Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi people ive recently decided that I would like to learn how to build guitars,problem is I dont really know too much about how to get started.
If anyone could lend some advice for a beginner it would be really appreciated.
thanks :)

Hi Kurt,

Welcome to the OLF, other with heaps more experience than myself will tune in shortly, but if you are just starting out and don't have very much woodworking experience, I would recommend you build from a kit first up.

John Hall from Blue creek is a sponsor here at the OLF and from all reports makes an excellent kit. Stewmac is another option, either way you will be able to get started without out laying too much in the way of tools.

Also, I can recommend that you get hold of Jonathan Kinkead's book "Build your own acoustic guitar" and/or Cumpiono & Natelson's "Guitar Making tradition and technology" both are excellent books and I think both are essential reading.

Anyhow, you are in the right place, once again, welcome

Cheers

Kim

Welcome to the OLF Kurt, what Kim says, a kit is the way to go when starting, I would only add to his advice by saying stay close to the OLF brothers, they will answer all your questions!

Have fun and good luck with your first guitar!

SergeSerge Poirier38830.2929398148

Just Say No!!!

You'll begin a life-long addiction to highly figured wood. You'll have cold sweats after looking at the fantastic guitars produced by some of the OLFers.

You'll begin to buy tools you never knew existed and sometimes can't even pronounce or spell. Your mind will harbor thoughts and genetate new brain cell synapses that you never believed could fill your head.

You'll convert rooms in your house to store tools, jigs, wood and items related to supporting your new addiction...even to the point of foregoing your own bathroom.

Once The Zootman dresses up in his blonde wig, red dress and spiked heels he'll seduce all the cash from your wallet, checking account, kids' college funds and even from under the bed.

This is your last chance....run away as fast as you can!!!

Now, if you ignore all of this advice as most of us have, you'll have one of the best life-long experiences you can imagine. Read all you can...spend time at the OLF, and have a great time building and learning from the best group of builders you'll never probably meet in person.

Welcome to our addiction!

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

I think a class is a great way to start if you can afford it from the perspective of time and $$$.

Considering what you will spend to tool up and on supplies, the money involved is very economical.

I went to Frank Finocchio's class. He is a great guy and an excellent builder. (He also sells videos via StewMac). My experience is that live instruction takes years off your learning curve.

... and of course... everyone here is available to lend opinions and answers to questions.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Man I allways wondered if Zootman had a secret , That is how he gets those guys to let loose the good stuff to him , LMAO
    Welcome , actually great to see a newbie . The OLF'ers are a great bunch with a sense of humor as you can see. My advice is if you are starting is to use kits for at least the first one so you can see what the parts are to look like.
    There are a few suppliers of kits
Stew Mac ( Stock kits )
LMI ( stock Kits )
Blues Creek Guitars ( stock and custom kits )
Steve Kovacik ( some customs mostly Martin kits )
CF Martin ( Martin stock kits )
   The questions you need to ask and items you need to learn about are , first what is a kit and what don't I know
Kits will come in a variety of conditions. Most have all the important parts but no tuners and some all down to the strings. Some kits are serviced some are not. What that means is just because you got a kit doesn't mean the parts are ready to build with. Sides need to be contoured and radiused. Serviced kits are pretty much ready to goout of the box . You still have the fitting and glueing.
Most suppliers will rough in the contour or trim to length. Blues creek will set the sides up to the actuall radius .
   Most of the kits I have seen from the other suppliers have a rough contour in but not the finished. This saves you the trouble of doing it yourself and buying the luthier disk to start out with.
Bracing layouts are done from Martin and Blues Creek and Steve. I have not seen one on a stewmac or lmi . This assures the braces are correct. Someone let us know if they are setting up brace layouts as I haven't see a LMI or Stew mac kit in a few years.
    Instructions are best on the Stew mac kit . Blues creek will provide building support so you will have someone to get you through the hard stuff.
Last is the finising. This is the hardest part and there are so many out there. Lacquer is one of the best finishes as you can do repairs and as we call it , open the back door . You can at anytime touch up lacquer. The other finishes dont have that option like lacquer.
   Good luck and I hope you have something to think about.
John Hall

Kurt, a lot of great advice above, only thing I can add is to say - welcome to the best guitar building internet forum on the web.   Hang out here and you'll meet builders who are household names, semi-pros who could be pros and many skilled hobbyists. Lastly and probably most important some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

[QUOTE=JJ Donohue] Just Say No!!!

You'll begin a life-long addiction to highly figured wood. You'll have cold sweats after looking at the fantastic guitars produced by some of the OLFers.

You'll begin to buy tools you never knew existed and sometimes can't even pronounce or spell. Your mind will harbor thoughts and genetate new brain cell synapses that you never believed could fill your head.

You'll convert rooms in your house to store tools, jigs, wood and items related to supporting your new addiction...even to the point of foregoing your own bathroom.

Once The Zootman dresses up in his blonde wig, red dress and spiked heels he'll seduce all the cash from your wallet, checking account, kids' college funds and even from under the bed.

This is your last chance....run away as fast as you can!!!

Now, if you ignore all of this advice as most of us have, you'll have one of the best life-long experiences you can imagine. Read all you can...spend time at the OLF, and have a great time building and learning from the best group of builders you'll never probably meet in person.

Welcome to our addiction!

[/QUOTE]

JJ, THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST ADVICE TO NEWBIES I'VE SEEN!

Thanks for saying it the way it really is!

Hesh,

That pic of BobC is just too good! Bob, you've been holding out on us!

Welcome Kurt. You're at the start of a wonderful journey, and yes, we are the best group of people you'd ever hope to meet someday. burbank38830.4335416667

_________________
now known around here as Pat Foster
_________________
http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Welcome!!

welcome to the greatest forum on the web!!

Get ready to spend some time with wood! I would suggest getting some good air filtration and quality tools and starting with a good quality kit. John Hall from Blues Creek would be my first choice since he is a sponsor and is always eager to help with any questions you may (and will) have along the way! And as you progress you can get many necessary tools and jigs from him too!

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Kurt, These are the baby steps you need to take before you start a first build, assuming that you are not going to take a luthierie class.

1. Get a note book, and a 100 pack if #2 pencils. You need to start a journal now. Keep notes on every thing you do preparing for you first build and track all process of each and every build from then on. Notation on your past troubles and success and material specifications on each build you do will soon become one of the valuable tools
2. read everything you can get your hands on especially Guitarmaking Tradition and Technology by Compaino and Natelson. The internet is also loaded with great info.
3. take notes in your journal on interests and techniques you read about.
4. Once you are sure you want to pursue this and have a good understanding if the sills that will be involved. gather up the basic tool. (chisels, planes squares, sanding blocks, router, hand saws, clamps, etc)
5. set aside a work area and make sure you have the room to not be too cramped to perform a given task.
6. make out a game plane if the required building steps in chronological order to follow on the first few builds.


With that said I like the idea of a first timer that have not attended a luthierie class starting with a kit build, but with a close eye on the book Tradition and Technology as you build this kit. I think a kit provides a first timer with a high susses rate. Shop around for a kit that meets your skill level some require thicknessing, rough brace splitting plate jointing, neck carving while others are pretty much readdy to assemble with little material prep work. If you are not an experianced wood work I recomend starting with a well serviced kit. If on the other hand you have some cabinet making skills you might want to start with a less serviced and more advanced kit.

Kurt,

Welcome to the OLF! all the advice here is great and I cannot add anything other than to go for it! You will have alot of great support here with a great group of people and builders.

Mike

Another thing to add to the "must buy" list is a how to video or DVD. I've got the books and have picked the brains of folks on this forum but have also benefitted greatly from being able to see how it's done by the pros.

Robbie O'brien has a few DVD's out through Luthier Mercantile International that are economical and very informitive. As Brock mentioned above, Frank Finocchio has a set of videos (also very informative) through Stewart-MacDonald packed full of information but his doesn't cover finishing or carving a neck. John Mayes offers instructional DVD's through his website on specific areas of building, ie., necks, bending siding, etc.....these too are very informative.

Have fun and enjoy the ride. It's addictive but only because it's such a rewarding hobby.

1st time builder, get one of the StewMac kits.
Or, buy the StewMac video, and d/l the free instructions, and get the serviced parts from John Hall at Blues Creek.
Check in at this kit builders website & forum.

http://www.kitguitarbuilder.com/

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Wow thanks for the help guys!
I have an average level of woodworking skills.
I like the idea of a guitarmaking course however I dont think there are any for offer in new zealand.
And while i have some tools (my grandfather being a cabinet maker and my dad being a carpenter) I dont think there are many places here that would sell tools specific for guitar building, so I think I would have to source alot online.
would you recommend luthiers merchantile as a good place for tools and suchlike?
Thanks for being so welcoming and helpful!

John Hall for molds and bending forms, Shane Neifer or Tracy Leveque for sanding dishes, Stew Mac for all kinds of jigs for lutherie! There are others here on the forum who will probably give you more resources to choose from

thanks mate!

Welcome Kurt, Can you believe all the great advice you are getting here? You have come to the right place! Good luck with your 1st guitar build and have fun with it!

_________________
Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I think I will order the dreadnought kit from stewmac.com as my first attempt at a build! what do u guys think?

Good choice, enjoy, let us know if you need any assistance.

Mike

As a newbie myself I have acquired all the well known books, be aware
sometimes you can end up with conflicting advice if you go down this
route. I like Michael P's focus on Cumpiano, it pays to stick with one or
two sources of info.

So far for me, the most valuable reference after Cumpiano has been
Robbie O'Briens DVD. The slide show format with audio commentary iss
very effective and really fills in some gaps which occur when you only
have written material to work with.

Lastly, heed all the warnings about this persuit being additive, I can feel
"it" growing all the time. Wood and tools are starting to pile up all around
me !

William

haha thanks for the tips! luckily the old man is all for the idea of getting a new workshop for his own work ... so let the wood and tools pile up :D