to be done,
in what order, and what I’ll need in order to do it.
We get practice and experience in fine woodworking skills as they apply to guitarmaking, and we continue
to improve.
Fulfillment: I personally get plenty from building a
kit and playing it. It’s a custom guitar, actually, for which
I would pay about four times more if I tried to buy it in a
store — if I could find it at all! And I know it all intimately
because I created it. There are more reasons, in my opinion, but that’s got to be enough!
Tape removed, cleaned up some.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS BOOK
You could learn everything in this book by scouring
the internet, but it would take a really long time. You’d
probably miss some essentials.
• By reading this book, you will learn which kits are
best for you to start with.
An oil-based pore filler on rosewood sides.
• You will learn which tools are really needed, and
which ones can be replaced by cheaper or home-made
substitutes.
• You will learn about finishing: Why and why not to
use certain types. Which ones are easier to use and which
are possibly beyond your capabilities or facilities. Which
are good and bad, health-wise. I’ll even tell you what I’ve
come up with, but the complete and varied procedures
of finishing are best left for other books by professional
builders. Those books are also listed herein.
After the filler excess removed; looks okay.
12
• You will learn in this one little book everything you
need to know to make your decisions about buying and
building a guitar kit.
KITS AND THE MYSTIQUE OF LUTHERY
The finish is looking okay on the back.
The top took time, even without pore filling.
You might have a romantic notion of the art and craft
of luthery, of old Spanish craftsmen working with cuchillos
(special knives) and hand tools ... of modern artisans creating miraculously beautiful instruments from raw wood. I
have such a picture in my own mind.
To some, building from a kit takes away from those
pictures. To me, it doesn’t. One one level, I know that I
am not anywhere near that fabled and skilled stratum of
experts. But on another level, I can relate to them. Once
I discard the packing materials, and I feel the wonderful
texture of the wood, smell the shavings, wince from the
splinters, and admire the work of ages of growth that creates such beautiful natural material, I am right there with
all of the builders of past and present. The wood becomes
my wood. Its shape and result are what I put into it—for, in
reality, what I do to this collection of pieces will determine
whether it is good—or bad—in the end. It becomes my
instrument, though someone else designed it.
You will experience it, too. Even though this is a kit,
from a box, you will make it your own. You’ll take great
pride in your work. The guitar is a special instrument, anyway: We hold it close, move with it, touch it lightly or forcefully, and coax from it musical tones that have an effect far
beyond the mere physical creation of sound. Playing an
instrument you have built yourself has extra magic.
MISTAKES? AS OL’ BLUE EYES SANG
... I’ve made a few ...
Who hasn’t? You will too. Hopefully, none of them will
be fatal to your guitar. None of mine have been, and none
of them have seemed nearly as huge after completing the
guitar as they did at the time I made them.
Eventually, the finish was done.
I’ve refinished a top four times before being happy
with it, or because I screwed it up three times. I’ve sanded
through the side of one guitar twice, yet it’s one of the
INTRODUCTION
instruments I most enjoy playing, and I hardly notice the
damaged spots anymore. I’ve routed a binding channel
50% too deep and had to figure out how to cover the error acceptably. I’ve glued a top on wrong, gotten it completely clamped before I realized it, and had to hurriedly,
but carefully, dismantle the whole mess. I’ve cracked a top
on which I spent big money and time doing a really nice
green abalone rosette. I’ve made other, smaller mistakes
— lots of them. You will make mistakes, too. I’m telling you
some of mine just so you’ll know I’ve “been there,” and I
can relate to all those speed berms on the road to finishing the first kit. As one professional luthier told me, half
of learning this craft is learning how to fix your mistakes
so they have no impact. Another guy told me, “It ain’t a
mistake ’less you cain’t fix it!”
Ready to glue the neck to the body.
THAT’S THE INTRO ...
Good luck with this venture!
If you have questions along the way, get on the internet and ask them at www.KitGuitarForum.com. You can
also email me personally from most any of the pages in
the website: www.KitGuitarBuilder.com or www.KitGuitarManuals.com. I’d enjoy hearing from you!
Bill Cory
Well-clamped, it will cure overnight.
Colorado Springs, CO
My First: The completed
Triple-O from Stewart-MacDonald. A Western Red Cedar top from LMI replaced
the stock Sitka Spruce top
from Stewmac.
14
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Ready to attach the top and
back. This is a satisfying stage
during the construction of the
guitar!
Opposite page: A StewartMacDonald Dreadnought built
completely "by the book."
CHAPTER 1
FAQs
Q
: WHY SHOULD I TRUST THE INFO IN
THIS BOOK?
A: You will find here an overall coverage of the process and
techniques required for kits from major and smaller kit
suppliers, and comparisons of the kits’ materials, instructions, customer service, and overall quality. I have
purchased each kit I describe or review in this book; I
owe no supplier any favors. My information is straightforward and is based on my own experience with the
kits and the companies that provided them.
And, why me? Because, like you, I started with kits.
Like the typical kit buyer, I am not a professional luthier. But having played guitar for several decades, I got
intensely interested in building, and started with kits.
Having worked as a professional writer for 40 years,
and off-and-on as a systems analyst and software
documentation writer, I naturally decided to do a book.
(Why not: It legitimately allows me to deduct the kits
I've built and describe in this book and in other books.
Even the IRS doesn't tell you that you must hate what
you're doing!) And having built more than one kit from
every kit supplier, as I consider necessary to make this
book's information accurate, I can assure you of this:
The information in this book is reliable. It is information
Brazilian Rosewood. This set, purchased
from John Hall of BluesCreekGuitars.com,
was apparently discarded by C.F. Martin
& Co. in 1970 because of the sapwood
streaks. It is currently in my shop and being
combined with a Coastal Redwood top into
a 000-28 fingerstyle instrument.
16
that will help you choose the right kit and build the best
guitar you can with it.
Q: WHY IS THIS CHAPTER 1?
A: It will answer a lot of your questions right off the bat.
Q: HOW HARD IS IT TO BUILD AN ACOUSTIC
GUITAR FROM A KIT?
My workshop. It's so small I had to shoot the
picture with a fisheye lens! The entire "shop"
is 5.5 x 7.5 feet, with a 7-foot ceiling. My
workbench is a salvaged piece of Formica™
countertop screwed down on a little chest of
drawers from my kids' baby years. I've bult
four guitars completely here, and do some
work on my current projects, numbers 8, 9
and 10.
A: This is the Most Frequently Asked Question. Sorry, but
there is no objective answer for it. It depends on a few
major factors:
1) Your woodworking and tool-usage experience
2) Your guitar building experience
3) The tools you invest in
4) What you already know about guitar construction
5) Which guitar kit you buy for your first kit
6) How much actual building time you can put into it.
(In the chapter titled "Building Logs," in which I inserted
logs for building a Stewmac and Martin Kit, the Stewmac took 80 hours of building time, and the Martin took
92. The time-keeping wasn't exact, so those should be
seen as rough guidelines. My 10th kit ("Seven days in
May," page 212, took 56 hours.)
Q: CAN I BUILD A KIT IF I AM NOT A
WOODWORKER?
A: Yes! You’ll become one while you build the kit. When
I built my first kit, I was not familiar with woodworking
things. I hadn’t built anything at all since 1961, the year
of my 7th Grade woodshop.
Q: I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT GUITAR
CONSTRUCTION; CAN I STILL BUILD ONE?
A: Yes. You will learn about it from the building of the kit
and research along the way.
Q: I’M NOT A VERY GOOD MUSICIAN; CAN I
BUILD A GUITAR ANYWAY?
Fretting the fretboard is at first intimidating, but the correct technique makes it easy.
A: Sure. Many builders are players only to the extent that
they can make a few chords and strum them, and play
single notes to check intonation. (Some are really good
players, too.) As far as making intonation accurate, no-
body can really hone it to perfection without a good
electronic tuner anyway. So, a “great musical ear,” or
“playing skill” is not a necessity. If you can strum some
major chords, you’re there.
Q: WHICH GUITAR KIT SHOULD I BUY FOR
MY FIRST KIT?
A: As the lawyers would say, that depends. Read this
book, then decide. (It depends on several factors.)
Q: WHICH KIT IS THE BEST KIT TO START
WITH?
A: Again, depends on your desires, your skill, your experience, and your pocketbook. By the time you finish this
book, you'll know for sure which will fit you best.
This Stewmac Triple-O, my second 000,
took 7 weeks from the top photo to the bottom one.
Q: WHO MAKES THE BEST KITS?
A: Again, depends. Best for whom? For what playing purpose? It has to do with what you want; decide after
reading the book.
Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A
KIT?
A: Minimum of a month, plus finishing, if you already know
what to do. However, if it’s your first kit, expect three or
four months, on a part time basis. In hours, it’s difficult
to say, but anywhere from 80 to 120 hours is considered normal.
The first body is always a thrill.
Q: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
A: The kit itself: $250 to $500 for a “stock” kit. More can
be spent if you decide to customize it. (LMI’s “Kit Wizard” is the easiest way to do this without buying additional parts and pieces separately. Also, some luthiers
will assemble kits for you with specific designs, woods,
and parts. They are covered further on.)
Along with the kit, you’ll need to invest a certain
amount in tools. Minimum of $200 if you don't already
have tools.
The usual answer to this question includes this: "You
don't build a guitar kit to save money; you build it to get
something unique that rivals (and betters) many factory
When I'm by myself, I enjoy playing. But I
am only passably good. At 60, who cares? I
enjoy it.
18
guitars, without spending a lifetime learning the entire
craft of luthery." That's a pretty good answer.
Q: WHAT TOOLS DO I REALLY NEED?
A: That’s a complex question. See Chapter 5.
Q: HOW BIG A WORKSHOP IS NEEDED?
A: Not very big. I built my first few guitars in a 6 x 8 foot
“room” in my garage, on a 24 x 28-inch countertop.
Q: HOW GOOD CAN I EXPECT THE GUITAR
TO BE IF I BUILD IT RIGHT?
You will need lots of clamps, for one thing.
For a complete answer to the "tools" question, see Chapter 5.
A: Very good to Excellent. The guitar you will build will have
several advantages over some factory-built instruments,
simply because you control the procedures of shaping,
sanding, trimming, finishing, etc. The kits described in
this book are all capable of producing a guitar that will
surprise you with its quality of sound.
If you know guitars, you know that every guitar has
a unique sound — even two of the same model made
the same day in a factory with CNC cutters and tight
tolerances. It’s the wood. Different pieces of wood have
different sound qualities. It varies widely, even within
the same tree. Strum five Martin D-28s or Taylor 714’s
and you’ll hear variations in their sound that can only
be attributed to the wood.
To hear some kit guitars, go to www.KitGuitarBuilder.
com.
Q: ARE THE MATERIALS IN GUITAR KITS AS
GOOD AS IN FACTORY GUITARS?
A portion of one of the leading guitar factories in the country. It takes a big shop to
turn out hundreds of guitars daily. Are their
materials better than that in kits? Probably,
but not by much — and it depends on which
kit, too. (A custom kit you put together on
LMI's Kit Wizard will certainly be as good!
Do they build the guitars "better?" Maybe ...
maybe not! It all just depends.
A: With some qualification ... yes. Premium woods in the
high-end guitars will be "better" than the wood in kits.
But ... as stated, wood varies. The woods in kits -- especially the backs, sides and tops -- are of good quality. Braced and assembled correctly, they will produce
a very good sounding guitar. However, their materials
are not premium, unless you pay extra for them through
LMI’s Kit Wizard or elsewhere.
Most kit builders, because they are learning, wouldn’t
want to pay for premium materials. After all, mistakes
will be made on the first few kits. Don't go for premium
on the first one unless you have lots of money or lots of
woodworking experience.
Q: CAN I SELL GUITARS I BUILD FROM
KITS?
A: Possibly, if and when your guitars reach the point where
they can compete in tone, playability, appearance and
reliability against guitars in the stores. As far as sound
goes, there’s no reason why a well-built kit guitar can’t
sound better than (more accurately: “different from”) guitars produced in a factory. But, even if you can sell guitars made from kits, don’t expect to get rich doing it or
to fully support your retirement; look into the economics
of it and you’ll see why. Also, look at the list of luthiers
in the Resources chapter ... all very, very good!
A small show of the Colorado Luthiers
Association. Some guitars sold here were
from kits, but most were built from scratch.
Selling kit guitars would be difficult because
there are so many excellent instruments to
compete with. Beyond that, you also have to
have made a name for your guitars.
Q: WHAT KIND OF GUITAR KIT IS EASIEST
TO BUILD?
A: We've dealt with this above, but ... Ignoring the type of
guitar body ... dreadnought, triple-O, jumbo, etc.: An
acoustic guitar from a kit, no matter who makes it, is
approximately the same in difficulty. All the most basic steps are similar. (Assuming you are purchasing a
kit with sides bent, and back and top thicknessed and
possibly joined.) There are some added tasks and some
differences you’ll encounter based on your own choices,
such as the fitting of a bolt-on neck joint versus the
dovetail joint. Of course, if you buy a kit with unbent
sides, and have decided to make a guitar with a cutaway ... well, now you’re talking about more difficulty.
Q: ARE ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONS
PROVIDED WITH GUITAR KITS?
A: In some cases, yes. In other cases, no. Details are explained later in this book. If the guitar you’re building is
not your first, the instructions are not crucial. For the
first one, though, quality of instructions should play a
major part in your kit choice.
The instruction set provided by StewartMacDonald includes a video (DVD recently), full-size plan, book, and bracing
pattern. Others don't provide as much.
Q: WHERE CAN I GET HELP IF I NEED IT?
A: Companies and luthiers who supply kits also provide
customer support, with the usual variations in quality.
20
On the internet are a number of forums. The people
on them amaze me with their willingness to share their
time and expertise. In the Resources chapter is a selection of forums. The primary one for kit builders is
www.KitGuitarForum.com -- I started it and host it. As
I write this book, it is unmoderated and free. (Also see
the last question in this chapter.)
Q: IS BUILDING A KIT A GOOD WAY TO
START LEARNING LUTHERY?
Bending sides for a guitar is something that
can be learned without having ever built
a kit, but knowing how you want to design
your own side-bending device, knowing how
you want to shape your sides, is part of the
knowledge gained through kit building and
research. Why not build while you learn?
Building a kit also will show you whether
this is really something you can enjoy, or
not.
A: Yes. It starts you out in the “fifth grade,” so to speak.
Though it skips a few fundamentals by doing that, it
gives you a chance to learn the most important things:
You can get a feel for whether this is the thing you really want to do, and whether you can do it well enough
for it to be a satisfying pursuit or long-term hobby — or
not.
Many luthiers recommend building from a kit for just
these reasons: You can find out whether you're good at
it and if you like it without committing your life to it.
Q: WHAT IF I REALLY MESS IT UP?
A: In general, you must realize that although you want your
first guitar to be perfect, it will not be. You will most likely commit some errors. I messed up a few things on my
first guitar, and on my second, and on my third... But,
they weren’t the same things. (They are all described
later in the book.) If you mess it all up so badly that it
qualifies as firewood, you always have the option of using it just for that. You will have learned a lesson more
cheaply than if you attended a class with a luthier or if
you set up a complete shop and started trying to build
from scratch.
Q: WHAT IF I MESS UP JUST ONE PART OF
IT?
A: You can buy or replace parts. Also, you can probably
expect to mess up several parts of it, but you can probably fix them. I’ve run into this several times -- so many
times, I’ve forgotten most of them! (Good thing I keep
notes so I can avoid repeating mistakes!)
Q: ABOUT KEEPING NOTES: IS THERE AN
EASY WAY?
A: Yes. As a purchaser of this book, you can get a discount
on my own Acoustic Guitar Builder’s Construction Journal, which is a PDF file you can download once, print
on your own printer as many times as you want, and
use for notes. You can print it yourself each time you
need it, and use it for every guitar you build for the rest
of your life, if you want to keep building and make notes
on each guitar. A copy is in this book: See page 104.
Q: HOW DIFFICULT IS GETTING A GOOD
FINISH?
A: Let’s just say that, until you know how, it’s pretty difficult. It’s one of those things that is hard to begin with,
has many variables and many possible techniques, and
is time-consuming to learn by trial and error. But, people
do it. On my first guitar kit, I finished and sanded the
top back to bare wood three times before I got a finish
I thought was acceptable. On later guitars, since I experimented a lot (instead of totally mastering one technique), the finishes were still not perfect, and I almost
succumbed to “Perfection Paralysis” -- not even willing
to start the finishing process because I didn’t want to
blow it. I eventually overcame this, and the finishes now
keep getting better and better. Waterborne finishing lacquers, wipe-on oil finishes, wipr-on polyurethanes, etc.,
make it easier for the home builder. By the way, a spray
booth is not needed.
See page 104 for a copy of the Guitar Builders Construction Journal. Also available on
the internet through www.KitGuitarManuals.com.
Putting a great finish on a kit guitar is
extremely difficult. Putting a good finish
on one is possible. It still takes time, many
steps, and a bit of learning. Above: Pore
filling on a Martin mahogany kit back.
Q: HOW HARD IS IT TO GET THE
INTONATION RIGHT?
A: “Perfect” intonation on a guitar is impossible to achieve,
and this is so because the guitar is a compromise. Because of the way it is built, its intonation is never exactly
right. However, most people can’t hear “perfect” intonation anyway — not that this excuses lax workmanship!
The reason perfection isn’t possible is built into the
guitar. A guitar, with its perfectly spaced frets dividing
an octave into twelve mathematically perfect sections
(if it’s built correctly), is an “equal tempered” tuning system. If accurately built, it is “acceptably” in tune in all
A kit's intonation is only as good as the care
taken in construction. If built correctly, it
can have excellent intonation: It's just a
matter of attending to all the details.
22
keys and in all positions on the fretboard, but is not
perfectly in tune in any key, especially as regards the
“third” intervals of the various keys. That’s just the way
the instrument is designed. (For more, and the best information on this subject, go on the internet to http://
www.doolinguitars.com/intonation/intonation1.html)
But, good intonation of a guitar can be just as well
accomplished by a kit builder as by a pro luthier: It “simply” requires correct building techniques, strict attention to detail, and extremely accurate measuring (and
remeasuring before cutting) at every step. Acceptably
accurate intonation is a matter of careful measurement
and construction of the guitar, starting with the first gluing of the neck block and ending with the setup of the
action ... and after that, as you probably know, it still
depends on the tuning, the player and the strings.
Q: COMPARED TO A KIT, HOW HARD IS
BUILDING A GUITAR FROM SCRATCH?
Here is my own first attempt at a prelminary
design for a scratch-built guitar. I asked,
two years ago, if anyone knew of plans for a
"small jumbo," and the asnwers I got were:
"No. Why not design your own?"
Well, okay. There it is, a 12-fret SJ. It was a
snap designing it. It hasn't been built yet. It
might be a total bust. Who knows, until it's
built?
Stay tuned.
A: Very hard. If we define "building from scratch" as getting uncut wood and preparing it to become the parts
of the guitar, it's pretty complicated. The kit guitar starts
you out in the “fifth grade,” as mentioned above. Building from scratch is more like having to learn all about
the potty and dressing yourself years before you ever
go to school. It involves making scores of decisions,
based on time-consuming experience and knowledge,
that the kits all make for you. After you’ve built several
kits, building from scratch won’t be as scary, because
you will have picked up the missing information as you
progressed. Even at that point, though, you will probably want to purchase tonewoods already basically cut,
instead of unprepared billets. The selection of wood,
itself, is a skill that can only be developed over many
years; I'll trust the known wood experts to get good
wood when I build from scratch.
Q: HOW HARD IS IT TO DESIGN A GUITAR
FROM SCRATCH?
A: Simple. Easy. Nothing to it. Just draw it and build it!
However, once it’s built, the design might be a total
failure. You won’t know until it’s built. I'm being seri-
ous, too! Probably the best thing, after kits, is to build
from plans, getting together the parts á là carte. Then,
change some small or large thing and see what happens. Keep good records and expect to invest a lot of
time to successfully design your own guitars.
Q: WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ON KITS?
A: This book is a good start. In some kits, you’ll find very
specific and detailed instructions. And, on the internet,
you’ll find a lot of help. Check out the kit manual website: www.KitGuitarManuals.com.
Q: CAN I BUY TOOLS LOCALLY, OR MUST I
ORDER FROM LUTHIER TOOL OUTLETS?
A: Most of the tools you will use are generic. You can get
many of them at local home stores or woodworker’s
shops, such as Woodcraft™.
Q: ON THE INTERNET, IS THERE MUCH
INFORMATION ON GUITAR KITS?
A: Yes. Lots. Start with www.KitGuitarManuals.com. Then,
join in on www.KitGuitarForum.com and visit www.KitGuitarBuilder.com. There are others, but these are the
only ones that are specifically dedicated to helping people build guitar kits. They actually provide instructions.
You can also find some information on kits in the
other forums, but the members of those are mainly interested in building from scratch. Few members of any
of the non-kit forums have built more than one or two
kits. This doesn't disqualify anything they say; but, it
does mean that their experience with specific kits is not
extensive. However, the information on these forums
regarding finishing, wood choices, acoustics, general
construction issues, etc., can be extremely helpful.
(NOTE: Before you act on the information from
any given individual, on any forum, be sure the person
knows what he or she is talking about! Read multiple
posts and threads where the person has contributed;
sometimes, people just like to put their two cents worth
in, but it might not be worth that much. If you know the
internet Forums, you know how true this is!)
A Martin laminated "Brazilian Rosewood"
kit. Martin is the only company to sell laminate kits, and they have recently cut back on
their availability. They are less expensive
than solid wood kits, and teach exactly the
same steps. (The rosewood/mahogany/rosewood laminate is used only for the back
and sides.) These are not always available
on the Martin site but are a good deal with
they put them up.
The instructions for this device, a "Guitar
Vise," were found on the internet. There is
so much information out there — a lot of it
really good — that you can get easily distracted just reading about all of this. (How
to make this tool is shown on page 138.)
24
A GUITAR? IN A KIT?
My bomb-sniffing cat, Zoe, is
trained to find little surprises
from music lovers who might
have once heard me play guitar.
Opposite page: Stewmac Rosewood Dreadnought kit being
checked for completeness. Of the
ten kits I've bought from various
suppliers, every one of them has
been complete.
CHAPTER 2
A Guitar? In A Kit?
A
long about the last quarter of the last century,
while the “Golden Age of Luthery” was in full
swing, some of the leading luthiers, like William Cumpiano
and Allen Sloane, began to realize that there were many
guitar players who would wanted to build their own guitars.
So, these accomplished luthiers wrote books about how to
do it. Some of them are classics in the field, still used as
references by guitar builders. But, they weren’t enough.
Eventually, someone had a brainstorm: “Hey, let’s not
just sell the books! Why not sell the wood and parts and
plans to build the guitar! All in one box!” This was unheard
of, and the guy who said it was probably laughed out of
the room. After all, everybody knows it requires a lot of
skill and experience to build a good guitar, and who would
want anything else? But eventually, the idea caught on.
And kits do, in fact, make “good guitars" — depending on
the builder's skill, of course.
They all seem to come in a similar box.
It's hard to imagine that what's in this box
might build a guitar you fall in love with.
But, that's what happens!
You can buy kits from at least three major companies
and several minor firms. On the internet, search for “luthier
guitar kits,” and you’ll get many, many potential sources
— good and not so good. If you have major problems, or
if you have great pleasure, from dealing with any kit suppliers, let us know on www.KitGuitarForum.com.
26
You can order just about anything you want in a kit
from one major wood and parts house: Thanks to the online ‘Kit Wizard,” introduced in mid-2006 by Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. (lmii.com), you can order a truly
self-designed kit with the most exotic woods and parts, in
various stages of preparation.
The bracing supplied in a Martin-style kit
from BluesCreekGuitars.com. Martin and
Stewmac send pre-cut bracing. LMI sends
bracing wood (spruce) that you cut to whatever pattern you want to follow — scalloped,
straight, parabolic — it's up to you.
All kits send these major items (from top):
1) A maple (usually) bridge plate: The one
above is precut, but most come as a piece of
maple 1/8" thick, ready for you to cut to the
shape that fits your bracing pattern.
2) The bracing: The precut bracing above is
handy for a first kit since it's pre-scalloped,
pre-radiused and pre-sanded. You just glue
it to the pattern you choose. More advanced
builders often decide to purchase bracing
billets and shape their own braces.
3) Kerfed Lining: The lining is often mahogany, but might also be cedar. All kit suppliers
send enough to do the entire guitar.
If the late 20th Century was the “Golden Age of Luthery,” the last ten years or so could be termed the “Golden Age of Amateur Luthery.” Thousands of individuals are
now building their own guitars. Most will build just one or
two instruments, but a few will find a fulfilling new career
or retirement vocation in the construction of acoustic guitars.
You might be one of them ...
Many professional luthiers recommend kits as the
best way for an individual to experience the difficulty —
and fulfillment — of building an acoustic guitar. It’s much
like so many other pursuits: One can’t understand the
craft until one has attempted to master it. Of course, understanding the basic concepts of it by building a kit is
only a beginning, and still a long way from being able to
successfully put all of those concepts into practice! But
still, a quality kit is the perfect way to start.
MANY DECISIONS MADE FOR YOU
With a kit guitar, a number of basic choices are already made, and procedures already done. Some are
things you wouldn’t even know about unless you had tried
to get a guitar together from scratch. From the six bridge
pins to the bracewood, there are hundreds of small but
important decisions to be made, and many vendors to
contact and buy from. Much knowledge and experience
are necessary just to assemble all the parts to construct
a guitar. And it’s like a river of decisions: Each choice has
a direct bearing on many others that follow.
The companies and individuals providing kits have
used their experience to make these many decisions for
you; most of them would stop a beginner dead in his
tracks, frozen in “analysis paralysis.” Here’s a partial list:
1) Wood choices: For quality of tone, beauty, strength, for
A GUITAR? IN A KIT?
steel or nylon strings.
2) Trim choices: Binding, purfling, rosette, inlays, for beauty
and ease of installation.
3) Overall Design: How big? What shape? Scale Length?
Frets to the body? Body depth? Soundhole size? Contours?
4) Bracing: So many options, almost endless possibilities
... only a few good ones!
5) Details: Fret wire — what size? Position markers ... tuners ... bridge pins ...
6) Cutting: Tops, backs, sides, neck shaping and truing,
neck joint, peghead, braces, fretboard radiusing, fretboard slots, binding, purfling ... They all start as chunks
of wood.
7) Bending: of sides.
8) Instruction: After you gather it, exactly what do you do
with this pile of expensive wood to make it into a guitar?
What steps? In what order?
9) Experience: For what reasons do you make the choices
you settle on?
10) Skill: Something you must take time to develop. Patience, too.
11) Assembling all the parts: Measuring, testing, aligning,
12) Finishing of the Guitar: This very difficult aspect has
been called “the Achilles’ Heel of luthery” by professionals. Although the supplies and materials aren’t included
in kits, some of the kit instructions do include minimal
guidance on finishing.
As you can see, building a kit helps you appreciate all
that has been done to create your store-bought guitars.
No doubt about it.
Another interesting thing is, professional luthiers will
realize this, too. When you have built a kit guitar of any
kind, and you mention this fact to professional luthiers,
you will notice that they take you slightly more seriously
than if you are someone who plays guitar but doesn't build
at all. They know that you understand at least a part of
what they do, and how difficult it is to do it as well as they
do. A sort of kinship is created, though you both know
who is the Master and who is the Grasshopper. It makes
The small parts, clockwise from top left:
1) Binding: Shown here is plastic binding,
which is supplied in most kits. It is easier
to work with than wood bindings since
it doesn't require bending to the guitar's
shape. (Pre-bent herringbone top purfling is
also included; not shown.)
2) An extra piece of rosewood. This could
be used for a headstock plate, finish testing,
etc. This isn't included in all kits.
3) Plastic square and strips: Used for the
cap of the neck heel, and for the tail wedge.
4) Nut, saddle, Bridge and Bridge Pins:
Most kit suppliers provide bone for nut and
saddle. Bridges fit the model and size of
guitar and are ebony or rosewood.
5) Strings: Not all kit suppliers send strings.
Martin does, of course, since they want you
to use theirs.
6) Tuners: These Grover tuners came with
the kit from BluesCreekGuitars.com. Martin
usually sends "Martin" tuners made by
Ping. Stewmac doesn't include them. LMI
sends Gotoh tuners.
7) A little bag with fretboard dots.
8) A bundle of rosewood vertical side
braces. Stewmac and LMI send spruce.
9) Fret wire: In kits, it's usually pre- bent.
10) Pickguard. Always plastic in kits.
28
you, the “novice builder,” feel good, nonetheless.
WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN FROM KITS
You do learn a lot about guitar construction from
building kits. But also interesting are the things you don’t
learn when you build kits. (After all, the model planes we
built as kids didn’t teach us very much about theories of
aeronautics.)
All kits include a truss rod, pre-made neck
and neck block, and slotted fretboard.
This kit, being based on Martin kits, includes
the Martin truss rod. LMI and Stewmac also
provide their own proprietary truss rods.
The neck block is for a dovetail joint in this
kit. Dovetail joints were once the standard
for acoustic guitar. Now, bolt-on neck joints
have become popular. You can still order
either style from most kit suppliers.
The Fretboard here is marked "24.9" for
a 24.9-inch scale length, and "1 9/16" nut
width, which will become 1 11/16 after the
fretboard is bound. (Stewmac and LMI send
a slotted, but not tapered fretboard. You cut
it to match the taper of the neck.)
The neck shown is a mahogany Martin-style
neck. Martin kit necks are pin-indexed to
the fretboard and have the peghead overlay
installed. With LMI and Stewmac, the necks
are not pin-indexed; you are provided with
the overlay material.
Below are the LMI brace billets, neck and
rosewood fretboard. Note in upper left the
bolt-on neck block; holes drilled for bolts.
Easier in many ways than a dovetail.
As mentioned before, you don’t get experience in
choosing materials. That’s probably a good thing, because it would stall most of us. There’s lots more.
You don’t learn the technical aspects of the guitar as
a sound “machine.” I, for one, was amazed at how complex an instrument an acoustic guitar really is. I had always
taken it pretty much for granted. For example, I thought
until a few years ago that all of the sound of the guitar
is produced by the string vibrations echoing inside the
body and then being sent out through the sound hole. Of
course, everyone reading this book knows that that’s only
part of the equation. For those few who, like me, never
thought about it, the fact is that sound is produced also by
the top itself vibrating and acting as a speaker membrane
to pump sound waves both outward and into the soundbox where they resonate and are additionally amplified
and colored. (Play sometime with your forearm resting on
the lower bout, and without. If the forearm doesn’t make
much difference, your guitar is probably overbraced.)
But, interestingly, the sound hole size seriously affects
the sound: If it is 1/4” different in diameter, the effect on
tone is often noticeable. Larger or smaller makes a big
difference. That’s just one example, and with it, as with
all the others, there is an opinion on every side of every
question.
Kits don’t teach you the multiple dependencies, about
the “coupled acoustic system” of a guitar, and how to try
to predict what will happen with a specific change.
What is the effect of changing any single component on the instrument’s overall sound? We guitar players
are familiar with the effect of changing strings, or using
a heavy pick versus a light one, or our fingernails ver-
A GUITAR? IN A KIT?
sus our fingertips. But these differences that are familiar
to guitar players are matched by construction variations
known to all experienced luthiers: Bracing of the top, for
example. The differences between scalloped or straight
or parabolic braces, the wood used for them, its width,
length and height, and the exact placement of the braces:
Each has impact on the sound of the guitar. Just the effect
of rounding off peaks between scallops has a noticeable
effect. It has to do with the mass of the braces and how
that mass is distributed. The possible variations are practically endless.
And that’s just the braces on the top of the guitar!
Granted, in conjunction with the top itself, they are arguably the most important sound-controlling devices in the
instrument’s construction. But every variation in a guitar’s
construction elements has the same kind of variables, and
they each have an additive effect with every other variation
— in the body shape, the woods, the thicknesses of sides,
back, and top, and literally everything else that makes up
the guitar.
As Alan Carruth, a top pro luthier from New Hampshire, says in his pithy style: “It’s a system. Everything
effects everything.”
So, there’s a lot you don’t—can’t—learn from building
kits. But, there’s a lot you do learn, too!
WHAT YOU DO LEARN FROM KITS
You learn how to construct a guitar as a finely balanced compromise between strength and lightness
through its bracing, wood thicknesses and shapes, glue
joints, finish, etc. You learn what happens when the guitar
is overbraced or underbraced, what happens to intonation when the neck is yawed slightly to the treble or bass
side or the saddle isn't properly formed, what happens to
appearance when you don’t get all of the scratches out of
one of your first base coats during finishing. After building
just one kit, many new and interesting things will be known
about the guitar as a system.
The Back, Sides and blocks: All kits include
these, in differing configurations.
Above is a B/S set of Brazilian Rosewood
from Blues Creek Guitars. The back is
sanded but not joined, which is standard
for Martin-style kits. Stewmac and LMI join
and sand their backs.
The sides are pre-bent, pre-contoured for
back radius, and cut to the correct length.
Stewmac kits provide theirs the same way.
LMI kits provide pre-bent sides, but they are
not radius contoured or cut to the correct
length. These are both easy to accomplish
by the builder.
The two blocks shown are mahogany, the
standard wood for tail and neck blocks.
You also learn this: The answer to most questions
about your guitar that start with, “What would happen if
30
...”, is answered by pro luthiers with this: “That’s a good
question. Maybe this will happen ... or that. But the only
way to know is to hear it. Build it and let us know how it
works out.”
The reason why that’s actually a good answer is that
every guitar is completely different, and guitar making
is complicated. There’s really no other accurate answer,
because the builder’s skill comes first, and it affects every
aspect of construction. And as described above, everything in the guitar effects everything else. Nothing is isolated, every component has an effect on several others,
and they relay and magnify those effects after adding their
own changes to them.
This is an Adirondack (Red) Spruce top,
joined and sanded, rosette installed, soundhole cut, thicknessed, sanded and joined.
This is how Martin-style kits provide the
top. Stewmac kits send the top (sitka spruce)
sanded and joined, soundhole cut, rosette
channels cut but rosette not installed. LMI
does it various ways with various woods,
depending on the type of kit you order.
Below, a Stewmac Sitka Dreadnought top
and LMI OM Sitka top/Mahogany back.
Another interesting thing is this: Even if a guitar is built
badly, and its sound is not exactly what the builder wanted
it to be, it will still probably sound distinctly like a guitar
— not a cittern or banjo. You're probably thinking, "Well,
that's semi-enouraging..." The truth is, though, if the kit
instructions are followed, you will most likely end up with
a guitar whose quality of sound will amaze you.
That last point is probably the nicest thing about
building a first kit guitar: It will be very fulfilling as a woodworking project, it will amaze your friends, and it will sound
great to you. You will be surprised by the quality of its
tone: That’s a promise. You will be proud of it. You will
probably build more than one.
(“After all, Hon,” the guy says to his wife, “I’ve spent
that money on all those tools, and I don’t want them to just
sit there going to waste ...”)
And, who knows: If your wife says “yes,” you might be
on the way to a new occupation! Certainly a new avocation, or addiction ...
MY OWN EXPERIENCE ...
My foray into building guitars from kits started several
years ago, with literally no foundation of woodworking
skills or experience. I had no tools and no place to work. I
had played guitar most of my life, but I had never seriously
A GUITAR? IN A KIT?
examined or tried to understand the construction of the
instrument.
But, with enthusiasm fueled by what people laughingly call a mid-life crisis, and total boredom with what I
was doing in my working life, I started to look into it. I mentioned my desire to build an acoustic kit to a friend, and he
caught the bug, too. Shortly after that, we were both busily
ordering kits, buying tools, and getting started.
At first, I didn’t have a place to work on a guitar, so we
used my friend’s nice big workshop. That wore out fast,
though. One hour once a week wasn’t getting the guitar
built very quickly, and it took an hour of travel time just to
get there and back.
So, I took a week off and built a 6-by-8 foot “shop” in
the corner of my garage. By the time I added a countertop
at one end and a 24” x 28” workbench, the little room was
full. I covered the walls with pegboard, started hanging up
tools and doohickeys, and quickly had my own place to
work. Cozy, but adequate for my level. (And easy to heat
during some cold Colorado Springs days; my six 100-watt
light bulbs took care of it!)
Since most of the major cutting, shaping and bending
had already been done on my first kit (a Stewart-MacDonald 12-fret Triple-O Rosewood/Spruce), I didn’t need many
tools. The braces were almost all cut and pre-shaped, the
East Indian rosewoood back was joined and sanded, the
supplied sitka spruce top was joined and sanded (though
I substituted a blank cedar top from Luthier’s Mercantile),
the neck was carved, fretboard slotted, etc. The only “big”
tool I bought was an 8” band saw from Home Depot. And,
I bought lots and lots of clamps.
It took me from February 24 to August 12 to complete
that first kit. Most of the work was done after June, when I
built my little workshop. And the top of the guitar got four
complete finishes before I considered it “okay.” My second
guitar was completed in just under four months. (It would
have taken only nine weeks, but for my finishing problems.
Finishing is indeed the hardest part to master.)
Since then, there have been nine more: a Martin Jumbo, a Stewmac dreadnought, another Stewmac Triple-O,
The major separation between kits comes
in the area of Documentation. (I call it that
because I used to write instructions for
software users.)
These photos are in the order I consider as
their quality levels: Stewmac on top, LMI in
number two, and Martin holding firmly onto
the basement.
For my complete diatribe, see page 63.
32
two LMI OM’s, an OM-28 Brazilian rosewood/Redwood
from a small luthier, a Grizzly Tools “Western Steel String”
dreadnought, and a Martin laminate OM, and a KMG
OM/000.
WHEN YOU FINISH THE KIT ...
When you get your guitar — especially your
first one — to this point, you begin to feel an
excitement and anticipation. You will admire
it and stroke its smooth sides. You'll be justifiably proud of your work.
You won't be able to wait to play it.
My hope is that your experience, like mine
has been, will be positive.
Choosing the right kit for your "first build"
has a lot to do with it.
To me, the biggest irony is this: When you finally do
get everything just right, so it sounds exactly the way you
want it, you will find that not everyone agrees. Your guitar might produce the sound of heaven, to your ears. But
your friend Joe says it’s too bright and suggests changing
strings and using heavier picks. His brother Guy says it’s
too warm and says to use phosphor-bronze strings. Your
cousin Rick says that Guy is bogus because (to his ears)
phosphor-bronze strings will warm the tone, not brighten
it, and besides, it’s too quiet in the trebles anyway! And
finally, if someone buys your guitar, they request a very
specific string because that’s what they like on the guitars
they already own. But those strings do not bring out the
resonance you heard when you originally strung it up with
your favorite strings... It goes on and on, and on.
Everyone has an idea of exactly the sound they want.
Also, each person’s ears and brain perceive sound differently. “Perfect” tone, however it sounds, exists only in
the ear of each individual hearer. And maybe we can’t describe it using the language of words—but in the language
of the guitar, we will know it when we hear it.
Here’s hoping that your ideal sound will come alive in
the guitars you build yourself.
I know you'll love it.
A GUITAR? IN A KIT?
Kits vs Parts (Stewmac).rtf
5/3/07 7:47 PM
WHAT'S CHEAPER: PARTS OR KITS?
Many of us have thought of just buying the parts instead of a kit, right? I did, at
the beginning. I did this survey first in back in 2004, and then again recently.
��
��
StewMac
LMII
Rosewood Mahogany
SM Kits
Dread Svc
Back and Sides
124.
62.
RW MAH RW kit
(#5294)(#5293) (#KLPD)
Kerfing Strips
17.
17.
Neck Block & Tail Blck
20.
20.
Top (gr AAA Sitka)
39.
39.
Bracing & Bridge Plate
35.
35.
Bridge (Ebony)
16.
16.
Neck (bolt on 14fret)
116.
116.
Fingerboard (Pre-slotted, Ebony)
32.
32.
Inlays
15.
15.
Fretwire (med/med, 1 lb)
35.
35.
Truss Rod (Hot Rod#0986)
15.
15.
Rosette (3-ring with Herringbone)
10.
10.
Purfling (Herringbone, prebent)
10.
10.
Binding (4-abs)
20.
20.
Trim (heelcap,etc.)
4.
4.
Nut (Bone)
5.
5.
Saddle (Bone, 1/8)
6.
6.
Bridge Pins (Plastic)
6.
6.
EndPin
3.
3.
Pick Guard
5.
5.
Total for Parts vs Kits... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...��
�� .
Tuners (Chrome Schaller)
��56.
56.
56. 56. (tuners incl)
TOTAL for Parts/Kit w/tuners
��
��
��
��
Add other materials & Supplies:
Glues, etc.
Sandpapers
Finish, etc.
Misc. incl strings
��
20.
20.
50.
60.
��
20.
20.
50.
60.
��
20.
20.
20.
20.
50.
50.
60. 60.
��
��
RW Parts
Mah Parts
RW Kit Mah Kit
RW Kit
��
��
��
��
��
��
��
(Comparison done online 5/3/2007)
Page 1 of 1
34
WHAT WILL YOU NEED?
So small I had to use a fisheye lens.
I'm shooting from the corner, and the
white object at the bottom is my foot.
It's a cozy little room! (5.5' x 7.5' and
7' ceiling.) I built my first four guitars
on this 24 x 28-inch bench, but later
expanded into my garage. I still use
this room for all very exacting work
and for some finishing.
Opposite page: The new garage
"shop," offering more room. Note the
angled bench supports; the bench is
hinged and folds down to the wall. The
"paint room" at left is raised on ropes,
and I can put my car back into the
garage when a real blizzard is coming.
CHAPTER 3
What Will You Need?
HOW MUCH SPACE?
A
fully equipped woodworking shop isn’t needed
for building kit guitars, since with most kits, the
major cutting and shaping is done for you. The exact
amount of it varies, but a basic kit comes with sides bent,
top glued and thicknessed, back thicknessed and glued
(except in Martin and Martin-style kits), braces shaped
(except in LMI kits), neck basically shaped and routed,
fretboard accurately slotted, and peghead shaped.
Though you won’t need the complete shop, you will
need enough room to glue things and leave them safely
overnight with clamps and cauls attached. Also, as your
guitar is assembled, you’ll necessarily accumulate more
tools and supplies, so a few drawers, shelves and wall
space with pegboard and hooks will be a great help. Good
lighting is a must.
A tabletop the size of a card table will do it to start
out. (See page 212.) In fact, in a pinch you could probably
build the whole kit guitar on a card table. (Though its top
might need to be raised so you can work standing up.) Of
course, purists will argue. But, in my own experience, a
My other tiny space, this one is 3.5' by 5',
under the stairs. I draped plastic on the
ceiling and all walls to eliminate dust. I
only use this area for applying high-gloss
final finishes that won't be sanded, such as
Wipe-On Polyurethane, by Minwax.
36
countertop about 2’ x 2.5’ with three sides you can work
around will do it.
Pegboard has joined my Top Ten Favorite
Inventions list.
It’s a good idea to isolate your guitar-building activities
from any busy area of your house or apartment. People
(and pets) moving around can be a problem. (One little
bump that shifts glued parts, unnoticed, while the glue is
setting up, and you’ll have to learn a new skill: Heating the
parts to make glue release so you can redo it.)
As an example, my first shop -- a miniature “room” I
constructed in the front corner of my garage -- was tiny. I
still use it in addition to the half of my garage I’ve since reclaimed. (My ten-year-old car stays outside, even when it
snows here in Colorado Springs. My wife hasn’t yet given
me the half of the garage where her car stays dry.)
The little shop room is 5.5’ x 7.5’ on the inside, with
a seven-foot ceiling. (Works for me: I'm 5'7".) My first four
guitars were completely built and finished in this shop. The
layout is simple: On top of a narrow but sturdy baby’sroom chest of drawers is mounted a 24” deep by 28” wide
section of salvaged Formica countertop. It’s set up so I
can work on three sides, when I clean up the floor around
the sides. The chest drawers hold all kinds of stuff.
Two versions of the GoBar Deck. Top photo
is my workbench and 18 snow-marker poles
from Home Depot, and the ceiling. Bottom
is one I bought. Each has its uses; the top
one's cheaper!
In the remaining floor area, I installed a second countertop made from a salvaged door, where I placed a GoBar
Deck, a large cardboard vacuum-cleaner box in which I
can store bodies, fretboards, etc., and a small set of plastic drawers with finishing materials. The walls are covered
with pegboard where my tools are mounted. A couple of
shelves are installed up high. Clamps hang over the workbench on clotheslines.
It’s a tiny space, so small that in our Colorado winters,
just six 100-watt light bulbs warm it up nicely. The main
bench, atop the chest of drawers, is enough. There is literally just enough room to turn around (carefully), when the
door is closed. Many of the construction pictures in this
book were shot in this little room with just those lights.
Using a small space can be challenging, and causes one
to come up with ways to use the space efficiently. Items
like guitar-vises, removable heavy vises, and so forth,
make the small space do many jobs with just one small
WHAT WILL YOU NEED?
workbench.
Air quality in your shop is important. You will be sanding, filing and cutting various wood species. Some are
worse than others, but all will put fine particles of cellulose
into the air. If you don’t have an exhaust system for the
air or a dust collection system, do yourself a favor: Wear
a protective mask — even a simple paper mask will help
— whenever you’re sanding, filing, and cutting. Early in my
own kit-building experience, I noticed reactions to both
spruce and rosewood: Different reactions to each, but
they were definitely there. I’ve since started using a mask
when sanding or filing, and I am doing less coughing and
using less eye wash.
Did I mention Clamps? You'll need a few.
As your guitar building pursuit grows, you’ll need and
desire more room. It doesn’t mean necessarily building a
shop: As mentioned above, I use the little room and half of
my garage. (The exercise I’ve gotten from snow removal,
to get to my car, has also been good for me!) I’ve created in our furnace room another tiny (3 by 5 feet) area
where I apply pore filler and sealers, and I’ve converted a
dusty storage room into my main guitar-playing/recording
studio/thinking/reading room. It’s 8 x 12 feet, humidified
to 47% RH at 70 degrees F, and is a perfect retreat. My
“cave.” Stuff that used to be in that room has been given
to Goodwill, stored on shelves, etc. If you get imaginative
enough, you can reclaim a lot of space in a house.
SPACE FOR FINISHING
Before deciding on the size and type of space needed
for finishing, you will need to decide on what kind of finish
materials you will use. Some thought and study will be
required before you can make those informed decisions,
These VarioClippix clamps have pretty
much become my favorites. They expand
to 5 inches and are quick to use for gluing
on a top or back. The foam core board was
used to spread the pressure so the alreadyglued top wouldn't break. (It was redwood,
a brittle species.)
Finishing for guitars -- the kinds of finishes professionals use -- ranges all the way from the top end of UVcured nitrocellulose lacquer applied in spray booths with
explosion-proof fans and lighting, all the way down to the
corner of a room, where a shellac-based technique called
“French Polish” can be done by hand. There are also some
excellent waterborne finishes designed for instruments;
some can be applied by brush or spray. Some that I’ve
used are described later in the book.
38
In addition to the waterborne finishing processes,
many kit builders (me being one of them) use a gunstock
finish named “Tru-Oil." This is a polymerized linseed oil finish that Fine Woodworking Magazine actually classified as
a varnish. It builds and hardens by exposure to air. Though
not as hard as some lacquers, it is acceptable as a guitar
finish. It can be applied from bottle by hand using cotton
pads, and it is available in spray cans.
Back and Top of the first kit I built. TruOil™ was used because of its ease. Wipe on,
nice finish, and when completely cured, it's
plenty hard and thin.
There are so many options for finishing that this book
just doesn’t have enough room to describe all of them. I
recommend Guitar Finishing Step-by-Step, 2nd edition, by
Dan Erlewine. In the book, Mr. Erlewine not only outlines all
kinds of finishes and the equipment needed for them, but
also offers color charts and photographic pages showing
what to expect of the wet, drying and dry stages of various
finishes. A complete review and ordering info appears in
the Appendix.
Having said all of that, I will add here that you can do
a very nice guitar finish in a closet-sized space with good
lighting, using a brush-on or wipe-on oil, waterborne or
polyurethane finish. Good ventilation is necessary, even
with water-based finishes, and a mask is always a good
idea.
For sanding stages of the finish, and final polishing,
you can carry the guitar body and neck to your woodworking area.
There’s a very good chance you will want to do different finishes on the neck and body of the guitar. Many
builders prefer a satin-finished neck and glossy body. This
is easy to do and is explained further in Chapter 9, “Notes
on Finishing.”
TOOLS
Tool lists tend to be long and unfocused, so I am not
including one in this section. You will find more information
in Chapter 5. I’ve included there a chart that is specific to
each kit. For scratch guitars or kits not from the suppliers
listed, you will be able to generalize.
You can easily spend more on tools than on the kit
for your first kit guitar.
WHAT WILL YOU NEED?
Or, you can find some deals and cheaper alternatives
and save quite a bit. Though the two major luthier tool
suppliers (Stewart-MacDonald and Luthiers Mercantile)
can almost always provide any tool you need, you will be
able to find similar tools online and locally. They will cost
less. (Tool suppliers are listed in the Appendix.)
The “modular” approach to guitar building can help
to spread out your tool purchases. By that, I mean buying
tools for the major stages of assembly as you get to them.
Here are those stages as I see them:
1) Rim and plate preparation, up to and including
brace shaping and installation of kerfed lining.
2) Body assembly up to and including routing for and
gluing of binding and purfling.
3) Neck and Fretboard assembly, including tuner
installation and fretting.
4) Finishing of body and neck
5) Assembly and Setup
If you really want to save time, get a Grizzly
Western Steel String kit.
These two pictures show how the kit arrives.
Not much time needed here! (Maybe ten
hours, tops, including finishing.)
I "built" one; it's now my son's beginner
guitar.
For each of these stages, some new tools are needed.
Many, of course, will be used from previous stages. (Especially clamps: The number of clamps you need is always
equal to the number you have, plus at least one.)
TIME
How much time does a guitar kit take? Basically, until
it’s finished. Actually, this is an impossible question to answer, because it depends on too many variables.
The construction of the first kit, in particular, will be
accompanied by a lot of research. Though the kits all include some level of documentation, none of them are really adequate unless you get more info from somewhere.
Some of them are absolutely inadequate. (See Chapter 4,
"Where To Get The Kit.")
When you start out, you will use at least as much time
looking for information as you will building. If you progress from one kit to another, the time required for extra
research will become less and less.
How many actual construction hours? For your first
kit, if you are not an experienced woodworker experienced
40
with using your tools: over 120 hours. For your second
kit, knowing the goal and purpose of each step, 80 to
100 hours. For subsequent kits, close to 80–120 hours.
None of these figures include finishing. If you add very
fancy binding, purfling, rosette and inlays, the figures will
change.
My first kit was begun on February 24 and finished
on August 12. My fourth kit was begun on May 3 and
completed on June 28, with finishing requiring one more
month. Others have been similar to the latter, and all have
been built part-time, using about 15-20 hours per week.
(Remember, too, that I take a lot of notes and shoot a lot
of pictres; this adds to my construction time.)
KNOWLEDGE
A few of the books you can choose from.
there are others, many others! (More info
is given on each of these in the Resources
chapter, page 170.)
Notice on the bottom, the Stewart-MacDonald and LMII catalogs: These are free, and
they are both loaded with information. Just
go to their website and call them, or email
and request one.
You can easily find all the information you need, at
every step, either on the internet or in books. Especially
on the internet, in various discussion forums, pro luthiers
and other experienced builders are amazingly patient,
helpful and generous with their time. This seems to be a
phenomenon connected with woodworking: The people
who do it are helpful and easy to connect with. The only
problem I’ve experienced with forums is that you will always run into people who give an explanation based not
on what you really need for the kit you’re building, but on
something they have done in the past. This usually comes
from other novices, not pros. If they haven’t built the kit
you are building, be wary: These kits are often set up for
specific procedures; if other techniques are used, the
result down the road might be unexpected.
As mentioned above, none of the instruction in any
kit is completely adequate without augmentation. They all
assume you have or will acquire some extra knowledge
about guitar construction and how it affects the completed
instrument’s sound. You will want to seek more info at the
beginning of almost every step. Though some are obvious,
many others only seem obvious, and you don’t realize it
until after you’ve forged ahead and found out you did it
wrong. Then you get to practice the skills of repairing and
redoing.
WHAT WILL YOU NEED?
All of the experts, and all of the instructions, tell you to
“dry fit” every gluing step before you apply the sticky stuff.
Seems reasonable, and easy. It’s time-consuming, but it’s
worth every extra second you will spend. Dry fitting lets
you see how it will all go together and shows you what you
need to do or not do. This is critical, for example, on the
neck joint. Yet, on my forum (www.KitGuitarForum.com)
there is always at least one active thread concerning the
incorrect formation, and repairing, of a neck joint. In many
cases, dry fitting can prevent the problems.
In my mind, this falls under the heading of “knowledge” in two ways: First, there’s the knowledge of your
own lack of knowledge (such as how the neck joint will
work). Second, there’s the knowledge of the wisdom of
working slowly, including taking time for dry-fitting — it
always reveals something you didn’t think of beforehand.
Another, more involved, example is the set of braces
for the top of the guitar. Martin dreadnought kits include
a set of pre-shaped braces. You might assume that if you
merely use these and glue them onto the top, your guitar
will “sound like a Martin.” Well, if it does, it will be just a
wild coincidence. The braces you’ve received — even if
they are shaped exactly like the braces of a D-28 — will
not make your guitar sound like a D-28. Their shape might
be like that of the recent models, but it is different from
the vintage models. Its wood is also different, as is the
wood throughout the rest of the guitar. Your guitar will
sound good, most likely, but not exactly like any D-28 you
compare it with.
Dry-fitting each step completely will teach
without pain. The first time I glued blocks
to rims, I forgot the wax paper between
the caul and the rim. Ended up with a
caul nicely glued to the outside of the rim.
Hmmm. I got lucky, and it came free with
minimal damage. If I had dry-fitted the
entire process, I would have noticed the wax
paper was missing. Now, I dry fit everything.
But, you will ask yourself at some point, can I make
the guitar so it will sound exactly like a vintage D-28? The
probable answer is, no. The reason for that isn't just related
to your skill or experience: It has to do wth the variations
in wood, building techniques, parts, and small differences
you wouldn't even expect to make a big difference. Your
guitar probably won't sound like a vintage D-28, but you
will most likely prefer the sound of your guitar better than
any vintage D-28 you've ever heard.
That's just how this works. Honest.
You'll find a lot of information on the internet. Some is excellent ...
42
WHERE TO GET THE KIT
One box holds it all ... (usually).
When you get it, open it right away
and do a complete inventory.
At left, a Martin Laminated Braxilian Rosewood/Solid Spruce OM kit.
Inexpensive and great to learn on;
and it sounds good!
CHAPTER 4:
Where To Get The Kit
W
here you get your first kit is important for several reasons. Your first kit needs to be a good
match for your woodworking and guitar knowledge. A little
research here will reveal to you which is your best personal
choice.
Look first among the kit purveyors listed in this chapter. There are a couple more I have not listed here. I can't
say they are not good—only that they are not well-known.
Their quality is uncertain, as is their customer support.
Guitar kits are packaged a lot like humans:
All in the same basic package, but it's
what's inside that matters.
THE THREE BIG SUPPLIERS
Buying a kit from one of the "Big Three," on the other
hand, is easy and relatively risk-free. They all offer support, and if they send a wrong part or piece of wood that
is not up to snuff, they will replace it free of charge. Three
companies provide the bulk of acoustic guitar kits in the
USA:
Luthier’s Mercantile International, Inc. — “LMI”
— (www.lmii.com)
Stewart-MacDonald, Inc. — “Stewmac” —
(www.stewmac.com)
C.F. Martin & Co., Inc. — “Martin” —
(www.martinguitar.com/1833/)
44
LMII Kits
Luthier’s Mercantile International, Inc.
7975 Cameron Drive, Bldg. 1600
Windsor CA 95492 ... USA
Phone: 707-687-2020, Toll Free: 800-477-4437,
Fax 707-687-2014
Website: www.lmii.com
email: [email protected]
Luthier’s Mercantile International, Inc., known
simply as “LMI”, is a primary source of not just kits,
but also all grades and types of quality woods, tools,
parts, and services. The woods from LMI are all in line
with the CITES requirements. (CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora, an international agreement between various
countries to control trade in endangered wood species,
such as Brazilian Rosewood, and endangered animal species.)
Backs are joined and sanded to thickness in
the LMI Serviced Kits. The back and sides
in LMI kits are of excellent quality, and they
can be upgraded or changed through use of
the Kit Wizard. The set shown is standard
african mahogany.
In the Service Kit, the top comes as shown,
joined and sanded to thickness, with soundhole cut and rosette installed.
LMI’s tool and parts offerings cover just about everything a luthier could need, whether novice or advanced.
And, the services department is unique. Suppose you
choose an á là carte back and side set: You can have LMI
thickness and join the back, and thickness and bend the
sides for you, into one of many offered standard shapes.
Or, you can pick and choose among these services. The
services are offered as options for kits, too, and when
combined with the Kit Wizard, can create any unique kit
package of wood and trim level desired, even for a first
kit.
THE KIT WIZARD
What is the “Kit Wizard?” It’s something the world
of acoustic guitar kits has needed for a long, long time.
People are frequently writing me privately and asking on
my forum: “Can we get substitute woods with (Stewmac,
LMI, Martin) kits?” The answer to that question, until mid2006, was no. Now, there’s a big “Yes,” and it’s from LMI,
When you've logged in,
you get the first Kit Wizard
screen, which says "Welcome Back" if you've saved
a kit you're creating.
At right is the actual Kit
Control page -- five screens
long. Maybe it's not readable here, but it is so easy
to use, so informative, so
full of options for every part
of a guitar, that you will
simply be amazed. Try it!
thanks to their Kit Wizard.
When LMI announced the Kit Wizard, available online,
they raised the perception of potential quality of kit guitars for everyone. Imagine this: A professional luthier uses
the finest grade of most woods: Beautiful, highly figured
bubinga, maybe, and a perfect premium grade carpathian spruce top. Flamed maple binding and trim. Abalone
purfling and rosette. Scale length 24.9 inches, 12th fret at
the body, and a 1 7/8 inch nut width. Gotoh 510 tuners with
ebony knobs, and other unique appointments.
The experienced builder, if he orders these items, will
probably perform all of his own “servicing,” since he has
the equipment and expertise to bend the sides, thickness
and join the back and top, cut the soundhole and rosette
channels, slot the fretboard precisely, cut the body blocks
and neck joint exactly right, etc. If he decided he wanted
everything to conveniently arrive together, he would take
advantage of LMI’s kit discount and order LMI’s “Industry
Standard” unserviced kit. He’ll get it all at a discount, but
the raw woods he’ll receive will need to be serviced as
described above.
You, on the other hand, might want to build that same
guitar, but you do not have the experience, machinery and
skill required to perform all of the tasks mentioned above.
With the Kit Wizard, you can still get exactly the same
woods the pro luthier receives, but you can get them all
thicknessed, bent, slotted, joined -- all the procedures already done, guaranteed to be correct, and ready to begin
46
assembling. The materials will be of the same high quality
the luthier would create. That's a big deal!
Because of your experience and skill, your kit might
not get completed to the same level of quality as that of
the pro’s — or, it might be. You could be a “natural,” or
be experienced in the wood shop and finishing room, and
your guitar might be exceptional.
LMI's components are all individually
labeled. Their woods and parts are all of
excellent quality.
In addition to kits, LMI offers every kind of lutherie
tool you can imagine. A trip through their online catalog
or their printed catalog is an educational experience and
will also make your tool glands quiver.
LMI KIT DOCUMENTATION
Instructions with LMI kits include a full-size plan and
a DVD. An online photo log/journal is offered as well. (With
the Kit Wizard, you can eliminate the DVD and get credit
for it.)
Full-size Plan:
The documentation (instructions) in LMI kits
consist of a DVD and a full-size plan. The
plan is essential; the kit could not be built
without it, since the sides are not contoured
or trimmed to finished length.
The DVD, also offered separately, is good,
and shows the building of an LMI "Industry
Standard" kit by Robert O'Brien. (http://
www.obrienguitars.com)
This is a detailed plan for the kit you order. It will assist with measurements, etc., but is only a plan. No construction tips or steps are given on the plan. Because of
the nature of printing, the measurements noted on the
plan might not exactly match the plan’s actual sizes; a
note in the LMI kit tells you to call them if the difference
is too great.
DVD
The DVD, by luthier Robert O’Brien, is good — excellent, in fact. O’Brien is not connected with LMI, but is an
independent luthier and an instructor at Red Rocks City
College in Golden, Colorado. The DVD consists of still
photos of every step and procedure along with O’Brien’s
narration. The kit used in the DVD is the “Industry Standard” kit, which is basically all the wood needed to build
the guitar, completely unserviced. Chapters of the DVD are
easy to navigate and cover each major stage of construction. Those who build from serviced kits can simply skip
some steps shown in the video.
Online Journal:
This is a series of photos, with captions, showing the
building of an LMI kit in a very well-equipped wood shop.
It is not representative of the kind of building environment
most kit builders work in. This journal should not be considered a detailed building guide.
LMI KITS
The Unserviced Industry Standard LMI kit, as mentioned before, consists of wood, only roughly cut, and
not shaped, bent, or measured close to final specs. You
do it all from the raw wood. It is a “kit” only in the sense
that it’s all there, conveniently packaged for you in a few
boxes — but you must create all of the parts. By buying it
this way, you get a discount on the whole thing. If you are
experienced in the wood shop and have the tools needed
to thickness, bend, measure, cut, join, slot, rout ... etc. ...,
then this may be a kit you can attempt to build. (If you live
near Golden Colorado, you can do it in a summertime college class with Robert O’Brien: Contact him through his
The LMII sides arrive not contoured. Fine
on the top, which is supposed to be a flat
rim; on the back, you'll need to trim them
yourself. See instructions for one way to do
it on page 142.
website, www.obrienguitars.com.)
The Serviced LMI kit also contains everything needed to build the guitar, but many of the parts are basically
done or rough shaped. The binding and sides are bent
(but sides still must be measured and cut to the correct
length and back contour). The top and back are profiled
(cut to rough shape), thicknessed and joined. The rosette
and backstrip are inlaid, and the soundhole is cut. The
fretboard is slotted, and the neck is routed and carved.
Its heel joint is machine-cut and matched to the supplied
neck block (dovetail or mortise and tenon bolt-on). The
bridge is shaped. Bracewood is supplied as uncut billets.
Brace shaping is up to you, and figuring out what to do
with your braces is an enjoyable adventure in guitar re-
Excellent glue. Find it on the LMII website.
search. All the other parts needed are provided.
All of the pieces and parts in the LMI kits are of excellent quality, and as said above, you can customize anything you want by using the Kit Wizard.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
LMI kits are of the same quality of materials as Stew-
48
mac’s and Martin’s. Possibly a little bit better. The kits
always arrive nicely packed, and any servicing you have
had done will have just been completed: LMI services
parts when they are ordered, so they are "fresh" when
you get them.
Routing for a decorative backstrip in an LMI
mahogany back. Below, gluing the strip into
the back, and the installed strip.
(While LMI’s kits are excellent, as far as materials go,
their documentation is not as complete as Stewmac's.
LMI’s philosophy is that the guitar is created by the buyer
of the kit, and a strict set of instructions would inhibit
and limit that creative process. It's a perfectly valid view.
So this is not meant to negatively criticize, but only to
inform.)
Until Robert O’Brien created a DVD based on their
kits, the full-size plan was the only instruction LMI offered.
While the DVD is excellent, it would be helpful to first-time
builders if it were accompanied by a printed instruction
manual. The other contributor to their documentation, David Bender, has done an online journal with a few pictures
and short descriptions of the steps involved; in my mind,
it is just a "scrapbook," not at all helpful as real instruction.
Aside from that, though, all of LMI's docs (except the plan)
require either a TV or a computer. Of course, you can print
out the online journal, but it is so lacking in detail (that is,
“how to” and “why”) that printing it will be of little help. If
you are a first-time kit builder, and you don’t want to do
much research into guitarmaking, the LMI kit might be
best left for your second kit. (Then, you can order their
finest materials through the Kit Wizard and confidently
build the guitar of your dreams!)
LMI is great to deal with; their customer service reps
are knowledgeable and friendly. They back their products
100%. And, with the advent of their “Kit Wizard,” they
have redefined "kits" and taken the lead in the business
of acoustic kit guitars ... by a long mile!
THE HEALDSBURG GUITAR FESTIVAL
LMI hosts this wonderful gathering in August of odd
years. Scores of the best luthiers from all over the world
bring their best instruments to show and sell. Performances are held day and night. Player seminars are conducted
by well-known expert players. It’s a treat to travel to it.
Stewmac Kits
Stewart-MacDonald, Inc.
21 Shafer Street, Box 900
Athens, OH 45701 ... USA
Phone Toll Free: 800-848-2274,
Fax 740-593-7922.
Website: www.stewmac.com
Stewart-MacDonald, Inc. ( Stewmac) is
known as a large tool and parts house that also
offers some woods. The tools and parts selection
in their catalog is as extensive as LMI’s. (The two
are pretty much neck-and-neck on that score,
and we consumers should be glad they’re both
there.) The wood selection is not as extensive
as LMI’s, but they do offer some woods, in raw
and prepared condition. They also offer a large selection
of pre-carved necks, blocks, fretboards, bindings, linings,
brace packages, etc. Their woods fully comply with the
Stewmac's website is a portal to another
great instructional resource. Shown above
is the Kits page.
CITES requirements.
Stewmac offers other kits (mandolins, violin, and
dulcimers) besides guitar kits, but the guitars only are
addressed here. Their kits are standardized. They offer
12-fret Triple-O and Dreadnought guitar kits in mahogany
or East Indian Rosewood, both with Sitka Spruce tops.
The standardization of the Stewmac guitar kits creates
a benefit for the builder that isn’t found in kits from LMI,
Martin, or anyone else: Because of the standardization,
their documentation has been created as a detailed, indepth and complete construction guide for the kit.
Sorry ... cat not included. Everything else
but tuners, strings and glue is, though.
Though the kits are standardized, there is nothing
stopping the builder from substituting parts by purchasing
them separately. On the same note, nothing says that the
braces can’t be carved differently from what the instructions say, or that the bindings can’t be changed. On my
first Triple-O kit, I bought a separate western red cedar
top from LMI, and used the Stewmac kit’s supplied sitka
top for testing finishes. (Had to test on something, didn’t
I?) After doing much research on the internet, I carved the
50
braces differently from what the instructions dictated. I
changed the bindings. It made a great guitar and is still
my favorite to sit and play for my own enjoyment. (And,
the same kit, with a substituted Adirondack Spruce top,
was the first guitar I ever sold. The buyer said: "This is
my favorite guitar of all I have ever owned.") My point is
this: You can choose to individualize any kit—even one as
standardized as Stewmac’s. And, it can make an excellent
instrument.
Stewart-MacDonald's documentation is the
best currently available from kit suppliers.
The video is now available also as a DVD.
Included, but not shown, is a nice vellum
brace template. The full-size plan is accurate, as is the written instruction book.
The changes I made in that first kit certainly did modify the sound of the guitar, but none of them changed the
building procedures at all. I had the benefit of the kit as
well as the benefits of choosing and changing things.
DOCUMENTATION
The thing I like best about Stewmac’s kits is that they
are well documented. The company, itself, created the
instructions and made them detailed and understandable
for a builder at any level.
Full Size Plan:
The Stewmac instructions still call for using spindle clamps. I got some for the first
kit, and I've used them for several, but I've
now gone on to other types of clamps. The
adjustable VarioClippix Spring Clamps,
shown above sharing space with the spindle
clamps, have won my heart for their speed
and adjustability.
The plan included with Stewmac kits is highly detailed and explanatory. It is drawn by Don MacRostie, a
recognized pro and expert in the luthier community. It is
accurately printed; its size, when you measure it yourself,
will match the printed measurements. I mention this only
because LMI cautions that the printed full-size plan might
not be accurate and offers a replacement in that case, and
Martin doesn't include a full-size plan at all.
Vellum Brace Pattern:
My first kit didn’t include this; without it, it was difficult
to transfer the bracing pattern to the wood. I let Stewmac
“feel my pain” by emailing them that this was not good. (I
had to cut the large plan apart and hold it and the wood
up to a window to tape them accurately so I could make
pinholes in the wood for marking the brace pattern.) Being a company highly responsive to their customers, they
came up with this separate translucent pattern for top and
back braces. It is easy to use.
Video:
A DVD of the building of a Stewmac kit is included,
showing the kit taking shape in the hands of Todd Sams,
a Stewmac employee and experienced builder, and Dan
Erlewine, a well-known top-level professional guitar repair
expert, builder, and author of over a dozen books on guitar
repair and construction. The video is over an hour long,
and shows the complete building process from start to
string-up. Of course, the time limitation dictates that it
can’t show every procedure, but it is an excellent introduction — a look ahead at the result of each step.
Instruction Manual:
Stewmac’s manual is 36 pages long, with over 50
photos and about a dozen diagrams. It is well written and
easy to understand. My own experience with it is this:
The Stewmac Triple-O was my first guitar kit. I found the
manual, with only a couple of exceptions, to be all that was
needed to guide me in building. A couple of times, I had
questions, but they were answered by email or telephone
by Stewmac’s technical staff. The manual is detailed, accurate, and easy to read. Separate manuals are provided
for Dread and 000 kits. The accuracy and depth of this
written guide is a great benefit for the first-time builder.
Three completed Stewmac kits: #1, Rosewood/Cedar Triple-O, #2, Rosewood/
Spruce Dreadnought, #3, Rosewood/Adirondack Triple-O. (The Cedar and Adirondack came from other suppliers.)
It was the excellence of Stewmac's docs that led me to
expect the same from the other companies. We have provided no supplemental manual on www.KitGuitarManuals.
com for Stewmac kits. Their documentation is good
enough just as it is.
Online Info:
In addition to the information included with their kits,
Stewmac’s website has a “Free Information” link to their
listing of detailed documents on various procedures. These
are excellent; they will resolve many dilemmas and answer
many questions that are too detailed for the standard kit
manuals. And, they apply not only to Stewmac kits, but to
other kits and guitars. (If you’re building someone else’s
kit, you can still use this information.) Stewmac's support
by email and phone is also good.
52
THE STEWMAC KIT
In a Stewmac guitar kit, whether Triple-O or Dreadnought, the materials are of good quality, machined on
CNC cutters, and ready to begin building. As mentioned
above, these kits are standardized: No substitutions.
From the mess above emerges the beautiful instrument below. All it takes is a bit of
patience, some money, and desire.
Necks are carved and routed, with the heel joint
loosely fitted to the neck block. (You choose a dovetail
joint or mortise-and-tenon bolt-on. For all inexperienced
builders, I strongly advise ordering the bolt-on neck joint.)
Top and back are thicknessed and joined. The soundhole
is cut and rosette channels are routed. Binding, purfling
and rosette materials are provided. Sides are bent, cut to
correct length, and contoured along the back edge. The
fretboard is accurately slotted. All braces are pre-carved,
with the single exception of the X-braces in the Triple-O
kit, which are provided as blanks radiused on one edge,
but not carved to the scalloped shape needed. Stewmac
does not include tuning machines in their kits: Their feeling is that the builder should make that choice separately.
Good tuners are available from them for $50 and up for
3-on-a-side slothead sets, and about $40 for sets of individual tuners.
Overall Impression
If you are new to guitar building and not well-versed in
woodworking, the Stewmac kit is probably the best choice
for your first kit. However, that doesn’t mean that it is "only
a beginner’s kit.” The material quality is at least as high as
the other two big companies’ kits, and the documentation
is superior. The Stewmac kits I have built (two Triple-O’s
and one Dreadnought) have all gone together without a
hitch. The one problem I had with one set of sides for a
Triple-O was resolved easily with a telephone call; Stewmac sent a new set of sides, no questions asked.
In the hands of a skilled builder, the guitars built from
these kits would be more than a match for most mid-range
guitar models from the best-known guitar companies.
Martin Kits
C.F. Martin & Co., Inc.
510 Sycamore Street
PO Box 329
Nazareth, PA 18064 ... USA
Phone: 610-759-2837, Fax: 610-759-5757
Website: www.martinguitar.com
The Martin guitar company was founded in 1833
by Christian F. Martin. The Martin guitar is the oldest and best-known of all acoustic guitar brands. In
addition to guitars, Martin offers various parts and
tools, though not a large selection. They do not sell
body woods (except braces) to the public through
their regular website, but if you can get to Nazareth,
PA, they'll sell you some. Otherwise, body woods are
sold only to authorized shops.
Martin’s kit offerings change from time to time. Current kits available are shown on the website. They offer
OM/000, Dreadnought and Jumbo kits. Martin is one of
the very few companies to sell laminate kits, and they periodically offer them with veneers of East Indian Rosewood,
Mahogany, and more exotic woods. Tops are solid spruce.
Their solid-wood kits are also spruce-topped and are
available with sides and backs of East Indian Rosewood
and Mahogany. Martin is the only big company currently
Yep, it's all there in one box. For first-time
builders, the Martin kits have good and bad
points: Good — the parts are well machined
to close tolerances, braces are premade,
necks are pin-indexed, etc.; Bad — the little
booklet included doesn't give enough instruction to build the kit. (But, you can find
the information elsewhere.)
offering a Jumbo acoustic guitar kit.
Martin’s kits are basically standardized. None of the
kits are intended to be exact replicas of any Martin guitar
model. They do not supply or sell Martin decals.
Martin's kits are standardized, making possible the
same kind of detailed, accurate documentation that Stewmac provides, but Martin does not provide it. Detailed
below, their documentation falls short.
DOCUMENTATION
Printed Instructions
The booklet provided with Martin kits was written by
54
The Martin instruction booklet. See text for
a detailed description.
Dick Boak (longtime Martin employee and now Director of
Artist Relations and Limited Editions). Mr. Boak is also a
consummate artist. However, his 20-page booklet, “Basic
Instructions and Helpful Hints for Guitar Kit Construction,”
is much too sketchy. Though it is well written, it provides
only the barest guidance for some of the procedures required in building the kit, and adds no detail whatsoever on
how to perform those it does cover. It must be augmented
with reading and materials from other sources. Accompanying the booklet is a single loose photocopied sheet
outlining the placement of tuner holes: It is not drawn to
scale and does not illustrate or describe the 2-stage holes
that must be drilled to accommodate the tuners provided
in some kits.
Other Instructions
Though the picture in the online catalog from Martin’s
website shows a full-size plan, it is not included in any kits
from Martin. I asked: That was their answer.
THE MARTIN KIT
The Martin 000 kit includes the same minimal instructions as other body styles. It will
be necessary to get additional guidance.
All Martin kits include the same parts: The spruce top
is thicknessed and joined, and the soundhole is cut and
rosette already inlaid. The sides are bent, cut to the correct length, and their back edge is contoured. The back is
thicknessed, but not joined. Braces are pre-contoured and
pre-shaped. Lining, binding, purfling, etc., are all included.
The neck is shaped, routed and precisely cut for the dovetail or mortise-and-tenon bolt-on joint. (Their bolt-on fits
tightly, unlike the bolt-on joints from LMI and Stewmac.)
The fretboard, of rosewood, is pre-cut to the neck shape,
pin-indexed to the neck, slotted for frets, and drilled for
front fret markers. The bridge is pre-carved, and all small
parts are included, including bridge pins, tuners, strings,
etc. The quality of the materials is excellent, as one would
expect.
Overall Impression
The materials are good—they are equal to those from
the other two big companies. But, the instructions are simply not adequate. There’s no doubt that if Martin wanted
to provide a good set of instructions, they could do so.
However, it clearly isn’t something they feel is warranted
for their kit customers. To me, this is a corporate mistake;
their kits, half-finished, can be found on eBay. The other
companies’ unfinished kits are very rarely found there.
This is a comment not on the kit, but on its documentation. When people buy a kit for several hundred bucks,
they fully expect to receive explicit documentation.
The most unfortunate thing about this is that it lets
people down and stops some from completing what could
be a wonderful guitar. That’s a shame, and it reflects badly
on Martin.
I have built both a Martin Mahogany Jumbo and a
Brazilian Rosewood (Laminate) OM, and the building process was not difficult only because I had already completed several other kits. I had gotten many newbie questions
answered during those Stewmac builds, and knew what
needed to be done, and why it needed doing. Without this
experience, the Martin kits would have been very frustrating.
To end on a positive note, however, I would not hesitate to recommend a Martin kit if the builder has built at
least one other kit successfully, or if he or she is an experienced woodworker with the patience that implies.
In the end, it's worth everything you put into
it. This Martin Jumbo is my favorite player
and its tone is rich and sweet. It was built
completely "stock."
The parts in Martin kits are excellent. The
mahogany and spruce jumbo above, and the
laminated Brazilian rosewood and spruce at
left were both of the same high quality.
The build goes easily and quickly with Martin kits, if you know what you're doing or if
you have built another guitar previously.
56
Grizzly
Tools
(http://www.grizzly.com/products/h3098)
The Grizzly Tools Western Steel String is
not a kit in the same sense as the others in
this book. It uses non-standard woods, and
it is pre-assembled. There's no education in
building involved with this kit. But I have to
admit, it's an "OK" beginner guitar!
If you want to build a kit that will teach you something about guitars, provide a challenging and enjoyable
woodworking project, and produce an excellent guitar,
then don’t bother with the Grizzly kits: They are already
assembled! They may be cheap, at under $100, but as
the old saying goes ... “You get what you pay for.” This
is my overall subjective opinion when I compare it with
other kits.
But ... (he admitted reluctantly) ... I guess I should
provide more detail, since I bought and assembled one
of these just for this book. (And, to my surprise, it's not a
bad guitar!)
The Grizzly “Western Steel String” and “Classical”
kits come in the same size box as the other suppliers’ kits
described here, but that’s the end of the similarity. The
body of the guitar is already put together, and is made of
basswood. (This is not a standard wood used for acoustic
guitars.) The neck is premade and slotted for the truss rod.
The fretboard is already fretted; they leave shallow holes
for you to glue in the supplied fret markers. The peghead
is predrilled and low-quality tuners are included, as is a set
of bulk no-name strings. The neck “joint” consists only of
four wooden dowels, with corresponding holes in the neck
heel and in the body. These dowels are inserted into the
holes and the two parts clamped together. On the Western
Steel String kit, I was surprised to find that when I put it
all together for the dry fit, it lined up well with no hump or
slump at the 14th fret. The action, however, would have
been extremely high since there was little radius to the top;
I shaved 3/32 off the bridge and deepened the saddle slot
to make the action workable. The bridge is included, and
measuring for its placement is the same as in all other kits.
The documentation booklet in the kit is adequate, since
not much assembly is required.
When completed (after some bridge trimming and intonation work), much to my surprise and amazement, this
kit produced an acceptable beginner, student or beater
guitar. Its tone isn’t fantastic, but it is better than the tone
of mass marketed guitars from Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, etc. It wouldn’t be a bad father-son project for a new
guitar player and would give just a taste of guitar assembly. However, if one is a guitar lover and looking to build a
good guitar to be proud of, this is not the one you want.
Grizzly Tools Assembly Manual
There isn’t much to say about this 20-page booklet. Since their kits are so simple, the booklet adequately
covers the few procedures required. However, it would
be a good idea to get some supplemental information,
especially on neck angles and action, before gluing it up.
The manual matches the kit.
KITS FROM INDEPENDENT LUTHIERS
Following are the few independent luthiers whom I consider to offer quality kits. Though
not standardized in the same way as kits from the big companies, the kits provided by these
independents, such as Blues Creek Gutars, KMG, and Steven Kovacik, are of excellent
quality. They give away nothing to the big guys, quality-wise. (In fact, you can expect at
least the same level of quality, and usually a bit higher in some ways.) If you are looking for
something out of the ordinary, such as a Double-O guitar kit, contact them.
Independent Luthier Kit Instructions
Contact any luthier from whom you plan on buying a kit. It’s a good idea to ask about
the documentation, since it will have a lot to do with the quality of your experience and of
your finished guitar. Some independent luthiers who supply kits (usually through an eBay
store or website) use the Martin booklet, since they are trained by Martin and are qualified
Martin repair outlets. Don’t make the mistake of rejecting a luthier’s kit, if you know it’s a
quality kit, just because of the documentation.
You can also expect to be able to telephone and talk with these guys, and get a real
answer. they know their product, usually even better than the tech support folks at the big
companies. Also, there is always the fact that this is their own business; they care more
than an employee of a company often does. That's just how things work, right?
Good instructions can be found in various books, help on forums and websites, and
written manuals at www.KitGuitarManuals.com. (The generic guide: “Kit Acoustic Guitar
Builder’s Guide” will answer most questions.)
58
Blues Creek Guitars
Blues Creek Guitars, Inc.
John F. Hall, Jr., Proprietor and Luthier
244 Forest Drive
Hegins, PA 17938
Phone: 570-682-8046, Fax: 570-682-3962
www.bluescreekguitars.com
John Hall's website for Blues Creek Guitars has been recently expanded and now
includes a complete online store with many
products, tools, and kit selections. John's
tutorial pages are also excellent.
John Hall is a well-respected guitar builder whose
shop and home are in Hegins Township, a nice little
town right in the middle of Pennsylvania.
John's custom guitars are well known, and his
kits are fast gaining acceptance among the kit-building
crowd.
Having built one of John's kits, I can testify to their
quality. I've also heard excellent reports on them from
others who frequent www.KitGuitarForum.com.
John's acoustic guitar kits are basically configured
the same way as Martin kits are, often including the Martin
assembly booklet. This makes sense, because John is a
Certified Martin Guitar Technician, authorized to do warranty work on Martin guitars.
Beautiful figure on this Brazilian Rosewood
I'm working on from Blues Creek.
John can provide just about anything a kit buyer
wants, including Terz, Ditson, Parlor sizes, Super Jumbos, Dreadnoughts, OM/000, etc. He has patterns for over
75 guitars, and also sells molds for them. In addition, he
stocks Martin kits and parts.
Woods from Blues Creek can be Brazilian Rosewood,
East Indian Rosewood, mahogany, zebrawood, maple, imbuia ... and he orders it for a buyer if he doesn't have it.
Top woods, same story: He carries all the spruces:
adirondack, sitka and some bearclaw tops, Engelmann,
European, Carpathian.
If you want something custom, call John!
Kovacik Guitars
Steven Kovacik, Owner
39 Albion Street
Scotia, NY 12302
Phone: 518-381-3958 (10–5 M–F, Eastern Time)
www.guitar-repair.com
Steve Kovacik supplies kits as a sideline to his full
time luthiery operation. A Martin Certified Guitar Tech,
and has repaired several collector guitars on display
in the Martin Guitar Museum in Nazareth, PA.
Steve's website offers a number of used guitars
as well as his own custom new guitars, and from time to
time interesting parts are also offered.
In the area of kits, Steve offers standard 14 fret D
and 000 kits in mahogany and Indian rosewood but his
specialty is in offering sizes and tonewood combinations
not commonly sold by other kit outlets, including 12-fret
sizes 0 through D.
Steven Kovacik's website is attractive and
full of great information for builders, players and kit building folks. Below, a Kovacik
12-fret 000 built by Freeman Keller, pictured
on www.KitGuitarForum.com.
Occasionally, he offers kits for styles and sizes that no
one else offers, such as the custom Ditson-style kits, 12fret 0, 12-fret 00 and 12-fret D, and kits with Koa, Maple,
solid Brazilian Rosewood and sometimes curly or quilted
mahogany. For topwood, sitka, Englemann, Italian alpine
and adirondack spruce are available.
Like other independents, some of Steve's parts, such
as necks, fretboards, blocks, bracing packages, etc.,
come from Martin. However, the side bending, thicknessing, etc., are all done in his shop.
Kits from Steven Kovacik's shop do not include instructions. It would be advisable to email him or call before ordering to find out what configuration the kit follows:
Usually, it is a Martin-style setup, since the neck blocks,
necks, fretboards, etc., are often obtained from Martin.
Steve's inventory is very flexible, and is somewhat
reliant on the parts he obtains from C. F. Martin & Co.
60
KennethMichaelGuitars
Ken Cierpilowski, owner
211 W. Birch Street.
Litchfield MI 49252
Phone: 517-542-2515
www.KennethMichaelGuitars.com
Ken Cierpilowski is attempting to forge new
ground in the business of kit acoustic guitars.
Scrolling down on KMG's front page leads
to a list of procedure guides, tool descriptions, and much helpful information.
Ken's "Success Kits" are virtually all-inclusive.
They include the standard kit parts, with additional
features such as oval or round sound holes offered, choice
of wood bindings, reverse kerfed lining, bracewood that
can be cut to your own patterns (like LMII does), a Martin
neck and truss rod, a vertically-adjustable (until it's glued)
bolt-on neck block, etc. Choices of woods are slightly
greater than other kit suppliers offer.
Kits will include an OM/000 (14-fret), Martin-style
Dreadnought, Martin Jumbo, and a unique body called
the J-200 "Jumfaux." Some cutaways are included.
The external mold kit included in KMG kits.
What makes KMG's guitar kits different is the number
of tools included with the kits. Ken's goal is to provide
many of the tools and jigs the builder will need to create
the guitar. These will include kits for the tools, or premade
tools, labeled (k) or (p) below:
KMG Bridge Setter tool is a handy jig that
will help you get your bridge position just
right. Also shown is the 16" radius fretboard
caul.
External mold (k), top and back clamping caul (p),
interior adjustable height spacers (p), 3 cam clamps (k), 15'
radius sanding bar (k), trim router binding attachment (k),
tuner hole-drilling template (p), SS Bridge Clamp (p), MDF
work board (p), rim waist clamp (p), 15' radius contour
template (p), 40' radius contour template (p), 16" radius
fretboard clamping caul (p), 16" radius fretboard sanding
block (p), Tail wedge routing template (p), KMG Bridge
Setter jig (p), KMG fretboard simulator tool (p), and a Specialty drill bit set (p).
All of this is in development at press time, so the basic
kit and tools list could change by the time you read this.
In a prototype kit (shown in part below), not all of the tools
were included, but from those that were, it's clear that this
will save the builder a lot of money and time.
Materials in the kit were of very good quality: The
Englemann spruce top, the sapele mahogany sides and
back, all thicknessed and sanded to about 180 grit. As
mentioned, bracewood is ready to cut.
The documentation was not ready at press time, but
Ken Cierpilowski has told me that he plans to put it all
online to begin with, then go to print at a later date. The
documents will be available individually for each tool, and
for the construction of the guitar kit itself.
It looks as if the guitar kit world has another independent competitor. Good! KMG kits should offer a lot the
first-timer and the advanced kit builder.
Below, the KMG "Success Kit," with several of the jigs and
tools shown in the top of the photo. Special features include
oval soundhole, wooden bindings, backstrip installed in back,
and others. Some tools mentioned are shown at right.
62
ADDITIONAL KIT SOURCES
The listings on this page are for sources of kits I have not personally checked in detail. Though
most are certainly trustworthy, a few questions as to the contents, components and quality of their kit
offerings might be in order for some of them.
BEARD RESOPHONIC KITS
MUSIC MARKETING gmbh
www.BeardGuitars.com
Hagerstown MD, USA
Takes a few clicks, but in Parts and Accessories
you find a list including Kits. Traditional squareneck and roundneck reso kits are offered, and
include all you need, including hardware and
cones. Traditional tools are needed, too.
www.music-marketing.de
Frankfurt, Germany
Click the "HOSCO_Bausatze" link to see kits including dreads, classical, mandolins and electrics. The website is in German, so get some
teutonic friends online to help out.
TIMELESS INSTRUMENTS KITS
www.TimelessInstruments.com
Tugaske, Saskatchewan, Canada
These folks offer a variety of steel string and classical kits in prep stages from rough lumber to
more highly serviced kits. Mandos and violin kits
are also available.
www.siminoff.net
Arroyo Grande, CA, USA
Offering Mandolin and Banjo kits, Roger Siminoff
draws on his years of experience and a great
reputation as an instrument expert. He's written
many books. His kits are undoubtedly excellent
in workmanship and value.
MUSICMAKER'S KITS
MIDWEST GUITAR
www.musikit.com
Stillwater, MN, USA
Offering a variety of kits of all kinds, this company
has been in business along time. Their dreadnought kits (spruce top with European sycamore
or African mahogany body) come with the back
and sides assembled and braced; you go from
there. Eliminates the need of a mold.
www.midwestguitar.com
Webster Groves, MO, USA
In addition to offering a luthery school, repair and
new guitar sales, the company provides solid
wood dread, jumbo and classical kits in various
stages of pre-assembly or prep. If you want the
rim done, for example, they'll just do that.
MADINTER TRADE
www.aiguitars.com
Mesa, AZ, USA
Al Inteso builds custom guitars and offers highly
serviced kits for dreads and jumbos with spruce
and various back and side woods. Mahogany,
Indian rosewood and maple are the standards.
Cutaway kits also available.
www.madinter.com
Madrid, Spain
Dreadnought and Classical well serviced kits as
well as raw wood kits offer a European source.
A builder working on one reports the kit is well
made, though no instructions are included.
ROGER SIMINOFF
AL INTESO GUITARS
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU GET WITH GUITAR KITS
We can all hope that someday, the major kit suppliers will decide to hire technical writers ...
It has been noted on various threads on www.KitGuitarForum.com that the instructions included
with most kits are simply not adequate.
Of course, people can be expected to misunderstand instructions from time to time, whether
the instructions are written, spoken, video, or in person.
Be that as it may, there is a clear lack of understanding among the suppliers of kits (with one
major exception: Stewart-MacDonald), that people who buy kits these days possibly do not want
to spend an extra $100 on books telling them many specific procedures to use in building a guitar,
some of which might (but probably do not) apply to the kit they have purchased.
So, kit manufacturers, here is what the kit-buying public needs and wants:
1) Accurate instructions that apply specifically to the kit at hand, amplified with information on
the goal of each step and why it is important;
2) Instructions that are easy to read, well-written, and well illustrated;
3) Instructions that are presented in written form;
4) A set that includes an accurate full-size plan.
That’s about the gist of it.
People don’t want to be told, as they are in Martin’s booklet, that the company supplying the
kit is not responsible for any errors that might happen because of the instructions.
It is my opinion that the instructions are part and parcel of the kit itself. The instructions are
as much a part of the kit as the bent sides or the neck: If either of those wood components were
found to be badly made, the company would replace them. Thie irony is this: A single bad part will
only result in one kit going bad, while bad instructions are more like the proverbial bad apple that
can ruin the whole barrel. Instructions that are incorrect and lead to errors or problems should be
seen in the same light — or an even harsher light — than individual parts.
That’s my opinion combined with views from many members of www.KitGuitarForum.com.
For a remedy, visit www.KitGuitarManuals.com
Take a look ... if it helps, that's good for all.
(It might sound as if I am just trying for sales here, but the opinion expressed in this page is
genuine, sales notwithstanding!)
64
TOOLS
Everyone who works with
wood knows: You can never
have too many clamps. Every
type of clamp has a specific
use in guitarmaking, and
many also do double duty.
They say you can never have
enough.
... They're right.
CHAPTER 5:
TOOLS
W
hat tools are needed to build a kit acoustic guitar? You’d think this is a difficult question, but
it really is not. At least, not for most kits. (Now, if you’re
talking about building scratch guitars, it might be a difficult
question!)
With acoustic guitar kits, most of the major procedures are done for you. The things done in advance are
basic steps that would be no different if you did them correctly yourself, so they don’t take away from your personalization of the guitar: You still have many opportunities to
make it your own.
You might be an experienced woodworker, familiar
with wood shops and the machinery in them, but the tools
you need to build most kit guitars are pretty basic. Of
course, a drill press can be used more precisely than a
hand drill, and a band saw is faster and smoother than a
coping saw, but the hand tools will get the job done. They
present less opportunity for error or injury, too, and they
take up less space (and money).
Some tools, you'll buy, like the adjustable
mold from www.KennethMichaelGuitars.
com. Some, you'll make, like the 15-foot
radius sanding stick used to radius kerfed
lining on this LMI OM rim. (See page 139.)
People build guitars who have little or no experience
with wood tools or guitar construction. No big deal. Any
individual of average ability with tools and the willingness
to follow directions can do it.
66
The point is, you can build a guitar kit no matter what
your experience in the shop: The trick is to choose the kit
that matches your present level of skill.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH TOOL LISTS ...
Tool lists can be misleading, including the lists in this
book. But, they are a necessary starting point. Buy what
you need to get started and add to it as you progress.
The tool you need can usually be obtained quickly online
or around the corner or in the next town. Building a guitar
won’t suffer if you have to wait a day or two for a tool. You
will find that you can improvise, modify, invent, rent, borrow and beg many of the tools you don’t have.
Also, remember this: When you need a specific tool
for a specialized job, it’s very satisfying to have the right
tool for it, with which you can do the job well and efficiently.
THE RIGHT TOOL AT THE RIGHT TIME
Somebody could invent a "Clamp Closet"
and make a mint.
You'll need some tools and supplies at the very beginning; others won't become necessary until the end. Here
are the five main stages as I see them:
1) Rim and plate preparation, up to and including
brace shaping and gluing of lining.
3) Neck and Fretboard assembly, including tuner installation.
Starting on page 73 is a chart with a list organized by
these stages, and by guitar kits from the major suppliers
and luthiers. (It doesn't differ much, as you'll see.)
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Fretting is best done with the right kind of
hammer.
Do you know the tools and their uses? I didn’t, so
I’m including this section as a “Tool Primer,” giving basic
information for those few who might be as ignorant as I
was. But, other sources of information will be needed.
TOOLS
Read up on what you will need to do and why you will
need various tools. Major websites and forums will offer
guidance, as will the many excellent books available on
guitar building. Just reading through the print catalogs of
the big instrument tool makers will provide a good start;
they illustrate and explain many basic tools. (LMI’s print
catalog is incredibly rich with detailed information on specialized tools, as is Stewart-MacDonald’s. Their websites
are both great in the same way. Get on their websites and
request a catalog; it’ll be one of the smartest moves you
can make, and it’s free.)
AIR QUALITY
Included in the Appendix is a list of common guitar woods and some of the problems they are known to
cause. Some are serious. All woods can cause respiratory
and eye problems.
Most professional luthiers, as one of the standard
shop machines, install a dust filtering system to keep wood
dust out of the air and out of their lungs. It’s a good investment. I don't have one, but I started using a painter's mask
and eye protection for sanding, drilling and routing. (Not
that the mask is all you need; it’s just a good start.)
The Go Bar Deck is ancient; it was used by
instrument makers centuries ago. It's still a
great tool.
TOOL PRIMER:
A LIST OF TOOLS AND DEVICES
(NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER)
Hygrometer (Relative Humidity Meter): If you don’t have
one of these, get one. It tells you the Relative Humidity
of its environment. You can find these at Radio Shack
or online for about twenty dollars. To protect your guitars (kit components and finished instruments) you
need to know the relative humidity (RH) of your work
and instrument storage area: That RH should ideally be
about 40% to 50%, and the kit components should be
exposed in that environment for a week or two before
building. If you are building inside a house with forcedair heat in a winter climate, be aware that the air in your
house can get as dry as only 10% relative humidity.
(Note: To modify the humidity, you will need either a
Any digital hygrometer is accurate enough
for wood storage. On the left, the Planet
Waves; on the right, the Radio Shack. Both
are about $25.
68
humidifier or dehumidifier, depending on where you live
— unless you live in just the right place! A whole-house
humidifier can be added to your furnace and will help,
but will probably not raise humidity above 35%. This is
a good range for your body and your wooden furniture,
but additional moisture is needed by your guitar during
building and after completion.)
Room humidifier: $25.
Room Humidifier: You can get one of these, suitable for
single room, for as little as $40 at department stores
or home building stores. It is a worthwhile investment.
Dehumidifier: These are more expensive and not always available in the same places as humidifiers.
Bench Vise: Essential. Because I don't have much room,
I got a good-size vise that rotates and mounted it on a
2x6. I clamp it to any bench I'm working at.
Swiveling board-mounted vise; great for
very small shops
Hand plane: The plane is a great tool, for those experienced in using it. Depending on what you’re doing,
alternatives can include scraping, sanding, or sawing.
Caliper: Get a good digital one that measures in inch and
metric values.
Laminate trimmer (router): This is used for routing the
binding and purfling channels. It is necessary. I bought
a Dremel tool set but discovered it wasn’t hardy enough
for bindings and purflings. I like the cordless laminate
trimmer/router more than the corded trimmer.
Cordless laminate trimmer is my choice but
the corded one is more powerful.
Ball bearing router bit set. Excellent.
Ball-bearing binding router cutter set: From Stewmac,
you can buy individual bits and rollers; you don’t have
to buy the whole set. These are also available at LMI.
But be careful to buy the ones with the right offset.
They are much easier to guide accurately than a regular
bit. Read the catalog description of the tool carefully so
you’ll get the right thing. In order to get the right bit for
the binding and/or purfling you’re using, you will need
to measure its width and height accurately. (Stewmac’s
roller bearings include additional .012” offset for glue,
so a roller bearing for a .06”-thick binding will actually
TOOLS
be .072”. They work beautifully.)
Drill/Drill Press: This doesn’t have to be a drill press, but
if you have one, you’re way ahead. I built my first three
guitars using a 9.6v DeWalt cordless drill; worked fine.
Then, I bought a small (8-inch) drill press from Harbor
Freight for $40; it’s adequate for some things, but I’ve
recently run into situations where its size is a limitation.
Planing with a “Wagner Saf-T-Planer” is not possible,
and drilling holes or rosette channels is another problem area. (There isn’t enough room on the stage for the
wood.) If you can afford it, get a full-size drill press to
start out; it’ll save money in the long run.
Small drill press; a bigger one is better.
Brad point drill bit set: These are not essential, but drilling on center is much easier with the brad points.
Curved Brace-shaping Chisel: This chisel, available at
Stewmac and LMI, has a long curved shaft so you easily can cut scallops and tapers into braces. This is nice
to have, but if you’re careful, its function can be carried
out using files, sandpaper, and straight chisels. Also
shown is a spokeshave; handy for shaping a neck.
File Set: I finally bought a set of files from Stewmac. They
are very good, but before I had them, I did the same
work with 40- and 60-grit sandpaper glued to sticks
and metal rulers. A good set of shaped files is a good
investment.
Good files and chisels: A good investment.
Rasps: The handiest line of tools I’ve found for removing
wood quickly is the Microplane™ line of flat, cylindrical,
and curved metal rasps. These are different from any
others on the market and worth checking out.
Nut-slotting files: These are expensive. They are quality
tools that you should have if you are going to slot many
nuts. However, if you are going to build only one guitar,
and you aren’t driven to do the exacting setup work
yourself, consider this: Find a guitar technician or luthier
nearby who will do the setup for you. You’ll get a better
job done than you could do yourself the first time. (And
the cost is probably less than the set of nut files.)
To remove wood fast, these are excellent.
Nut slot files. They last forever.
70
Fret Leveling Tool: This is a straight or radiused rectangular sanding tool that is used to leveling all of the frets
to each other. Sandpaper is attached to it for this purpose. I prefer the radiused; many people use a straight
piece. (After ths step,, the fret crowning file is used to
individually round them.)
Fret Leveling bar file and sanding tool.
Fret crowning file and very small fret dressing file.
Fret Tang Nipper for bound fretboards.
Fret nipper and fret hammer.
Fret Crowning file: After frets are leveled, they each need
to be crowned to provide an accurate point of contact;
good intonation depends on it. This file has curved filing surfaces only on its two edges. One edge file is for
large frets; one for medium. Used properly, it will do
the job without scarring the fretboard. It’s one of those
“specialized tools” you probably need. Some people
have used sandpaper and regular files, but it’s risky. If
you scar your fretboard, you’ll remember it every time
you look at it and you’ll kick yourself.
Fret Tang Nippers: If you are going to build a guitar with
a bound fretboard, you’ll need this tool that takes off
just the end of the tang and leaves the surface of the
fret intact so it can lay over the binding. Of course, you
can file them if you want to save the money.
Fret cutters; End-cut Nippers: These are handy since
they cut on the end instead of on the side. This tool is
used for cutting frets nearly flush to the fretboard edge
after installing them. However, you can find a substitute at the hardware store, or you can use a good pair
of medium-duty side-cut wire cutters. Cut carefully so
you don’t scar the fretboard. (Masking tape or plastic electrical tape on the nippers will help protect the
wood.) After cutting, you will still need to level the fret
end down to the fretboard edge.
Fret Hammer: This hammer is used to tap fret wire into
the slots of the fretboard. At the hardware store, these
plastic and brass hammers are less expensive than at
Stewmac or LMI. You can also make one by attaching
a plastic cap to a regular hammer head. Practice before
you use it.
TOOLS
Large Cam clamps (aka "Klemmsia Clamps"): Instrument makers have used these for centuries; they simply
stress a piece of wood to apply pressure. You can make
them if you already have a wood shop. If not, buy them.
You’ll need them for various procedures. Minimum of
four, but eight is better.
Spool (or Spindle) Clamps: These can be used to clamp
down the top plate and back plate to the rim when gluing, if you are using an “inside” mold as Stewmac’s
instructions prescribe. (StewMac’s instructions tell how
to make these yourself. It is very time consuming to
make them since you need about 24. The internal-mold
method used in Stewmac’s kits is the only one with
which you can use them with the guitar rim in its body
mold.) However, if you build a Stewmac kit, you can still
use other methods of clamping the top and back to the
sides for gluing. (There are many other methods are
shown for gluing top and back to the sides.)
Expandable Squeeze Clamps "VarioClippix": These are
as handy as anything I’ve ever used. I’ve even used
them to clamp the top/back when gluing. Their adjustable-width jaws allow them to clamp objects from zero
to five inches in width. You can find them for $4.50 to
$5.00 apiece. With enough of them, you could easily
dispense with the spindle clamps mentioned above.
That's exactly what I did on a recent glue-up.
Cam Clamps.
Spindle clamps.
Expanding clamps: A great invention.
Belt Sander: If you get very involved in this or any other
woodworking, a belt sander is a great tool to have. It
will make your work go faster.
Long Straightedges: Just get one that’s precise. A good
marked 24” steel rule from a wood crafting store works
well. Precision in this area is important.
----------------------------If you decide to build just one guitar, you can get along
with a lot less than is shown on these pages. On the
next couple of pages are some more alternatives.
Get a good straightedge.
72
----------------------------GENERIC WOODWORKING TOOLS
Good Chisel(s): 1/8”, 1/4”, 1/2”, 1”. Learn how to
sharpen them correctly.
Dremel tool or Laminate Router/Trimmer: You’ll
need this; check eBay and local pawn shops.)
For the bindings, use the laminate trimmer if
you want to do it in one pass. Look for major
companies' refurbished tools on ebay, such as
this: http://stores.ebay.com/CPO-Bosch-Reconditioned.
Razor knife: Any kind will do.
Centerpunch: File a heavy nail to the right kind
of point.
Small razor saw: A hacksaw blade can be substituted if used carefully, but won’t be as thin.
Cabinet Scrapers: They come in nice 3-shape
sets; all are handy to have. My very favorite
tool of all I have newly discovered! Tiny, precise
scraper blades can be made from standard
single-edge razor blades.
Fret Hammer: plastic/lexan-tipped hammer. Or
attach something to your regular hammer.
File Sets: Good, small files.
Drill Bits: Pay slightly more and get a good set of
brad-point bits.
Clamps: Lots, all kinds! Find them at swap meets
and garage sales, or borrow.
AROUND THE HOUSE TOOLS AND DEVICES
(Things You Already Have)
Tape measure
Wooden Spring-type Clothespins (at least 150)
Rubber bands for the Clothespins.
Small artist brush
Old credit cards/gift cards (I used a new unused
deck of plastic coated playing cards. Flexible
and disposable.)
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Feeler gauges: Auto or hardware store.
Guitar capo: For setup: Rubber band and popsicle stick will do for this purpose.
Heat gun (or hair dryer): borrow one if you don’t
have one. For warming tape adhesive to remove it.
Digital Hygrometer: Doesn't have to expensive.
Humidifier (or DEhumidifier): For shop/storage
room. Needed depending on climate; you want
40-50% RH.
Scrap wood: for cauls, sanding forms and
blocks
Foam Core Board: Great for soft cauls.
SUPPLIES AND FINISHING MATERIALS
Tapes, various kinds: Cheap vanilla masking
tape, Low-Tack drafting tape, Blue 1” and 2”
14-day release masking tape, Double-sided
tape, brown binding tape
Glue for wood (Titebond or LMI White Instrument
Makers Glue)
Glue for plastic (Super 16, Duco, etc, for plastic
binding if you use it)
Cyanoacrylate (“Superglue™”) glue (for several
tasks)
Chemicals: Acetone, Paint Thinner, Naptha
Paper towels, tissue, blue shop towels (like paper
towels but no lint, etc.)
Wiping Rags: Auto stores have them cheap.
Sand Papers (60 up to 400 grit, non-loading)
Eye protection, ear protection, and mask.
(Wood powders can cause many problems to
eyes and lungs, and router noise can damage
your hearing.)
Respirator: If you get into spraying paint.
-------------------
STEPS IN BUILDING KITS
The next few pages are a rundown of what
tools you might need at different points on various
kits during specific stages in the building.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Prepare and Rough-shape Top and Back Braces
Make cauls as needed for brace gluing
Glue Top and Back Braces
Finish Shaping of Top and Back Braces
X
X
X
X
Stewmac
X
X
Kits From
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
(?)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
(?)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
X
X
X
X
X
X
Kits From Kits From
Cut Contour For Back Radius
Set Up Mold (if using INternal)
Glue Kerfed Lining To Top/Back
Sand Radii into Kerfed Lining, Top and Back
Cut, glue in vertical side braces
Cut top/back Brace blanks out of Billets Provided
Body Mold: Buy or Build
Cut cardboard or Foamcore board Internal Mold
Make Cauls for Gluing Tail and Neck Blocks
Set Up Mold (if using EXternal)
Trim Sides to Length
Trim Tail Block To Height
Trim Neck Block if Necessary: See Full Size Plan
Sand Tail Block to proper radius (see full size plan)
Glue Sides To Neck, Tail Blocks
Measure and Mark Side contour (Back Radius)
When kit received, unpack, check for cracks, etc.
Acclimate woods to your environment
(Some Steps May Be Done Out of This Order)
Stages and Steps
1) Rim and plate preparation, up to and including brace
shaping and gluing of lining.
Clamps or GoBar Deck
Curved Chisel, Sandpaper
Razor saw, Glue, Clamps
Saw (Band Saw works Best)
Coping Saw, Files, Sandpaper
~Use cauls or radiused sanding disk~
Cutting Tool, Sanding Form, File, Sandpapers
Cut cardboard & spacers
150 Wooden
Clothespins
Radiused
Sanding
Sticks or Concave
Dishes:
Internal or External Mold
Razor Knife, X-Acto Knife
~ Not always necessary with external mold~
External Mold more stable
Razor Saw or Razor Knife
Small Hand Saw, Band Saw
Small Hand Saw, Band Saw
Sandpaper, scrap wood, saw
Clamps, Wood Glue, Wax Paper, Bench Top
Pen, Artists Right Angle, Tape,
Hygrometer; Humidifier or DeHumidifier
Suggested Tools For Step
TOOLS
Measure, mark and cut rims for brace notches
Dry Fit Rims with Notches
Glue Top to Rims
Clean up Glue etc. on top braces; Sign inside of top
Tap tune top
Glue Back To Rims
Remove Overhang of Top and Back
Trim Out Mortise opening for neck mounting tenon
Scrape sides smooth and flat
Mark & cut wedge for Butt Wedge
Glue Butt Wedge into Butt
Trim Butt Wedge; Scrape and Sand Flush to side
Rout channels/ledges for binding and purfling
Glue Binding on Back
Glue Binding and Purfling on Top
Remove tape and clean up body
Keep Body in Humidified Area, Soundhole open
Stewmac
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
24" rule, white pencil, Razor Saw, file
Big Rubber Bands, Clamps
Wood Glue, GoBar Deck or Clamps
Glue-Clearing Chisel, Sandpaper
Small Plane, File, Sandpaper
Wood Glue, GoBar Deck or Clamps
Laminate Trimmer, Flush-cut bit, File
Razor Saw, File
Scraper
Razor saw, chisel, file
Glue, Tape
Scraper, sandpaper, Razor saw
Laminate Trimmer, Roller-Bearing or Std Bits
Glue, tape
Glue, tape
Hair Dryer, Sandpaper, Scrapers
74
(Neck & Fretboard continued)
3) Neck and Fretboard assembly, including tuner
installation.
Measure, narrow neck to desired nut width
Profile and trim neck to desired shape
Align and mark fretboard for trimming to neck shape
Cut Fretboard close to marks, File and Sand
Inlay Front Markers in Fretboard
If Binding Fretboard, Do additional Trimming for Binding
Glue binding to Fretboard
Cut Fret Wire to Approximate Length for Each Fret
If Fretboard is Bound, Trim Away Fret tangs as needed
Install Frets up to 12 or 14 (body edge)
Trim and Rough-file fret ends
DOVETAIL: check untrimmed set of joint
File and Sand Dovetail Joint to fit per Instructions
BOLT-ON: attach and check alignment with top
Stewmac
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Micrometer, File, Scraper, Sandpaper
File, Rasp, Scraper, Sandpaper
White Pencil, Clamps
Saw (Band Saw Best), File, Shooting Board
Drill, Glue
Shooting Board
Glue, Tape, shooting Board
Fret Nippers, Flush-cut Wire cutters
Fret Tang Nipper
Fret hammer or Fret Press
Fret Nipper, 60 / 90-degree file
~ place neck tenon into mortise ~
File, 80-grit sandpaper, Take Your TIME
Long socket wrench
TOOLS
3) Neck and Fretboard assembly (continued)
Adjust Joint if necessary to align properly
JOINTS: Test & Adjust, Test & Adjust, Test & Adjust
With neck mounted, align fretboard on neck
Unmount neck from body for next steps
Glue Truss Rod into Neck
Glue Peghead veneer onto peghead
If desired, shape peghead to custom shape
Measure and Drill to Mount Tuners onto peghead
Remove Tuners Until After Finishing
Glue Fretboard Onto Neck
Make Nut, glue on temporarily with 1 small dot of glue
Finalize Neck Joint
Mount Neck: Measure & Mark Top For Bridge
Finish Fretting Fretboard
Trim and Finish Fret Ends
Stewmac
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Straightedge, masking tape, pencil
Fret hammer or Fret Press
Fret Nipper, 60 / 90 degree file, fret file
Glue, Clamps
File, Razor saw, Fine sandpaper
Glue, Clamps
Glue, Clamps
Coping Saw, File, Sandpaper
Drill, Glue, Small Screwdriver
~ whatever tools needed ~
~ test as many times as necessary ~
Clamps
76
Use Top Coats compatible with pore filler, per instructions
Level finish all over body
Polish
Choose Finishing Method
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IS JUST "ONE" WAY --!!
Mask Parts of Neck and Body Not To Be Finished
Damp and Dry sand to 220 grit
Tack Off all sanding dust
Light Wash Coat On Top, Back, Sides, Neck, Peghead
Lightly sand wash coat
Do complete pore filling on back, sides, and neck
Level and finish neck to satin or gloss, your preference
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Stewmac
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
X
X
14-day release Painter's tape
150, 180, 220 grit Non-stearated sandpapers
Tack Cloth
Foam Brushes or Cotton Pads
220 grit
Pore Filler or Grain Filler of Choice
Sandpapers, Steel Wools
Pads, Brushes, or Spray facility and
equipment sandpapers, wet & dry, up to
Graduated
4,000
Hand or Machine
See Chapter 10, "The Finish"
Read Erlewine Book, Analyze Capabilities
TOOLS
Glue Bridge Down In Position per instructions
Glue/Bolt Neck onto Body
Attach Tuners to Peghead
Level Frets
Polish Frets
Permanently Glue, File nut; Slot for string positions
Drill through bridge pin holes, taper holes to fit pins
Make Saddle, Install in Bridge
String it up
Remove masking tape over bridge area, or use paint
remover if under-bridge area painted
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Stewmac
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Martin LMI Serviced
Glue, Clamps
Glue, Clamps
Small Screwdriver, Glue
Fret Leveling File
Steel Wool
File, Razor Knife, Sandpaper, Fret Slot rule
Drill, 3 or 5 degree reamer or Rattail file
Sandpaper, file
Congratulations … make final adjustments.
Small Brush, Paint Remover, Cotton Rags,
water
78
TOOLS
A SAMPLE MINIMAL TOOL LIST
Tools and Devices:
Clamps: This is a minimal set
Four large Cam (Klemmsia) Clamps,
six or eight medium spring clamps
spindle clamps for gluing tops and backs (or a press,
go-bar deck, or other method).
Vise
Files: A good set that includes several shapes.
Razor Saw
Coping Saw
Chisels: 1/8", 1/2", and curved shaft for braces
Hand Drill and brad-point bits (or drill press)
Laminate Router, bits and binding guide.
Nut-slotting Files.
Fret Leveling bar/file
Fret Crowning File
Small Fret Dressing File
Fret Hammer
Fretwire cutters.
Bridge-Pin Reamer (rat tail file)
24" straightedge.
Caliper
1/64" ruler
Tape Measure
Clothespins (150)
Heat Gun or Hair dryer
Feeler Gauges
Capo
Various Cauls, etc.
Rubber bands: Large and small
Supplies:
Plain vanilla masking tape
Blue painter's masking tape
Green masking tape or brown binding tape from LMI
Double-sided tape
Glues: LMI or Titebond, Binding glue, CA medium)
Rags and Paper Towels
Sand Papers (60, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400, 600)
For your notes
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80
START-TO-FINISH, STEP BY STEP
The parts in this
photo create the
guitar in the photo
below.
You can do it.
CHAPTER 6:
Start To Finish,
Step By Step
T
his chapter will give you a step-by-step
overview of what needs to be done to a kit. Many
potential kit builders have told me in emails: “If I just had
something that would describe the whole process, I’d
build a kit.” Okay, here it is!
This is a general description that is based on the contents of kits from LMI, Stewmac, Martin, and others. These
three cover all of the kit packages you might receive, since
most kits are based on them. Major items in the kits are
all the same (with the exception of tuners). Some instructions call for doing different things at different times, but
the basic end is the same: A completed guitar. Where an
extra step is required on a particular manufacturer’s kit,
it’s labeled clearly. For information on the tools needed
for each step, refer to Chapter 5 (Tools) and the Acoustic
Guitar Builder’s Journal, which is Chapter 7 (Keeping A
Record).
THIS IS NOT AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL
This chapter tells what to do, in a generally accepted
order, but not how to do the steps. Sure, I expand on
Even this laminated kit (Brazilian rosewood
laminated over mahogany) from Martin,
though it sounded like wet cardboard before
building, sounds very good after completion. Its playabillity is great, intonation is
excellent, resonance and sustain are good.
I'm always amazed when I finish a kit at
how good it sounds.
82
some steps, but this chapter of this book is not -- repeat:
is not -- intended as an instruction set for building any
guitar. This chapter is here only so you can see the whole
road ahead and know some of what you will need to do.
Detailed instructions for each kit are either packed with the
kit or are available online. (www.KitGuitarManuals.com.)
DRY-FITTING
Dry-fitting the gluing of the tail, or end,
block. Every clamp and every step should be
done in dry-fitting; if not, surprises will occur. Most of them are not happy ones.
On this guitar, the end is slightly rounded.
The caul (marked "back") which is sanded to
the needed concave shape, assures that the
rims will be pressed evenly and firmly onto
the shape of the tail block.
All of the instructions, this book, and most other
sources of information are going to tell you to “dry fit”
parts before you glue, and in some cases before you cut.
This is an absolutely essential step. It takes time, and if
done right, can take quite a bit of extra time. But, it will
save you many headaches, do-overs, and possibly replacements.
When you dry fit, do the entire procedure, all the way
through, using all of the parts, clamps and cauls you will
use in the actual gluing. Doing it all is the only way to
discover where you will have problems when you apply
glue.
I can’t tell you all of the potential problems I’ve discovered — and avoided — by doing a complete dry run. (And
it only took one near disaster to teach me this lesson!)
WHAT’S A “CAUL?”
A caul is a piece of material (wood, plastic, etc.) that
doesn’t become a permanent part of whatever you are
building, but is used with clamps to hold sub-assemblies of the project in place while their components are
clamped and held until the glue has cured. You make your
own cauls, usually, out of whatever scraps you have that
are appropriate. Some must be custom shaped as you
build.
The same caul used above for gluing was
used as a sanding block to form the shape of
the block itself.
STARTING OUT
Order The Kit: Simple enough. Decide what you
want, and order it. If you need glue and some clamps,
you can order them at the same time as the kit. I favor
LMI White Instrument Makers Glue; others use Titebond
as recommended in the Stewmac video and manual, and
others have their own favorites. On the first order, so you
can get a few major things done right away, you will want
to order some clamps: At least four large cam clamps.
The newly-released VarioClippix™ clamp -- a squeeze
clamp that adjusts from zero to about 5 inches -- is very
handy, but costs almost $5 each. If you can, get about
four of these. Some regular electricians squeeze clamps
with will also come in handy. (Get them at a home store or
discount tool place. Check out www.HarborFreight.com
on the internet. Cheap tools.)
In about a week, your new kit arrives on your doorstep
in a box about 2’x2’x1’, and inside are all the parts you’ll
need. (Stewmac doesn’t include tuning machines, but LMI
and Martin do. Martin also sends strings ... can you guess
what brand?)
HUMIDITY is one issue you should address at the
outset. This is the thing: You want to build the guitar in
an environment that will be about midway between the
extremes where it will live its life. In the USA, for example
(and most other heavily inhabited places on earth), the
extremes are about 20% and 70%. You want to build in an
environment whose humidity is right in the middle. Taylor
Guitars, in El Cajon, CA, acclimatizes its wood outside (at
about 25 to 30%) and keeps the factory at 47% -- right
in the middle of the range. If you can humidify your work
and guitar storage area at about 40% to 50%, at about 70
degrees Fahrenheit, you are right on the money.
To monitor humidity, get a hygrometer. It reads the
temperature and moisture in the air, and tells you the relative humidity. (Relative humidity is the amount of moisture
in the air, as a percentage of the amount the air can hold
at that temperature before it rains. It changes with the
temperature; the same amount of moisture will show as
a lower relative humidity when the air gets cooler, and a
higher RH when the air gets warmer. This is so because
cold air can hold more moisture.)
Unpack the kit contents. Check everything: This is
wood, and wood can warp or crack in shipping. If there’s
a problem piece, call the company. Set the Top, Back,
This small 2-gallon humidifier works fine
for my 8 x 12-foot converted storage room. I
keep kits and wood there and carry them to
my garage workshop to work on them.
Humidity should be about 40 to 50 percent
relative humidity, at about 70 degrees F.
Most hygrometers are accurate enough;
these two, one a Planet Waves and the other
a Radio Shack, usually differ by about 2-3
percent.
It's usually all okay ... but sometimes not. In
this kit, the sides had been splintered when
they were bent; I called the company, and
they were replaced within a week.
84
Above, keeping
the rim in shape
by clamping
blocks and sides
together. It's a
temporary measure to use only
until you get the rims into a mold. Do it any
way that works
... just do it!
If you you
leave the rims
unshaped, they
will "relax"
and spring
back. This can result in some problems.
Sides, braces and kerfed lining somewhere so that they
can become acclimated to your ambient humidity. They
can stay “out” for a week or so, but the sides might start
to relax (straighten) unless their shape is controlled.
THE RIM/SIDES:
Locate the Neck Block and the Tail Block, and
clamp the sides roughly in the correct positions on the
blocks. Clamp the sides to the end and neck blocks. If
you have a mold, put them in the mold. (If you don’t have a
mold yet, get a couple of 24” clamps, or something similar
to what's shown in the photo at left.: Fix one at the ends
of the guitar and another at the waist until you get your
sides into or onto a mold.) If you have ordered a Stewmac
kit, instructions and materials will be in the kit for making
the internal mold. Go ahead and make it, along with the
Waist Clamp.
If Necessary, Cut Sides To Proper Length
Don't assume anything in the kit is accurate!
Don't assume anything in the kit is accurate!
... There, I said it twice.
I have heard from many builders who assumed that the kit was accurately cut and
could just be glued together. But, that is far
from the truth. Double-check everything.
These sides in a Martin kit are close, but no
cigar ...
Guitar sides are bent from wood longer than necessary, then trimmed. (Sometimes trimmed, then bent.)
Which is first isn’t important, except in cases where sides
are bent and left untrimmed, as in LMI kits. (With Stewmac
and Martin kits, they are usually accurately trimmed and
ready to glue to the blocks, but not always. Measure!) In
order to trim the length of each side accurately, you will
need to align the sides to the full-size plan, carefully measure, dry fit to the blocks, and cut. Do this carefully.
Keeping the Sides in Shape; Gluing the Neck and
Tail Blocks: The first major step, gluing of neck and tail
blocks, requires cauls or a complete mold. (Also, you
might want to make your mold and use it for this: See the
next paragraph.) Depending on the kit you are building,
the tail block might need to be given a very slight concave
curve before gluing to the sides; check the instructions
on making a caul and then using it for sanding the block.
If you have your mold and cauls, go ahead and glue the
sides immediately; be sure the sides arrived already cut to
the correct length; they aren't, always! The sides can accliwww.KitGuitarManuals.com
mate while the glue cures. With an LMI kit, you’ll certainly
need to cut the sides to the correct length before gluing,
and cut the tail block to the correct height. The full-size
plan in the LMI kit can be used for shaping and measuring
of these parts. Be very precise: This step creates the
foundation for your entire instrument.
The Mold: Different Strokes: If your mold isn’t
made, now’s the time. Stewmac sends materials and instructions on making their internal molding system using
heavy cardboard that they supply; it works very well. (I’ve
built four guitars using this kind of mold, and they’re all
excellent.) With Martin and LMI, you are left to your own
devices. (The Stewmac mold process works with them,
too, though many builders opt for a more robust outer
wooden mold.)
Several types of mold are can be used. All have the
same simple purpose: To hold your guitar’s sides securely until you have glued the top and back onto the guitar.
Many builders opt for the large, heavy external molding
system, available for about $80 plus shipping. Others use
a building board on which they have installed pegs to hold
the sides in the correct shape (as shown in Cumpiano
and Natelson’s Guitarmaking book). Such a board can be
constructed using the LMI full-size plan as a guide. (Martin
doesn’t include a full-size plan, but their sides are already
cut to the proper length.) With any kit, you can use the
same type of system Stewmac uses; it is easily created
from heavy cardboard or half-inch Foamcor® board, and
half- or quarter-inch plywood for the waist clamp.
The mold keeps the guitar body stable.
Above, the full external mold is the best, but
is about $100. Below, the internal mold that
you can make from 1/2-inch Foamcor™
and a little work, costs about $10. I've built
four guitars this way; it works very well.
------------------------------------------The following steps assume the
guitar sides are in a mold.
------------------------------------------Shape sides for the back contour: The back of
a guitar has a curvature, or contour -- usually shaped
like a thin slice of a sphere with a 15- to 18-foot radius.
(The top edge of the rim is usually flat, that is, all in one
plane — though the top itself is slightly radiused.) Martin
Cutting the sides down on an LMII kit. For
the complete procedure, see page 142.
86
and Stewmac kits arrive with the sides already correctly
shaped for the correct radius, but with the LMI kits you will
need to contour them yourself. This can be tricky; getting
the contour correct and identical on both sides after the
rim is glued takes some measuring ingenuity, but is not a
complicated process once you know how. (See page 142
for one way to do it.)
Gluing kerfed lining.
Vertical braces in the sides not only help
with acoustic coupling, but keep any cracks
from going very far.
Glue the Kerfed Lining: Every kit arrives with kerfed
lining to be glued along the edge of the top and back.
One of your essential tools will be about 150 small clamps
for this purpose: Standard wooden spring clothespins
work perfectly. Some people put rubber bands around
their jaws to give more clamping pressure; whether this is
needed depends on the quality of the clothespin and its
spring strength. Dry Fit: Cut the strips of lining to length
by pinning them along the side dry. Then remove, clue,
clamp, and let the glue cure for 6 hours or more.
Glue Vertical Braces in the sides: These are glued
in, about six to a side, for the purpose of preventing and
limiting a crack that might develop in the side of the guitar. In the past, Martin used fabric, but everyone now
uses wood. The wood used is similar to a popsicle stick
in shape. If you are thinking you might eventually put a
“sound port” in the side, consider gluing an extra plate
of 1/32” mahogany at the appropriate spot to strengthen
the side there.
The Rim Is Complete: Now, start on the top and
back plates. Set the rim aside in the mold. If your building
area is not your humidified area, store it where the humidity is correct.
BACK AND TOP:
The configuration of the back and top plates varies
from one kit supplier to the next. The independent suppliers normally follow the styles of the large companies,
most often Martin, in how they package and deliver the
back, top and sides.
Join The Back: Martin kits arrive with the top thicknessed and joined, soundhole cut, and rosette glued in;
the back is thicknessed, but not joined or cut to outline.
Stewmac kits, and LMI serviced kits, have both the top
and back thicknessed, glued and cut to outline. On a Martin kit, since it is unjoined, you have the option of putting
in the outer back strip, or not. The sides of the back are
not cut to outline. To join the back, you will need to use
a shooting block with sandpaper or a block plane, or a
jointer. The two sides must be perfectly flush along their
edges; to check this, you sand or plane a bit, then “candle”
the joint: hold the two edges together in front of a strong
light; if you can see light between them when pressing
them together, they aren’t yet flush. Continue to sand and
plane until you can see no light between the edges when
held this way. (See page 140 for a diagram for building a
shooting block, and “candling” the back.)
Brace the Back: (LMI kits require you to cut the
braces from billets in the kit, radius one edge, and shape
them as you desire. This gives you considerable freedom
in creating the bracing pattern and shape, but it is recommended that you follow established principles of brace
placement and shape — on the full-size plan — for your
first kit.) Braces are cut and packaged in Stewmac and
Martin kits. Just unpack them, measure, and glue them.
Following that, you sand and chisel them to the basic final
shape you want. Gluing can be done using cauls or a gobar deck.
Brace the Top: (LMI kits require cutting and shaping as described above.) As with the back, braces are
cut and packaged in Stewmac and Martin kits. (One exception: The Stewmac Triple-O kit arrives with a set of
Dreadnought braces; the X-braces for the dread are too
long, so they supply two brace billets, already radiused on
one edge to the 25-foot top radius; you shape them using
chisel, sandpaper and file.) You can glue them before doing final shaping.
More quickly that you think, the rim will be
done.
A Go Bar Deck — a marvelous device that
has been in use for centuries.
Laying out the top braces is an enjoyable
step. It's also one of the opportunities you
get to have great impact on your guitar's
sound — for better or worse!
88
Gluing Braces: A device called a “Go bar Deck” is
the easiest way to glue braces, but top and back braces
can also be glued using a caul cut to either a 15- or 25-foot
concave radius. (See page 139 for steps to make radiused
cauls.) Since only the X-braces and the thick shoulder
brace on the top are radiused, they can sometimes be
glued while clamped flat, and they will bring the laterally
flexible spruce top into the proper radius when the clamps
are removed. (But it depends on the top's stiffness; better
to glue them radiused than flat.) The finger braces and
tone bars on the top, as well as the flat upper-bout brace
and soundhole braces, are not radiused, and can be glued
using clamps after gluing the radiused braces. For the
back braces, a caul should be used between the back and
the brace. All of the back braces are radiused.
Snow Pole Go Bar Deck. A Go Bar Deck
doesn't have to be fancy. I use the poles to
mark my driveway when it snows.
You hear a lot about tap tuning; but until
you are really in control of your art, you
can't really do it. Tuning a kit, with braces
premade, is somewhat futile for a number of
reasons. Don't worry ... the kit's sound will
still impress you.
Tap Tuning, Voicing, etc.: You will read and hear a
lot about voicing a top by tap tuning. This is the process
of tapping a top (or back) to hear if the wood rings with
the proper tone. To achieve that sound, luthiers thin tops
and edges of tops, shave certain braces in certain ways,
etc. ... until they hear what they want. On a kit with braces
shaped, soundhole already cut and rosette glued, tapping
is not very accurate. (You can tap it and hear certain tones,
but they will change when the top is glued to the rim. After
being glued to the rim, the top can be tapped and modified more successfully.) Because all the components are
already shaped in a kit, you will have already missed most
of the opportunities for changing them to achieve a certain
sound. And, regarding that certain sound: Your experience
at this point may keep you from knowing what the goal is,
what you can expect, what to listen for, how to change it,
and when to stop trying to change it. I’ve built ten kits at
this point, and I still don’t know exactly what I should be
listening for, or how to achieve a specific sound. It takes
time, study, and the experience of many guitars to do it
just right and to decide what “just right” is in your own
mind. (The “right” sound is subjective, as we all know very
well!)
Bottom Line on Voicing: Guitar kits are already engineered to yield a pretty good “guitar” sound; by doing
the wrong thing, you could spoil it. If you aren’t trained or
experienced, good luck! But, by all means, read all you
can on voicing; tap your guitar tops and backs at every
step, and learn from them what you can. Make recordings
and notes; they’ll be useful next time.
Shape Braces: The final brace shaping is done with
your curved chisel and sandpaper. If you have done research that leads you to change the shape of the braces,
feel free. It’s your guitar! Remember, though, that braces
must withstand the strain of the strings’ tension, and at the
same time leave the top free enough to vibrate and resonate in bass, midrange and treble registers. Braces must
control the response of the top to the strings’ transferred
energy. Thinning or too-deeply scalloping the top braces
can cause the guitar to be unstable; also, if the top is
too flexible, you might lose the trebles and have a boomy
bass. It’s best to stick with the bracing plan you’re given
on the first one or two guitars and just learn what they are
about. Don't worry: They'll sound good.
Make Two Cauls: For Fretboard Extension and
Bridge Gluing: Later on, at the very end of the project,
you will be gluing the bridge onto the top. To do this, you
will be clamping the bridge to the top. You will need a caul
on the underside of the top, and you must make it now
so it will fit your brace pattern. The caul should be the full
width of the bridge plate, and should have channels for the
X-braces so that the pressure applied will only squeeze
the bridge plate, top, and bridge. Make the caul according to your completely finished braces, so that when it is
pressed up onto the bridge plate, the braces are not in
contact with it.
The caul for the fretboard extension should have a
channel for the shoulder brace(s) and the low upper-bout
brace, and should allow a clamp to apply pressure only
on the underside of the top. It only needs to be the width
of the fretboard.
On the bracing for the Martin Jumbo kit,
I took a cue from Dana Bourgeois (www.
pantheonguitars.com). I scalloped the bass
X and not the treble. Dana wins the Reader's Choice polls for tone, so why not try it?
You can customize anything about your kit.
(The guitar sounds great, by the way.)
Make the cauls before the body is glued together; they must fit your particular braces.
90
of this LMII mahogany OM.
Sanding the
rims to the
proper radius.
Here, I'm using a 15' radius stick with
80-grit paper
on it to create
a radius that
fits the back
Notching the rims can be a slow process.
You don't want the notches too deep, or
they'll show below the binding.
Dry fitting is an essential step. Even with
24 spool clamps, you should go through the
entire procedure in detail.
The Stewmac kits recommend spindle
clamps, but other clamps are quicker. (But,
see page 145 for the simple device I use to
speed them up.)
ATTACHING TOP AND BACK
TO THE RIM
Prepare the Rims: The lining and blocks are sticking up about 1/32 inch from the rims, according to the
instructions. Now, it is time to sand them down so that
the radiused shape of the back and top will contact the
full width of the lining, blocks, and edges of the sides.
The lining is there to provide strength and the benefit of a
wider gluing platform. To prep the rims for this step, you
will need a dish or sanding device that helps you sand the
radius accurately. (You can do it by hand with a sanding
block, but the results won’t be as good as needed.)
Notch the Brace Inlets: After you’ve sanded the radius into the lining and rims, you need to make notches in
the edges for certain braces. On the top, both ends of the
X-braces are notched into the sides, as well as both ends
of the large shoulder brace. On the back, all of the braces
are notched into the sides. The notches are not deeper
than .1 inch. To do this, the braces are tapered to .1”, and
positions for the notches are marked by laying the top
and back aligned properly on the rims and marking where
the braces intersect the rims. Final marking is done with
a long straightedge, a razor saw and a file. It takes some
time to do it properly. Do both the top and the back before
you glue either of them onto the rim, so you can still get to
each of them from the inside.
Dry Fit the Top and Back: Dry fit the top and back
plates. Secure the top on the sides with clamps or rubber bands, to be sure the fit is snug all around. Fit the top
first, and check it from the inside and outside. You don’t
want its fit to require too much pressure from clamps;
its shape should fit the shape of the prepared rim very
closely. (Don’t worry about overhang; it will be removed
later.) After fitting the top, remove it and fit the back the
same way.
Glue the Top On: If everything fits, glue the top on.
You can do this with anything from spindle clamps to rubber bands, or with any other device that will hold your top
firmly down on the rim, all the way around the edges, until
the glue is completely cured.
After you glue the top on, depending on what kind
of mold you’re using, some deconstruction of it might be
required before gluing the back on. (Believe it or not, I’ve
gotten emails from guys who glued the body together
without removing things; getting these things out without
damaging the body can be pretty difficult!) Take out everything that can’t be removed through the soundhole. (If it’s
cardboard, cut and remove all of it. If you’re using spreaders inside an external clamp, be sure you can unmount
them and remove the pieces through the soundhole. If
not, find a substitute.)
Glue the Back On: Having prepared and dry-fitted
the back, you can follow the same procedure to glue it on
as you did for the top. Clean up the inside of the guitar
body at this point to your own satisfaction; you won’t have
another chance. You might also want to sign the inside of
the top: It’s a good security measure, and if you become
famous someday (even in another field), it might be worth
something. As with the top, the back should fit snugly without undue pressure being required. Glue, clamp, press or
bind it; leave it 'til the glue cures.
Remove Overhang: You probably have a laminate
trimmer or Dremel tool. Get a flush-cut bit, which will ride
on the side of the guitar and cut the overhang evenly. You
might find at this point that your Dremel tool is just not
strong enough. That's why most builders use a laminate
trimmer. (I have also done it with a file, but it’s a slow
process.)
Sand/Scrape Sides Flat: With the overhang of top
and back removed, the sides of the body can be sanded
and scraped flat, using sanding blocks and cabinet scrapers. The flatness matters, because on the next step, you’ll
be routing channels for the top and back binding and top
If you can't get your mold out through the
soundhole, take it apart.
After the back is on, you're about a fourth of
the way to a new guitar.
A flush-cut bit removes the top and back
overhang quickly and neatly.
If the sides are flat, the routing for binding
and purfling will be more accurate.
92
purfling. The router guide rides on the side and won’t cut
a consistent-width channel unless the side is flat and consistently curved.
Install End/Tail Wedge: This is best installed at this
point so that in the next, routing and gluing steps, it will
be in place.
Routing the back first seems prudent to me;
if you make an error, it won't show as much.
Rout Back for Binding: Practice on Scrap. Practice
on Scrap. Practice on Scrap! Adjust your bit settings on
scrap, testing with a piece of the binding. Why do the
back first? It makes sense to me to do the back first, for a
couple of reasons. 1) You get to “practice” on the part of
the guitar that doesn’t show when you’re playing it. 2) The
back usually gets binding only -- not purfling. This means
you only have to do one channel, and when you’re finished
with it, you can do the top binding channel without changing the bit setting on your router.
A router guide might be necessary. There are a number of guides available; I have “invented” one of my own,
the plans for which are available from my eBay store at
http://stores.ebay.com/guitarbuilderstore. It provides a
side guide to keep the bit parallel to the side, and an edge
guide that rides right above the cutting channel as it lifts
the router base to avoid hitting the contoured back. You
can make one yourself: See page 146.
A router guide, bought or home-made, will
help keep your binding channels consistent.
Putting masking tape around the sides keeps
glue spillage off of them. It's easier to prevent than to clean up.
Rout the Top for Binding and Purfling: If you’re
going to put purfling around the top (and most guitars
have it) you will need to rout the edge twice: Once for the
binding, and once for the purfling. The binding may be the
same as that of the back, so the bit setting is the same.
The purfling is usually shallower and wider. When you rout
of the purfling, you need to rout deep enough for the width
of the purfling plus the thickness of the binding.
Glue and Tape Bindings and Purfling: Depending
on whether you’re using plastic or wood binding, you’ll
glue these into their respective channels using a cement
or a wood glue. As they are glued, they are taped in place
and left to cure. (You’ll have some glue spillage; I’ve found
it easy to keep the sides clean by covering them with
masking tape before gluing the binding.)
Remove the Tape: Use a hair dryer to heat the tape
as you pull it off at a 45º angle to the grain -- both the
softer grain of the top and the harder grain of the back
and sides. You can pull out a big splinter if the tape isn’t
heated.
Sand and Clean up the Body: The process of gluing
bindings is usually messy. With sand paper and scrapers,
clean up all the glue and smooth down the bindings and
purflings level with the surrounding wood.
Trim Out Neck Joint Opening: Whether you’re building with a dovetail or mortise-and-tenon neck joint, now’s
a good time to open up the body opening of that joint.
The blue tape saves the trouble of major
glue cleanup on the sides of the body.
(Optional) Sand Body to 220 Grit & Apply Shellac
Wash Coat: This doesn’t have to be done now, and the
wash coat can be shellac or a vinyl sealer (or other sealer),
but doing it now gets it done before the body is handled
a lot. It will stay cleaner.
Set Body Aside: While you work on the neck and
fretboard, put the body in your humidity-controlled area.
A cabinet scraper will help with perfecting
the binding/side joint.
NECK AND FRETBOARD
Necks in all of the kits are pre-shaped, and the truss
rod slot is routed. The peghead is in place (usually part
of a one-piece neck), and the tenon of the neck joint is
pre-shaped. With Martin kits, the fretboard and neck are
indexed with pins, and the fretboard is already tapered,
radiused, and slotted. With Stewmac and LMI serviced
kits, you receive a fretboard that is radiused and slotted,
but not tapered or pin-indexed.
A template of some sort will help you get the
neck shape the way you want it.
94
Having gotten the shape you want, sand and
finish.
Measuring a fretboard should be done only
after the neck shape, nut width, etc. are
finalized.
To help cut the fretboard accurately, measure and mark it fretside down on the neck
(showin in above photo), so that you can cut
it with the flat side down.
Measure and Shape Neck to Your Liking: Not everyone likes the same neck shape or has the same size
hands. Although necks in kits are shaped, you might
want something different. I’ve found that, for my personal
needs, Martin necks are closer to “right” than the others,
and they need less shaping. LMI necks are close, but still
need some shaping. Stewmac necks are very wide and
thick, and can stand quite a bit of shaping. A contour
gauge, about ten bucks at the hardware store, will help
you shape your neck if you can measure a neck you like
and compare them. (Also see www.LuthierSuppliers.com
for an excellent neck shaping template.)
Measure, Align, Cut Fretboard to Match Neck: On
the Stewmac and LMI fretboards, draw a centerline on the
slotted side, match it to the centerline on the neck, tape it
down, and trace the neck taper onto the fretboard surface.
With those markings on the radiused side of the board,
you can lay it flat for cutting. Leave some trim space when
you cut. Cut the fretboard, then file and sand it to fit the
sides of the neck. With the Stewmac and LMI fretboards,
you can pin-index them through a fret slot by drilling two
1/32” holes in fret slots and using #18 wire nails to hold
them in position.
Binding the Fretboard? If your fretboard will be
bound, this is the time to prep it. There are several
steps to this, and different ways to go about it. Here’s
one way: 1) With the truss rod in and the fretboard
glued to the neck, rout the binding channel. (But if
binding will be the exact fretboard thickness, you
can cut the width of the binding off of the fretboard.
Not as easy to do accurately.) 2) Glue on the binding; trim and shape it to fit the radius of the fretboard
and sides of the neck. 5) Trim the soundhole end
of the fretboard and install binding. 6) Next, follow
the fretting procedure as outlined below, but: Before
installing each fret, use a “Fret Tang Nipper” to trim
the tangs of each fret so they won’t cut into the binding. 7) After fretting, finish off the frets as described
below. (It’s easy to see why most kits don’t include
provision for binding the fretboard: It changes the
whole neck/fretboard procedure quite a bit!)
Inlay Front and Side Fretboard Markers: Doing this
before the frets are installed eliminates the possibility of
damaging frets, etc. If you happen to split the fretboard at
this point while pre-drilling holes for the side markers, at
least you can fix or replace it without having to repair or
redo the next steps. (Translation: Don’t drill too deep! You
only need to go about 3/32” deep.)
A bit of cyanoacrilate holds side markers.
Peghead Veneer: Inlay Insignia or Logo: This can
be done before or after gluing on the veneer. Many prefer
to do it before gluing on the veneer, since it can be done
on a flat tabletop. You might not have a choice, as with a
Martin kit, which has the veneer on.
Glue On and Shape Peghead Veneer: Martin kits
arrive with this already done. On Stewmac and LMI, you do
it. It’s a simple procedure: Just remember to leave room
for the nut. After the glue cures, use razor saw, files, sandpaper, etc., to shape the veneer to the peghead edges. If
you want to shape the peghead top, now’s the time.
Drill Peghead for Tuners: The tuners are included
with LMI and Martin kits. With Stewmac kits, you must
order them separately. Obviously, if you don’t have the
tuners on hand, you can’t drill the peghead. It doesn’t have
to be done at this point, though, so you can proceed with
the following steps while you select and order tuners for
your Stewmac kit.
Glue the peghead veneer, then trim it.
Drilling for one-piece 3-hole tuners must be
exact.
Routing for Binding on the Neck? Do it now, or not
at all.
Install Frets Up To The Body: The could be done
after gluing the fretboard to the neck, but it’s easier to do
Fretting with the hammer. Seat ends first.
96
it on a flat surface (if the fretboard is not bound). Use a
stable, hard surface: A marble slab, or a concrete floor. Install the frets up to number 12 or 14, depending on which
fret is at the body line. Remaining frets will be installed
after the neck is fitted. Trim the frets to the edge of the
fretboard; putting a 60º chamfer on the edges at this point
will save your hands from cuts until the frets are finished
and polished. Trim the soundhole end of the fretboard to
the proper length and desired shape.
The 60/90 file makes it quicker and cleaner.
Your fretboard should be straight at the
neck-to-body joint.
Glue the truss rod securely. With the Martin
kit, a fiber insert goes on top of it.
Fitting of Neck Joint: A rough fitting, at least, of the
neck joint can be done now. The top surface of your neck
should be exactly level with, and aligned with, the slope
of the top of your guitar body from the neck joint to the
sound hole. Fitting of a dovetail joint vs a bolt-on neck
joint requires completely different procedures, but with
exactly the same goal. Search and read on this step: It’s of
ultimate importance. If your neck is well-fitted at this point,
the following procedures of final fitting, bridge location,
etc., will be easier to do accurately. Do some reading and
studying on this before cutting and filing; a good understanding of the entire goal of the guitar’s action and the
neck joint’s pivotal role in it will help you know what to do,
and what not to do, and why.
Glue In The Truss Rod: The truss rod supplied with
most kits is a “dual-action” rod, meaning it will create relief or back-bow in a neck, depending on which way you
turn the nut. It should be glued into the neck according to
instructions, using an epoxy or cyanoacrilate glue. Before
installing it, put it in a vise and test it, turning the nut in
both directions to be sure the rod is properly manufactured. (Sure would be a shame to find a defective rod after
the fretboard is glued on!)
Glue On The Heel Cap: Plastic, ebony, rosewood,
maple ... whatever you use, go ahead and glue it on now.
File and sand it to the shape you want.
Gluing, clamping the fretboard to the neck.
Glue On The Fretboard: If you’re sure everything is
properly fitted, glue on the fretboard. (Don’t forget to do
a dry fit, with complete clamping, etc.) Alignment of the
fretboard, its correct position at the nut, etc., will partly
determine the accuracy of intonation of your guitar; be
sure it’s right.
Finalize the Neck Joint: With the fretboard glued on,
you can now finish the neck joint. You’ll want the wings of
the joint to rest snugly against the body, and the base of
the fretboard extension to sit flush and straight against
the upper bout, without a hump or dip following the bodyjoint fret. Don’t expect to rely on the truss rod to fix a
badly aligned neck joint; it isn’t supposed to do that, and
it won’t.
Straight, level and snug to the body.
Attach the Neck Temporarily: If you have a bolt-on
neck, bolt it snugly -- with the same tightness as when
you will attach it the final time. If a dovetail, snug the joint
down so that it is tight, as it will be when you glue it. The
tightening will make a difference in your intonation.
Set Bridge Position: Correctly locating the bridge
can be a difficult procedure, but if you follow the instructions in your kit documents, you should be fine. Shown in
the picture at right is a jig I use, marketed by www.Kenneth
MichaelGuitars.com, which allows you to place your bridge
position accurately. Its only drawback is that it doesn't position itself along the centerline of your fretboard perfectly,
so you must do that manually, then clamp the device onto
your fretboard. (I've found it useful to drill holes where the
centered fret markers are, and align on them.) Basically,
the jig automates the process of measuring your scale
length, plus an additional measurement for intonation, to
find the correct position of the saddle. And, it works.
When you get the bridge correctly located, secure it in
that position and drill 1/32" holes through the base of the
saddle slot. Place #18 wire nails in these holes to secure
the bridge. Then, drill 3/16" holes through the peg holes
for both of the the E strings. Put bolts or screws through
these holes and secure the bridge.
The KMG Bridge Setter, which is available
from www.KennethMichaelGuitars.com, is
a device to help set the correct bridge position, including saddle compensation.
After placing the bridge, with or without a
"helper" jig, you can be sure of repeating
the position by placing wire nails through
the slot.
98
BRIDGE HEIGHT
AND ACTION
Use a pencil on the top to lightly outline the bridge,
then remove the bridge. Mark a line about 1/8” inside the
marked outline, then remove the tape. Now, mask the area
inside the pencil mark. You'll leave the tape there through
the finishing process. (Erase the first pencilled outline.)
An alternative is to make no marks; just drill the holes.
Then, finish your top and use paint remover and scrapers
on your finished top to remove the finish under the bridge
area.
Another aspect of bridge positioning.
In the photo above, a sraightedge is attached to a Stewmac dreadnought and
held along the centerline on the frets.
Now, Taylor Guitars, known for their
easy action and playability, says that
this line should just brush the top of the
bridge.
On my 2004 Taylor 510, the straightedge is just about 1/64 above the top of
the bridge, which allows for excellent
saddle height and action.
On the Stewmac Dread, it's exactly the
same. Choose a great guitar you like,
and copy the things you like about it.
Leaving the 1/8" margin, smaller than the bridge, will
allow the bridge to pull down flush with the finish. A portion of the finish will remain under the edge of the bridge,
and it will appear as if your bridge is sitting right on the
finsh (which it will be, but only partly).
MORE ON BRIDGE PLACEMENT
The position of the bridge must be exactly right for
intonation of the guitar to be correct. If not, you can tune
open strings perfectly, but they will be out of tune when
you fret any note or chord.
The scale length of the guitar is the measurement that
equals exactly twice the distance from the face of the nut
to the center of the 12th fret. Your bridge must be placed
at this scale length, plus a certain amount for “compensation.” The compensation is to make up for the stretching
of the strings when you fret them.
Setting the bridge position can be complicated, but
there is good information available on the procedure:
Some of it varies from differing sources. I do know that
I have successfully followed the formula, for my 25.4”scale guitars, that appears in the Stewmac manual. It is to
measure down the center of the fretboard from the nut to
the crown (exact center) of the 12th fret, then extend that
same measurement to the bridge along the centerline, add
7/64” to it, and place the center of the saddle slot’s thickness exactly at that point. The Martin formula is different:
Measure the scale length, add 1/10” to it, and place the
treble end, upper (soundhole) edge of the saddle slot, at
that measured spot. Both work acceptably.
Mike Doolin, a top pro luthier and intonation expert,
told me that, with a 25.4” nominal scale length, a .015-inch
change in string length equals one cent (1/100 of a halftone). But, it can change with light strings, different scale
length (say 24.9”, or Martin “short scale”), etc. (Lighter
strings stretch more and go sharper, and therefore need
more compensation. A shorter scale length has a lower
string tension at the same tuning, and therefore the strings
stretch proportionally less. It gets very complex.)
Intonation is not a simple issue. But, it is made completely unmanageable if the bridge isn’t placed accurately,
regardless of the formula used. So, if you are building a
Stewmac kit, use their formula. For a Martin kit, use their
formula. For an LMI kit, use Stewmac's. This is not to say
there is not a “correct” formula for any given guitar: There
is. It’s just not easy to discover it. (The saving grace is that
most people can’t hear accurate intonation anyway! Most
people can’t discern a tone within ± 5 cents, or .05 of a
semi-tone. Using Mike Doolin's measurment, that's .075"
— quite a bit, in this context.)
So, just follow the instructions. Remove the neck and
proceed with the following steps after you finish the bridge
positioning.
Finish Fretting: The frets from 12 or 14 up to the end
can now be installed. Don’t do it while the neck is on the
guitar body unless you have special equipment. Remove
the neck, secure the extension over something solid, and
install the final frets as you did the first 12 or 14.
Using a fret crowning file to put a crown
back onto leveled frets. The process is:
Level, crown, dress the ends.
Dress Fret Ends: Now is the time to dress the fret
ends. Special small files will help you do it without damaging the fretboard. Four-O steel wool will help finish them.
At this point, your guitar is basically “built.” Congratulations! Now, you must resist the desire to hurry the last
step (finishing), because it is what will make your guitar
look “hand made” instead of “home built.”
100
FINISHING
This is such a complicated subject, that all I will do is
go over the general steps, and refer you to the most recent
and excellent guide on the subject. (Like Clint Eastwood
said in a movie, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”) See
Chapter 9, Notes on Finishing.
Finishing the Neck: The neck of many guitars has
a satin finish, while the body is glossy. If you want it this
way, it might mean using completely different materials
on the neck, or it might mean that you simply use a gloss
material and take the gloss off the surface with steel wool
or synthetic steel wool. Mask the fretboard and any other
portions you don’t want to finish, like the entire joint. You
might want to finish the peghead differently than the neck
itself; mask it accordingly.
Stain? If you’re staining the neck, apply it first.
Wash Coat: I use shellac or vinyl sealer. My preference is shellac; it's less toxic.
Fill the Pores: I’ve used oil- and water-based pore
fillers, and both work well enough when instructions are
followed. With a mahogany neck, you will probably need
at least two applications.
Finishing of the neck depends on your
preference. A satin neck can be achieved by
applying solvent-based shellac after the pore
filler and stain, and using steel wool on it.
(NOTE: Water based shellacs stay glossy
when smoothed with synthetic steel wool or
Scotch-brite™ pads.)
Apply the finish coats: I’ve used Tru-Oil ( a gunstock
finish) or shellac on different necks. The Tru-Oil is prettier,
bringing out the chatoyance of mahogany more, but they
both work fine and finish out to a satin with light application of steel wool. For the Peghead, most people use the
same finish as on the top of the body.
Finishing The Body: I hesitate to write anything at
all about this process, since I’m not accomplished at it
yet. But, here are the steps. For in-depth info, see the Resources chapter. (Just for the record, I feel no compunction at saying I’m not “accomplished” at finishing: It's the
weakest thing about my guitars, after ten instruments. It's
possible to know what to do, but not have enough experience to do it well. That's where I'm at right now. Expert
finishing is such a specialized field that many professional
luthiers send their guitars to finishing specialists who have
the facilities and expertise to do a perfect job.)
Back and Sides: Stain if needed, wash coat of shellac,
then pore filler until pores are completely filled, possibly
another wash coat of shellac, and then start finish coats.
Top: Wash coat of shellac, then start finish coats. (No
filler needed on most tops; maybe on mahogany tops.)
Finish Coats: Depending on your setup and your
experience, you’ll be spraying or using a brush or pad.
Luckily for home builders, water-borne finishes are now
available that give a beautiful finish when applied correctly.
The gunstock finish mentioned above, “Tru-Oil,” is also
widely used by home finishers: It dries hard and fast, can
be applied with brush or pad, and gives a nice gloss.
Polishing: Most of us in our home shops don’t have
a mechanized polishing setup, so we can use a polishing compound and wax. Stewmac supplies a silicon-free
polishing compound, and “Renaissance Wax” for furniture
is a good silicon-free wax. (Silicon free is best if you ever
have to repair or refinish.)
Pore filling. Using a credit card to squeegee
material off the surface, leaving it in the
pores of the rosewood.
Brushing a waterbased lacquer. This allows
finishing without a spray booth and without
the dangers of solvent based lacquers or the
explosiveness of nitrocellulose.
See Chapter 11, Resources, for sources of good information on finishing.
THE FINAL STEPS
Brushed finish coats on the top, before leveling and buffing.
Prepare to Attach the Bridge: In a section above,
in the process of setting the bridge position, the last step
was to remove the bridge. Now, it’s time to put it back on,
permanently. If you used masking tape, remove it at a 45º
angle. If you are going the paint remover way, your finish
covers the penciled outline. You need to remove the finish
down to bare wood. First, put masking tape around the
102
penciled outline, following its outside edge exactly. Very
carefully, use paint remover to remove the finish inside
the outline; This is essential: your bridge must be glued
to bare wood or it won’t adhere. Be sure you remove all
the paint remover with damp cloth and let the wood dry
thoroughly.
Using the KMG SS Bridge Clamp, a simple
device that clamps the bridge perfectly. Below, the other method, with clamps. (Protective "top" over my fragile cedar top.) After
using the Bridge Clamp once, I never went
back to clamps!
Glue on the Bridge: Do a dry fit of this procedure!
Remove the masking tape around the bridge area. Use
two bolts to align the two holes you drilled through the “E”
string holes. Before threading the bolts through the bridge,
rub their threads with bar soap so they won’t be glued in.
Apply glue to the bridge, put your bridge plate caul underneath, clamp it, and and let the glue cure overnight.
Drill Bridge Pin Holes: Drill through the bridge,
through the top, through the bridge plate. (Spreading a
towel inside the body will catch the wood chips.)
Install Bridge Pins: Whether plastic, wood or bone,
the pins need to fit just right into the pin holes. A BridgePin Reamer is available, but many people use a tapered
rat-tail file. Either way, go slowly. The difference between
the right fit and too loose is about 1/1000th of an inch!
A clean installation with the Bridge Clamp.
Making the nut can be time consuming, but
it's time well spent for playability and appearance.
Make and Glue the Nut: The nut is usually made of
bone. Shape it with saw, files, etc., and fit it snugly into the
space you’ve left or created at the end of the fretboard.
Shape it only roughly now; final shaping will be done at
the very end when you set up the action. When you finalize
the action and string up the guitar, you will actually slot
the nut to the proper depth. (FYI: I usually wait a couple
of days with the neck under string tension to see what it
is going to do.)
Attach the Neck: For the fretboard extenstion, use
the same masking tape or paint remover procedure as
was used for the bridge, so you can glue to bare wood.
If you’re using a dovetail neck, snug it down, glue it, and
clamp it. Glue also under the fretboard extension. If you’re
using a bolt-on neck, at this point, consider simply bolting
it on and using no glue in the joint or under the fretboard
extension. Your guitar will play perfectly well this way, and
it will give you a chance to work on the neck angle if it's
off. If it is okay, you can remove the strings and apply
glue under the fretboard extension; glue isn’t needed on
a bolt-on neck heel, as the bolt(s) will hold the joint. (Use
the fretboard caul you made for gluing.)
Make Your Saddle: The material for your saddle was
supplied as a piece of bone. Now, sand it down to fit into
the saddle slot so that it is snug. (Too loose will rob the
guitar of tone; too tight can split the bridge.) Follow whatever pattern you have decided to use for compensation of
the saddle itself.
All steps call for dry-fitting, but this one
can be disastrous if not done right. The only
way to be sure is to dry fit it completely.
Install Tuners: Attach them to your peghead.
String it up!: Here’s the step you’ve waited for. All
jokes about guitars collapsing aside (because very few
actually do), you will of course go slowly when you do
this, because you will be apprehensive. I remember stringing up my first. I did it right in front of my wife, son and
daughter. The G string broke with a loud POP as I tuned
them all up, and I thought my wife was going to faint. It
was pretty funny.
Set Up The Action: This is beyond the scope of this
book. It probably isn’t covered in your instructions, either.
It involves the frets, the nut, the saddle, and the truss rod.
See the Resources chapter for some good books. Also,
consult Mike Doolin’s excellent article on intonation:
Test the fit of the saddle often while sanding.
It's easy to get them on the wrong side, so I
make it obvious for myself with labels.
http://www.doolinguitars.com/intonation/intonation1.html
CONGRATULATIONS! IT’S A GUITAR!
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, this is just
an overview. Be sure to check the Resources chapter.
Why the pad? I don't trust myself, and the
finish is still somewhat soft for awhile.
104
KEEPING A JOURNAL RECORD
By keeping a record,
you can identify not
only your errors, but
also your brilliant
successes!
This log is for the only
guitar I have sold, and
the buyer said to me:
"This is my favorite guitar I've ever
owned!"
(Wow.) What did I do
right? With my log, I
can easily do the same
things.
CHAPTER 7
Keeping A Record
W
e beginning kit guitar builders (not yet eligible
to be called "luthiers") need to keep records.
Our lack of experience alone requires it. We haven't yet
established habits for our procedures.
The following 30 pages are the “Acoustic Guitar Builder's Construction Journal,” something I came up with in
2006 that has been a great help to a number of builders I
know of (not all kit builders, either, by the way). If you know
of someone who wants a copy of it, they can get it without
buying this book: It’s available on the internet through my
eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/guitarbuilderstore).
It is also available through www.KitGuitarBuilder.com,
www.KitGuitarManuals.com, and www.KitGuitarForum.
com. Payment can be PayPal, check, money order, etc.
Many luthiers I’ve corresponded with have told me:
“One of the most important ways to improve building quality is to keep notes.” So, I started using a spiral-bound
notebook. My method eventually became this journal.
With this journal, you can have a separate record for
every guitar you build, and you can keep it for a long, long
time. If you want to do the same things over again — or
avoid doing them!—just refer to your journal.
106
~
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~
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W it ips
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For ep
St
Acoustic Guitar Builder’s
Construction Journal
EADGBE Publishing Co., LLC
http://www.KitGuitarBuilder.com
Just $9.95 to reprint and use for life:
http://stores.ebay.com/GuitarBuilderStore
PROJECT NAME: ___________________________
DATE STARTED: ________________________
DATE COMPLETED: ________________________
BODY TYPE: ______________________________
_______________________________
TOP: _____________________________________
BACK: ____________________________________
NECK / FRETBOARD: _______________________
LOWER BOUT: _____________________________________
WAIST: ___________________________________________
UPPER BOUT: _____________________________________
BODY LENGTH: ____________________________________
Copyright © 2006, 2007 by William Cory / All Rights Reserved.
International Copyrights Secured.
Download your own original
PDF file of this journal to use
for life:
Only US$9.95 at: http://stores.
ebay.com/GuitarBuilderStore
-- free delivery via email.
PRINTER: Purchaser May Make
Unlimited Copies of PDF or
Paper Copy For Personal Use:
No Resale or Redistribution
Allowed.
DEPTH @ TAIL: ____________________________________
DEPTH @ NECK: ___________________________________
PEGHEAD: (SLOTHEAD/PEGHEAD)____________________
NUT WIDTH: _______________________________________
STRING SPREAD @ SADDLE: ________________________
SCALE LENGTH (Nominal): ___________________________
BINDING: _________________________________________
PURFLING: _______________________________________
ROSETTE: ________________________________________
FINISH: ___________________________________________
__________________________________________________
OTHER: __________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Guitar Construction Journal
Notes:
(L)=LMI
(M)=Martin
(S)=Stewmac
CONTENTS
(NOTE: ITALIC steps do not apply to most kit guitars.)
KITS:
Check status of contents ..................................... 4
Acclimate woods to your locale............................ 4
Got Tools? ........................................................... 4
Got Supplies? ..................................................... 4
BODY:
Rim / Sides:
Prepare The Sides: Measure, Mark, Cut, Bend (L)5
Set up mold (S) .................................................... 6
Make neck block and tail block (L) ....................... 6
Glue neck and tail blocks to sides....................... 7
Contour/Radius sides for back (L) ...................... 7
Set up internal mold (if not using external) .......... 7
Glue kerfed linings onto Back & Top rims ............ 7
Top & Top Braces:
Join Top plates & plane to thickness .................... 8
Rout rosette; Glue rosette; Cut sound hole.......... 9
Cut top out of rectangle ....................................... 9
Mark Top for braces ............................................. 9
Cut, radius & rough shape Top braces (L) ......... 10
Glue Top braces, curved then uncurved ............ 10
Finish shaping Top braces/Tap tuning ............... 11
Sand/Shape Kerfed Lining for Top Gluing .......... 11
Notch lining for Top braces ................................ 11
Glue Top onto rims ............................................. 11
Glue in vertical side braces ................................ 11
Tap-Tune Top, finish braces, sign top ................ 11
Back:
True, Join Back plates & plane to thickness (M) 12
Cut & shape Back braces (L) ............................. 13
Mark and glue Back braces ............................... 13
Sand down kerfed lining for Back ...................... 14
Notch lining & rim for Back braces .................... 14
Clean up inside of body: Last Chance! ............. 14
Finish Back Braces; Tap tune Back ................... 15
Glue in Sound Port Brace if desired .................. 15
Clean up, Apply Sticker, Glue Back onto rims.... 15
Routing & Body Smoothing:
Trim Back and Top overhangs ........................... 16
Trim out Mortise for Neck Joint .......................... 16
Scrape sides flat ................................................ 16
Install end graft/butt wedge ................................ 16
Rout for binding on Back.................................... 16
Rout for purfling & binding on Top ...................... 17
Glue & tape Back binding ................................. 17
Glue & tape Top Binding & purfling .................... 17
Untape binding & purfling................................... 17
Sand body to 220 grit ......................................... 17
Journal Page 2
Notes:
(L)=LMI
(M)=Martin
(S)=Stewmac
NECK & FRETBOARD:
Cut, Glue peghead & heel if separate ................ 18
Glue, cut, shape Neck........................................ 18
Cut Neck tenon to fit to Body mortise ................ 18
Rout for truss rod ............................................... 18
Measure and slot fretboard ................................ 19
Radius fretboard ................................................ 19
Measure & Mark fretboard for Binding ............... 19
Trim and shape neck (nut width & profile) (S) .... 19
Measure & align fretboard; cut edges (S, L) ...... 20
Prep Fretboard edge; glue binding if using ........ 20
Drill and inlay side, front fret markers ................ 20
Glue on peghead veneer ( M) ............................ 21
Shape and smooth peghead veneer .................. 21
Inlay Insignia or Logo in peghead ...................... 21
Drill peghead for tuners...................................... 21
Fret fretboard to body, nip fret ends ................... 21
File Fret Ends..................................................... 21
Make Bridge ...................................................... 22
Mount Bridge for Neck Setting ........................... 22
Finish Setting neck joint ..................................... 22
Glue in truss rod................................................. 22
Glue fretboard to neck ....................................... 22
Make nut, glue on .............................................. 22
Finalize Neck Joint ............................................. 23
Measure bridge position; mark and mask .......... 23
Finish fretting fretboard ...................................... 23
Round remaining fret edges............................... 23
Finishing:
Finishing Plan .................................................... 24
Preparation of Surfaces: .................................... 25
Neck ................................................................ 25
Back & Sides ................................................... 25
Top .................................................................. 25
Pore fill and Finish Neck .................................... 26
Pore fill Back and Sides. ................................... 26
Sealing Top ........................................................ 26
Finish Coats on Body ......................................... 27
Last Steps:
Glue Bridge onto Body ....................................... 28
Allow finish to Cure; Polishing............................ 28
Install tuners....................................................... 28
Make saddle ...................................................... 28
String it up .......................................................... 28
Set up action to liking ......................................... 28
Appendices
Extra Page ......................................................... 29
Information, Parts, Wood and Tool Sources....... 30
108
Journal Page 3
WHY KEEP A GUITAR JOURNAL?
KIT GUITAR BUILDERS
We Guitar Builders need to keep records of
what, how, and why we do things. Why did we
shape the braces a particular way on this particular body? Why did we try an amber shellac
washcoat instead of clear with this top? What did
we want to accomplish by using an unbalanced
bracing thickness on treble and bass sides?
What were our goals? Did it work?
Steps in italics in the Contents (underlined in
pages) do not apply to most kit guitars; the (L),
(M) and (S) notes apply to specific kits.
Ideas and results will be forgotten quickly as
another guitar is being worked on. (If not, your
memory is a whole lot better than mine!)
As time passes, you won’t remember all
the things you did and your reasons for doing
them.
Suppose your bright ideas work out perfectly,
and you somehow create the Holy Grail guitar?
Somebody asks you what you did ... Can you
remember? What a bummer if you have to take
apart that wonderful instrument to find out!
This journal will work for you if you use it.
Three years from now, if you want to repeat your
original Small Jumbo design, you can do it right
down to the odd little tone bars you snuck in ...
if you keep notes!
HOW?
This document is organized “in blank,” and
can be used in whatever order you want to build.
If you work on the neck first, turn to the neck
section. Realizing that there are many ways of
building a guitar, I have only included all the
main steps; your own intermediate steps can
be added in the space provided.
If you want to change major steps in the
order, just print additional copies of the “Extra
page” (provided on page 29) and insert them
where you need them. Photos and blank pages
can be inserted as you need them also.
FIRST-TIME BUILDERS
When I built my first guitar, I was puzzled
about how to do most everything. The second
through fifth were better, and it sill improves.
Here are some things I wish somebody had
told me before I started building:
1) It isn’t a mistake unless you can’t fix it.
2) Do not hurry.
3) Think about the goal of each little step: Each
stroke of the file, chisel, saw or sandpaper.
Every gluing step.
4) Test on Scrap.
5) Use the appropriate tool, whether you buy,
beg, borrow or steal it. Learn (on scrap) to
use your tools correctly; the quality of your
work will directly reflect it. This applies to
everything from clamps to finish sprayers.
6) If in doubt about something, stop working and
think about it. Where can you find info that
will help you be sure what to do? How to do
it? Be certain before you act.
7) Your first guitar, though you will try to make it
perfect, will probably not be perfect. It might
not match your hopes. However, you will love
it. You will also learn from it, and each later
one will be better. Different procedures will
improve at different rates. Skills will improve.
Be patient with yourself.
8) Before applying glue to anything, dry fit it completely to be sure it is correct. Lay out your
clamps, be ready, so the glue won’t begin to
set up before you get the parts secured. This
is especially true in dry climates.
9) REPEAT: Test on scrap.
10) REPEAT: Dry fit before gluing.
Enjoy it!
PRESERVE NEW IDEAS ...
Make A Note Of Them
AVOID REPEATING MISTAKES ...
Make A Note Of Them
REMEMBER IMPORTANT MEASUREMENTS ...
Make A Note Of Them!
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
4
NOTE: Underlined Items Do Not Apply to Most Guitar Kits
Kits: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Check status of Kit contents ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Check sides for warpage or
___________________________________________
cupping
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Acclimate wood to your locale.
Set them out for ten days or so. ___________________________________________
Humidity target: 40-50% RH. ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Humidifier or ___________________________________________
DeHumidifier
___________________________________________
Hygrometer
___________________________________________
Tools? Buy tools in stages
___________________________________________
1. Rim & Plate Preparation
___________________________________________
2. Body Assembly
___________________________________________
3. Neck/Fretboard
___________________________________________
4. Finishing
5. Setup
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Don’t overspend; check eBay.
___________________________________________
Got Supplies? ___________________________________________
Glues, tapes, wax paper, ___________________________________________
rags, shop towels ...
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
See:
___________________________________________
www.stewmac.com
___________________________________________
www.lmii.com
for suggested lists of supplies ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
110
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
5
Rim / Sides: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Prepare The Sides ___________________________________________
(LMI kits: Sides are bent
but not cut to length and not ___________________________________________
contoured/radiused.) ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Measuring/Marking
TOOLS: Plan or Template ___________________________________________
White pencil ___________________________________________
Straightedge ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Cutting ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Band saw, coping saw,
files, sandpaper ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Bending ___________________________________________
TOOLS: ___________________________________________
Bending Apparatus ___________________________________________
(Bending iron or Form
or ___________________________________________
Bending Blanket, etc.) ___________________________________________
Gloves ___________________________________________
Fire Extinguisher
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
6
___________________________________________
Set up mold___________________________________________
Mold Types:
___________________________________________
External or Internal
___________________________________________
If building a Kit, follow directions.
(Stewmac kit, make the inter-___________________________________________
nal old after gluing the rims to___________________________________________
blocks). (Martin, LMI, others:___________________________________________
Use external mold or copy Stew___________________________________________
mac method.)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Make neck and tail blocks___________________________________________
(LMI: Cut blocks to correct
___________________________________________
size.)
TOOLS: Template/Full-size Plan___________________________________________
Saw___________________________________________
Bench vise___________________________________________
Carpenter’s Square
File(s)___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
Curved Caul for sanding and glu-___________________________________________
ing tail block.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
112
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
7
___________________________________________
Glue neck & tail blocks to ___________________________________________
sides ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Wood Glue ___________________________________________
Cam Clamps
Squeeze Clamps ___________________________________________
Wax Paper ___________________________________________
Cauls ___________________________________________
DRY FIT THIS STEP!
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Contour/Radius Sides if ___________________________________________
not yet done ___________________________________________
(LMI Kit: Contour back for
___________________________________________
proper radius.)
TOOLS: Template ___________________________________________
Hand Plane ___________________________________________
Coping Saw ___________________________________________
“Microplane”
Sandpaper ___________________________________________
Files ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Stewmac Kit: Set up
internal mold ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue kerfed linings onto ___________________________________________
Back & Top rims
TOOLS: Glue ___________________________________________
150 wooden clothespins ___________________________________________
Rubber Band on each pin ___________________________________________
Razor Knife or Razor saw
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
8
___________________________________________
TOP PLATES: ___________________________________________
This Page Doesn’t Apply ___________________________________________
To Most Kits ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
True Edges of Plates ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Shooting block ___________________________________________
w/ 100 sandpaper ___________________________________________
bright light for “candling”
___________________________________________
(or) jointer
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Join Top plates ___________________________________________
TOOLS: 3-4 24” bar clamps
___________________________________________
3-4 Large Cam clamps
(or) appropriate jig ___________________________________________
glue ,wax paper ___________________________________________
flat tabletop or board ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Plane to thickness ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Hand plane (or) ___________________________________________
large thickness sander (or)
___________________________________________
hand sanding (or)
Wagner Saf-T-Planer & Drill ___________________________________________
Press (or) ___________________________________________
hand power plane ___________________________________________
and a good thickness caliper
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
114
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
9
___________________________________________
Rout Rosette___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Rosette Material___________________________________________
circle cutter or marker
chisel (or)___________________________________________
Drill Press with Circle/Fly Cutter___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Rosette___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Rosette material
CA glue or Weld-on if plastic___________________________________________
(or)___________________________________________
wood glue if wood___________________________________________
Wax Paper
Clamps and Caul (or)___________________________________________
weighted board___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Cut Sound Hole___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Drill Press w/Circle cutter___________________________________________
Dremel Tool with Circle Cutter___________________________________________
(or)___________________________________________
Coping Saw to cut by hand
Sandpaper___________________________________________
Funnel to Sand Perfect Circle___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Cut top out of rectangle
TOOLS:-Pattern (1/4” oversize)___________________________________________
coping saw or band saw___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Mark Top Plate for Braces___________________________________________
TOOLS: Brace pattern___________________________________________
straightedge___________________________________________
pin___________________________________________
pencil
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
10
___________________________________________
Top Braces___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Cut Brace Wood___________________________________________
(LMI kits: Deluxe kits come
___________________________________________
with bracewood billets; you
cut and shape the braces.)___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Band Saw, Table Saw___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Rough Shape Braces___________________________________________
TOOLS:-sanding dish or___________________________________________
Brace Maker tool___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Curved Top___________________________________________
Braces___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Go Bar Deck and
Radiused Sanding Dish (or)___________________________________________
caul (or)___________________________________________
flat board if gluing flat___________________________________________
Clamps (or)
___________________________________________
Vacuum Press
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Uncurved Top___________________________________________
Braces
___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Go Bar Deck and
Radiused Sanding Dish (or)___________________________________________
caul (or)___________________________________________
flat board if gluing flat___________________________________________
Clamps (or)
Vacuum Press___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
116
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
11
___________________________________________
TOP:
Finish Rough shaping Top___________________________________________
braces___________________________________________
TOOLS:Sandpaper, Files, Chisels
___________________________________________
Tap Tuning of Top,___________________________________________
more Brace Shaping___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Fingertip___________________________________________
Experienced Ear___________________________________________
Chisels, Sandpaper
___________________________________________
Sand kerfed lining and___________________________________________
blocks to indicated radius___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Sandpaper, Files___________________________________________
Dish or sanding Sticks
___________________________________________
Notch kerfed lining for Top___________________________________________
X-braces & shoulder brace___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Clamps and Rubber___________________________________________
Bands___________________________________________
Marking: White or soft Pencil
24” straightedge___________________________________________
Razor Saw or Coping saw___________________________________________
File___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Top onto rims
TOOLS:- Glue ... and___________________________________________
Go-Bar Deck (or)___________________________________________
24 Spool Clamps (or)___________________________________________
24 Cam Clamps (or)
___________________________________________
Edge-Form and Clamps (or)
Rubber Bands___________________________________________
Or other methods ...___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Vertical Side Braces
___________________________________________
Tap Tune, Finalize Braces,___________________________________________
Sign Inside Top___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
12
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
BACK PLATES:
___________________________________________
True Edges of Plates ___________________________________________
(Martin Kits require the builder
___________________________________________
to do this.)
TOOLS: Shooting block ___________________________________________
w/ 100 sandpaper ___________________________________________
bright light for “candling” ___________________________________________
Glue
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Join Back plates ___________________________________________
(Including Center Strip if
___________________________________________
so instructed)
(Martin Kits: Back plates must ___________________________________________
be joined by builder.) ___________________________________________
TOOLS: 3-4 24” bar clamps ___________________________________________
3-4 Large Cam clamps
glue ___________________________________________
wax paper ___________________________________________
flat tabletop or board ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Plane to thickness ___________________________________________
(Martin Kits: Back plates’ ___________________________________________
thickness is already correct.) ___________________________________________
TOOLS: Hand plane
or ___________________________________________
large thickness sander ___________________________________________
or ___________________________________________
hand sanding
___________________________________________
or
hand power plane ___________________________________________
and ___________________________________________
good thickness gauge ___________________________________________
118
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
13
___________________________________________
Cut & shape Back braces___________________________________________
(LMI Kits supply bracewood___________________________________________
billets; builderscuts & shapes___________________________________________
braces.)
TOOLS: Pattern or template___________________________________________
coping saw or band saw___________________________________________
files and sandpaper___________________________________________
To shape radius on gluing edge:___________________________________________
Radiused Sanding dish
or___________________________________________
Caul___________________________________________
or___________________________________________
Brace Maker tool
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Mark Brace Positions___________________________________________
On Back Plate
TOOLS: Plan or Template___________________________________________
Pencil___________________________________________
Rule/Straightedge___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Back braces
TOOLS: Glue___________________________________________
Go-Bar Deck and___________________________________________
Sanding Dish with Radius___________________________________________
(or)
___________________________________________
Glue
Caul___________________________________________
and___________________________________________
Large Cam Clamps___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
14
___________________________________________
Lining, Rim Preparation___________________________________________
(Lining already glued to rims,___________________________________________
from page 7)___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Sand down kerfed lining,___________________________________________
for Back___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Radiused Sanding Dish___________________________________________
(or)
Sanding Form___________________________________________
(or)___________________________________________
Sanding Sticks___________________________________________
(or)
___________________________________________
Freehand sanding (not recommended)___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Notch lining & rim for___________________________________________
Back Braces___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Clamps and Rubber___________________________________________
Bands
Marking: White or soft Pencil___________________________________________
24” straightedge___________________________________________
Razor Saw or Coping saw___________________________________________
File
___________________________________________
Good amount of Patience
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Clean Up Inside of Body
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
120
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
15
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
BACK:
___________________________________________
Finish Back Braces___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Chisel
Curved Chisel___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Tap Tune Back
TOOLS:-Finger tip___________________________________________
Experienced ears___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue in Optional Brace___________________________________________
Plate for___________________________________________
Potential Sound Port___________________________________________
TOOLS:-glue___________________________________________
Clamps
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Clean Up Back; glue in___________________________________________
sticker___________________________________________
(Much easier right now.)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Back Plate Onto___________________________________________
Rims___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Glue ... and
Go-Bar Deck (or)___________________________________________
24 Spool Clamps (or)___________________________________________
24 Cam Clamps (or)___________________________________________
Edge-Form and Clamps (or)
___________________________________________
Rubber Bands
(or)___________________________________________
Other Excellent Methods___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
16
___________________________________________
ROUTING & TRIM
Trim Off Back & Top___________________________________________
Overhangs___________________________________________
TOOLS:-- Router (or)
___________________________________________
Laminate Trimmer
with Flush-cut router bit___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Trim Out Mortise Opening___________________________________________
For Neck Joint___________________________________________
TOOLS: Files, Razor saw
(or)___________________________________________
Dremel with appropriate bit___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
File(s)___________________________________________
Scrape sides flat___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Cabinet Scraper___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Install end graft/butt___________________________________________
wedge
TOOLS:- Depending on Rim___________________________________________
Wood:___________________________________________
Razor Knife, razor saw, Chisels___________________________________________
(or)
___________________________________________
Router With Straight End-cut Bit
Files___________________________________________
Wedge material and pattern___________________________________________
CA, Wood, or Weld-on glue___________________________________________
Clamps or Rubber Bands
(This entire step can be done___________________________________________
before___________________________________________
gluing back or top, but must be___________________________________________
done before gluing binding)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Rout for binding on Back___________________________________________
TOOLS: Router with the right bits___________________________________________
Router Guide (while online, click here
for plans to build one that works well)___________________________________________
___________________________________________
122
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
17
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Rout for purfling___________________________________________
on Top___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Router
Appropriate Bit___________________________________________
Router Guide___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Rout for Binding
___________________________________________
ROUTING The TOP:
on Top
TOOLS:- Router___________________________________________
Appropriate Bit___________________________________________
Router Guide___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue & tape all binding___________________________________________
and purfling___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Glue (CA, Weld-on,___________________________________________
etc.)___________________________________________
Tape (brown is best: from Stewmac or LMI)___________________________________________
___________________________________________
ALLOW 24 Hours Curing___________________________________________
Time For Binding/Purfling___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Untape binding &___________________________________________
purfling___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Hair Dryer to soften___________________________________________
tape adhesive and prevent tear-___________________________________________
out of grain
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Smooth all of body___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Scraper(s)___________________________________________
Sandpaper(s)
___________________________________________
Sanding Block
___________________________________________
Sand to 220___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
18
NECK & FRETBOARD:___________________________________________
Q: Why are so many non-kit steps included?
This Page Doesn’t Apply___________________________________________
Pro luthiers don’t need them ...
To Kits___________________________________________
A: Right ... but including them gives novices and
___________________________________________
Glue Neck Laminations kit builders an appreciation for all the steps they
don’t have to do. (And, all of the extra steps
if not one-piece___________________________________________
aren’t even shown.)
TOOLS:-Jointer___________________________________________
Glue___________________________________________
Clamps___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue peghead and neck
heel if separate___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Clamps___________________________________________
glue___________________________________________
Jig
___________________________________________
Cut Neck___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Band saw___________________________________________
Jointer or Table saw___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Rout Neck for truss rod___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Router___________________________________________
Appropriate Bit___________________________________________
Jig___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Shape Neck___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Template or Pattern___________________________________________
Jig Saw or Band Saw___________________________________________
Draw knife
___________________________________________
Files
Sandpaper___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Cut Neck tenon to fit to___________________________________________
Body mortise
TOOLS:- Templates___________________________________________
Router___________________________________________
Appropriate Bits___________________________________________
124
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
19
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Measure & slot fretboard___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Measuring Tools
___________________________________________
Slotting Jig & Saw
___________________________________________
Radius fretboard___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Accurate Jig___________________________________________
Specialized Tools___________________________________________
___________________________________________
NECK:
Binding the Fretboard?
Mark fretboard___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Trim & Shape Neck (nut
width, taper, profile)___________________________________________
(Stewmac Kit necks are thicker___________________________________________
than Martin or LMI; profile if___________________________________________
you like a shallow neck.)___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Bandsaw or appropriate
saw___________________________________________
Files___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Finish Shaping neck___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Draw knife___________________________________________
Files
___________________________________________
Template or Neck Profile
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Sand___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Sandpaper
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
20
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Measure, align fretboard &___________________________________________
cut edges___________________________________________
(Stewmac & LMI: Fretboard is
square, mark, align and cut to___________________________________________
fit neck.)___________________________________________
(HINT: Mark on radiused side so you
___________________________________________
can cut with the flat side down.)
TOOLS:- Bandsaw___________________________________________
files___________________________________________
FRETBOARD:
___________________________________________
Prep fretboard edge or___________________________________________
binding gluing edge___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Shooting Block
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Binding (If using)___________________________________________
TOOLS: Masking tape___________________________________________
Rubber Bands
___________________________________________
Cam Clamps
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Inlay Side Markers___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Drill
Small bit___________________________________________
Side marker material___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Inlay Front Markers___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Calipers for dots; or pat-___________________________________________
terns for detailed inlay___________________________________________
Drill Press for dots (or)
___________________________________________
inlay equipment for detailed inlays
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
126
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
21
NECK / FRETBOARD ___________________________________________
Glue on peghead veneer___________________________________________
(Martin kits: Veneer already on.)___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Glue___________________________________________
Clamps
___________________________________________
Shape, smooth veneer___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Files___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
Coping Saw
___________________________________________
Inlay Insignia or Logo___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Inlay Equipment___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Drill peghead for tuners___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Pattern or Template
Calipers___________________________________________
Drill and Bits___________________________________________
Tuners___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Fret fretboard to body
___________________________________________
(If fretboard is Bound, Measure
and cut tangs.)___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Fret Hammer or Press___________________________________________
Tang Nippers (if binding)___________________________________________
Fret Nippers
60º and 90º File___________________________________________
Files___________________________________________
CA glue might be needed___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
File Fret Ends to 60º
(If Not Bound)___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Small Files, Fret Files.___________________________________________
DON’T HURRY!___________________________________________
Use thin metal beside fret to keep
___________________________________________
from scarring fretboard.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
22
NECK/FRETBOARD ___________________________________________
NOTE: Steps on this page___________________________________________
may be in different order___________________________________________
depending on kit instrux or
preference.___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Make Bridge___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Template___________________________________________
Router
Sandpaper, Files___________________________________________
Drill or Drill Press___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Mount Bridge in Approx___________________________________________
Correct Position.___________________________________________
Finish setting neck joint,___________________________________________
neck set___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Files___________________________________________
Appropriate tools for Dovetail___________________________________________
or Mortise & Tenon:
24” straightedge___________________________________________
Bridge in position___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue in truss rod___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Glue
___________________________________________
Clamps
___________________________________________
Glue fretboard to neck___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Glue___________________________________________
Clamps
___________________________________________
Rubber Bands
___________________________________________
Make nut___________________________________________
TOOLS:- Files___________________________________________
Sandpaper___________________________________________
Glue Nut___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Glue___________________________________________
Clamps___________________________________________
___________________________________________
128
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
23
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Finalize Neck Joint___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Alignment tools
___________________________________________
Straightedge
Clamps___________________________________________
String & tape for center alignment___________________________________________
Files___________________________________________
Accurate Measuring Rule
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
FRETBOARD / BRIDGE
Measure EXACT bridge___________________________________________
position,___________________________________________
mark and mask___________________________________________
TOOLS:- 24” accurate ruler
Blue Masking Tape___________________________________________
Hand Drill___________________________________________
3/16” bit___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Finish fretting fretboard___________________________________________
TOOLS:-fret hammer___________________________________________
Fret Nipper___________________________________________
Fret Tang Nipper if bound
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Round remaining fret___________________________________________
edges if Fretboard is not___________________________________________
being bound___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Fret files
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
24
NOTE:
___________________________________________
Tool Tips are Not Given For Finishing Process
___________________________________________
FINISHING PLAN
___________________________________________
For all surfaces: ___________________________________________
What kind of finish?
___________________________________________
From what maker?
How applied? ___________________________________________
Application Schedule? ___________________________________________
Curing time?
Leveling and Polishing? ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Neck: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Back & Sides: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Top: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
130
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
25
___________________________________________
Preparation of Surfaces ___________________________________________
(Sanding, scraping) ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Neck ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Back & Sides ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Top ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
26
___________________________________________
Pore Filling / Sealing: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Wash Coat?
___________________________________________
Pore-Fill and Finish Neck___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Pore-Fill Back and
Sides___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Pore Filling or Sealing___________________________________________
Top___________________________________________
(Pore filling not done on top,___________________________________________
unless the top is mahogany
and you want it smooth and___________________________________________
flat.)___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
132
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
27
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Finish Coats on Body ___________________________________________
(Make note of finishing ___________________________________________
schedule for multiple spray___________________________________________
ings or brushings.)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
28
Final Steps
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Glue Bridge onto Body___________________________________________
TOOLS:- glue
___________________________________________
Clamps
___________________________________________
Allow finish to Cure (For___________________________________________
How Long?):___________________________________________
See Instructions for
___________________________________________
Finish Materials
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Polishing body___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Install tuners___________________________________________
TOOLS:-Small Wrench___________________________________________
Jeweler’s Screwdriver___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Make saddle
TOOLS:-Sandpaper___________________________________________
Files___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
String it up
TOOLS:-___________________________________________
Strings___________________________________________
tuner___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Setup action to liking
TOOLS:-Fret Files___________________________________________
Radius Sanding Caul___________________________________________
Steel Wool___________________________________________
Nut and Saddle Files
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
DONE! Congratulations!___________________________________________
134
Guitar Journal
Date:
Guitar:
Journal Page
29
Extra Page
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Information Sources
One of the neat things about the pursuit of building guitars is that the folks at the very top of the
field are accessible. They are friendly and willing
to offer guidance and share their knowledge with
newcomers and absolute beginners.
Not only can you read all about the building
philosophy of renowned guitar makers and repair
geniuses, but you can ask them questions on the
various Internet Discussion Forums.
I have even emailed builders of some of the
most beautiful and desirable handmade instruments, and actually received a personal and fully
detailed response! People like Goodall, Olson and
Cumpiano.
This is a rare and wonderful thing.
It’s partly due to the ease of communication via
the internet, but that’s not all. You can email the top
people in other fields and never get a response. Are
guitar people kinder and more friendly? Maybe so.
But, they are willing to share their expertise, and
that’s something we should all remember if and
when we become accomplished builders. Help
those trying to enter the field.
Here are a few of the forums, etc., where you
can find builders.
www.KitGuitarForum.com -- Building a kit?
This new forum has grown fast because it’s the
only one on the web specifically dedicated to kits.
Its “sister site,” www.KitGuitarBuilder.com, provides
detailed illustrated instruction on various kits — not
just, “Here’s how I did this, and here’s how I did
that...” These are both well worth your time.
Journal Page 30
Parts, Wood and
Tool Sources
There’s really no need to list these here, except
for the few very desirable makers of tools, parts
and wood who only offer their wares in their eBay
stores. (Because you can search yourself.)
If you’ve been around very long in this, you’ve
already discovered these lower-priced, customerservice-conscious, active, professional folks.
Here is the search string for all of the luthier
stores on the eBay site. (There are a lot of them.)
h t t p : / / s t o r e s . e b a y. c o m / s t o r e s /
shopstores?query=luthier
Tools
Many builders build some of their own tools, and
through the sources already given (forums and
eBay stores) you can find a lot that you need.
But, how do you know what you need if you are
completely new at this? If you know what to look for,
you can often find good deals on eBay through the
link above. The Kit Guitar Builder’s Book, scheduled
for publication in May, 2007, offers detailed information on kits, tools to buy and specialized tools you
can make yourself.
In addition to the tools listed on eBay, you can find
professional tools through these suppliers. Many of
the tools can be found in hardware stores.
Acoustic Guitar Magazine Luthiers Corner -- You
can find some big names, and if you simply ask
questions, you can get a lot of great answers.
Stewart-MacDonald, Inc.
Official Luthier’s Forum -- Again, great info from
accomplished professionals.
Luthier’s Mercantile International, Inc.
Musical Instrument Makers Forum -- The “sysop”
is stern, but knowledgeable and helpful. This is a
good forum with a ton of information. Their protectionist policy doesn’t let anyone put up a web page
address, but we’ll publish theirs.
Martin Guitars
http://www.stewmac.com
http://www.lmii.com
http://www.martinguitar/1833
Search terms to use in Google:
1. Acoustic Guitar Luthier Forum
Happy Building!
2. Acoustic Kit Guitar
136
TOOLS & DEVICES YOU CAN BUILD
Most of the devices or
tools in this chapter are
adaptations or copies of
existing tools. None of
them is patented.
At right is an adaptation
of a lining-sanding device
described in the Stewmac
kit manual. See page 139
for info.
CHAPTER 8
Tools & Devices You
Can Build
T
he building of a guitar requires some pretty specialized devices. Well, maybe it doesn’t “require”
them, but they sure do make the whole project easier.
There are many others besides these. These aren't
all the latest and greatest, or the most sophisticated, but
they all work and keep costs down. Check the forums for
others. Improve on these and post improvements in the
forums!
These are some I’ve borrowed from other people and
some I’ve come up with myself.
Guitar Vise
Radius Sanding Sticks
Shooting Block
Side shaping/measuring grid
Protective Top Pad/Apron
Wingnut Wrench
Cory Router Guide
138
GUITAR VISE
A guitar body is difficult to hold while working: The
guitar vise makes it easy. (I credit Mr. Sylvan Wells, http:/
/sylvanwellsguitars.com for this device.)
This will hold your guitar body (or a finished guitar for
certain tasks) while you rout off overhangs of top and back
after gluing, while scraping and sanding sides flat, while
installing an end graft/butt wedge, while trimming out the
mortise opening for the neck joint, etc. For the price, it's
hard to beat.
You don’t need much: It costs about $40 to make and
takes a half hour.
Materials:
2 - 1/2" Pipe Flanges
8 - Wood Screws
2 - 1/2" x 12" Black Pipes
2 - 1/2" "Pony" Pipe Clamps
2 - 6" pieces of Foam Pipe Insulation
2 - Pieces 1/4" plywood or hardboard
2 - Pieces 1/4" foam cushioning material
Assembly:
I've used this on many guitars; haven't damaged one yet.
1) Choose a wall, a bench, etc., where you want to mount
the vise. Mount your two pipe flanges using the 8
screws. Put the flanges about 16" apart on center.
2) Mount the pipe clamps on the pipes.
3) Put the foam insulation on the pipes to protect the sides
of your guitar from the pipe.
4) Cut the hardboard/plywood into two pieces about 8"
x 20".
5) In one edge of the hardboard/plywood, cut a notch for
each pipe.
6) Glue some foam cushion onto the inside of the hardboard/plywood.
7) Use it! You can tighten down on your guitar body pretty
firmly; I've used this device a lot and have never damaged a guitar body. However, use your own judgment!
RADIUSED SANDING STICKS
Visualize these as 2” cross-sections of a concave
radiused sanding dish. When you get to the step of sanding your kerfed lining and blocks down so they'll match
the radius of your guitar’s top and back, respectively, you
have several choices: Free-hand sanding (not very exact),
sanding dishes (expensive), constructing a sanding wedge
(a good solution, in the Stewmac instruction manual), or
this kind of sanding sticks (which I favor). The sticks are
accurate enough when used carefully, and are easy to
make and use.
MATERIALS
2 - 2” x 24” poplar (or any other straight hardwood)
Sandpaper (80 or 100 grit)
Double-sided tape
Stretch out a tape, hold
the pencil, draw the
line. Note how the line
matches my plexiglas
template.
ASSEMBLY
1) Draw the appropriate radius on the side of the stick.
The easiest, low-tech way, of doing this is to stretch
a tape measure out to 15, 18, 25, 28 feet (your choice
depending on your guitar), and use a pencil to draw the
radius on the wood. Some folks use their computers to
plot the line. Do whatever works.
2) Cut the radius out of the wood. A bandsaw is best since
it will cut a perfect perpendicular, but I know guys who
do it by hand with a coping saw.
3) Sand the cut smooth; remove bumps and irregularities.
4) Apply double-stick tape.
5) Stick the sandpaper on. Done.
To use the sticks, simply move them in a circular motion, centered on the center of the guitar body, and also
along a longitudinal path, as shown in the pictures.
Easier, cheaper than a
disk, and accurate. Move
it in a circular motion as
shown below.
Done right, this will provide a nicely radiused gluing
surface matching the inner arc of your guitar’s top and
back.
#
140
SHOOTING BLOCK
An uncomplicated device, this easily made tool serves
an essential purpose. It is used to true the edges of two
sides of a guitar back or top, so that their thin gluing surface is perfectly matched and will form a perfect bond.
It can be made of wood, as shown here. A more simple
version is easily assembled by attaching sandpaper to
the side of a carpenter’s level and clamping it to a level
bench top.
MATERIALS
Wood Version:
1 - 1” x 2” poplar or similar from a home store (for the
upright piece)
1 - 1” x 18” poplar or similar (for the base)
Glue, wood screws, two-sided tape and 100-grit sandpaper
Temporary Version:
Carpenter’s Level or similar straight edge
Two or more clamps
Two-sided tape and 100-grit sandpaper
A flat bench-top.
ASSEMBLY: Wood version
As shown in the pictures, glue and screw the 1" x 2"
piece to the edge of the larger piece. The angle between
the two must be exactly 90 degrees. Use double-stick tape
to attach the sandpaper to the upright part of the smaller
piece. To use the carpenter’s level, tape the sandpaper to
the side of it and clamp it to your flat bench-top.
USING IT: (photos on next page)
To true the edges of a back (as you’ll need to do with
a Martin kit), first make sure the two edges are very close
to even. You will need to sand them together, holding the
two together as a unit and moving their edges laterally
against the sandpaper on your shooting block. You might
need to tape them to do this.
The back pieces of a Martin Jumbo kit. All
Martin kits require you to join the back.
Holding the pieces flat against the base, move them
back and forth, applying pressure toward the sandpaper,
to sand the edges even.
To test the edges, hold the two pieces together in
front of a bright light. This is known as “candling,” and
is an ancient method for testing such a joint. If you can
see any light at all, do more sanding. When you get them
sanded to the point where you can see absolutely no light
between them, you’re done.
Slide the two pieces, held together, back and
forth, edges against the vertical sandpaper.
Like most of the procedures in guitar building, this
requires patience. Don't be in a hurry.
After you get the sides even, of course, you have to
glue them together.
All gluing methods have the same goal: To hold the
sides flat, so that they can't flex, and to squeeze them
together along their center edge and hold them until the
glue cures.
Sounds simple enough ... it's easier to describe than
to do. Below is my own answer to the problem. A flat
board, a metal strip clamped down along the center seam.
Then, clamps squeezing the two sides together at three
points, and more clamps holding them down. There are
simpler ways of doing it, but this was what I had, so this
was what I used.
If you can see the light between the two
pieces, when held together, sand some more.
I always put wax paper between the glued pieces
and whatever brace or caul is next; you can't see it in the
picture, but it's there. Photo at right is the finished back.
When the light is completely gone, you can
clean the edges and glue them.
142
SIDE SHAPING PROCEDURE
This one consists of a process, a few homespun
tools, and a couple of storebought tools.
If you purchase an LMI kit, whether it's an Industry
Standard or a Deluxe Serviced kit, it will come with sides
that may be bent, but they will not be contoured for the
shape of your guitar's back. (The top doesn't get contoured.)
1. Mark the 20x24 cardboard with a centerline and lines every two inches, as shown.
After you have glued your neck and tail blocks to the
rim assembly, the next step in setting up the rim of the
guitar (the sides) is to get the back correctly contoured.
Most people will use the LMI full-size plan for measurements, but LMI's plan or instructions don't provide a
method of transferring the measurements from the plan
to the actual three-dimensional wood.
2. Measure and mark your full-size plan to
match the cardboard grid, as shown.
There are various ways of accomplishing this shaping
of the back edge of the rim. Use the one that works for
you. This one has worked for me quickly and easily.
MATERIALS & TOOLS
3. Measure and mark the height of the sides
(on the plan) at these 2-inch intervals. On
the LMI plan, the actual depth of the sides is
not shown, but a dashed line indicates where
the thickness of the top and back intersect
the sides: Measure to that line. (Not to the
line indicating the binding.)
Your rim, correctly glued to neck and tail blocks.
1 - 20" x 24" piece of cardboard
2 - big rubber bands
1 - Marking Pen
1 - Artist's Right Angle (or other flat right angle)
1 - long straightedge/ruler
1 - Microplane attachment to hand drill
Files and sand paper
Blue masking tape
PROCEDURE
This is more easily shown using captioned photos.
Simply follow the steps on these two pages.
TOOLS
4. Place your rim, centerlines matched, on
the cardboard. A rubber band will hold it.
The Microplane™ tool shown came to my attention in
2006. I like it, and it's a bargain at under $15. Use it carefully; it cuts fast. And remember, it cuts flesh even faster
than wood!
5. Mark the edge every 2 inches all the way
around -- JUST the edge! (You'll be removing just the marked top edge of the side.)
REPEAT: Don't draw a solid line on the rim.
6. Having marked the 2" intervals, you can
now transfer the side measurements from
the plan at each of those 2" intervals. Make
a pencil mark on the side for each of these
measurements.
9. Mount the Microplane tool on your drill.
10. The Microplane tool is
used to cut down
CLOSE to the
edge of the tape.
Careful!
11. Get as close as your skill allows, then remove
the tape, and (below) sand away the black line.
7. I am no good at drawing any kind of
lines, so to get the contour of the side right,
I stretched blue masking tape between the
marks. If you're good at drawing even lines
and curves, use a pencil.
8. With a heavy black marker, mark a line as
shown that indicates the edge of the tape. It
will be important later.
12. All done. If you measure and cut carefully, this
technique will work for any guitar body.
144
PROTECTIVE TOP PAD
They say, "Don't build a with a cedar top for your
first guitar." Now, I know why. Cedar is soft—so soft
that you can easily make a deep mark in it with only
slight pressure from a bent fingernail — not the edge
of the nail, but the flat of the nail! So I made some
marks in my first guitar. By the way, spruce is not all
that hard before it's finished ...
Of course, if you're one of those people who never
drops anything (like a tool you're reaching for over the
top of your guitar ...), then you won't need this protective top pad. But, it's cheap insurance.
Materials
1/8" Fabric /Foam material
from a fabric store. (Sold by the linear yard and 48" wide; about $8 a
yard.)
Tools
Scissors
"Assembly"
Using the scissors, cut out a
piece of foam larger than the top
of your guitar, about the same
shape. By cutting on the solid lines
indicated here, you can use this to
protect your top when changing
strings, etc. (Just make a hole for
the bridge, cut the vertical line on
the right, then across horizontally.
Now you'll have a flap you can tuck
under the strings, when you get the
strings on your guitar.)
FYI: I use this every time I
change strings on any guitar. I've
dropped things that would have
dented the top without it. Make it of
cardboard and it's even better!
WINGNUT WRENCH
The wingnut wrench is something I came up with that
you can make easily from a broom handle, one-inch dowel,
or bits and pieces of PVC plumbing fittings, as shown in
the pictures.
In Stewmac kits, the method of clamping the top or
back to the rims for gluing is to use "spindle clamps," or
"spool clamps," which tighten down with a wingnut.
I found while using these that the wingnuts are slow to
operate, dangerously slow in this case, because the glue
can skin over and start to cure before you get the wingnut
tightened down. LMI White Instrument Makers Glue (my
personal pref) gives about five minutes open time, but less
in dry environments.
I found that by doing a dry-fit to pre-size my clamps,
numbering them and laying them out beside the body, I
could close all of them down in just two minutes by using
the wingnut wrench.
My first one was made from a broomstick. Later, I've
set it up to use with a hand drill by epoxying a fitting into it
to use with the drill. It's shown in the pictures.
Materials
Broomstick, PVC fittings
Tools
Drill, File, Coping saw
Assembly
Just cut it out; it doesn't have to be fancy!
Lay out spindle clamps around the body, pre-sized
(within two twists). You'll be ready to work quickly.
146
BINDING ROUTER GUIDE
The Cory Router Guide is not a complicated device
at all. It borrows from many others, but offers a slight improvement over some.
The theory of this is that your binding and purfling
channels should be cut with their vertical faces absolutely
parallel to the sides of your guitar. That's the reason for
the large vertical guide arm; it glides along the side of the
guitar.
The other important component of this router guide is
the small rail that rides along the edge of the top or back
while the channel is being cut, and keeps the depth of the
channel the same at all points around the back or top, regardless of the contour of the top or, especially, the back.
I have had people purchase the plans for this and use it
on archtop guitars, where the extreme and sudden arch
would spoil the results of many commercial router guides.
The rail that rides the edge is very simply made of three (or
more) popsicle sticks (yes, you read that right). The sticks
are glued together, then glued to the base of the router,
and covered with paper tape, which allows them to glide
smoothly around the edge. A portion of the sticks is cut
out so that they can ride along the edge exactly where the
router bit will be cutting below them.
I have done the routing for all but the first of my kits
using this device. My failure on that first kit led me to "invent" something that could be used by myself or any other
router-challenged individuals who were trying to make
guitars. It turned out to be a usable tool for everyone. It's
cheap and easy to make.
Bits used are, in my case, the Stewmac Roller Bearing
bits. These are precisely calibrated for each thickness of
binding, and even include .012" for expansion of plastic
and a glue layer, so a .060 bit is actually cutting a channel
.072" wide. The bit itself is moderately priced and with
the right roller sizes, does a marvelous job, even in my
inexperienced hands.
If you are interested in making one of these guides,
go over to www.KitGuitarManuals.com and click the appropriate link.
Routing of the binding and purfling channels is much easier with
a router guide. Many types are available.
Regardless of the guide you use, you might end up with some
"fuzz," or fibers that aren't completely cut. A razor blade fixes it.
There are two versions of the guide, as can
be seen in these photos.
The first was made of aluminum; the second
of aluminum and oak.
The routing shown at right was done with
the second version, with the oak guide.
The top on the previous page was done with
the aluminum guide.
The result is a nice, clean binding and purfling job. Anyone can
do a good job if they have clean channels to glue materials into.
148
FINISHING
There are spray
booths, and then,
there are spray
booths.
This both is plastic
sheeting, with an
exhaust fan. It's lit
only from the outside and is adequate
for spraying explosive materials if the
fan is off.
CHAPTER 9
Finishing Your Guitar
Y
our acoustic guitar is all about tension: The
strings are in tension against the top. The lightness needed for resonance of the body is in tension with
its required strength. The finish, too, has tension between
its properties.
One requirement is that the finish must be thin: About
.07 inches thick. The other requirement is that that it should
be hard and durable: It has to protect an instrument that is
handled all the time, bumped, scratched, sweated on, and
mistreated in various other ways.
Of course, you won’t mistreat your instrument intentionally. But, won’t you be glad when the finish you
use protects it from the clumsiness of your relatives and
friends. (You see, they’ll pick up the guitar and be so taken
with how good it looks, they won’t even notice that they
are bumping it into things that it should not be bumped
into!)
The information in this chapter is not a “how-to” on
finishing your guitar. There are extremely good books
available for that. (The very best one is shown at right.)
This chapter is a primer in the various types of finishes
available, with emphasis on those most often asked about
by new builders who have no spray booth or equipment.
Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie have created the definitive guide to finishing guitars.
It is absolutely the best, greatly improved
over the first edition, and is the only guide
you will need to the entire finishing process.
150
Oil and Water
These don’t mix. We all know that. But, you’d be surprised at how many new builders make the mistake of
using both sovent-based and water-based finishes on their
guitars. Before you apply anything to the wood surfaces,
you should decide which you are going to use.
It’s always a good idea to use compatible families of
finish from the same manufacturer. That way, there’s never
any problem, if they are used correctly.
In your quest for a compatible set of finishes, you will do best to get materials from
a single company. They've already done the
testing; you don't have to worry about it.
The Oxford line of water based finishes from
Target Coatings (www.targetcoatings.com)
is totally compatible.
Cautions
If you have chemical allergies or reactions, visit the
websites of these manufacturers and consult the Material
Safety Data Sheets, or MSDS. They will tell you if chemicals are present to which you have a known allergy.
And A “Building Caution”:
TEST ON SCRAP! If you don’t have any good clean
scrap in the shop, go to the home store and buy some.
You must test on scrap when finishing. Sheets of mahogany laminate are cheap, and there’s no better wood
available on which to perfect your pore-filling and other
techniques. This is probably the most under-used technique by home builders. I understand completely; I too
become impatient. I learned “the hard way” that not testing on scrap is a bigger pain in the neck than taking the
time to do the testing. Now, I always plan the testing steps
into the overall schedule for the guitar.
Testing on scrap, to me, means purchasing a sheet of mahogany plywood at Home
Depot for about eight bucks, dividing it up
into grids with different finishes at different stages, and treating it just like a guitar
body. I've learned a lot and avoided a lot of
problems.
This Is Just A Primer:
Let me repeat, this is not a detailed finishing manual,
but a primer. It does not attempt to cover all the details.
For the type of finish that interests you, consult the Resources chapter and get more information.
PREPPING FOR THE FINISH
Okay: Your guitar body, and your guitar’s neck, are
ready to finish. The “finishing” starts when you begin the
final preparatory sanding.
FINISHING
Preparing the Surface:
Sand all parts to be finished down to 220 grit. Some builders go to 400, but it isn’t necessary at this point. (But read the info on Tru-Oil, and polyurethane, below.) In kits, necks, tops,
backs and sides are often sanded for you to about 150 grit, so this process doesn't take much
work.
After you sand the surfaces in the dry state, rub over them with a damp rag. This will raise
the grain. Let it dry, and then sand again with 220, 320, or 400.
Blow off or tack off your surfaces. It might be a good idea not to handle the wood surfaces
with bare hands after this point: Your hands may be contaminated with something that will
interfere with adhesion of the finish. Also, if you are using a waterborne finish or waterbased
finish, do your tacking-off with a damp cloth instead of a solvent- or resin-soaked tack cloth.
Staining:
If you want to stain, now is the time to do it, because the step after this (the wash coat)
will seal the surface of the wood. Follow normal staining procedures and remember to mask
areas that are not to be stained. (Clear shellac or straight lacquer on wooden binding will keep
stain from darkening it.)
Masking:
This is an optional step, depending on your choice, and it applies to both the bridge and
to the fretboard extension.
The bridge and fretboard must be glued to the actual top wood, not the finish on the top
wood. You can mark and position your bridge/fretboard at this point in the process (or before
the finish-prep sanding), and apply masking tape to keep the finish off of the gluing areas. If you
do it this way, don’t try to perfectly match the line you’ve marked around the bridge. Come in
from the edges about an eighth of an inch. That way, your finish will extend under the bridge just
slightly; the bridge will be glued down and clamped and rest perfectly on top of the finish.
The other way of doing this is to finish the entire top, then use paint remover on the areas
where the bridge and fretboard will go. This can be risky; if you drip a drop of paint remover
on the finished top, you’ll have a bad evening.
I’ve done it both ways and have come to prefer the masking tape method.
Wash Coat:
This is simply a thin coating applied to the wood. Shellac is often used, in a thin (1-pound)
cut. Some manufacturers, such as Target Coatings, offer a waterbased shellac. The purpose
of the shellac wash coat is to provide a very light seal to keep finish materials from soaking too
far into the wood, and also to provide for a uniform coloration of the wood.
152
Pore Filling:
Now, you have to look ahead to your final top coats. If
you are going to use a solvent-based finish on your neck
and body, use a solvent-based pore filler. If you are planning to use a water-borne finish on the neck and body, use
a water-borne filler. They should be compatible.
Call it Pore Filling or Grain Filling, it needs
smoothing! Rosewood is sometimes very
rough. Mahogany is always extremely porous, and is the species I most struggle with.
Apply one or two pore filling coats, following instructions on the packaging. Sand between each application.
Application procedures vary with pore fillers; each carries its own instructions. The main thing to remember is
that the pore filler is supposed to fill the pores; it is not
a surface coating. When you apply it, you can make the
sanding easier by scraping at a 45-degree angle with a
credit card or other flexible non-scratching straight-edged
tool. This will press the material into the pores and will also
remove excess from the surface. After allowing it to dry,
you will sand it down to the level of the pores, completely
removing it from the surface.
Be sure it is completely dry before continuing: Pore
filler, especially a waterbased variety, will shrink in the
pores as it dries completely. After the shrinking, you will
need to do another application to perfect the surface.
Some sanding has been done, but no filling
yet. Those pores are like craters.
This will seem obvious, but must be stated anyway:
Pore filling is only necessary if there are pores that you
want filled. It isn’t usually done on non-porous woods like
maple, or on tops (unless it’s a mahogany top and you
want it flat and smooth).
A Note On Sanding:
My third guitar had a perfectly smooth top finish on
its adirondack spruce top. But at some point underneath
the finish coats, I had not sanded progressively through
all of my sanding grits, and fine sanding scratches were
visible under that perfect topcoat; they will always be there
to remind me.
First application of pore filler.
When you sand after pore-filling and between coats
of sealer and topcoats, remember that every tiny scratch
that isn’t removed will show; once you put another clear
coat over your sanded surface, that surface will display its
FINISHING
imperfections for the life of the instrument.
I got into a hurry and learned the hard way; I am sure
you are smarter and more patient and will be more attentive to this warning than I was!
Sealing:
Instead of pore-filling, on the top and on non-porous
woods, you will use a sealer.
A sealer is needed on the top. It might be the shellac
wash-coat that was applied following your preparatory
surface sanding. It could be vinyl. It could be the Target
Coatings sealer and barrier coat shown below.
After rough sanding of pore filler. Finer
sanding and another application, and it will
be ready.
A sealer coat is also sometimes used over the pore
filler on the neck, back and sides in order to seal the surface where pore filler has been sanded away.
Some finishers use seal coats generously, so that the
sealer forms the bulk of the finish, sometimes as much as
80%. The top coats of the finish, such as lacquer or varnish, then make up a thinner final portion of the finish.
Mahogany neck, before and after pore filling, finished with shellac and steel wool.
Other finishers only use one coat of sealer, and then
begin applying top coats, so that the top coats actually
make up the bulk of the finish’es thickness.
This is something you will need to research and decide on for yourself.
TOP COATS
Some beginning builders have access to a spray
booth, or they will create one and get spray equipment (or
use rattle cans) to spray their finish.
For the most part, though, the home builder starting
his first kit is limited to top coat finishes that can be applied by hand, by padding or by brush.
Body and Neck
Most people finish the body and neck as separate
units. It’s easier to handle them separately, and the kinds
of top coats used are often different. I am treating them
as being finished separately here.
At first, I used my portable vise to put the
guitar in a small room for top coating with
KTM-9 Waterbased finish. I applied it with
a DaVinc 5080 2" watercolor wash brush
and got a nice, thick, sandable set of coats.
154
Neck Top Coats
Some people like a glossy neck. Others don’t. I
have found that I get along just fine with a neck finished
with shellac, then polished to a satin surface using steel
wool. It’s smooth and easy. This isn’t a true satin surface,
though, and some people prefer to go the extra mile to
get the real thing.
Body Top Coats
Now that you have your body all sealed, smooth as
can be ... it’s time for the final finish. Three finishes and
their general application processes are explained below.
FINISH TOP COAT TYPES
1. Tru-Oil
2. WipeOn Poly (Minwax polyethylene)
3. Target Coatings Waterborne Lacquer Finishes
TRU-OIL
This is a brand-name product distributed by Birchwood Casey, a distributor of shooting-sports accessories.
Tru-Oil is a gunstock finish, but has become popular with
home guitar builders because of its ease of use and its
suitability to our purposes.
TruOil was the first finish I used; it works
very well for the first-timer or anyone wanting a deep shine and easy application.
A light amber material, Tru-Oil will impart that warm
look to your wood. The finish provided by Tru-Oil is not as
hard as lacquer, but it is absolutely adequate for a guitar
top that won’t be subjected to harsh treatment. It creates a
thin, flexible finish that will allow the guitar’s natural sound
to come forth.
Tru-Oil is ideal if you are finishing an all-mahogany
guitar and do not plan to flat-fill the pores. I used it on the
cedar top of my very first guitar and have always been
happy with it. It is durable, imparts a nice warmth to the
color of the wood, and is easy to apply.
Tru-Oil is “Polymerized Linseed Oil.” While pure lin-
FINISHING
seed oil dries slowly on contact with oxygen, this polymerized version dries a bit faster in air because the polymerization process has already been started at the factory.
When you apply it and leave it exposed to air, the process is completed by oxidation, and the oil dries to a hard
film.
The preparation of your surface is extremely important when using Tru-Oil, because you will not build up
enough finish to flat sand and perfect the surface of the
finish, as you do with lacquer finishes. Be sure your wood
is sanded to a finer degree than you would with thicker
finishes: Going through the grits all the way to 2000 or so
is advisable.
TruOil cures completely in about 2 to 4
weeks; until then, it's playable, but easily
marred. After that, it's very tough.
Application is extremely easy. (This should be applied
over bare wood, shellac-washed wood, oil-based pore
filler, or a vinyl sealer: It shouldn’t go over a waterbased
pore filler.) Wipe it on, then wipe off the excess and walk
away. Come back in about four hours and apply another
coat. Several coats are necessary to get a complete finish.
You can apply it thickly, but a thick application isn’t necessary; each successive coat will bond to the previous one,
and you will eventually end up with a nice shiny surface.
(Not ‘high-gloss,” but shiny.) You can sand between coats,
but it isn’t advised because each coat is extremely thin
and sanding through is a danger. Tru-Oil can be buffed
and waxed after complete drying. To be safe, wait at least
a week to buff.
Luthiers Mercantile (lmii.com) has an excellent detailed set of instructions for the use of Tru-Oil; they also
sell all the components for applying the finish.
WIPE-ON POLY (MINWAX)
This polyurethane finish is as easy to apply as Tru-Oil.
It comes in satin or gloss sheens; I used both on a Martin
Jumbo kit body (satin for the top and gloss for the back
and sides). It has a very slight amber tint that warms the
wood finish.
Wipe it on with a lint-free cloth, let it dry (about two to
three hours), and then recoat. (This should be applied over
bare wood, shellac-washed wood, or an oil-based pore
Without any polishing, this stuff makes a
nice finish. It's thin and tough, too.
156
filler or a vinyl sealer: It shouldn’t go over a waterbased
pore filler.)
The surface preparation is all-important
when using a finish like Wipe-On Poly. The
finish does not build thick enough to sand
level and polish, as traditional finishes do.
I have my own application method that creates a nice
glossy finish. I cut very soft cotton cloth into about 3-inch
squares. Into one square, I put one or two cotton balls,
and then I fold the corners of the cloth up to create about
a 1-inch pad. I dip the pad into the poly finish in a small
cup, saturating it. Then, I press some of the poly out of
the pad so that it isn’t too wet. I lay one continuous strip
on my surface, then reload the pad and do another strip,
overlapping about 25% to 50%. I do only one side at a
time, or the top, or the back. I finished my Martin kit jumbo
body in about two days this way, applying two coats of
gloss poly to each side, three to the back, and two (satin)
to the top.
If you are in need of a fast finish, and you need to "just
get it done," Wipe On Poly is hard to beat. It is extremely
hard and durable and does not detract from the instrument’s natural sound because it can go on very thinly.
TARGET COATINGS WATERBORNE
LACQUER FINISHES
This is one of a number of brands and types of waterborne lacquers available. Another well-known waterborne
lacquer is “KTM-9,” made by Grafted Coatings and distributed by Luthiers Mercantile.
(Personal opinion here: KTM-9 is not as useful as
Target Coatings finishes for one basic reason: It is not part
of a complete finishing line. KTM-9 stands alone and must
be combined wih the user’s choice of pore filler—often
epoxy, but waterbased pore fillers may also be used. I
have used both types of coatings and found Target’s to
be easier, and no less durable.)
Spraying is better, but applying these waterbased lacquers with a brush also works, and
it not difficult. To put on a thick coat that
can be sanded and leveled, use the recommended brushes.
Target Coatings provides a full line of waterborne finishing materials. Their Oxford brand of waterborne finishes
encompasses stains, sealers, pore fillers and top coats.
The great thing about these finishes (beside the fact that
they are excellent finishes for guitar work) is that these are
all 100% compatible with each other and with all waterwww.KitGuitarManuals.com
FINISHING
based finishes, including KTM-9, if you use it.
NOTE: Don't use stearated sandpaper or steel
wool at any stage of application of any waterbased finishes. (Stearated sandpaper has soap in it; steel wool
leaves tiny particles that will rust under the finish.)
Stains: From their website: “Oxford® Ultima-WR
Stain System is built upon a unique hybridized linseed oil
emulsion base and organic colorants that allow this stain
to be thinned, and cleaned with water, while still providing
the deep, rich color penetration of traditional linseed oil.
No turpentine, mineral spirits or ammonia is required for
thinning this material. Oxford® Ultima-WR Stains clean up
with basic water and mild detergent.”
Sealers: Oxford® Water-based Shellac Sealer and
Barrier Coating: Provides the same properties as shellac;
made from dewaxed shellac and available in four shades.
This can be used on all surfaces just as a solvent-based
shellac would be.
Just as vinyl sealer was mentioned above for use between solvent-based and water-based coats, this target
shellac can be used in exactly the same way.
Pore Filler: Oxford® High Solids Grain Filler (waterborne urethane pore and grain filler) is worked just like
other pore fillers. It can be applied in multiple coats and
is available in tinted or clear varieties. It has a thick consistency, like honey. It dries quickly, as do all waterbased
pore fillers. This filler is much easier to use than epoxy
and is compatible with KTM-9. I found this grain filler to
be very easy to sand; it also showed hardly any shrinkage
in the pores.
Top Coats: Oxford® Ultima Spraying Lacquer. I used
this with a 2-inch DaVinci 5080 watercolor wash brush,
and it went on just fine. Works brushed or sprayed. Spraying will give a thicker and more uniform layer. This topcoat
exhibits 100% burn-in to the previous layer. That's a very
158
important feature. It is easily buffed, and its durability and chemical resistance are as high as solvent-based lacquers.
My Own Application Method
As I said above, on the guitar with my "best finish," I used the Ultima Lacquer with a DaVinci
5080 2" watercolor wash brush -- it practically eliminates all bubbles if you use it slowly. TEST!
First day: Three coats, waiting 60 minutes between coats. Because this lacquer is quite stable
(meaning it won’t run or drip) after 20 minutes drying time, I established this procedure:
1) Coat the back; let dry for 20 minutes.
2) Rotate the guitar 90 degrees and coat one side; let dry for 20 minutes. (See page 153 to
see the rotating setup.)
3) Rotate the guitar 180 degrees and coat the other side; let dry for 20 minutes.
4) Start over with steps 1 – 3.
5) Repeat steps 1 – 3.
6) Repeat steps 1 – 3.
7) Allow finish to dry overnight.
Second Day:
Sand finish to flatten working up to 2000 grit.
Repeat entire first day schedule.
Allow Finish to dry for 96 hours.
After finishing the back and sides, while they were starting their 96-hour dry time, I did the
top.
1) Coat the top; let dry for one hour.
2) Second coat, let dry for one hour.
3) Third Coat, let dry overnight.
Third Day:
1) After letting top dry overnight; sand up to 2000.
2) Repeat the Coating process for the top. Let dry for
72 hours.
Sixth Day:
Sand all surfaces up to 12000 grit using MicroMesh® sanding materials. Wet-sand carefully.
(The first time I did this, I sanded through in a couple of spots and had to repeat the finishing
process on those areas.)
Seventh Day:
Polish using a buffing wheel or by hand using a very fine-cut auto finishing compound. (I
used Meguiar’s #9 Professional Swirl Remover 2.0).
After using the Meguiar’s, I applied Renaissance Silicon-free wax. And, the finish is good!
(It is the Stewmac spruce/rosewood Dreadnought shown throughout this book.)
FINISHING
SUMMARY:
Finishing has been called “The Achilles’ Heel of Luthery” for good reason. It is a disheartening thing
to put almost 100 hours into building a guitar kit, get it all together just right, and then put a finish on it
that isn’t up to snuff. To prevent that, the defense is simple: TEST ON SCRAP. Test as many times as
necessary to get the result you want. Don't be afraid to spend a little bit of money to do your testing.
You'll be glad when you get a great finish. And read everything you can — especially Dan Erlewine's
finishing book!
Final sanding before finishing starts.
Sanding done after pore filling done.
Finishing done. Final steps next.
Finishing still takes more patience and
skill than I have at this point. Though
the finishes in some of these photos look
pretty good, the absolute truth is that I
am a better photographer than a guitar
finisher.
I don't want to give any false impressions.
But, I am working on it, and I just figure
that if I keep working on it, I will get
it right. After all, these are not inborn
gifts, but learned skills!
160
GLOSSARY OF GUITAR AND LUTHERY TERMS
CHAPTER 10
Glossary of Guitar
and Luthery Terms
T
his glossary contains a list that I think is valuable
to you, for your spouse!
Here’s my reasoning. If you’re interested in kits, you
already know most of the items in this list. But, if your
spouse is just noticing that you are thinking about buying
a kit and building a guitar, she (usually) might be curious
and want more information so she can know “what you’re
up to.” So, hand her this glossary: It’s a great introduction
to guitars in general and to some of their construction
aspects. She’ll see, as we all do at some point, that the
construction of a guitar is a detailed process!
Seriously ... As explained in the caption at right, I knew
almost nothing at all about woodworking, not a whole lot
about how guitars work, or any of the other items of knowledge I've devoured over the last few years. I hope nobody
else is in that same situation, but if you are, this glossary
will be an aid to your learning process.
Feel free to laugh if you want, but, before
I started building guitars, I knew nothing
about woodworking. The items pictured on
this page? I didn't know what they were!
For those in a similar state, this general
glossary of terms might be helpful.
And, as mentioned above, your spouse will certainly
profit from it, unless she (or he) is already there.
162
Action: Refers to the proximity of the bottom of your strings to the top of your frets. A “low action” is easier
to play, is more likely to have buzzing strings if played hard, and usually has better intonation. A “high
action’ is harder to play, has less accurate intonation, and less buzzing. It’s a preference thing. Setting
up the action can be difficult and is definitely time-consuming. There are good sources of information on
it all over the internet.
Adirondack Spruce: (Latin: Picea rubens) More properly called “Red Spruce,” and also called “Blue Spruce”
and “Canadian Spruce.” (Called “Adirondack Spruce” by a large guitar maker, and the name stuck better
than most other names.) This top wood has a clear, strong tone and is more expensive than other spruces.
It is thought by some to contribute to the clear strong tone of “vintage” instruments.
Armrest: Originally used on banjos, these have recently been introduced for guitars. John Pearse makes
a good one; it’s not cheap ($30 plus shipping right now) but it will do more for your guitar’s tone than
anything else! (Reason: It keeps your forearm from damping the top of your guitar.) Not a bad Wish List
item.
Back: Ok, you know this, but ... it’s the wide side without strings attached.
Back Braces: Inside braces, usually perpendicular to the strings, and usually four in number, that are attached to the back. Sometimes, these are done in an “X” pattern similar to the top’s X-Brace. The back
braces can be configured and shaped in various ways to enhance various tonal colors, but it requires
experimentation.
Back Graft: Inside the guitar, the strip added between (or through) the back braces to strengthen the joint
between the glued halves of the back.
Back Stripe: The decorative strip inlaid into the back of the guitar. Sometimes glued between the two
sides.
Bearclaw: A type of figure, or marking, in spruce. Legend has it that the marks are produced by bears. It
looks more like stretch marks in my old skin, to me. But, it’s pretty on a guitar!
Belly Bridge: Steel string acoustic bridge that has a curved area bellying out toward the tail. It provides a
larger gluing surface, more weight, and more strength to the joint.
Binding: The plastic or wood trim around the edge of a guitar’s top, back and sometimes, neck (e.g., a
“bound neck”).
Bolt-On: A type of mortise-and-tenon neck joint that has one or more bolts securing it to the neck block.
Just as accurate as a dovetail joint (see “dovetail”), and for most, easier to construct and set correctly.
Also, requires less glue (often needing glue only under the fretboard extension), and is therefore easier
to reset if necessary.
Bookmatch: Term for wood used on guitar tops backs that has been sliced from the same piece of wood,
and after gluing, mirror each other’s grain and acoustic properties.
Bout: One of two of the rounded sections of a guitar body: “Upper” or “lower.” Their relative shape and
volume affect tone, and their overall shape defines the guitar.
Brace: Any of the major wooden braces in a guitar top or back. They are designed and specifically carved
to balance the strength of the top or back with the flexibility it needs to provide resonance and vibrating
capability.
Brace Notch: A notch cut into the kerfed lining and rim of a guitar, into which the very end of the brace fits.
Normally only some braces (both ends of the “X” and the large transverse shoulder brace) are notched,
and some builders do not notch all of the braces.
Brazilian Rosewood: (Latin: Dalbergia nigra) Ask anyone who knows guitars, and many will agree: Brazilian
rosewood is the best back and side wood. It is also very expensive, rare, and controlled. (See “CITES.”)
However, many builders don’t even try to use it these days because it is expensive, and current supplies
are inferior, knotty, etc.
Break Angle: The angle, or slope, of a string from the bridge-pin hole, across the saddle, to its playable
section: A larger (deeper) angle usually results in more volume and different tone, but too large an angle
caused by too tall a saddle can overstress and crack the bridge. The angle can safely be increased by
“ramping” the string — cutting a slot into the pin-hole toward the saddle.
Bridge: Transmits the strings’ vibrations to the top. Its weight is important in its contribution to the overall
mass of the top.
Bridge Pins: Pegs made of bone, plastic, wood, etc., They keep the strings secure in the bridge.
Bridge Plate: A flat piece of hardwood under the top for strengthening of the bridge area, usually of maple
or rosewood.
Butt Wedge: The tapered decorative piece at the joint of the two sides at the tail, or butt, of the guitar
body.
Capo: A clamp-type tool that shortens the strings to a given fret, raising the pitch of the strings so you can
play in different keys more easily.
Chatoyance: A hard-to-describe quality of woods, such as koa, kauri, curly maple, sapele mahogany, and
others, when finished under gloss, of seeming to “move” in a lustrous three-dimensional way, like the
colors in a pigeon’s neck. The word chatoyant means “having a changeable luster, like the cat’s-eye
gemstone, or some silks.”
164
CITES: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. An international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild
animals and plants does not threaten their survival. (http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/what.shtml)
Classical Guitar: Normally used for classical music. Uses nylon strings and has a flat fingerboard that is
two inches wide at the nut.
Clown Barf: Celluloid plastic used for picks and pickguards. Real colorful stuff.
Cocobolo: (Latin: Dalbergia retusa) Cocobolo, as you can tell from the latin, is a rosewood. It is heavier and
darker than the other rosewoods, which makes it a better reflector of sound. It is considered to be the
closest wood, tonally, to Brazilian rosewood.
Compensation: Changes made or angling of the saddle, nut, or shortening of the first fret in differing ways,
that are designed to make up for the raised pitch caused by fretting the strings. A guitar string, tuned to
concert pitch, is stretched further when fretted. This stretching raises the pitch of the string more than
it should for the chosen fret. The slanted saddle on steel-string guitars, and the carving of the saddle
differently for each string is part of the effort to compensate for this sharpening.
CNC: Computer Numerically Control, applied to any kind of machine (usually a router) that is controlled by
a precise computer program in order to make identically shaped guitar parts.
Curly Maple: (Latin: Acer macrophyllum or Acer sacchurum) Maple is a wonderful looking and mellow sounding back and side wood. It has a little less volume and bass than rosewood or mahogany, but a faster
attack. It has many varied types of patterns, such as Fiddleback, Quilted, Curly, Birdseye, and others.
Cutaway: In the upper bout, a section of the guitar body is removed to allow access to higher frets. Some
guitars feature a double cutaway.
Dots: Pearl or abalone dots or markers, about a quarter inch or less in diameter, usually inlaid above frets
3, 5, 7, 9, 12 (2), 15 and 17. Also, the smaller dots inlaid into the edge of the fretboard at the same positions.
Dovetail: A type of mortise-and-tenon wood joint used for mounting acoustic guitar necks; once the only
type used, it has met with strong competition in the “bolt-on” neck joint. The bolt-on is usually considered
easier to perfect for kit builders.
Dreadnought: A type of guitar body popularized by C.F. Martin & Co, now used by all guitar companies
and kit suppliers. Provides strong tone and loudness because of its large interior volume and the area of
its soundboard (top).
East Indian Rosewood: (Latin: Dalbergia latifolia) Properly called “Indian Rosewood,” but referred to as
“East Indian” to avoid confusion with Native Americans, EIR (as it’s called) is not cheap, but it is plentiful
enough that it is available on most kit guitars. It has excellent tonal response, providing warm bass and
great resonance. Many players and builders consider it the equal of Brazilian.
End Graft: See “Butt Wedge.”
End Block: A hardwood block at the tail end of the guitar, providing an anchor point for the joining of both
sides (the rims), and providing a stable anchor for the end pin or end pin pickup jack.
End Pin: The “strap pin” at the tail of the instrument.
Engelmann Spruce: (Latin: Picea engelmannii) This top tonewood is thought by many to have the same
tonal characteristics as “adirondack,” or red, spruce, and is a great substitute for that wood. It is lighter
in color and weight than sitka, and slightly softer.
Figure: A pattern of wood grain, usually more expensive in any species of wood, but not always more sonically desirable.
Finger Braces: The small braces, about as long as a finger, that are installed in a top’s bass and treble sides
from the outside of the X-brace to just below the waist of the lower bout.
Fingerboard: The fretboard.
Fingerstyle: A playing style or a guitar used for playing in this style.
Frets: The metal bars that are installed perpendicular to the fretboard. Their barbed “tang” is inserted into
a precut slot in the fretboard.
Headblock: Also called the “neck block,” this is the compliment to the “end block,” providing a stable block
for the neck joint.
Headstock: The wide end of the neck with tuners installed. Also called the “peghead.”
Heel: The part of the neck that curves downward at the neck joint.
Heel Cap: A small piece capping the heel.
Herringbone: A purfling pattern installed around the edge of the top; same pattern as herringbone tweed.
Honduran Rosewood: (Latin: Dalbergia stevensonii) Considered by many to be very similar to Brazilian in
tonal qualities, Honduran is heavier than East Indian Rosewood. It is lighter in color but with alternating
dark and light areas.
166
Ivoroid: A type of plastic that looks like ivory, used for bindings.
Kit Guitar: Any set of parts and woods collected into one or more boxes for ordering as a unit, which when
assembled, will result in a complete guitar. The kit can consist of just the correct quantities, types and
cuts of wood, ready to be finished and assembled, or it can be a set of almost-ready-to-assemble parts.
In some cases, such as with the Grizzly Tools guitar kits, the body is already assembled, so you don’t get
to do, or learn, very much! Kits are also available for electric guitar.
Koa: (Latin: Acacia koa) A native Hawaiian wood grown mainly on the Island of Hawaii, Koa displays a remarkable chatoyance (see “chatoyance”). It is heavy and provides a bright, hard tone that projects and
cuts well.
Kerfed Lining: Usually cedar or mahogany, strips of wood with “kerfs,” or slots, cut into it to allow for bending around curves without breaking. (Often incorrectly called “kerfing.”)
Lining: Reinforcement strips of wood inside the rim of the top and back, to provide a wide gluing platform
and more stability. Usually, but not always, the lining is “kerfed.”
Mahogany: (Latin: Swietenia macrophylla) Mahogany is available as a standard in many kit guitars. There
are various origins of this ubiquitous wood: Honduran, South American, African, Philippine, etc. It is becoming more scarce and will soon be fully covered by the CITES convention. Meanwhile, it has a great,
clear tone, with fast attack and high resonance.
Neck Block: See “Head Block.”
Nut: Located between the headstock and the fretboard, one of only two contacts open strings have with
the guitar, the other being the saddle. The nut is usually made of bone or a synthetic material (such as
Tusq™ or Corian™) and holds the strings in their proper relative positions along the fretboard.
Peghead: See “Headstock.”
Pickguard: A piece of plastic or wood, clear or patterned, that keeps a pick or fingernails from marring a
guitar top.
Pickup: An electronic accessory added to a guitar body that allows the use of an amplifier or PA system.
Purfling: A strip of decorative material around the top edge, adjacent to the binding.
Pyramid Bridge: An acoustic bridge with low “pyramids” at both ends. Used mostly on smaller bodied
guitars.
Relief: Upward or forward curvature in a neck or fretboard. It is controlled by the truss rod and the tension
of the strings.
Rim: The joined sides of the guitar.
Rosette: Derived from the “rose,” which was a decorative piece inserted into early stringed instruments’
soundholes to control their volume and tone. Now, it is the decoration around the soundhole of an acoustic
guitar. It also provides strength to keep the top from splitting near the hole.
Runout: Usually refers to the visual effect of wood grain that is not parallel to the surface of a top or back,
and therefore has a darker or lighter look than its bookmatched complimentary piece, depending on the
angle of viewing.
Saddle: A separate piece sitting in a slot in the bridge. Along with the nut, the only other direct contact the
string has with the guitar. The saddle is made of plastic, bone, Tusq™, etc., and can be specifically shaped
to aid in accurate intonation of the strings.
Scale Length: The nominal length of the vibrating portion of the installed string, usually double the distance
from the face of the nut to the center point of the 12th fret. To the scale length is added an additional
amount for “compensation” to produce accurate intonation of fretted notes.
Side: The side of the guitar, as opposed to the top or back.
Side Dots: Fret position markers on the side of the fretboard. See “dots.”
Sitka Spruce: (Latin: Picea sitchensis) Used on more guitar tops than any other wood, Sitka is grown extensively from N. California to Alaska. It has one of the strongest weight to strength ratios of all woods.
Sitka is also known for its long break-in time, sometimes up to four years (and it must be played during
its break-in period).
Sound Hole: The hole or holes in the top of the guitar. Also can refer to a “sound port. The size of the main
top sound hole will partly determine the perceived tone (and main body resonance) of the guitar. Most kits
with pre-cut sound holes have the size holes they do because they are considered the optimum for that
type of guitar body. However, careful experimentation might reveal to your ears a new preference.
Strings: Simple subject, easy to define? Hardly! Put different strings on the same guitar, and it will play and
sound differently. Strings are worth a lot of time. Strings are made of various materials and are labeled as
“bronze 80/20,” “Phosphor-Bronze,” “Nickel,” etc. These names can be misleading, as different makers
use differing formulas and construction techniques. Some strings are coated, thinly or thickly, to make
them last longer and to help eliminate string “noise” while playing. An entire book could be written on
strings!
String Gauge: The thickness of a guitar string. Thinner-gauge strings are called “light,” and thicker are
168
called “medium.” At one time, “heavy” gauge was available, but now these are hard to find. The difference
between “light” and “medium” is often only .02” on the trebles and only .03” on the bass strings, but this
makes a big difference in strain on the guitar’s top. (If strings are too light or too heavy for a given guitar
top and construction, the top will not vibrate freely.)
String Ramps: Slots cut in a bridge from the bridgepin holes to the saddle to provide a steeper, or more
extreme, break angle.
Tail Block: See “End Block.”
Tie Block: On a classical guitar, a part of the bridge the strings are looped around and tied.
Transverse Braces: Braces that are at a right angle to the guitar’s centerline. Basically used when talking
about the upper bout, or shoulder, braces.
Top Braces: The braces that reinforce the guitar’s top.
Truss Rod: An adjustable rod embedded and secured in the neck, adjustable from either the headstock
or through the sound hole, that applies tension to the neck to either create tension (movement of the
headstock backwards, or away from the strings), or relief (movement of the headstock forward, or toward
the strings).
Tuner: The tuning machines for tensioning strings, usually located on the headstock. (or) A device for helping
tune the guitar, usually electronic.
Volute: A carved, thicker, usually diamond-shaped part of the neck, just opposite the nut where the headstock meets the neck, used as a reinforcing device.
Wings: Pieces of wood attached to a narrower neck blank in order to make a peghead (headstock) as wide
as it needs to be.
Waist: The thinner section of the body between the larger bottom bout and the smaller upper bout.
Wood (Back and Sides): The following list, from Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. (www.lmii.
com) will give an idea of the wide variation of species available for in guitar building. With LMI’s
“Kit Wizard,” you can order any of these in an LMI kit! African Blackwood, Amazon Rosewood, Black
Acacia, Bloodwood, Bocote, Bubinga - African Rosewood, Camatillo Rosewood , Canadian Cypress/Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Cherry-American, Cocobolo, Curly Spanish Cedar, East Indian Rosewood, European
Pear, Granadillo, Honduran Rosewood, Jarrah, Kauri, Koa, Lacewood , Macacauba, Macassar Ebony,
Machiche, Madagascar Rosewood, Mahogany, Malaysian Blackwood, Maple, Monkey Pod, Monterey
Cypress, Oregon Myrtle, California Laurel, Ovangkol, Padauk, Palo Escrito, Pau Ferro / Morado, Pau Rosa
, Spanish Cypress, Walnut, Wenge, Zebrawood, Ziricote.
So many woods ... so little time.
Wood (Tops): The following list, from Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. (www.lmii.com) will give
an idea of the wide variation of species available for in guitar building. With LMI’s “Kit Wizard,”
you can order any of these in an LMI kit! Adirondack (Red) Spruce, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Bearclaw
Soundboards, Engelmann Spruce, European Spruce and Carpathian Spruce, Mahogany, Port Orford
Cedar, Redwood, Sitka Spruce, Western Redcedar
X-Brace: Used in most modern steel-string acoustics, the long braces of the guitar top which cross between
the soundhole and bridge cross like the letter “x.”
Zero Fret: A fret just in front of the nut, used in many European-made guitars and in some of the less-expensive US made guitars. The Zero Fret offers an opportunity to compensate the strings at the nut end,
fulfilling the function the nut normally does. When a zero fret is used, the nut becomes merely a device
for establishing lateral string position on the fretboard. Some intonation “fixes” have made use of a type
of zero fret.
170
www.LuthierSuppliers.com
Tracy Leveque provides the "Centerline Finder" at left, plus the "Bracemaker" below. The Bracemaker is
an extremely useful jig for shaping
the correct radius into your back
and top braces.
Several other tools and jigs are offered, including a neck-shaping
template (in cooperation with Edward Victor Dick, of Victor Guitars and the Colorado School of
Luthery) that allows for accurate
shaping of dozens of factory necks,
including acoustic, electric, mandolin, banjo, etc.
Providing a number of jigs, such as
the adjustable mold, shown in the
far left photo with an LMII kit rim
in it, and in the near left photo with
a Martin Jumbo body in it. Also
supplied with the mold are three
top/body templates.
The KMG Bridge Setter, far left photo, is valuable for setting perfect
bridge position, and the SS Bridge
Clamp, near left, glues the bridge
down without the use of clamps,
quickly and accurately, and allows
immediate squeeze out cleaning.
RESOURCES
A mold of some kind is
essential to building a
guitar body accurately.
At right is a mold from
BluesCreekGuitars.com,
who offers molds for
many body types.
(Spreaders are not included with the mold.)
Blues Creek also offers kits, side-bending
machines, and guitarbuilding classes.
CHAPTER 11
Resources
Y
ou could easily find all of the following web links,
books and DVDs on your own, but it might take
you quite awhile. These are some of my favorite links,
to companies and people I have worked with and dealt
with.
As is normal, the internet being what it is, many of the
links might be dead by the time you read this. The easy
remedy is to search for them by the terms in the web page
address shown. If they've moved, chances are they kept
the same page designations.
If you know of links you'd like to see in the next edition
of this book, please email them to me at the address on
the KGM web page.
Your experience on the internet can be positive or
negative, of course, but I have found that in the field of
guitar building tools, I can safely have confidence in the
people I find. Seems like guitar types are very honest.
Whether that's because of the close-knit community of
guitar kit builders and luthiers, I can't say. But, I like it.
Enjoy cruising through some of these: Go over to
www.KitGuitarManuals.com for more.
While we're on the subject of resources,
the book above, by Dan Erlewine and Don
MacRostie, published by Stewart-MacDonald, Inc., is by far the most educational
book you will ever find on the entire subject
of guitar finishing. With excellent full color
photos of every stage of finishing using
different finish materials, it will provide
information simply not available elsewhere.
Other books are listed after the website listings; see page 182.
172
ACCESSORIES, STRINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS
G7 Capo
http://www.g7info.com/site.html
John Pearse Armrest
http://www.jpstrings.com/armrest.htm
Kerly Music Earthtone Strings
http://www.kerlymusic.com/products/earthtones.asp
Fender® Care Products by Meguiar’s®
http://www.fender.com/meguiars/view.php#restorer
Zaino Bros’ Product Information
http://www.zainobros.com/files/info.htm#anchor20946
Kling-On Guitar Products
http://www.kling-on.com/
JLD Bridge Doctor
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Bridges/
Fossil Ivory Guitar Accessories
http://www.fossilivory.com/
Colorado Case Company
http://www.coloradocase.com/
Tortis at Greven Guitars
http://www.grevenguitars.com/tortis2.htm
The Acoustic Guitar-Michael Wegen Picks
http://www.acousticguitar.net/home.html
eNut etc
http://www.monteallums.com/Stretch_Tuning_DW.html
The Buzz Feiten Tuning System
http://www.buzzfeiten.com/
Greatstrings.com
http://www.greatstrings.com/
MelBay.com: Pocket Tones Guitar Tuner
http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=PT01
The Lute Hole Company
http://www.lutehole.com/
Strings and Beyond
http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/
Just Strings
http://www.juststrings.com
Mother's Car Waxes
http://www.mothers.com/
RESOURCES
BUILDING
Stephen Delft’s Compensated Nut
http://www.mimf.com/nutcomp/
Roy Noble Tools
http://www.roynoble.net/tools.html
Scott van Linge Guitars/parabolic brace works
http://www.vanlingeguitars.com/
Graphite Store
http://www.graphitestore.com/cat.asp/spcat_id/2
Chladni-patterns of a guitar top plate
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/guitar/patterns_engl.html
Guitar construction
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/guitaracoustics/construction.html#bracing
Guitar acoustics
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/guitar/
Fine Guitar Brace Shaving by Scott van Linge
http://www.fineguitarconsultants.com/rep.htm
Adding the Top
http://community.middlebury.edu/~sax/guitar_building/assembling_top.htm
Guitar Photo Gallery
http://community.middlebury.edu/~sax/guitar_building/guitar.htm
Roo Glue Products, Inc
http://www.rooglue.com/index.html
Setting Neck Angle - KMG
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/neckangle.html
Cumpiano neck joint
http://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Articles/Special%20interest/headblock.html
SmartFlix, How-To DVD Rental Store
http://smartflix.com/index.php?main_page=index
NPR : The Music of Guitar Wood
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6665726
Titebond Glues www.Titebond.com
http://titebond.com/ProductLineTB.asp?prodline=9∏cat=3
Gurian Instruments
http://www.gurianinstruments.com/index.php
CASES
Cedar Creek Cases
http://www.cedarcreekcases.com/index.php
174
Guitar Flight Case Guitar Road Cases
http://www.casextreme.com/
MARTIN 12-fret000 CASE, - Elderly
http://elderly.com/accessories/items/GCMA-00012F.htm
GWW Group, Inc.
http://www.gwwcases.com/index.htm
FESTIVALS (MY FAVORITES)
Healdsburg Guitar Festival (California) (Odd Years)
http://www.festivalofguitars.com/
Newport Guitar Festival (Rhode Island) (Even Years)
http://www.newportguitarfestival.com/
Swallow Hill: Denver’s Home for Folk, Roots and Acoustic Music
http://www.swallowhill.com/index.htm
The Black Rose Acoustic Society Home Page
http://www.blackroseacoustic.org/index.htm
Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival
http://www.seamanevents.com/midwinter/index.html
BluegrassFestivalGuide.com
http://bluegrassfestivalguide.com/
Walnut Valley Festival - Winfield, Kansas
http://www.wvfest.com/
Colorado Bluegrass Music Festival on the Western Slope
http://www.pickinparlor.net/
FINISHING
Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil Finishing
http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/
System Three.com - Epoxy Resin Products
http://www.systemthree.com/index_2.asp
Waterborne finishing/epoxy
http://www.doolinguitars.com/waterborne/instructions.html
Target Coatings Inc. Water Based Wood Coatings
http://targetcoatings.com/
Z-Poxy Finishing Resin
http://www.lmii.com
Tower Hobbies Product/Price Listings
http://www.towerhobbies.com/listings.html
RESOURCES
Dakota Art Brushes (Best Price on DaVinci Watercolor brushes)
http://www.dakotabrushes.com/index_wc_flat_synth_davinci.asp
French Polish Intro 1
http://www.milburnguitars.com/fpintro.html
WoodWorkStuff Finishing Related
http://woodworkstuff.net/woodidxfin.html
A Perfect Finish
http://www.io.com/~richardr/writing/APerfectFinish/
McFadden Musical Instrument Finishing Products
http://www.lawrence-mcfadden.com/music.php
KTM-9 Waterbased finishes
http://ktmfinishes.proboards7.com/index.cgi
CrystaLac Waterborne Finishing Products
http://www.crystalac.com/
Minwax
http://www.minwax.com/products/floors/reviver-direct.cfm
Wunderfill Waterbased Pore Filler
http://www.rockler.com
Enduro Waterbased Pore Filler
http://www.generalfinishes.com
INTONATION
Ask the Luthier-Intonation (Mike Doolin, Luthier)
http://www.doolinguitars.com/intonation/intonation1.html
LUTHIER SCHOOLS
Colorado School of Lutherie
http://www.evd303.com/school.html
Guitar College - Home Study Guitar Courses
http://www.guitarcollege.com/
Hoffman Guitars
http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/STEP%20BY%20STEP%20-%201.htm
American Sschool of Lutherie
http://www.americanschooloflutherie.com/
Fleishman Instruments
http://www.fleishmaninstruments.com/lsi.html
Roberto Venn School of Luthiery
http://www.roberto-venn.com/
176
LUTHIERS' WEBSITES
Just browsing through these will give you great inspiration, ideas,and
education. Almost all sites show building procedures. A lot of what I
have learned and used was gotten from spending time studying these
experts. Those in CAPITALS sell kits and are reviewed in this book.
Collings Guitars
http://www.collingsguitars.com/
Walden Guitars
http://www.waldenguitars.com/
James Olson Guitars
http://www.olsonguitars.com/
Alan Carruth, Luthier
http://www.alcarruthluthier.com/
Breedlove Guitars
http://www.breedloveguitars.com/main.html
Robert O'Brien Guitars
http://www.obrienguitars.com
Dave Faoite Guitars
http://www.defaoiteguitars.com/home_7310.php
Mike Doolin Guitars
http://www.doolinguitars.com/
James Goodall Guitars
http://www.goodallguitars.com/index.htm
Kevin Ryan Guitars
http://www.ryanguitars.com/
Charles Hoffman Guitars
http://www.hoffmanguitars.com/
H. G. Leach Guitars
http://www.leachguitars.com/
Lance McCollum Guitars
http://www.mccollumguitars.com/
Brook Guitars
http://www.brookguitars.com/index2.html
John Greven Guitars
http://www.grevenguitars.com/index.htm
William (Grit) Laskin - Guitar Maker/Inlay Artist
http://www.williamlaskin.com/
Baxendale & Baxendale Custom Guitars
http://www.baxendaleguitars.com/
Paul Hostetter, Luthier
http://www.lutherie.net/index.html Home Page
RESOURCES
Blanchard Guitars
http://blanchardguitars.com/
Clarksdale Guitars
http://www.clarksdaleguitars.com/
Dana Bourgeois Guitars
http://www.bourgeoisguitars.com
Turner Renaissance Guitars by Rick Turner
http://www.renaissanceguitars.com/
Hamblin Guitars
http://www.hamblin-guitars.com/
Webber Guitars
http://www.webberguitars.com/
Morgan Guitars
http://www.morganguitars.com/
Kathy Wingert Guitars
http://www.wingertguitars.com/
Mauel Guitars Home
http://www.mauelguitars.com/
Gerald Sheppard Guitars
http://www.sheppardguitars.com/
William Cumpiano Guitars
http://www.cumpiano.com/
Randy Reynolds Classical Guitars
http://www.reynoldsguitars.com/
Borges Guitars
http://www.borgesguitars.com
Mueller Double Top Classical Guitars
http://www.classicalguitars.ca/index.html
Hill Guitar Company
http://www.hillguitar.com/
Jeff Traugott Guitars
http://www.traugottguitars.com/
Engraving by Paul Bordeaux Inlay
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com/
John Mayes Music.com
http://mayesmusic.com/
Lance Kragenbrink Guitars
http://kragenbrinkguitars.com/
Cree Studios -- Restoration
http://www.creestudios.com/
Fred Carlson Guitars
http://www.beyondthetrees.com/
178
Gurian Instruments
http://www.gurianinstruments.com/
George Lowden | Luthier
http://www.georgelowden.com/
Sylvan Wells Guitars
http://wellsguitars.com/
BLUES CREEK GUITARS
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com/
Ellis Custom Acoustic Guitar Workshop.
http://www.ellisguitars.com/workshop.html
Paul McGill Guitars
http://www.mcgillguitars.com/newmcgillhtml/superace_sub_1.htm
Kinnaird Handcrafted Acoustic Guitars
http://www.kinnairdguitars.com/
Guitar Makers - The Bluegrass Guitar Home Page
http://bluegrassguitar.com/makers.html
Lucas Custom Instruments
http://www.lucasguitars.com/
Mario Proulx Lutherie
http://www.proulxguitars.com/guitars/t_dreads.htm
Ken Miller Guitars
http://www.kenmillerguitars.com/
Nashville Guitar Company
http://www.nashguitar.com/index.html
Applegate Guitars
http://applegateguitars.com/
Rushing Guitars
http://www.rushingguitars.com/
Karol Custom Guitars
http://www.karol-guitars.com/pages/1/index.htm
Tom Young Guitar
http://www.tomyoungguitar.com/
Linda Manzer Guitars
http://www.manzer.com/
Welcome to the CB Guitars
http://www.cbguitars.com/
Griffin String Instrument
http://www.museweb.com/griffin/
True North Guitars
http://www.truenorthguitars.com/
Andrew White Guitars
http://www.whiteguitars.net/
RESOURCES
Brian Kimsey Lutherie
http://www.bryankimsey.com/music/lutherie.htm
KENNETH MICHAEL GUITARS
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/
John How Guitars
http://www.johnhowguitars.com/
Larry Stamm, Luthier
http://www.larrystamm.com/
Clearport Guitars
http://members.aol.com/rogluthier/clearport.html
Laurie Williams Guitars - Welcome
http://www.guitars.co.nz/
Chris Larkin Custom Guitars
http://www.chrislarkinguitars.com/
Santa Cruz Guitar Company
http://www.santacruzguitar.com/index.html
Paul Woolson Guitars
http://www.woolsonsoundcraft.com/
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneguitar.com/
Ervin Somogyi: Guitars and Artwork
http://www.esomogyi.com/
Howard Klepper Guitars
http://www.klepperguitars.com
Tim McKnight Guitars
http://mcknightguitars.com/index.html
STEVEN KOVACIK GUITARS
http://www.guitar-repair.com
TOOLS AND PARTS
Blues Creek Guitars (John F. Hall, Jr, owner)
www.BluesCreekGuitars.com
Kenneth Michael Guitars (KMG) (Ken Cierpilowski, owner)
LuthierSuppliers (Tracy Leveque)
www.LuthierSuppliers.com
Custom Saddles (Bob Colosi)
http://www.guitarsaddles.com/
Grizzly Industrial -- Product Selection
http://www.grizzly.com/
180
Graph Tech TUSQ Guitar Parts
http://www.graphtech.com/product_display.asp
Vintage Ventures Accessories From Alaskan Fossilized Walrus Ivory
http://www.guitarivory.com/
Luthiers Mercantile International
http://www.lmii.com/
eNut Tuning System
http://www.monteallums.com/Stretch_Tuning_DW.html
Welcome to Timeless Timber
http://www.oldlogs.com/
Stewart-MacDonald
http://www.stewmac.com/
Fossil Ivory Guitar Accessories
http://www.fossilivory.com/
Guitarjigs.com: Your source for custom Jigs
http://www.guitarjigs.com/
Tilt Laminate Trimmer
http://www.tools-plus.com/p-c7319.html
Luthiers Friend: small precision model thickness sander
http://www.luthiersfriend.com/
BrandNew Industries Custom Branding Irons
http://www.brandnew.net/
Welcome to Hana Lima ‘Ia
http://hanalima.com/tooltips_gobardeck.shtml
Building a Guitar Mold
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/DaveKit/dave/Buildingamold.htm
Bridge Pin ~ Size Guide
http://guitargal.com/vvpin.html
Nut Files (Round Edge)
http://www.grobetusa.com/ProductDescriptions/jointroundedge.html
Metal/Hydraulic Side Bender
http://www.guitarsidebender.com/
Micro-Mark: The Small Tool Specialists
http://www.micromark.com/
WOOD
Luthiers Mercantile International
http://www.lmii.com
SpruceTonewood.com
http://www.sprucetonewood.com/pages/1/index.htm
RESOURCES
International Luthiers Supply
http://www.internationalluthiers.com/violinrepairbooks.php
Good Wood Resource Center
http://www.certifiedwood.org/
Allied Lutherie
http://www.alliedlutherie.com/
Welcome to RCTonewoods
http://www.rctonewoods.rcefaluguitars.com/index.html
Wood & Forestry Information
http://www.luthierwood.com/Forestry%20links.htm
Acoustic Guitars Wood Types
http://www.santacruzguitar.com/woods/acousticguitarwoods.html
Graphite
http://www.graphitestore.com/
Exotic Woods
http://www.exoticwoods.com/
Gilmer Wood Company Neck Blank Page
http://www.gilmerwood.com/instrument_wood-necks.htm
Guitar Neck Blanks - Bell Forest Products
http://www.bellforestproducts.com/guitar_neck.html
Necks Main
http://www.xstrange.com/necksmain.html
Acoustic Guitar Necks
http://www.ellisguitars.com/acoustic_guitar_neck.html
Wood Toxicity
http://www.collinsclubs.com/woodworkers/activities/wood_toxicity_chart.html
Gurian Instruments
http://www.gurianinstruments.com/index.php
Robert O'Brien Guitars
http://www.obrienguitars.com
182
Books
The books listed here are all favorites of mine. As your
guitarmaking interest grows, you'll find you need to take a
weekend off to build something mundane: A bookshelf!
These are all available through links on KitGuitarManuals.com. If you buy through those links, any referral fees
go to supporting the Kit Guitar Forum so it can stay free!
Guitarmaking:Tradition and Technology
(William R. Cumpiano and Jonathan D. Natelson.) This
book is recommended often. It’s one of the classics.
William Cumpiano is one of the most respected luthiers
in the USA, and has been for some time. In this large
book (388 pages, 10.75” x 8/25”), you will find the kind
of information that is not included in any kit manual:
The “why’s” of what you are doing. The book is well illustrated with drawings, diagrams and photos. It book
doesn't address guitar kits at all, because kits weren't
widely available when it was published.
Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar
(Jonathan Kinkead) This is a full-color book, with the most
excellent photographs you’ll find of each process being
carried out. The book offers a lot of information about
the tools specifically used in making a guitar by hand,
such as scrapers and how to sharpen them, etc. Its
size is 8.5” x 11.0”, 160 pages. The full-size plan included is expertly drawn and represents the complete
construction details of an OM/000-28-style instrument.
This could be the most helpful book out there for the
beginning scratch builder, and will be very helpful to kit
builders for its coverage of tools and their use.
A Guitar Maker’s Manual_
(Jim Williams ) With its plastic comb binding, this book has
RESOURCES
the advantage that it will open flat and stay there. Great
for reading with your morning cereal, or working on a
guitar. The book is 9” x 12”, 104 pages, and includes
not only full-size plans for both OM-style steel string,
but also classical guitars. It features diagrams for building many of the tools described in the book.
Clapton’s Guitar
(Allen St. John) Read it for fun and inspiration (I've done
it twice, and will again.) From its title, you would think
Eric Clapton was in the book. Wrong, except for a single
photograph of Clapton sitting with the recording-studio
owner who introduced him to a guitar built by Wayne
Henderson. The book is actually about Wayne Henderson, getting to know the man as you look over his
shoulder and watch him build a fine guitar for Eric Clapton. It’s not only informative in a “how to build a guitar” way, but it is also a heart-warming book. It reveals
Henderson, a backcountry ex-mailman who has built
guitars all his life, as a complex, humorous, interesting
individual that just about everybody wants to meet after
reading the book. One of the most entertaining books
I’ve ever read, on several levels.
Guitar Player Repair Guide
(Dan Erlewine) Expanded/updated Second Edition. The author of this book is a nationally recognized guitar repair
expert. You will at some point have a guitar problem,
or you will want to adjust something on the guitar you
have just built. This book explains in excellent detail,
with diagrams and photos, just how to accomplish the
repairs you can do yourself -- and when it is best not
to try them yourself. This should be on every guitar
player’s bookshelf.
~ More >>
184
The Luthier's Handbook
(Roger Siminoff) As one of the pioneers of handbuilt guitars, and one of the first individuals to use electronic
gear to analyze what he was doing and why, Mr. Siminoff is one of the acknowledged experts in the field of
luthery. This book will give you background knowledge
that would take years (if not decades) to learn. (8.5" x
11", 92 pages, illustrated.) This is one of the most valuable books in my entire library.
The Art of Tap Tuning
(Roger Siminoff) Another indispensable book, this one,
also by Siminoff, is the only book on this subject available. Tap tuning is a mystery to jst about everyone until
they've built a number of guitars, taken careful notes,
and learned the hard way. Now, Siminoff offers information never available before. A DVD is included that
offers the opportunity to hear, not just read, about the
results of tap tuning. (8.5" x 11", 48 pages, illustrated,
with DVD.) If you ever intend to shave a brace, this is
the bok you should read before doing it!
Luthiers Mercantile International Catalog
No kidding. Go to LMII's website (www.lmii.com) and order
one of these, or buy anything and ask them to include
a free catalog. The explanations of the tools, and the
information about wood, is absolutely essential. The
illustrated catalog is one of my best references.
Stewart-MacDonald Catalog
Ditto! When you order something or request one of these,
you'll be amazed at the wealth of information contained
in it. Just give your wife the credit card until your Tool
Acquisition Nerves stop chattering.
RESOURCES
DVD's
The digital revolution has been a boon for all of us in
the communications business. Everyone who can is putting out a DVD. (Mine will be out soon.)
The DVD's below are all part of my private collection
or have been rented from www.SmartFlix.com (the Netflix
of instructional videos).
Build A Steel String Guitar with Robert O’Brien (and)
Guitar Finishing with Robert O’Brien (and)
Build A Classical Guitar with Robert O’Brien
Available from Publisher: www.apprenticepublishing.com (or through Luthier's Mercantile: lmii.com)
Author’s Website: www.obrienguitars.com
These DVD's are collections of still photos, narrated
by O’Brien, and covering every detail of building and finishing an LMI Basic (unserviced) Kit. This means that the
kit arrives as a box of wood, unbent, unshaped, unthicknessed, uncut. The length of the DVDs is not specified
(except for the Finishing DVD, which is 102 minutes), but
they're all long enough to get you all the way to the point
where you’re out looking for a case for your new guitar!
In excellent detail, O’Brien calmly explains and shows
the entire process of creating a nice OM guitar from the
LMI kit. The DVD, which is available through Luthiers Mercantile, is also available through O’Brien’s own website,
and through Apprentice Publishing.
If you buy a kit from LMI, this DVD comes with it (unless you already have it, in which case you can opt to save
some money on shipping instead of accepting the DVD).
And, if you buy a DVD from LMI, then within 90 days order
a kit, they’ll take off the DVD purchase price. Not bad.
The Finishing DVD is not included with kits, but if you
purchase a Classical Guitar Kit, you can receive O'Briens's
Classical building DVD with the kit.
186
Building an Acoustic Guitar Kit
Published by Stewart-MacDonald, Inc.
This is an introduction to guitar building through the
building of a Stewmac Dreadnought kit, but most of the
techniques can be used for the Triple-O kit as well. This
DVD is also an excellent choice for any builder of a Martin
kit, since Martin does not provide adequate instructional
materials.
The Stewmac instruction set is the best. The
VHS tape has been replaced by an updated
DVD that is available for separate purchase.
Dan Erlewine joins Todd Sams to show details and
tips of most guitar building steps. It fills in a lot of gaps
that the instruction book might not clearly explain. This
DVD is included with Stewmac acoustic guitar kits!
Also, on the Stewmac website (www.stewmac.com),
you will find a lot of free information: Take advantage of
it! (It's there as a marketing tool. It works well for them,
I'm sure!)
Forums
The Kit Guitar Builder's Discussion Forum
www.KitGuitarForum.com
I started this forum in March, 2006, and have been
gratified that it has grown in membership steadily. The
guys on the forum are all helpful, friendly, polite. I have
yet to read a single sharp word from anyone about anything. We (including me) ask the elementary questions,
the kinds you sometimes hesitate to ask on other forums. We're all beginners or were such recently.
The forum is free, and if possible, I will keep it that
way.
No obligation to join. Read all of it without registering.
RESOURCES
Acoustic Guitar Magazine Forums Luthiers Corner
http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi
The "Luthier's Corner" is a place where you can ask
questions about guitar building. But, careful: Do some
research first. Questions asked that could be easily answered with a little research on your part might get you
no response.
The Musical Instrument Maker's Forum (MIMF)
www.mimf.com
This is a huge forum, offering many resources. It is
somewhat more friendly than most. The members of
the forum are some of the accomplished pros from the
"Luthier's Websites" list, along with proud first-time
builders.
The Official Luthiers Forum
www.luthiersforum.com
Another large forum and very similar to the MIMF
in that its members are very helpful and knowledgeable.
FRETS.COM
Of all the internet websites created over the years, one stands
out.
Frank Ford is the creator of the
site and probably the leading acoustic guitar repair expert in the USA.
His website is the encyclopedia of
guitar work. Nothing is missed.
The site is www.frets.com.
Frank's DVD, titled "Frets.com,"
naturally, is available through the
website or through LMII.com, where
Mr. Ford is their guru of guitar construction and repair.
Got a question about frets,
strings, braces, top removal, back
removal, wood, tuners, pick guards,
history of various guitar types, or
anything else having to do with a
guitar?
The answer is on Frets.com.
Target Coatings Finishing Forum
www.targetcoatings.com/forum
We all need a lot of help in this complicated area of
building. If you are planning on using Target's Oxford
line of finishes, this is a good place to get all the lowdown on them.
Buy the CD: www.Frets.com.
Other Forums and sites
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the guitar
forums on the internet. But, how many can you join?
This is NOT a paid ad, but a
personal testimonial!
188
TWO BUILDING LOGS: MARTIN AND STEWMAC KITS
CHAPTER 12
Building Logs:
Martin Jumbo
&
Stewmac Dread
I
present these logs here, not as a "how-to," because
they contain my errors, as a glimpse into the "real"
building experience. These were the second and third
guitar kits I started, and both have been successfully completed only recently because of some real life (and two
other kits built in the middle) that got in the way. I've left
the mistakes in place: We can all learn from them.
The Martin Jumbo is mahogany back, sides and neck,
and Sitka spruce top, with a rosewood fretboard. I used
the Martin tuners that came with the kit, but I have noticed
some slippage with them.
The Stewmac Dreadnought is Indian Rosewood back
and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, and sitka
spruce top. I built it "absolutely stock," because I had not
done that before and wanted to make at least one kit the
way the kit manufacturer designed it.
I am quite (actually very) happy with both guitars.
FUNCTION
Opened kit, read booklet, etc.
Tools: Made turnbuckle clamps & cauls
Tools: Fitted Body Mold to Rim
Rim: Glued Neck and Tail Block to Rim
Back: Glued the 2 neck braces to back
Back: Glued the two tail braces to back
Back: Made mahogany center strips
Back: Glued the center strips in
Rim: Sanded kerfing down (back)
Rim: Marked, notched kerfs for braces
Set aside rim and back
Top: Fitted top to rim to check
9/24 Top: Finish with small side finger braces
9/25 Top: Began Shaping Braces.
9/23 Top: Glued X Braces &
9/23 Top: Glued tone bars, soundhole struts
9/23 Top: Replaced "stock" bridge plate
9/17
9/18
9/19
9/20
9/21
9/21
9/22
9/22
9/16 Back: Sanded both sides of the back.
9/17 Tools: Assembled Go Bar rack
9/17 Back: Figured out how to curve back
9/15 Back: Glued 2 back plates together
9/12 Rim: Glued Kerfing to Top side of rim
9/13 Rim: Glued Kerfing to Back side of rim
9/14 Rim: Made small side braces & Glued
DATE
9/1
9/11
9/11
9/11
1.00 Not difficult; measured curvature on the body mold.
0.50 Body mold and Rim slightly Different Shapes; not major
1.00 Made blocks flush with top; Way off on back -- The Tail block
was short of the rim; the neck block was too tall by 3/16"!
1.50 Left some sticking up for curvature of top
1.50 Left 1/16" above rim to sand down to match curve of back.
2.00 Made my own out of 1/8" mahogany; none in kit; mine look
better anyway.
2.00 Nervous. Never did this step before. I missed the strip they said
was included to go between the pieces. I won't know for sure
until next day if I've done it okay. Hope so. Resist temptation to look!
1.00 Inspected the join: It's good. Seam doesn't show. Sanded sides level.
0.50 First time to use this thing!
0.25 Foam on base with Kerfing along sides; the foam allows the
braces to conform the top to their curvature.
0.50 Wow, its so easy with this Go bar Rack. Great tool.
0.50 Yep, definitely more easy than using clamps.
1.00 I didn't like the material that Martin provided.
0.50 Pretty easy; used the go bars.
0.50 Freehand sanding -- Guessing at the angle; pretty close I think.
2.00 Got the back to snap right on. Better this time than with first kit!
0.00 Secured the back to the rim w/big rubber bands to let it settle.
0.00 Just to see; odd that the neck block sticks up above the rim, but
otherwise everything fits. The top is sized very close to the rim.
1.00 Love the go bars! Gluing braces is way easier than clamping.
1.00 Need to study some jumbo bracing to figure out how I will shape these
1.00 Used a bridge plate of E.I.Rosewood to make my own; didn't like the
maple and wanted brighter trebles. Rosewood should work nicely.
0.50 Now all are glued; will shape & trim them later.
1.50 Researching .. Found Pantheon/Dana Bourgeois, who uses a single
scalloped X-brace, bracing the treble side more strongly. His bracing is
scalloped on the bass side (looser) and straight on the treble (rigider)
to balance these tones in larger bodies. So, I did this, too.
TIME COMMENT
Page 1 of 8 Martin Jumbo Kit
190
Martin Jumbo Building Log - pg 1
10/11 Body: Top glued up Okay.
10/10 Body: TODAY, I glued rim to the top!
10/2 Body: TODAY, I glue rim to the top
10/1 Researching, etc., gluing top to rim
9/30 Still figuring ….
10/1 Body: Today, I glue the top to the rim
9/29 Body: Figuring out how to glue top …
9/28 Rim: Sand and notch kerfing for Top.
9/26 Top: Finished Shaping Braces.
4.00 Near DISASTER … I did a dry run with the rubber bands and cam
cam clamps, seemed okay. Then glued it for real and … got it on
crooked. Glue almost set hard by the time I got the clamps and
rubbers off. Pulled the top of the rim, wiped what glue I could and
spent the next 2.5 hours cleaning glue off the rim kerfing and the
rim of the top.
1.00 Decided my first scheme won't work. Second scheme is to use the
Go Bar Deck. With only 16 fiberglass rods, I need more. Can't find
any. Got 5/16 hardwood dowels at Hobby Lobby; they'll work.
2.00 Nope. Tried using 5/16 dowels; no go. They put too much pressure
the body. Ordered 14 more sticks from www.bluescreekguitars.com,
run by John Hall. While waiting for them, I am starting construction of
my Stewart-MacDonald Dreadnought kit.
Waiting … waiting … waiting …
1.00 Finally, the new sticks arrived -- at the same time my son did on his
first visit from college, so, I put it off until today. Then, it went pretty
well, I think. The sticks slipped a couple times, once putting a dent in
the top. But, it looks like the process will work just fine. I'll know for
sure tomorrow when I remove the sticks and check the joint.
0.25 Wasn't perfect … the kerfing, on the inside, glued nice and flush, but
around the outside, there were some 1/64" gaps between the rim and
top, indicating that I didn't have the kerfing sanded down at a shallow
enough angle. I don't know if this affects the sound. Cosmetically, it
is no big deal, since the binding will cover the gaps.
1.00 Nice (low E!) fundamental tap tone on lower bout. Treble tap is G or
G sharp; hoping this is high enough; don't know for sure and can't
find additional info on it.
1.00 Got top fitted; back is fitted. Ready to glue. What about removing the
rim from the mold? Do I need to set up something to brace it?
1.00 Problem: I can't use the spindle clamps along the sides when the top
is glued on while the body is in the outside body mold. If I remove
the rim from the mold, it loses all shape and can't be reliably glued
into the correct shape. I don't trust the top and its accuracy to form
the actual shape of the rim, though possibly I should …
1/27 Sanded sides smooth, straight
1/1 Happy New Year!
12/31 Routed the overhangs to the side
12/31 Back to the guitar after a long hiatus
10/12 Body: Glued Back onto Rims
10/11 Body: Trying to square up end blocks
10/11 Body: Squaring the end blocks?
0.25 Trying to figure out how to square up the end blocks -- especially the
neck block. If I square up the inside of the blocks, are they square
enough that the outside of the blocks will be squared up with the top?
1.00 Opened up dovetail. How to square up the ends? Maybe no big deal
with this guitar, but I can't imagine that. Later in the instructions, they
say to be sure that the sides around the neck dovetail opening are
flat and even. They don't mention whether this area needs to be
square to the top in any way, so I figure it doesn't matter as much. I
will just go ahead and glue on the back without worrying too much. It
seems that the adjustment of the neck angle, etc., is all done during
the neck fitting step … fitting of the dovetail, etc. The instructions for
this kit really are not helpful; many questions not answered, etc.
2.00 To do this, I removed the rims from the outside mold. I also did a bit
of reading to find out if the neck block absolutely had to be square,
and did not read anywhere that it had to be perfectly square, since the
neck dovetail is where it's all done. So, I did the glueup. The back
went on a whole lot easier than the top, since I could use the spindle
clamps. As usual, a dry run, and measuring each spindle clamp for its
exact position around the rim, helped me work quickly. I also built a
little "platform" to lift the whole thing off the surface of my work table.
This made it possible to slip the clamps on with my two hands, and
not having to struggle to lift and hold the body up at the same time.
I publish a magazine from my home; this 2 months is nose to stone!
But now it's done and off to the printer, and I can do what I enjoy!
1.00 Today I fired up the router and laid into those overhanging edges of
the top and back -- up to 1/4 inch in some places. The Router, along
the "guitar vise" I made, worked pretty well.
1.00 Today, I scraped the sides and edges down smooth and straight, in
preparation for routing the binding and purfling channels. (Or maybe
I did the sanding and scraping to "put off" that scary routing job!?!)
The body was rough, the sides were not perfect … so I got out my
1.00 new Porter Cable Random Orbit sander, put on some 150 grit discs,
and sanded the body down. Now, the sides are almost perfect, and
will be made so during the final pore filling/sanding/finishing. I made
one stupid mistake; I overestimated the thickness of the sides and I
192
4/11 Cleaned up Binding, Purfling
4/7 Binding and Purfling
3.00
2.00
1.00
3/24 Routing the top
3/27 Built a Spray Booth
1.00
n/a
3/15 Back To It -- ROUTING!
3/10 First Guitar For A Real Client
3/3 www.KitGuitarBuilder.com and KGF
underestimated the power and effectiveness of the sander … and on
the treble side of the upper bout, I sanded all the way through the
side and into the kerfed lining. I filled the kerfs with wood filler, but I
still don't know how or if I can disguise the error. Like they say, "It
ain't a mistake unless you can't fix it." Well, this might be a mistake!
I am pretty unhappy with myself for this -- it's a learning thing -- one
of those errors that a lack of experience causes, not to happen again!
The GAP in time was due to the creating and getting online of this new
website. Actually two of them: KitGuitarBuilder.com/KitGuitarForum.com
which both went online March 3, 2006. They are doing well, but are
taking up a lot of my time.
Mr. Wayne Gage, of Paducah KY, has contacted me and we have
agreed that I will build for him a Stewmac 000, with Adirondack
top, and deliver it in 90 days. He wanted to support the website!
After setting aside time to build this guitar, and finishing it, the customer
later on (in July) rejected it unseen and got his money back. Sold it later
to an optometrist in Oregon who saw it on my KGB website. Okay ending.
The routing of the binding channels scared me up to now. I have now
"perfected" my router guide, and have purchased a new router out of
necessity. Ryobi cordless; easier to manage. With the router guide
mounted, the cutting of the channels is very easy. After getting all set
up in my little room, it took only 10 minutes to actually do the work,
and it came out 99.9% perfect.
Today, I routed the top for purfling and binding, using my little router
guide. PERFECT! Didn't take long, and it was done without error.
I spent four days building a spray booth that raises to the ceiling, out
of the way, and lowers to the floor for use, guitars hanging inside.
Glued binding to back and binding and purfling to the top. It wouldn't
have taken this long, except I taped the sides of the guitar using
blue painter's tape (easy release) so I wouldn't have to sand away the
glue runs.
This took awhile, because I wanted to be as careful as possible and
do as close to perfect a job as I could. It came out real, real well! The
scraping of the sides revealed an almost perfect joint between all the
binding and the back and sides. I used brown Tortoise shell?) binding on the
3.00
1.00
2.00
2.50
4/13 DOVETAIL NECK JOINT - ARGH!
4/14 Mounted the neck, Truss rod, etc
4/14 Fretted the fretboard
4/19 Install Tuners
guitar, and it contrasts well with the mahogany. I didn't yet do the top.
I also did my best to use an epoxy/sanding-dust mixture to fix the
place where I sanded through; didn't work real well, but maybe after
staining the mahogany, it won't show as much. (Fingers crossed.)
I read as much as I could find on this procedure, gathered my tools,
and started. Three hours later, I had a perfect joint. So, what was all
the fuss about from everybody? I found, of course that the Martin
minimanual was better than I expected on this partiuclar step, though
it still didn't give enough info to really do the job. Anyway, I got the
angle of the neck laterally and vertically about as good as I could
ever hope. Tools used: Sanding block, carbon paper, file, steel ruler
with 60-grit sandpaper glued to it.
I found that getting the truss rod inserted into its proper space in the
neck block was not possible with the neck joint finished. Not sure if
I did the neck joint incorrectly, though I don't think so since it was
seated properly. The truss rod just didn't fit into the space between
the top brace and the routed channel for the rod. So, I did a bit of
customizing; filed through the top brace to make enough room for
the rod. Now it's fine.
The Martin kits are faster on this step than the Stewmac kits. They
send a neck that is already trimmed and pin-indexed to the neck,
which is already carved. It was a quick job to glue in the little dots of
Mother of Pearl (the holes are already there!). Then, cutting and
mounting the frets, trimming them and filing the sharp ends down
was a quick process. I still need to secure the frets better though.
The Martin MiniManual has a grand total of four words -- by way of
instruction on installing the tuners, and they require two separate
sizes of holes to be drilled! If I hadn't just finished installing the
Taylor tuners in the Stewmac Dreadnought, it would have taken me a
lot longer. As it was, it took long enough! The manual does include a
one-page template, though it is inaccurate and does not match the
size of the peghead: Though it appears to be exact, it isn't. It does
include the measurements, though, and mapping them out on the
peghead itself took about an hour. Then, I drilled the 5/16 holes, and
then the 25/64 holes on my drill press. Thank goodness for the $40
194
1.00
4/27 Neck Finished except peghead
Eight months! It's been 8 months since I worked on this guitar!
0.50 Put Poly on back. Worked okay for first coat.
0.50 Poly on side. Looks like crap. Sanded it off. What to do?
1.00 Sanded thru again; too aggressive. Dang! Put coats of vinyl sealer on sides
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
4/23 Glued on, shaped Neck Heel cap
4/24 Pore Filling neck
Sanded and wash Coat Body
Set Up Bridge Position
Started Pore Filling Body
continue Pore Filling
Continue Pore Filling
Pore filling done
2007! Long time away from this guitar
Sanded lightly: Began finishing with Poly
Poly on one Side
Sanded off poly on side.
1.00
4/22 Glued in truss rod, glued on fretboard
5/1
7/1
7/2
7/3
7/4
7/4
3/5
3/5
3/6
3/7
0.25
4/19 Put in Fretboard side Dots
4/19 Note on the Martin Minimanual
drillpress and $20 complete set of bits!
Anyway, I got it done and the tuners are all installed.
Reading through the handbook, I have found only four words on installing
the tuners: "Install the tuning machines." The "installation" of the
stick-on pick guard gets five lines immediately after the tuner's words.
This is the most ridiculously underwritten, oversimplified, useless
pseudo-manual on building a guitar in the industry. It's unconscionable
to send a kit out that has all the intricacies of an acoustic guitar, with
such a poor effort. The author, Dick Boak, is a good artist, and he is
passable as a writer, but his skill at creating a step-by-step manual is
absolutely inadequate. Martin should be ashamed: It would be better
for them to do no manual at all rather than this sloppy, sketchy job.
Having just done this on the Stewmac Dread fretboard, everything was
already out and ready, even the plastic was from the Stewmac kit.
Glued and clamped fretboard on after making sure the truss rod, etc.,
would clear the opening with the dovetail neck mount. Earlier, I had
thought I would not be able to glue the fretboard to the neck until
after the neck was glued on the body; that won't be necessary now.
Used rosewood for the cap; I didn't like the white plastic in the kit.
(I have finally located a pore filler that I believe will be a success. It
is called "Enduro," and is water based, dries clear, and dries in only
30 minutes. I am more encouraged on finishing now.)
Applying a thin coat of shellac and using a synthetic steel wool pad to
give it a satin finish has made the neck perfect -- I mean, perfect.
All that is left now is the peghead; It will be finished with the guitar.
Shellac wash coat; 1:1 clear and amber.
Used KMG Bridge Setter. Perfect.
1 coat of Enduro Warm Tone on the top, sides.
Sanded off first coat; put on Second Coat
Sanded off Second Coat. Might Be Just About Ready.
Finished sides. Satin Poly on Top
Second Poly on Top.
Sanded Top. Last Poly Coat
Dry Fit and Glue Bridge
3/17 Couldn't glue neck; joint needs adjustmt
3/17 Installed tuning Machines
3/17 Make nut, install
3/14
3/15
3/16
3/17
3/13 Poly on side.
3/11 Sanded back and sides
3/12 Put poly on back
3/11 OVER A YEAR ON THS GUITAR!
3/8 Sanded vinyl sealer
3/10 Vinyl Sealer on Top
3/11 Putting Wipe on Poly on one side.
Okay, I did it. I angled the nut; I took 1/64 off the bass, and 1/32 off the
treble. We'll see what happens. If it doesn't work, I can straighted it out
at 1/32 all the way across.
1.50 I put a bolt into the neck to augment the dovetail glue joint. When I did
the complete Dry Fit of the clamping procedure, I found that the
fingerboard extension on the bass side does not seat perfectly on the
0.50 Sealer has filled pores; sides should look better now.
0.50 Sanded, the top looks real good. Ready to resume finishing.
0.50 I will start -- or resume -- finishing today after it gets warm enough and the
heater stops going off. (It heats my little finishing booth too much.)
I just realized that I have spent over a year working on this guitar. I
started it in September of 2005, and it is now mid-March of 2007! At this
rate, my guitar building won't progress much! Gotta manage my time
better.
I have started and am working hard on the book on Kit Guitar Building,
and it is going well.
1.00 Sanded off top layer of Poly. Will redo it.
0.25 Looks good. Also did headstock. Later went and messed it up with a
fingerprint.
0.50 Sanded headstock. Put poly on side and headstock. Looks good.
Will leave it overnight.
0.50 Easy application; nice top.
0.50 Looks okay.
0.50 Looks Very good.
2.50 Very carefully fitting. Though index holes are drilled, the bridge has a bit
of "play," rotating slightly -- about 1/32 inch, which will throw intonation
off. Spent an hour measuring, making sure of position, then taped down a
metal ruler to abut top of bridge against when all was right. Glued bridge
and will allow to cure overnight; used KMG bridge clamp. Nice, Clean!
1.00 Very nice. Headstock is acceptable; two areas I could NOT get glossy.
2.00 My question: If a compensated nut is a good thing, and is better for the
treble strings, is there any possibility that an offset compensated nut -that is, with the low E string at full scale length, and the High E string at
scale Length minus, say, 1/32", and the line between them a straight line?
196
3/18
3/18
3/19
3/21
3/22
Make neck joint adjustment and glue it
Set up bridge and action.
Done. String it up.
Lowered action at saddle
Put in Strap buttons; found case
80.25
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.50
0.50
upper bout, so I have to make some adjustment in the joint. Too tired to
do it tonite. Will do it tomorrow and glue it.
Glue the neck today and leave it to cure overnight.
Looking forward to this!
Action high, on purpose. Sounds great. Really great!
Took out 1/32 to lower action 1/64 at 12th fret. Easier now.
All set now! This is a very nice guitar! Intonation is absolutely exact; my
idea to slant the nut worked perfectly (to my ears and the tuner), and
every note everywhere on the fretboard is in tune. Marvelous.
I finished this guitar just three months before this book went
to press. I have found that it is one great guitar to play! It is light,
loud and resonant.
Though I am not sold on Martin kits for the first-time builder,
I have nothing else against them. Their instructions are not very
good, but their materials are "very good."
See color photos of the guitar on the cover, and a complete
building log on www.KitGuitarBuilder.com.
Cut some templates, set up to glue
10/3
I discovered a way to hold it all !!
Glued Tail Block to Rim.
10/4
10/4
Glued Neck Block to Rim.
10/3
the two sides to the neck & tail blocks
Opened kit, read booklet, etc.
FUNCTION
10/3
DATE
Then, tape the caul over the wax paper with a long piece of tape that
Now, tape the wax paper in place over the outside of the joing.
rim in place so that the top edge is flat against the work board.
and brick (or the board with vise attached, in my case) to hold the
0.25 Place the rim so that the joint is more or less aligned. Use the board
there's a better way … hmmm. For now, that's the way it is.
at the same time clamp them in the exact position needed. Maybe
position, while they are sliding around with fresh glue on them, and
caul, wax paper, two springy stiff sides and the block, all in the right
1.00 About the same as the previous step. It's not easy to hold the
20 minutes to sand it using 60 grit all purpose. (See Instructions.)
which had to be sanded to a very slight concave radius. Took about
glued, used with clamps to apply even pressure for uniform gluing),
1.00 This requires a "caul," (a piece of wood shaped to the piece being
One Guitar From A Kit, Get It From StewMac.
Martin kit is NOT the one to start with. StewMac is. If You Build Only
tell you what you might need in order to do what they say to do. The
wherein they tell you what to do in a short, terse style, and they don't
need to do. This is sort of in contrast to the Martin kit and materials,
StewMac kits is that they tell you exactly how to do everything you
it is absolutely necessary and valuable. The nice thing about the
2.00 The preparation on these kits can be somewhat time consuming, but
existing 000 manual and kit. I got a great deal; they got good info!
to me by Tom Erlewine as a payment for my detailed input on the
revamped the instructions, etc. The kit I am building here was sent
his staff, with Todd Sams, have built a 000 and Dread and completely
some modifications for the 000. This past summer, Tom Erlewine and
a StewMac 000, the instructions were almost exactly the same, with
Though I haven't built a StewMac Dreadnought before, when I built
1.00 Though I had done this before, I did it again. Refresher course.
TIME COMMENT
Page 1 of 13 Stewmac Dreadnought
Stewmac Dreadnought Building Log - pg 1
198
RIM: Glued kerfing to back.
10/6
BACK: Glued braces onto back
RIM: Glued kerfing to top.
10/5
10/14
Set internal cardboard rim mould
10/5
I'll let it all dry in the Go Bar Deck overnight.
I just used the outside measurement of my calipers.
its edges. Pretty. Measuring each one for the correct length was easy;
enjoying doing it. I sanded each one smooth and put a nice curve on
took awhile to cut to the correct length and sand, because I was
The small center seam braces that go in between the cross braces
of the braces. The curve is perfect.
of the GoBars, into the foam, and is configured perfectly to the shape
The back then is pressed by the braces themselves and the pressure
a couple of 1/8" cauls along the edges, and then glue the braces on.
thickness. I lay the back on it, put a couple of pieces of kerfing and
bottom part of the Go Bar Deck -- about 1/2 inch of foam fabric total
in the instructions), but used my own idea. It is soft padding on the
feature of SM's kits.) Using the Go-Bar Deck, I didn't make a caul (as
ments from the full-size plan provided by Stewart-MacDonald. (A great
2.00 Glued all braces to back. Marked with white pencil, taking measure-
0.50 Glued cedar kerfing to back edge of rim.
0.50 Glued cedar kerfing to top edge of rim.
configure exactly like that plan. Meantime, I can still glue kerfing …
compare the body shape to the full-size plan and set it up to it will
something I should fix before I proceed? Best way, probably is to
they are not braced at all. I wonder why? I wonder, also, if this is
the upper and lower bouts, but it squeezes out at the ends so that
but on this Dreadnought, it is tight around the waist and the sides of
body mold is ingenius. On my 000, it was very tight all the way around
1.00 This is one of the nicest things about the Stewmac kit. The internal
I love it when simple solutions pop up.
clamp it, without having things slip around and get messy. EASY!!
is held in place. It's an easy matter to glue up the block, place it, and
reaches the wood of the sides, beyond the wax paper. Now, everything
TOP: Inserted and glued rosette rings
TOP: Scraped rosette rings down
TOP: Working on Braces
10/16
10/17
10/17
bout; the finger braces stick out toward the sides of the top. These
The Tone Bars are the long braces that join the X in the lower treble
the X-braces to accept the ends of the tone bars and finger braces.
Continuing with the cutting, little notches also need to be cut into
reason is valid at all.
the top at that point, should be thicker/stronger), but I doubt that the
one; I had a reason (that the bottom brace, actually in contact with
that the bottom brace had a shallower cut, and the top brace a deeper
saw. Do this slowly, testing the fit after every small cut. I cut them so
notches in the X-braces where they cross; an easy task with a razor
formed and cut. Before gluing, it's necessary to cut interlocking
the braces, packaged like those for the back, in cellophane and pre-
Next, I opened the little box marked "T" (for Top) and pulled out
holes with light pencil. This created the standard bracing pattern.
at the ends and all intersections of all the braces, then connected the
2.00 I laid the full-size plan onto the inside of the top and made pinholes
of the wood. Not perfect, but okay until I do final sanding of the top.
0.50 Using a scraper, I carefully scraped the ring material down to the level
on the bottom of each channel, then pressing the stuff in. It worked.
medium thickness CyanoAcrilate (CA), spreading a liberal bead of it
rosette within the short time before it would start setting up. I used
the white glue because I couldn't get it into the narrow channels of the
way, preferring LMI White Instrument Maker's Glue. Still, I couldn't use
Gluing: The instructions said to use Titebond; I'm not using it any-
to do it.
trimmed. With care, this can be done accurately; I used a razor blade
not show, isn't trimmed. The center and inner rings need to be
and only had to be trimmed for length. The outer ring, whose ends do
to glue into the pre-cut grooves in the top. The three rings fit perfectly
1.50 In the StewMac Dread kit, the rosette rings come pre-bent and ready
200
10/19
10/18
TOP: Finished gluing top braces
TOP: Begin Gluing on Braces
was made, it was glued in without problems.
angled the braces slightly differently while gluing. Once the new one
first one, after the braces were glued, was short. I had apparently
the bridge plate. I had to make a second bridge plate, because the
worked. Okay. I glued on the finger braces, flat shoulder brace, and
1.00 The cracked brace seems to have healed itself and the CA glue has
it has a break along the grain right at the "X". Hmmm.
CRACK! Okay, now what? The brace is glued to the soundboard, but
Later, having clamped the cracked brace for 3 hours, I glued it on.
X brace and the tall shoulder brace on, using my foampad GB Deck.
CA and set it up to dry for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, glued one
know that it was something I did, but it cracked. I glued it shut with
1.00 CRACK! One of the X braces cracked along the grain. Oops. Don't
tions are definitely quite superior in every way.
kit builder makes. Its materials are as good if not better; its instruc-
the major reason why the StewMac kit should be the first one a new
leaves much up to the builder and leaves much unmentioned, which is
On the Martin Jumbo kit, this is not even mentioned. The Martin kit
It's interesting that StewMac does all of this notching and fitting.
just right.
can be cut and glued after everything else is in place, so they will fit
needs cutting to shape and sanding. The little flat soundhole braces
radiused (like the X braces), and needs no trimming. The flat one
The Shoulder Braces (for the upper bout) are easy. The tall one is
45º notch.
is notched into the X-braces, tucking underneath each of them with a
blank in the kit. Traced from the full-size plan, it's easy to cut. It, too,
Finally, the maple bridge plate needs to be cut out of the maple
are cut at a 45º angle and fitted into notches cut into the X braces.
Made external Foamcore body mold
BODY: Sanded the rims
10/23
10/24
BODY: Made the rim-sanding tool
10/22
external mold on, it measured exactly that both top and bottom!
which is supposed to be 20" exactly -- and found that after I put the
0.50 Cut external molds out of 1/2" Foamcore™. Measured body length,
and back.
Now that the rim-sanding is done, I will go on the gluing of the top
rigid, etc.
half-inch FoamCore™, I'm going to use it; it's lightweight, reasonably
kit, for the same purposes. In fact, since I have an extra piece or two of
Not only that, but this same mold can easily be used on any other
will make great use of this external mold.
still on the work surface. I'm thinking that ROUTING of the sides, later on,
very well for any other steps where the body needs to be held rigid and
This works for the sanding of the rims, of course, but it also works
clamping pressure anywhere on the rim itself.
your work table, and it will hold the body nice and still, without any
to the right level, you can clamp it down to a piece of wood scrap on
The best part, though, is that by slipping that external mold down
make a great external body mold that slips down over the rims.
opening about 3/16" larger (with a Sharpie and a Razor Knife), you can
cardboard with a guitar-shaped opening. By marking and cutting the
internal mold out of the cardboard, and you are left with a piece of
of the cardboard that's left over. That is, just cut the shape of the
if the user will simply cut out the first mold without destroying the part
making the internal body mold, can also provide an External body mold,
another small/easy/cheap tool. The cardboard that came in the kit, for
1.00 With the tools described above , this was so easy! I also came up with
and discovered that the best eyeballing still got it wrong.
time to make it. I attempted to manually do the rims on a Martin Jumbo kit
sanding block with 1.5 and 5 degree sides, is really great and worth the
small, the tools themselves are marvels of ingenuity. This one, the big
1.00 Although the time involved in making some of these little tools is not
202
Body: Glue the back to the rim.
Body: Notched the back rim for braces
10/26
1/27
Body: Notched the top rim for braces
10/25
This guitar building is fun.
tightened before the glue set.
wings with your fingers while you're trying to get all of those things
and the wing nut is quickly secured without having to search for the
and the little channel catches the wings and you twist -- either way --
spool clamp. So, it works like this. Put it down over the bolt and twist,
middle (well, sort of close) I drilled a hole bigger than the bolt of the
into which the "wings" of the nuts would fit. Then, right through the
little round piece of wood 2 inches long. Into one end, I cut a channel
that was round (like most are) and cut off a 2 inch piece. So I had a
So, I got another bright idea. TaDa. I went and found mop handle
for them with your fingers, etc.
Those little wings were a hassle, and turning them meant reaching
to be opened some before it could be slipped on.
plate -- top or back -- would flex a little bit and the clamp would need
done each clamp for about the right opening for where it would go, the
the assembly, or to tighten it, or to do both. (Even though I had pre-
them to the right place, either to back off a little to git the clamp onto
seem to be in the right position, and it took precious seconds to get
little "ears" of the wing nuts (maybe they're called "wings") never did
the rims (24 of them) it has been sort of nerve racking, because the
in the past, when I've attached the spool clamps all the way around
creating a new little helper tool to make it go more quickly. You see,
2.00 Normally, this shouldn't take two hours to do, but I got caught up in
rim.
block's 1.5º side. The sides now fit perfectly flush to the edge of the
sanding block's 5º side, so I resanded parts of the kerfing with the
across the back. The arch of the back is not as pronounced as the
1.50 This is alittle more straightforward, since the braces are all straight
possible. The top is a super close fit - not oversized like the back.
3.00 Took my time on this because I wanted it to be as close to perfect as
Body: Gluing in the Side braces
Top: Trimmed braces, final
11/8
Hit with a BAD Cold - worst in years.
10/29
11/5
BODY: Back glued successfully
10/28
the day and rehumidify.
assembly into my humidified room, along with the top, to stay for
the cardboard inside body molds. I put the newly glued back/rim
Great. Checked the next morning. All snug and secure. Removed
both ends. I'll let the glue dry overnight. Life is good.
"vintage tone" everyone talks about went down the tubes.
warranties, so they started building their guitars more heavy, and the
a great book by the way. Martin was losing money on their lifetime
of stability?" This echoes the feeling in the book "Clapton's Guitar,"
would they lose on their lifetime warranty if they built for tone instead
could they sell if they bellied up below the bridge? How much money
owner of the shop, he said, "Sure they're braced heavy, but how many
Martins, the Avalons (nee Lowden) at a shop, etc. Talking to the
as those I've seen on many factory guitars, such as my Taylor, many
Still, I have to say that the braces on this guitar kit are not as heavy
to "go for it" at some point and not stay safe with those heavy braces.
that this is skirting the line of stability vs. tone for the top, but I have
between scallops, all the sharp edges, and some of their width. I know
guitar, I've slimmed and trimmed the braces to remove all the points
1.00 Thinning, sanding, rounding -- to get optimum "tap tone." For this
instructions direct.
bout, but decided against it. I want this kit to be done exactly as the
I was tempted to use mahogany strips for the braces in the large
call them popsicle sticks; that's about right for their dimensions.
runs lengthwise, they don't need to be very substantial. Many people
the entire body of the guitar be more of a speaker. Since their grain
transmit sound vibrations from the vibrating top to the back, helping
3.00 The side braces give structural integrity to the guitar body, and help
0.25
cut for the braces, the body was exactly 20 inches long, and square at
Okay, so I glued the back on, snapped right into the slots I had
204
1/27
1/1
Sanded body all over
Happy New Year!
Routed the overhangs to the side
Made a sticker, Glued on the Top!
12/22
12/31
Ended a long hiatus
Considered a sticker to put in the guitar.
12/22
11/9
will be made so during the final pore filling/sanding/finishing.
and sanded the body down. Now, the sides are almost perfect, and
new Porter Cable Random Orbit sander, put on some 150 grit discs,
1.00 The body was rough, the sides were not perfect … so I got out my
I did the sanding and scraping to "put off" that scary routing job!?!)
preparation for routing the binding and purfling channels. (Or maybe
1.00 Today, I scraped the sides and edges down smooth and straight, in
the "guitar vise" I made, worked pretty well.
the top and back -- up to 1/4 inch in some places. The Router, along
1.00 Today I fired up the router and laid into those overhanging edges of
and purfling!
Next … I will rout the top and back even with the sides. Then, binding
fell apart or sprang open!
to have worked, as (next morning) I took the clamps off and nothing
it, sanded it, did a dry run, etc., and then finally glued it on. Seems
six weeks -- Anyway, The top was ready to glue on, but I fussed with
2.00 It seems as if I've been away from it forever! Actually, only about
annually in San Luis Obispo, CA. Deadlines, etc. Now, it's done!
I had to work in my "real" job -- a 100-page magazine I publish
it is truly "handmade," what do I put on that one?
or something like that, then when/if I make a guitar from scratch and
number of them? And, if I fudge and say "handmade by," "made by,"
assembled them from a kit with pre-made parts, even if I changed a
just leave them unbranded? Do I say, "handmade by Wm.Cory" if I
my guitars? Can I brand them, since they are made from kits? Do I
More thought needed for this than one would think. What do I name
maybe this is a sound theory.
scallop peaks -- and the tone of that guitar is excellent and loud. So,
as it would have been -- that is, I trimmed and slimmed and removed
It sure makes sense to me. The bracing on my 000 is not as heavy
Routing the top
Built a Spray Booth
Binding and Purfling
3/24
3/27
4/7
4/15
Dry fit NECK, trimmed Fretboard
Cleaned up Binding, Purfling
Back To It -- ROUTING!
3/15
4/11
First Guitar For A Real Client
www.KitGuitarBuilder.com and KGF
3/10
3/3
top, and deliver it in 90 days. He wanted to support the website!
agreed that I will build for him a Stewmac 000, with Adirondack
Mr. Wayne Gage, of Paducah KY, has contacted me and we have
taking up a lot of my time.
which both went online March 3, 2006. They are doing well, but are
website. Actually two of them: KitGuitarBuilder.com/KitGuitarForum.com
The GAP in time was due to the creating and getting online of this new
resulted in a big 12th fret hump on my Triple-0 from Stewmac, and
neck (without fretboard) in relation to the top surface of the body. It
the holes for the bolt-on neck bolts, and the level of the top of the
5.00 Apparently, on the Stewmac kits, there is an alignment problem with
Now, I'm going to test some finishes.
guitar, and it is bright against the rosewood. I didn't yet do the top.
binding and the back and sides. I used pure white binding on the
scraping of the sides revealed an almost perfect joint between all the
do as close to perfect a job as I could. It came out real, real well! The
3.00 This took awhile, because I wanted to be as careful as possible and
glue runs.
blue painter's tape (easy release) so I wouldn't have to sand away the
have taken this long, except I taped the sides of the guitar using
2.00 Glued binding to back and binding and purfling to the top. It wouldn't
of the way, and lowers to the floor for use, guitars hanging inside.
I spent four days building a spray booth that raises to the ceiling, out
guide. PERFECT! Didn't take long, and it was done without error.
and it came out 99.9% perfect.
1.00 Today, I routed the top for purfling and binding, using my little router
up in my little room, it took only 10 minutes to actually do the work,
mounted, the cutting of the channels is very easy. After getting all set
necessity. Ryobi cordless; easier to manage. With the router guide
"perfected" my router guide, and have urchased a new router out of
1.00 The routing of the binding channels scared me up to now. I have now
n/a
206
4/18
Shaped Fretboard; glued peghd O'lay
but I can't do it now and was unable to foresee this problem.
a hole through the main top cross brace, the way the Martin kit did it,
nothing that can be done about it. A solution to this would have been
into the neck. It can just barely be reached to be turned, but there is
main top cross brace extending downward and the Truss Rod's inset
the Truss Rod is extremely difficult to adjust due to the angle of the
the fretboard is perfectly aligned. Another thing I found out is that
accurate setup, though I still will have to measure carefully to be sure
the neck set, then the fretboard, will result in a better and more
1.00 Finished sanding the fretboard on the shooting block. I think doing
I am pleased with my work today!
the bridge.
surface of the fretboard ending up just about 1/32" above the top of
neck. It appears to be just right, with a straightedge held along the
manual, cut it down on the bandsaw, and clamped it to the mounted
Then … I measured and centered the fretboard as directed by the
to be right.
the neck to the soundhole. Checked it every which way and it seems
bit of the top so the fretboard could proceed perfectly straight from
meets the body, and then straightened the angles, sanded down a
goes into mortise), to support the eleveation of the neck where it
bottom of the well where the mortise goes into the tenon (or tenon
the neck and aligned it without the fretboard. Used shims at the
triple-0. So, I treated this guitar the same as the Martin J: Mounted
the manual, I would have the same hump on this guitar as on the
level in relation to the body, I found that if I proceeded according to
aligning of the neck. When I checked the neck, its angle and its
to do the neck, mount the fretboard to it with frets, and then do the
be aware and plan ahead to avoid it. In the manual, the procedure is
it would have done the same on this dreadnought if I hadn't known to
Shaped neck; glued on neck heel cap
Fretting the Fretboard
4/20
4/22
Pearl Dot Fret Markers
4/19
Dry Fit, Glued the Fretboard to Neck
Fretboard: Side dots and Fret Markers
4/19
4/20
Shaped Peghead O'Lay; Install Tuners
4/19
read "Clapton's Guitar," detailing Wayne Henderson's technique of
experience of having played the 000, and my Taylor 510, and had
2.00 I didn't even do this step on the triple-0 kit, but on this kit, I had the
they take forever to get tightened.
cam clamp, and four flexible screw clamps. The latter work well but
and clamped it to stay until tomorrow. Used 6 squeeze clamps, one
1.00 After fretting up to the 14th fret, I glued the fretboard onto the neck
them. Just one of the ways things can get screwed up, but, looks OK.
pound them in, pulling up splinters of the board. Glued a couple of
hold the frets. Four of them popped out at the ends before I could
0.50 Man, this is a brittle ebony fretboard! Don't know for sure if it will
put the frets in it today.
them in with black CA. They will dry soon and I'll sand the board and
smaller sizes, went in easier, and I wasn't as timid. All done. Glued
a full 90 minutes on it. But, finally got it right. The other 5 dots, of
fretboard. First one -- the 5th fret "large" dot …. I was timid and took
fretboards before I had confidence enough to drill into my "real"
drilled in several scraps and off cuts of rosewood, maple and ebony
is scary the first time. I did a lot of testing. Many wrong holes were
2.75 Six little pearl dots. Drilling into the fretboard to j-u-s-t the right depth
I did before on the Triple-0 fretboard. I drilled without pre-piunching.
and sanded them. Done. This time, I didn't chip my fretboard the way
fretboard, stuck the plastic in there with some black CA, clipped them
1.00 The side dots were not difficult. Drilled 1/16" holes in the side of the
always say I did them that way for a reason … if I can think of one.
perfect alignment, but both sides are misaligned indentically, so I can
awhile, but, with the drill press, it worked out. The tuners are not in
drilling of a small 1/16" hole that indexes the tuner's position. It took
quired drilling the provided holes out to 25/64 (from 1/4), and the
installed some Taylor tuners I bought used before. The Taylors re-
2.00 I removed the clamps, trimmed the Overlay to the Peghead, and then
208
continue Pore Filling
Continue Pore Filling
resumed work.
New Finish Set
7/3
7/4
3/5
3/5
Put Sealer on top and sanded
Started Pore Filling Body
7/2
3/10
Set up Bridge Position
7/1
More pore filler on sides, back
Sanded and wash Coat Body
5/1
3/9
Neck Finished except peghead
4/27
Pore fill back
Pore Filling Neck.
4/24
3/5
Shaped heel cap
4/23
1.00
has a glassy feel. The entire body feels glass smooth. I'm enthused.
Target sealer on the top. One coat. Sanded it off, down to 600. Now it
wasn't really happy with the way the top felt, so I decided to use the
very happy with results. Could be a real good finish. I will recommend this.
Then I thinned the stuff and applied a second coat. Sanded it off and am
2.00 I've applied coats of pore filler on sides and sanded them. Same as top.
coat of it and crossed my fingers. Sanded it later, and it sanded nicely.
0.50 The filler is almost clear, and viscous like warm honey. I applied a
on the Martin Jumbo) I decided to do more filling.
were not filled as well as they should be so (after the imperfect sides
pore filler, and top coat. On the Stewmac Dread, the back/side pores
I recently acquired some "Target, Oxford Waterbase" finshes: A sealer,
more coat. Sanded down top; need to seal.
1.00 Sanded off Second Coat. Might Be Just About Ready. Might Need One
1.00 Sanded off first coat; put on Second Coat
1.00 1 coat of Enduro Warm Tone
1.00 Used KMG Bridge Setter. Perfect.
1.00 Shellac wash coat; 1:1 clear and amber.
All that is left now is the peghead; It will be finished with the guitar.
give it a satin finish has made the neck perfect -- I mean, perfect.
1.00 Applying a thin coat of shellac and using a synthetic steel wool pad to
30 minutes. I am encouraged on finishing now.)
is called "Enduro," and is water based, dries clear, and dries in only
2.00 (I have finally located a porer filler that I believe will be a success. It
0.75 Had glued on an ebony neck heel cap. Shaped it.
heel cap.
and shallow, like the Taylor. It feels good. Glued on a thick ebony
at the nut (and might narrow it further) with the Henderson-style V,
the bass side up to about the 7th fret. So, I made the neck 1 13/16
shaping the neck in a "v" with the peak of the "V" slightly skewed to
I will start finishing tomorrow, Monday.
Didn't start -- got good news!
I finished the test piece.
Three coats of finish on the Back/Sides
Sand flat. Tomorrow, 3 more coats.
Three coats Back, Sides and Top
sanded Flat
One more coat on back and sides
Finish headstock, Tuners, make Nut
Wet Sand, Polish, Finish
Sand and polish
Polish, wax, Mount Bridge, Neck
Saturday; String up, play, photograph
3/11
3/11
3/11
3/12
3/12
3/13
3/14
3/15
3/17
3/20
3/23
3/23
3/24
92.25
word file on CD. (Article and sidebars emailed on Thursday morning.)
FedEx for him to get them Friday morning. Article, hard copy and
Guitar Mag so they'll be received there on Monday. Put them on CD and
2.00 String it up, play it, photo it. Must send the photos to Teja at Acoustic
3.00 Friday afternoon. Glue on bridge and neck.
2.00 Friday morning … Fingers Crossed; don't want to sand through this time.
top coats (4) and let cure until Friday. Next time; dry sand only.
1.00 Wet sand and let dry overnight. Sanded through the finish! Had to reapply
2.25 Finish headstock, installed the tuners, made the nut.
sand, polish and finish. Then, on Wednesday, I'll put Finish the Guitar.
was. This is Thursday, Noon. I will leave it until Tuesday, noon, to wet
1.00 Just for good measure, one more coat on Back and sides. Left the top as
sand through and screw up. I sanded back, sides and top.
2.50 I'm taking my time with 400 and 600 sandpaper because I don't want to
looking pretty good; nice rich color.
time actually finishing, etc., is 120 minutes (12 coats). The Guitar is now
you can't do much else, so I figure all the time is in this guitar. Total
4.00 It really only takes ten minutes to do a coat and clean up the brush, but
because it leaves only a slight trail, no bubbles. Wonderful.
and the bubbling and marking, I'm enthralled by the results of this brush
with a paintbrush? After all the problems I've had with waterbase finishes
brush marks, though there aren't many of those! (can you be in love
2.50 I'll do a flat sanding of the first three coats just to knock down the
the back of the body, then waited, then put three coats on each side.
3.00 Using my DaVinci 5080 watercolor was brush, I put three nice coats on
it off with Renaissance Wax. GREAT finish! Now, I'll start the guitar.
1.00 I flat sanded to 400, then used the rubbing compound, polish and topped
to write a 2,000 word feature on Kits, with photos. COOL!
Teja Gerken from Acoustic Guitar Mag emailed and they are assigning me
210
I completed this guitar one week after the Martin
Jumbo. I set up the action high at first, then lowered it to
be .006" above the first fret, as Mike Doolin suggested. I
lowered the 12th fret action to .045. Up on the neck, I took
care of a couple of fret buzzes. It plays like butter.
The sound of the guitar is excellent, and its playability
is as good as my Taylor 510ce-L9 Dreadnought, which has
the same nut width but a shorter scale length. (Stewmac's
is 25.4; Taylor's is 24.875.) In my mind, that's saying a lot:
The action, intonation and playability of Taylor Guitars is
well known. Intonation of this guitar is excellent.
See a color photo of the guitar on the cover of this
book. A complete online building instruction with photos of every step discussed in the log can be found on
www.KitGuitarBuilder.com, along with others.
212
Seven Days in May (+3)
I
thought it would be a challenge to see if I could
build an acoustic guitar kit in one week. It took that,
plus three days. I had on hand a Martin 000 kit of Laminated Brazilian Rosewood (veneer laminated to Mahogany
both surfaces of sides and back) and Sitka Spruce.
The 000 mold from John Hall arrived on Thursday
afternoon, May 17, and I started work the next morning.
I wasn’t able to work full time every day, but I had some
time off so I was able to put in some good hours some
days.
What was the point? First, I have written that it’s possible to build a guitar kit (of this fully serviced type) on a
card table. So, I set one up in my garage and videoed the
entire process -- all on a card table. Every task done was
done before the camera on that table, except for putting
on finish coats, which was done in a 3x5-foot plastic cubicle made of stapled and draped plastic sheeting in my
basement furnace room. Second, I wanted to find out
exactly how many hours of actual working time it would
take me to build the kit. Thinking though the tasks and
the time they’d take, and doing one thing while glue cured
here and there, it seemed a week would do it. Besides,
this was an easy kit, albeit without any instructions or plan.
But, I knew what to do from having built a John Hall kit
and a Martin kit, both basically “Martin-style” kits. Third, I
wanted to see if the entire kit could be built using CA glues
(plus "WeldOn" used for the ivoroid binding and herringbone purfling, and LMII White Instrument Maker’s Glue for
attaching the bridge and neck). Fourth, I need the build
photos and building info for this book! Fifth, I wanted to
give the finished guitar to my daughter, who was ending
her 10th school year in two weeks, and was expected to
get Straight A's.
Naturally, only the completed tasks are noted. Other
time spent in preparing to do them, setting things up, etc.,
SEVEN DAYS IN MAY (+3)
isn’t noted in the schedule, but it is figured into the total
time. "Mistake time" is also included, as is video camera
fiddling, lavalier microphone clipping, still camera clicking,
and note making. I followed my own rule of completely
dry-fitting every step that required clamping or fitting.
HERE'S HOW IT WENT:
Day 1: Friday, May 18 (8 hours):
• Set up mold, cut neck end of sides which were too
long, glued blocks into rims.
• Glued in kerfed lining
• Made and glued in vertical side braces (Used accelerator with the CA.)
• Glued in Back braces & trimmed
• Glued in top braces & trimmed to basic shape
Day 2: Saturday, May 19 (3 hours):
I was at a Colo Luthier’s Group meeting a Scott &
John Baxendale’s Colfax Guitars in Denver until 2. Great
guys; great info & methods on finishing. Got back and
went to work.
• Inletted back rim notches
• Inletted top rim notches
• Top glued on
• Basic tap-tuning of top
• Back glued on
(I would have accomplished more, but I walked
around and thought for about an hour coming up with a
reliable way to glue the top and back on with CA glue, and
to clamp it quickly enough to get it fully positioned and
firmly clamped before the glue set up. I couldn’t use CA
accelerator because it would have been too quick. What I
came up with, which I called WOBB (Weight of Bill's Body),
worked great and took only three minutes from starting
a glue bead on the rim to releasing the "clamp," and the
top was on. The back went the same way. Three minutes,
fully glued.)
214
Day 3: Sunday, May 20 (2 hours):
Church until noon, family day. I got a little bit in.
• Put a wash coat of shellac on the top to protect it
during building.
• Routed overhang off top and back.
• Routed back for ivoroid binding.• Routed top for
ivoroid binding and herringbone purfling (used prebent
herringbone)
Day 4: Monday, May 21 (9 hours):
• Masked sides with blue tape to eliminate WeldOn
glue spillage.
• Glued back binding using WeldOn
• Glued top binding and purfling (WeldOn)
• While binding drying, started neck
• Fretted fretboard
• Filed fret ends to 60-degree; will dress later
• Glued Truss Rod
• Removed tape on body where necessary and fitted
neck
• Aligned yawed neck
• Set up Bridge position using KMG Bridge Setter
• Drilled 3/8” holes in peghead for tuners (hand drill)
Day 5: Tuesday, May 22 (10 hours):
• Raise bridge and reposition
(Due to the absolutely flat top, with non-radiused
bracing, on this model, the action ended up over 1/4 inch
above the bridge; took awhile to bring it down to 1/16
inch, but couldn’t bring it farther without creating other
problems. Found a piece of thin rosewood, removed finish
from it, laminated it to the bottom of the bridge, and the
action is now perfect.)
• Re-positioned bridge; the lowering of the action by
removing wing material from the neck heel had moved the
correct bridge position 5/64 of an inch!
• Removed all tape from binding/purfling, cleaned
up body.
• Sanded off Shellac from top
• Started pore filling on sides and back, using Enduro,
drying with a heat gun. Was able to do 3 applications in
1 hour.
• Applied Behlen’s Vinyl sealer to body (Using this as
a bridge between Waterbased Enduro and Minwax Gloss
WipeOn Poly I’ll use for finishing.)
• Sanded neck to smoothness and preferred shape.
• Glued fretboard to neck using CA and fast WOBB
clamping method.
• Masked fretboard
• Pore filled neck, 2 applications of Enduro
• Pore filled peghead veneer, 2 applications of Enduro
• Vinyl sealer dry on body; sanded off. Sanded
through ... dang ... reapplied; will dry overnight.
• Applied Target Coatings Waterbased Shellac to
neck. Sanded. Second coat. Allow to dry overnight.
• Sanded peghead smooth. ERROR! I applied WipeOn Poly without a barrier coat between the waterbased
Enduro and the Poly. Too tired. Will sand off and redo in
the morning.
Day 6: Wednesday, May 23 (9 hours)
I’m waiting for another coat of Vinyl sealer to dry.
I’ve had a nightmare trying to get the pores filled on this
body. And every time I’ve appied vinyl sealer, I’ve sanded
through it and had to reapply it. The latest coat of vinyl
was put on very thickly; my fingers are crossed that I’ll be
able to sand it without going through and get two coats of
WipeOn Poly tonight; then assemble and set up the guitar
tomorrow.
So far, today:
• Polished the neck; the waterbased Target Coatings
Shellac will not reduce to a satin finish; if the hand gets
moist, it sticks.
216
• Put on two coats of solvent based shellac and used
steel wool; now the neck is satin and stays dry and fast.
• Sanded off the peghead and re-did pore fill.
• Sanded pore fill on peghead and reapplied the Vinyl
sealer.
Day 7: Thursday, May 24 (6 hours)
(Today, doing the final assembly and setup)
(But first, finishing the finishing)
Day 8: Friday, May 25 (4 hours)
• Continued finishing with a coat on top; this time,
it’s drying nicely.
• Make nut, rough shape
• Attach nut
• Level frets
• Dress frets
• Attach tuners to peghead
Day 9: Saturday, May 26 (2 hours)
• Finish still not acceptable to me; wet-sanded body
(parafin oil & 1000 grit)
• Finish on Back -- good this time
• Finish on Sides -- Acceptable
• Finish on top ... (ok)
Day 10: Sunday, May 27 (3 hours)
• Glue Bridge on Top; standard LMI white glue
• Attach neck
• Check action, alignment
• Drill bridge pin holes
• Fit bridge pins
• Make saddle
• Glue on pick guard
• String up, tune
• Finalize action @ Nut
DONE ... PLAY IT ... Sounds very good!
Intonation right on, tone balanced and full.
SUMMARY:
Total work time, 56 hours, including finishing and finishing redo’s. The 7-day schedule probably would have
worked with seven full-time days, but because of “life”
happening, and finishing problems, it took ten days. Physically, working in a standing position slightly bent over a
card table for several hours produced some unpleasant
back spasms. Otherwise, the major problem was the finishing glitch with the wool-lube.
There were a couple of innovative (to me) solutions to
problems. One was, how do you glue and clamp CA glue
when attaching a rim? There’s lots of glue to lay down,
and clamping time can take so long that the glue will begin to cure before the joint is clamped. And you only get
one chance. So, what do you do? After mulling this for a
full hour, it hit me. I needed a fast clamping method and
adequate pressure on it for a wood-to-wood bond. The
answer was a rim caul, and the exclusive WOBB Clamp...
The caul was made this way: On a piece of 1/2 inch
foamcore the same size as the heavy external mold, I
glued a 1-inch wide “rim” of 3/8 inch rubberized/foam
blue camping pad. It was exactly the same outline as the
guitar rim’s outside dimension. It made a perfect gluing
caul since it put pressure only on the rim. The plan: 1) Lay
the glue bead around the rim edge, 2) quickly place the top
or back in position (brace notches would make this easy),
3) position the foam caul with a rigid board on the plate,
4) use my WOBB (“Weight Of Bill’s Body”) clamp on top.
No reason why it shouldn’t work, right? (Unless I crushed
the guitar ... ) But, no problem: Top and back were both
firmly glued on, each in only a few minutes. Holding a
strong flashlight inside the body and shining it out through
the glue joint, I could see no light coming through except
where my brace inletting was not perfect.
Because I was building the entire guitar on a card
table, a few other ideas popped into my head. My swivel-
218
ing bench vise, which is attached to a 2x6, worked fine when clamped to the card table.
My router guide worked well, letting me rout binding and purfling channels perfectly and
quickly. Radiused sanding sticks allowed me to radius the kerfed lining as necessary without a large sanding dish, though I had a dish I could have used. Hand tools only (powered
and manual) were used for every step (even drilling tuner holes). They allowed me to work
only on the card table and also proved that a kit can be successfully built without using
any major bench-top tools at all.
Overall, I would call the experiment a success. I have the data I need, and my daughter
has a straight-A Report Card reward that I’ll teach her to play.
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS
Q: Can any kit be built in a week -- or two -- by a beginner?
A: Probably not by a first-timer. I think I was able plan the build for best use of time
only after having built similar kits before, and having completed nine other kits. (Still, some
things took longer than expected and caused problems simply because I was working too
fast.) The difficulty a beginner would have is that he might not know exactly what problems
to anticipate and prevent, and how to fix them if they did happen.
Q: Was it still enjoyable to build it this quickly?
A: Yes, absolutely. Just the novelty of seeing the body glued together in two days was
rewarding. The most quickly I had ever done it before was three weeks. It became a family
thing, with everybody curious about how it was going.
Q: Can you build a guitar using CA glue only?
A: Basically, yes. The only exceptions were that I did use WeldOn cement for the ivoroid
bindings, and I used LMII White Instrument Maker’s Glue for gluing the bridge on and gluing
the neck to the body. I have heard that CA glue loosens in response to moisture. Though I
don't expect this guitar to live in a high-humidity environment, I still don't know where my
daughter is going to college ... and who knows, she might like to sing on the porch while
it's raining ... so I might eventually find out.
Q: So, how does the guitar sound, right off the bat?
A: Amazingly good! The intonation is right on, the tone is balanced, loud, resonant. The
sustain is long and rich. The harmonics ring as well as on any other guitars I've built and as
loud and pure as on my two Taylor guitars. To me, it sounds just excellent. Original strings
I’m using are Martin Bronze (80/20), which were packed with the kit.
You can hear the guitar at www.KitGuitarManuals.com/music.html.
Q: Would I do this again?
A: No. It was a one-time thing with deadline pressure. It offered a chance to test a few
things. I will fully enjoy taking time to make the next few more relaxing, and better overall.
220
Afterword: The Finer Points
A
technical description of the guitar, gleaned from Wlliam Cumpiano and Roger
Natelson, Roger Siminoff, Alan Carruth, Rick Turner, many forums, et al:
Acoustically the guitar is called a “coupled system.” This means that none of it’s components is acoustically isolated from any other. The tail block, for example, ultimately affects
the high E string’s tone to some small extent, just as do the neck and frets to a different
extent. Ultimately, every part of the guitar affects every other part. Of course, certain parts
directly and more heavily affect others, but in the end, none of the parts is isolated.
What this means to us builders should be obvious. If we decide not to try to get every
brace securely inletted into the kerfed lining, or not get a solid and flat joint between the nut
and its seating, we are going to change the instrument somehow. Maybe some changes
will amount to only a .01% difference in volume, timbre, bass response, or another factor.
Maybe some changes will amount to a 10% (huge) change. All the things we do, though,
will add up to a changed sound coming from the instrument. And, how could it have been
different if we had changed this or that? The problem is, we’ll never know, because the
building of the guitar is basically a “one-way street.” Once we go a certain direction, we
can’t turn back.
It’s an adventure, isn’t it!
HOW THE GUITAR WORKS, BASICALLY
On a fixed bridge instrument, the strings, when plucked, provide a certain input of
mechanical energy. The energy excited by attacking the string is converted at the saddle
to a torquing motion of the bridge, and this torquing motion in various ways makes the
soundboard (and other guitar parts in diminishing amounts) vibrate. Depending on the
soundboard’s wood species, size, thickness, bracing, finish, and interaction with the other
components of the guitar, the soundboard pumps the airspace within the guitar, creating
a resonance and further vibration that enhances and amplifies the energy supplied by the
plucked string. The combination of all these serves to push sound out of the sound hole
(about 75% of the immediate sound energy, according to Roger Siminoff) and also to create
AFTERWORD
(the remaining 25%) sound by the movement of the soundboard acting the way a speaker
membrane does. (Hold and release your forearm on the soundboard of your newly built
guitar, and you wll experience and hear a definite difference. This is what makes the John
Pearse Armrest such a wonderful accessory.)
Not all of the energy of the strings’ vibrations gets converted into mechanical energy.
Some of it, not much, is dissipated into the air as actual sound waves, like those weaklings that come from an unampified electric guitar. But, some guitars capture and project
the small amount of energy from the strings lots better than others. The efficiency of the
conversion is what makes some guitars into “cannons,” and others into dead, but maybe
pretty, assemblies of wood parts.
This is all completely separate from the issue of the guitar’s character, its tone, its
timbre, its brightness or warmth. Those are all highly advanced. I am in awe of those professional luthiers who can aim for a particular sound, and actually achieve it. They are truly
accomplished and skilled craftsmen, far beyond us kit builders. But, as for the issue of
building the guitar to be as efficient a sound machine as possible, volume-wise and regarding intonation, we can purposefully do a few things and actually go in the right direction
with our novice building efforts.
Construction Quality
As kit guitar builders, some of us assume the kit is like a model car: We put it together
the way it comes in the box, and we get an accurately constructed instrument. In actuality,
that’s not the case.
Taking into account the “one-way street” nature of guitar construction, we have to
question everything provided in a kit, and think it through for ourselves. Why spend several
hundred bucks on a guitar kit and then not concentrate on building it as perfectly as possible? So, we should fight impatience and do the work as well as possible given our skills,
experience and temperament. ... And we must remember to measure the kit's parts.
Tap Tuning
Besides tuning the strings after the guitar is strung up, there is this thing called “tap
tuning” that was only briefly addressed in the main text. It’s not always exactly the kind of
operation we see in photos of luthiers at work.
222
Think about this: A luthier holds up a top that has been newly braced. The soundhole
is already cut and the rosette installed. The braces aren’t yet shaped as they will ultimately
be. The luthier taps (with his fingertip) the top assembly in different ways, trims the braces,
taps, trims, taps, trims ... and finally arrives at the sound he is looking for. It is most likely
a really nice sound, judging from the incredible sound of some of the custom guitars we
know of.
But, what happens when the top is attached to the rim? It takes on a completely different sound. The same tapping that resulted in the great sound the luthier wanted is now
changed, because a “free plate,” as it was before attachment to the rim, sounds different
from a “fixed plate,” after secure attachment to a rigid frame. (Because of the luthier’s
experience, he has probably taken this into account. We don’t have that experience yet,
so we can’t.)
So, we beginners should not do any tap tuning until the top is attached to the rim. Naturally, this assumes we are gluing the top on before we glue the back on. After that is done,
we can tap the soundboard in various places, “tune” it to sound the way we think it should
be by ear or by using a tuner, and make the changes we want by shaving various braces
in various ways and also thinning the top itself. According to Roger Siminoff, the note we
tune a top to should be one in the standard scale based on “A-440.” If it’s not some whole
or half tone within that scale, the natural frequency (see “Helmholtz,” below) of the guitar
will be constantly fighting the string tuning, and we’ll always be uncomfortable with it.
Where and how do we “tap?” This is something only learned through experience, but
basically, to learn what the overall "tap tone" of the top will be, it makes sense that we
should tap it where the bridge will be located. (It might also be a good idea to temporarily attach the bridge with tape. After all, its mass must be taken into account if we are to
accurately judge the top's sonic properties. Is this too fine a point? Possibly, but then,
possibly not!)
Do we tap with our fingertips? Siminoff claims that if we do that, we excite higher partials, giving the tapped note a different character. (“Partials” are responsible for the differing
character of sound you hear when you pick a string near the bridge, right over the soundhole, or right over the end of the fretboard.) He recommends using a “tapping hammer”
— some kind of hammer that can give us a firm but soft impact and is more consistent than
a fingertip. He uses an old piano hammer with a handle attached. I use a tympani mallet.
AFTERWORD
Soundhole Size
There was a German scientist named Hermann Helmholtz, who during his life (1821–
1894) identified an important acoustic principle. Known as the Helmholtz Frequency, it is
the “resonant frequency” that is the most resonant in any acoustic enclosure.
Pick up a guitar — any guitar, doesn’t matter which. Start at the lowest note you can
hum, mouth open, and hum it directly into the soundhole. Slowly hum higher and higher:
Within about three or four whole tones, you will reach a frequency that makes the entire
body resonate. (Don’t worry: You’ll know when it happens!) This is a close approximation
of that particular enclosure’s resonant frequency, or Helmholtz Frequency. (The experiment
is something like blowing on a glass soft drink bottle to get that low tugboat-horn sound:
The tone you get is the resonant frequency of the bottle.)
What’s interesting to me is that there’s a perfect tone—frequency—for every enclosure,
that maximizes its sonic performance. Another interesting fact is that we can, to a certain
extent, tune the frequency of the enclosure to a little bit higher or little bit lower frequency.
We can do this by changing the size of the opening — in this case, the soundhole.
Kits come with soundholes already cut in the soundboard, but if you happen to be substituting a different top from the one in the kit, you can cut a smaller soundhole to start with,
and gradually enlarge the soundhole until you get to the frequency you want. Of course, if
you go too far, you pass the perfect frequency. You can measure a louder reponse when
you reach the Helmholtz frequency, though. That’s where you should stop.
And, Finally, Intonation
For some real good information on this — the best on the internet, in my opinion — go
to http://www.doolinguitars.com/intonation/intonation1.html. This excellent article by Mike
Doolin tells the whole story. Well, almost the whole story. He could tell more, as could most
professional luthiers. Things like this: A 15/1000” change in string length, not taking stretching by fretting into account, will change the string’s note by one cent (1/100 of a half tone).
So much for cutting my own fret slots!
Luckily for us, kits have slotted fretboards. Also luckily, many people can’t hear less
than a five cent difference. (Maybe that’s where the saying, “not a nickle’s difference” came
224
from.) At .015” per cent, that five cents gives us a margin of error of .075”; that’s a nice
margin, but we shouldn’t try to use it.
Accuracy of intonation actually starts with our first gluing of the neck joint to the sides
and continues from there. These all affect it: The position of the bridge, the angle of the
saddle slot, the width of the saddle, the formation of the saddle’s peaks, the height of the
nut above the frets, the accuracy of the fret slots and fretwire crowns, the age and gauge of
strings we use, how hard we press them when playing, and several other factors. It’s incredible that a guitar can ever be made that can be played in tune, especially by amateurs.
Thank goodness a lot of these things are already taken care of in guitar kits.
Anyone care to design and build a scratch guitar?
The Ver y End
I included this short article just to keep myself humble. I think it’s working. See, it's
easy, if you write a book, to think you know the subject. But, remember, this book is about
kit guitars, and only kit guitars. Sure, when we build a nice guitar from a kit, we are proud
of ourselves, naturally. We should be! Not everyone does it. But, are we anywhere near the
level of a luthier? Nope ... not even close. We shouldn't fool ourselves.
I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I see Pikes Peak every day. I'll hike to the top of it
later this summer. Hiking to the top of a Colorado “Fourteener” on a trail is not easy, but it’s
not even comparable to topping a real mountain, like Mt. Everest or Anapurna. A Pikes Peak
hike is not a tiny achievement, but I tend to view it in the light of those who have climbed
Everest. In the guitar world, my kits are like Pikes Peak; Kevin Ryan’s work and James
Olson’s (and many others') work is like those who have climbed Everest. It is a level I will
never begin to attain, but that doesn’t keep me from building at my level and loving it. And,
I will still enjoy hiking on Pikes Peak, just as I enjoy building and playing my kit guitars.
Thanks for reading this book. Good luck with your kit building!
Bill Cory
June, 2007
Colorado Springs
APPENDIX
Appendix
MY WEBSITES:
WWW.KITGUITARMANUALS.COM
The purpose of this site is to expand on the information in this book, to help you build your
guitar. On the site, you can find the "Manual of Kit Guitar Building" a general manual that covers
the specifics of building Martin and LMI kits, with photos. (As this book is being published, the
manual is in its final stages.)
You will also find other reference materials. It's worth checking out.
WWW.KITGUITARFORUM.COM
If you like forums, and you want to build a kit guitar, this is the place to visit. We started in early
2006 and have slowly and steadily grown. Lots of good information is available, and it's one of
the friendliest forums on the 'net.
WWW.KITGUITARBUILDER.COM
This was where I started. I continue to add pages to this site. I wanted to make it the "frets.
com" of kit guitar building, but Frank Ford and his incredible Frets.com site is unapproachable.
Still, there is a lot of good information on the "KGB" site, with illustrated building instruction,
MP-3s, and other features you might find valuable.
226
APPENDIX
Care Of Your Guitar
Most likely, those who are reading this book know all of this backwards and forwards. So,
why go to the effort of including it? Because, many people who should know it, don’t ... or they
don’t remember it. A reminder is always good.
EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGES:
According to William Cumpiano, the guitar itself can withstand temperatures up to 100º
F, and down to freezing, but if the instrument is subjected to sudden changes, there are consequences. If you suddenly take a guitar from a warm automobile out into a snowstorm, and
it is there for more than a couple of minutes, it will react. In a similar way, if you take the guitar
from a cold car into a warm house, you might crack its body. The added tension of sudden
temperature changes is just too much. Depending on the finish used, you will also sometimes
see “checking” of the finish, which is like the “crazing” seen on old fine porcelain. It comes
from the guitar’s wood expanding and contracting under certain finishes, particularly lacquers
(waterbased and solvent based). Oil finishes such as TruOil, and some others, such as shellac
(if French Polished) won’t usually show checking.
The glues in the guitar will also react to temperatures, especially heat. Heat loosens glues
of all kinds. Leave your guitar in a car on a hot day, and you will have problems.
HUMIDITY:
In the winter, when the heat turns on, the humidity inside the house goes down. It doesn’t
matter what kind of heat source, though some are worse than others.
A guitar is best kept at a Relative Humidity similar to where it was built, or within 10% or
15% of that RH. What is RH? It is the percentage of humidity in the air, relative to 100%, at the
temperature of the air. If the air in your home is 35% RH at 70 degrees F, the same amount of
moisture, at 60 degrees F, will be only about 30% RH. Cold air can hold more moisture than
warm air, so the cooler the air becomes, the lower the RH will be in comparison to 100%.
What happens to a dry guitar? A guitar is unfinished on the inside, and so will change
somewhat in reaction to changes of humidity. Unless the change is extreme, or long in duration,
it probably won’t cause any problems. However, a guitar can lose as much as two ounces of
water if it is in a dry area for very long. The effects of this are best illustrated in resources on the
Taylor Guitars website, at www.TaylorGuitars.com. Go to their Reference tab, and select “Tech
Sheets.” You will see the best illustrations and explanations available. (Basically, you want to
know about this before it happens: Fixing it is possible, but is a real hassle.)
228
What are symptoms of a dry guitar? On the fretboard, fret ends protruding. On the body,
the soundhole sinking and bridge rotating. A wet guitar will look swollen at the soundhole and
will develop string buzzes on the higher frets. Don’t rely on the truss rod to solve the problems:
Keep the guitar properly humidified.
HUMIDIFYING A ROOM OR A GUITAR:
You can purchase a guitar humidifier for about $15 or less. They all work if you follow their
instructions. To humidify a small room, spend $30 or $40 and get a small electric humidifier.
The one I use keeps my 8 x 12 storage room at 40% to 45% RH at about 68 degrees F all the
time.
USE A CASE:
Guitars kept outside of cases are more often damaged by everything than those kept in
cases. Just makes sense. A good case will protect your guitar not only from being bumped and
bruised, but will also protect it from sudden swings in temperature and humidity.
CARE FOR THE FINISH:
1) Don’t use any silicon wax or polish: It will make the finish impossible to repair. You can
get special gutar cleaners. Just use them with a cotton cloth and trust the finish to do its job.
2) Small scratches in the finish will not hurt the guitar. Did you ever see “Trigger,” Willie
Nelson’s guitar? Or, how about one of Tommy Emmanuel’s Matons after about a year?
3) Cracks should be repaired for cosmetic reasons, but they won’t necessarily hurt the
sound of the guitar unless they introduce a rattle or buzz.
TRAVEL:
The stories abound about travel on airplanes with guitars. It seems the baggage handlers
don’t differentiate a $4,000 handmade guitar from a Samsonite suitcase. If they’re smart enough
to make the distinction, they get promoted. The Peter Principle at work. So, what do you do?
Personally, I don’t fly guitars on passenger flights. If I need to get the guitar somewhere,
I will arrange shipping by Federal Express or UPS, and pick the guitar up. If there’s no other
way to carry it, you can buy a Calton flight case, or a Case Extreme Clamshell Case, and your
guitar will most likely be okay. Just for your info, airlines no longer allow you to carry a guitar
onboard: Don’t ever count on it just because your best friend said they let him do it.
APPENDIX
AND SPEAKING OF FEDEX AND UPS ...
Horror stories abound. When you ship on these carriers, they have some speciic requirements for your shipment to qualify for their insurance, which isn't set up for guitar shipping
anyway.
Follow these rules for packing, and you will probably be okay:
1) Always include the shipping address information on another piece of paper inside the shipping box, placed so that hurried shipping company employees can find it easily.
2) Use a standard guitar box. You can probably get one from a music store. Offer to pay for
it.
3) With FedEx, unless you have four inches or more of padding between the bottom of the guitar
case and the bottom of the box, they will not honor their insurance. UPS is similar.
4) Fully insure your guitar for its value, and be able to provide proof of value.
5) It doesn't hurt to photograph the packing job and box.
6) Never ship in a gig bag unless you surround it with hardboard (Masonite™).
7) I always put hardboard on both sides of the guitar case.
8) Inside the guitar's case, roll up and firmly pack a towel, T-shirt or balled up newspaper underneath the peghead of the guitar. Many necks are broken at that point because of sudden
shock combined with no support.
9) Some people say to ship with strings slack. Most people say to ship with strings at concert
pitch or at most one step below. The neck is designed for this tension.
10) Write "FRAGILE: ACOUSTIC GUITAR" in big, easy-to-read letters on the outside of the
box.
Good luck! Remember: A catastrophic problem will wreck the guitar. These things do
happen.
230
Back Cover Photo Directory
Except for two of them, all of the guitars shown here were built by non-professionals. All of them are
happy with the results, and many are doing more than one or two. If you want to build one, you can!
1
2
David (Geneseo, NY)
LMI 14-fret OM,
Bearclaw Sitka and
Granadillo, curly maple
binding, gold pearl inlay. His second guitar.
5
Ken (Chandler, NC)
Stewmac Dreadnought,
Indian rosewood &
Sitka. "An immensely
gratifying investment of
time and energy!"
3
Ed (Cary, NC) Martin
000, Indian rosewood
& Sitka spruce. Replaced Martin sides &
back with LMI materials. First guitar built.
6
Ted (Perth, Australia)
LMI Dreadnought, Pau
Ferro and bearclaw
sitka. Ted's second
guitar. Look at that
bearclaw!
4
Freeman (USA) LMI
Classical. Indian
rosewood and sitka.
Freeman's second guitar; a gift for his son.
7
Ted (Perth, Australia)
Stewart-MacDonald
Triple-0, mahogany and
spruce. Ted's first.
Freeman (USA) Steven
Kovacik 000, Indian
rosewood and sitka
spruce. His first guitar.
8
9
Nick (Bloomington, IN)
Indian rosewood and
sitka. Martin tuners.
Nick's first guitar.
Andy (Pottsville Beach,
Australia) Stewmac
Dreadnought, Indian
rosewood and sitka;
Gotoh tuners.
APPENDIX
10
11
John (The Woodlands,
TX) Martin HD-28. Indian rosewood & Sitka,
pearl rosette, diamond
fret markers. First kit.
Allen (Cairns,
Queensland, Australia)
LMI dreadnought, Indian rosewood & Sitka
spruce. Allen's first kit.
14
Paul (Saxapahaw, NC)
Martin D-28, Mahogany and Sitka spruce.
Paul's first.
12
15
Larry (Vista, CA) LMI
000/Stewmac 12-fret,
redwood top, Bloodwood Back, Sides,
bridge & fretboard;
bloodwood dyed neck.
13
Pat (USA)
Indian rosewood &
sitka, built for his
daughter. Pat's second
kit.
16
Herman (Netherlands)
Martin HD-28 kit,
Indian rosewood,
European spruce top,
Golden Era neck.
John Hall, Blues Creek
Guitars.com (Hegins,
PA) Martin-style 000,
Brazilian rosewood &
spruce, pearl purfling
& rosette. From one of
his own kits.
17
Jim (Austin, TX)
Indian rosewood and
sitka.
18
John (Berkshire, United
Kingdom) Stewmac 000
in progress, spruce top,
mahogany B&S. John's
first kit.
232
19
David (Geneseo, NY)
Mahogany and sitka,
white pearl markers,
Gotoh tuners.
23
Steve (Evanston, IL)
Blues Creek Guitars
kit, 000/OM Brazilian
rosewood laminate and
sitka spruce.
20
21
Chuck (Magnolia, TX)
Stewmac Dread, Indian
rosewood & sitka. "The
guitar sounds every bit
as good as my 1975
Martin D-18!"
24
Robbie (Parker, CO)
www.obrienguitars.
com. LMI 000 from
unserviced kit. Robbie
teaches guitar building
and publishes DVDs.
22
Bill (USA)
Martin 0000 jumbo kit.
25
Jim (USA) Martin D-28
kit, Indian rosewood
and Englemann spruce,
abalone purfling,
rosette, headstock
purfling.
Tracy (Denver, CO)
LMI 000, Indian rosewood and cedar, flamed
maple bindings, Greg
Nelson rosette, gold
Gotoh tuners.
27
26
David (Flower Mound,
TX) Martin D-28 kit,
mahogany and sitka
spruce. David's third
kit.
Fred (USA) Martin 000
upgraded with cutaway,
Indian rosewood and
sitka, curly maple
binding.
APPENDIX
A Primer on Photography of Guitars
Most of the photos here look pretty good ... but if you have a hard time photographing your guitar and getting it the way you want, maybe these hints can help.
1) Turn off the flash. If you're shooting the guitar "straight on," you'll get a flash reflection. If you're not
shooting it straight on, you'll see the light fall off from the nearest to the farthest edge, side or end.
The bright flashed foreground will create a dark background, robbing the photo of some detail.
2) Use "Soft" light. Goes along with #1. There are several ways to use "soft light," which simply means
your light source is wide (large) in relation to your subject. "Large" can be a bright cloudy sky, or
even an open sky if you're in the shade. It can mean putting the guitar in the shade of a tree or car,
and using reflected light coming from bright sunlight on a nearby white wall or garage. It can mean
being inside, near a window, with sunlight on white curtains or bedsheet hung over a sunlit window
or glass door. It can mean pro studio lighting with umbrellas and reflectors, if you have them.
3) Are you shooting the surface, or the reflections on the surface? When you see a car ad photo,
look closely at the way the highlights in the car's finish are gentle and graduated. This comes from
the photographer rigging a huge (really huge) soft light for the reflection. If you want to show the
beauty of your finish, put a sheet over a window and move the guitar, and yourself around. You'll
get some nice lighting effects that will enhance your guitar's appearance.
4) Don't be afraid to shoot closeups. Our kits are not perfect all over, right? But they do have some
nicely done appointments. Shoot those areas! Show the things you did well. Don't forget to dust
and shine the surface!
5) Are you shooting inside? Under incandescent light (regular indoor bulbs), set your camera manually if possible. If you can set the "color temperature" on your camera, set it to 3200K: that's the
approximate Kelvin (K) temperature of incandescent lights. If your camera has little icons, just set
it to the "light bulb" icon. If your camera is "fully automatic," get a white sheet of paper: As you
turn the camera on, point your lens at the paper up close (with no shadows), in the light you will be
shooting in. This is called "white balancing," and it is what the camera does automatically. (Though,
if it's pointed at your chartreuse carpet when you turn it on, the silly machine thinks that is white
and adjusts everything accordingly! That's why your color is sometimes "off.") (FYI: Your flash is balanced for "sunlight," at about 5600K, which is bright sun in a blue sky between 10am and 2pm.)
6) Take lots of photos. As a commercial and wedding photographer, I always aimed for a ratio of about
4 to 1: Four shots of any subject for every one I used. For the 450+ photos in this book, I have in my
Mac's iPhoto library just over 8,000 photos of guitars under construction. Let's hear it for the digital
revolution! The more photos you take, the better your odds of getting something truly outstanding.
Moving one foot closer, changing the light by a couple of feet, can make all the difference.
234
Brazilian Rosewood 15,23,29,44,55,58,59,163
INDEX
Bridge-Pin Reamer 102
Bridge Clamp 60,102,170
Bridge Setter (KMG) 60,97,170
C
A
A-440 222
C.F. Martin & Co. 15,43,53
ACCESSORIES (websites) 172
Calton Cases 228
Achilles’ Heel of luthery 27
candle 87
Adirondack Spruce 50,162
Care Of Your Guitar 227
Alan Carruth 29,220
CASES (websites) 173
allergies 150
caul 41,60,82,84,88,89,102,115,141
allergy 150
Centerline Finder 170
Al Inteso Guitars 62
Chemicals 72
chemical allergies 150
B
Christian F. Martin. Sr. 53
band saw 31,65,114,118
CITES 44,49,163,164,166
barrier coat 153
Classical 56,62,164
"Basic Instructions and Helpful Hints for Guitar Kit Construction" (Martin's manual) 54
Clint Eastwood 100
Colfax Guitars 213
basswood 56
Colorado School of Luthery 170
Baxendale, Scott, John 213
Colorado Springs 13,31,36,224
Beard Resophonic Kits 62
compensation 97,98,99,103,167
"Big Three" kit manufacturers 43
contour gauge 94
billets 22,26,28,47,87,115,118
Bill Cory 1, 224
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 44,164
binding and purfling channels 68,146
Cory 224
Birchwood-Casey (Tru-Oil) 154
Cory Router Guide 137,146
bluescreekguitars.com 58
coupled acoustic system 28
Blues Creek Guitars 29,58,179
cuchillos 12
bolt-on neck joint 19,52,96
curved chisel 89
Bracemaker (LuthierSuppliers.com) 170
cyanoacrilate 72, 95,96
Brace Pattern 50
INDEX
D
flush-cut bit 91
D-28 41
Frank Ford 225
Dan Erlewine 38,51,171
free plate 222
David Bender 48
French Polish 37,175
DaVinci 5080 brush 157
dehumidifier 67
Dick Boak 54
fretboard 10,16,22,27,28,31,35,45,47,52,54,56
,60,70,89,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,102,103,107,124
,125,126,127,128,151,162,164,165,166,167,169,189
Frets.com 225
Ditson guitar body 58,59
Documentation 31,46,50,53
Don MacRostie 50,171
full-size plan 19,46,48,50,54,63,84,85,87,1
42
Full Size Plan 50
doolinguitars.com 103,223
dovetail 19,28,47,52,54,93,96,97,102,162
G
Dreadnought 15,25,30,49,51,52,53,60,62,87,158,
164,189,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,20
8,209,210,211
glossary 161
glue braces 88
go-bar deck 87
Dremel 68,72,91,114,121
GoBar Deck 36
dry fit 7,41,56,82,84,97,102,103,108
Golden Age of Amateur Luthery 26
Golden Age of Luthery 25,26
E
East Indian Rosewood 49,53,58,164,165,168
Gotoh 27,45
eBay 55,57,72,92,105,109,135
Go bar Deck 88
Edward Victor Dick 170
Grafted Coatings 156
Enduro 215
Grizzly 32,39,56,57,166,179
Erlewine 38,51,171
Grizzly Tools 32,56,57,166
External mold 60
guitar-repair.com 59
guitarbuilderstore 92,105
F
guitarmaking 11,48,63,65
FedEx 229
Guitar Finishing Step-by-Step 38
FESTIVALS (websites) 174
Guitar Vise 137
Fine Woodworking Magazine 38
guitar vise 138
finger braces 88
FINISHING (websites) 174
finishing your guitar 149
fixed plate 222
H
Healdsburg Guitar Festival 48,174
236
Helmholtz 223
kerfed lining 7,39,60,65,84,86,107,116,119,139,163
Helmholtz Frequency 223
Kevin Ryan 224
Hermann Helmholtz 223
KitGuitarBuilder.com 13,18,23,105,106,135,211,2
Holy Grail 7
25
humidifier 67,68,83
KitGuitarForum.com 8,13,20,23,41,58,59,63,105,
135,225
Humidity 67,83,109
humidity 67,68,83,84,86,93
KitGuitarManuals.com 23,51,57,63,82,105,146,17
1,225
Hygrometer 67,72,109
KitGuitarManuals.com/music.html 219
Kit Acoustic Guitar Builder’s Guide 57
I
Kit Instructions 57
Independent Luthiers 57
Kit Wizard 17,18,26,44,45,46,47,48,168,169
Industry Standard 45,46,47,142
KMG 32,57,60,61,97,102,170,173,179
Instructions 46,53,54,57,63,133
KMG Bridge Setter 214
instructions 9,15,19,23,27,30,31,41,46,47,4
8,49,50,54,55,57,59,62,63,71,81,82,84,85,90,96
,97,99,100,103,142,152,155,174
Kovacik Guitars 59
KTM-9 156,157,175
Instruction Manual 51,81
INTONATION (websites) 175
L
Laminated Brazilian Rosewood 212
intonation 10,16,21,22,29,56,70,81,97,98,99
,103,162,167,169,175,211
J
James Olson 224
John Hall 212
John Pearse Armrest 221
laminate trimmer 68,72,91
LMI 11,13,17,18,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,35,43,44,45,4
6,47,48,49,50,54,65,67,68,69,70,72,81,82,83,84,85,86,8
7,93,94,95,99,107,110,111,112,115,118,122,124,125,142,14
5,168,169
lmii.com 10, 26,43,44,109,135,155,168,169,174,
180
Jonathan Natelson 220
Jumbos 58
LMI White Instrument Makers Glue 72,82, 212,
218
Jumbo kits 53
Luthier’s Mercantile 31,43,44,135
Jumfaux 60
LUTHIERS' WEBSITES (websites) 176
LuthierSuppliers.com 94,170,179
K
Luthiers Mercantile 10,26,39,155,156,168,169,180
Keeping A Record 105
luthier guitar kits 25
KennethMichaelGuitars 60,65,97,170,179
LUTHIER SCHOOLS (websites) 175,176
Ken Cierpilowski 60,61,179
INDEX
M
Madinter Trade 62
mahogany neck 100,189
Martin 15,16,18,21,23,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,35,41,4
3,44,48,49,50,53,54,55,57,58,59,60,63,81,83,84,85,86,8
7,89,93,94,95,96,98,99,107,111,117,124,126,135,140,155,15
6,164,170,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,211,212
Oxford® Water-based Shellac Sealer and
Barrier Coating 157
P
paint remover 98,102,151
Parlor guitar kits 58
photography 233
martinguitar.com 43,53
Photography of Guitars 233
Martin Bronze (80/20) 219
Pikes Peak 224
Martin Guitar Museum 59
polyethylene 154
Material Safety Data Sheets 150
polymerized 155
Maton 228
polyurethane 38,151,155
Microplane 112,142,143
pore-filling 150,152,153
MIDWEST GUITAR 62
pore filler 11,37,100,101,152,153,155,156
Mike Doolin 98,99,103,175,211,223
Practice on Scrap 92
Minwax 154,155,175
Protective Top Pad 137
mold 9,60,62,65,71,84,85,86,91,107,111,112,170,1
protective top pad 144
71
MSDS 150
Mt. Everest 224
MUSICMAKER'S KITS 62
MUSIC MARKETING gmbh 62
R
Radius Sanding Sticks 137
rattle cans 153
Relative Humidity 67,227
relative humidity 67,83
N
neck shaping template 94
Renaissance Wax 101
resonant frequency 223
Resophonic Kits 62
Respirator 72
O
OM/000 32,53,58,60
Oxford 156
Oxford® High Solids Grain Filler 157
Oxford® Ultima-WR Stain 157
Oxford® Ultima Spray Lacquer 157
RH (Relative Humidity) 37,67,72,83,109
Rick Turner 220
Robert O’Brien 46,47,48
ROGER SIMINOFF 62
Roger Siminoff 220
238
S
T
sanding dish 115,139
tack cloth 151
Sanding Sticks 137, 139
Tap Tuning 221
scale length 28,98,99,167,211
tap tuning 88
scratch 8,11,19,20,22,23,26,38,65,152
Target Coatings 151,153,154,156,174,215
serviced kits 46,62,87,93
TaylorGuitars.com 227
shellac 37,93,100,101,108,151,153,154,155,1
Taylor 510ce-L9 211
57
Taylor Guitars 83,98,211
Shooting Block 125,137,140
Terz 58
shooting block 87,140
TEST ON SCRAP 150,159
Side shaping 137
test on scrap 150
silicon 228
The Achilles' Heel of Luthery 159
siminoff.net 62
Timeless Instruments Kits 62
Sitka 13,30,49,167,169,189
Titebond 72,82,173
Sitka Spruce 212
Todd Sams 51
sound port 86,167
Tommy Emmanuel 228
spindle clamps 50,71,90,91,145
tone bars 88,108
spool clamps 90,145
TOOLS AND (websites) 176
spray booth 21,101,149,153
top coat 153
spruces 58,162
Trigger 228
Steven Kovacik 57,59
Triple-O 13,17,31,49,51,52,87
Stewart-MacDonald 13,15,19,31,39,40,43,49
,50,63,67,135,171,180
Tru-Oil 38,100,101,151,154,155,174
TruOil 227
Stewart-Macdonald, Inc. 49
Stewmac 7,13,16,17,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,43
,44,47,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,68,69,70,71,81,82,83,
84,85,86,87,90,93,94,95,98,99,101,107,111,112,122
,124,125,137,139,145,158,189,198,199,200,201,202
,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211
tuners 27,45,49,52,54,56,81,95,107,126,133,165,1
89
U
UPS 229
stewmac.com 43,49,109,135,172,180
Success Kits (KMG) 60
sylvanwellsguitars.com 138
Sylvan Wells 138
V
VarioClippix 50,83
Victor Guitars 170
INDEX
Voicing 88
W
wash coat 93,101,151
waterbased finish 151
waterbased pore filler 155,156
waterborne finish 151
waterborne lacquer 156
WeldOn Cement 212
western red cedar 49
Western Steel String (Grizzly kit) 32,39,56
William Cumpiano 227
Wingnut Wrench 137, 145
Wipe-On Poly™ (Minwax™) 154, 155
Wlliam Cumpiano 220
WOBB (“Weight Of Bill’s Body”) 213, 217
WOOD 180
X
X-braces 52,87,88,89,90,116
Z
Zero Fret 169
The Complete Manual For Martin-style
Acoustic Guitar Kits
• 108 pages, 8.5 x 11”
• 501 photos illustrating every step
• Clear, Easy-to-read text
Available in print from
>>>
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>>>
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Complete Guide To Building Kit Acoustic Guitars • Bill Cory

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