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Should I make a mold as in 'Build your own Acoustic Guitar' by Jonathon Kinkead or do a free assemlbly as in Guitarmaking:Tradition & Technology By William Cumpiano and Jonathan Natelson Currently I'm leaning towards mold and have some old kitchen worktops I've started on. I'd be interested in peoples opinions.

Thanks

John

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Mold...you won't be sorry!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Here is some insight. The thinking on free form building was that a under bent side in a mold induced stress on the guitar that free form building did not. but most of the perponents of free form build including Bill Cumpiano are now using body molds.

The stress of the sprung sides is normalized once the back and top are guled up IMO

mold!
to me it's all about controlling every thing that you can. You might get some lucky accidents - but dont bank on it!
if you control it all you can replicate the good stuff, or improve on it.

sounds like i'm saying the non-mold route is 'uncontrolled'..i dont mean that, i just mean that the mold method makes a lot of sense
good luck

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www.theguitarrepairworkshop.com

I was thinking about doing mine without a mold at all but the spring back from the bubinga i had was just too omega extreme!!! for it. With a mold you can keep it exactly the way you like pretty much indeffinatly.

I just made a semi-solid mold from the Kinkead book. It took my about a half an hour and all you need is a saw and a nail gun. Really easy too. You should consider that.

mold...

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Brad Tucker

Mildew. I mean mold.

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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

Suggest until get a few under your belt mold. Then try one without and figure out out you like and works for you. Some great builders here who don't use them. Just a suggestion on first.

I built a thinline acoustic recently without a mold. It was a real challenge trying to keep everything lined up and on center. If it is at all possible, I reccommend using a mold. It just makes everything easier to work with.

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Reguards,

Ken H

I wouldn't use a mold, but I'd definitely use a mould. But then I'm English.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

OK let’s stop calling them molds. They really are not molds. They are "body or rim assembly fixtures" A mold is something you pore a malleable material into to achieve a shape. a Fixture is something you place components into to maintain alignment during construction or fabrication.

Solves the international the spelling issue.

How about "forms?" But I'm not one to quibble about usage, as you know.

I build without molds. I mostly build double sides, and molds aren't needed once you laminate. Since most people use molds and like them, I'm not going to say that a new builder should build without. Probably it's best to use them until you know what the issues will be. But one would not know from the previous posts that there are any advantages to going moldless. Mainly it becomes so easy to handle the rim set, to access it from any angle. And nothing gets in the way of clamping the liners or side braces. One also is not constrained from tweaking the shape in any direction one chooses, at least with single sides, and in a couple of directions with double sides, too.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Howard, you could build underwater, handcuffed and blindfolded.

Good points though.

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Horton, MI

Yep form works as well

I guess I'm in the minority. I have never used a mold.

I would recommend the use of a mold. It's actually a frame or template used to produce a shape and that
definition applies nicely to our use of molds in guitar building.

I've had opportunity to see guitars built by some well known proponents of mold free building and a good
number were askew. I understand that Bill Cumpiano uses a mold to build now so I'd throw his advocation of
mold free building in his book out the window since a mold has obviously proven its worth to him since its writing.

You'll happy that you used a mold once you do.


The double side guys can exercise a little more freedom in this area simply because of the elevated rigidity
of their exceptionally stable laminated sides.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Most of my stringed creations were built moldless until recently.
My excuse for not using a form was mostly because I have been making up shapes and I can’t seem to design the same shape twice.
For my resent guitar build, I made a form. I think there are some advantages to using a form most of which include its ability to hold the sides stiff when sanding the rim in preparation for gluing the back or top on, especially if you use a radius-dish to sand the edges. The form affords a lot more control for a precise gluing surface IMO. Even though the time I saved in sanding was taken up by the building of the form, I think I have a better constructed box in the end. Although that has yet to be seen.


Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com