Official Luthiers Forum!

Can anyone provide some books or tips on a beginner just getting started in making guitars?

I am a player of 25 years, and I would like to begin building guitars.

Thank You

Parker.

Hi Parker and welcome to OLF. It's been a while since I bought a guitar making book and the one that most will recommend is, in my opinion sort of outdated. I would however recommend going to the sites of Stewmac and LMII, both have lots of books to choose from on the subject, (maybe avoid to oldest copyrite).

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Hi Parker
'Build your own Acoustic Guitar' by Jonathon Kinkead.
It's an excellent book for beginners. It goes through each stage step by step and each step has great colour photo's. I recommend it for the photo's (i'm crap at reading instructions!!!)
You can get it from Amazon or very often on Ebay.
Good luck
Mat

I'm just about 2 weeks ahead of you I've bought 'Build your own Acoustic Guitar' by Jonathon Kinkead and Guitarmaking:Tradition & Technology By William Cumpiano and Jonathan Natelson, also check out this guy on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfH-QG7wxzM I've downloaded this guys videos and put them onto a video cd using realplayer.

Talking to a friend at my local folk club and the next week he turned up the next week with some 3mm mahogany (not book matched unfortunatley), I've just bought a spruce top, I'm just making a mold and am gonna use pine moldings for the braces. Just need to learn to sharpen my planes to scary sharp now and am away! All using the plans at the back of Kinkheads book

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Every one has mentioned the books I would have so I will recommend Robbie Obrien’s DVD “Building a steel String guitar or building a classical guitar with Robbie Obrien. Both are slow watches but chaptured step by step guide through the process with a bit of humor here and there and everywhere. They are based off building from LMI non-serviced kit but is just as relevant to scratch building as well.


I and also can offer a good 12 set program to aid you with your newly to be afflected by W.A.S. syndrome.

I'll second Michael's mention of Robbie O'Brien's Steel String DVD. Great stuff.

Also, not to be a jerk or anything, but just so you're in the know: you want to BE a luthier, and get started in LUTHERIE.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

I honestly don't think the books on the market right now are relevant to building steel strings guitars in 2008. At the very most, they're not the best instructional materials you can buy.

I would get a plan for the kind of guitar you'd like to build, Robbie's DVD, and John Mayes' two DVD's on voicing. John's DVD's will give you examples of what to listen for as you're voicing the top for different applications.

That's about $100 in instructional materials, and your potential for building a great sounding instrument the first time will go way up.

All of John's DVD's are awesome, but I highly highly recommend the two on voicing.