Official Luthiers Forum!

Are there any good acoustic guitar building books out there? Onces that describe the process from beginning to end? I have looked on the internet but it is hard to tell what is inside a book based on its picture.

thanks

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

There are quite a few but Cumpiano's book is considered to be the bible of acoustic building. He details both a steel string and a classical. I personally think it is about the hardest way to tackle your first guitar, but the quality of the information is excellent and he is a first rate builder.

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

I think the Jonathan Kinkead book is best for beginners as it is so superbly illustrated. That and the Cumpiano book together will lead you through the entire process.


I also got some ideas from the Jim Williams and Irving Sloan books and the StewMac instruction download.

Ronold man38830.9395717593

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

My vote (s) are for Cumpiano/Natelson and Kinkead too. CN for detail, Kinkead for illustration. Also, be sure to look at updates on the C/N book on Cumpiano's web site. (Just saw that Hesh covered this)

Loved the Clapton's guitar book.burbank38830.9841435185

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

Thanks, I picked up the Cumpiano book at Barnes and noble, I didn't see if they had the Kinkead, but maybe later. The Cumpiano was almost $40.

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

The Cumpiano is a difficult read, a lot of it is moderately 'outdated' (no molds, bending forms, radius dishes, bolt-on neck construction details are on his website only), but it laid a lot of the groundwork for understanding guitar construction, and showed me one way of doing things. Using that, and the MIMF.com library, I managed to put together a guitar borrowing methods from various different people. But the book helped me work out what the heck half the discussions were even going on about.

[QUOTE=Mustang_jt] Thanks, I picked up the Cumpiano book at Barnes and noble, I didn't see if they had the Kinkead, but maybe later. The Cumpiano was almost $40.[/QUOTE]

$40 well spent

I think the Cumpiano book really is a great foundation you can build on with the other books you pick up along the way. I have been adding to my lutherie library for years. Maybe I've just been lucky but they all seem to explain something better or introduce something the others didn't. I also like to read a lot so I don't mind skimming through any repetitive info.

The Stew Mac "trade secrets" and their finishing book are good reads as well.

This forum is probably your best resource once you've read something like Tradition&Technology book.

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

If your anything like me and love reading, and are looking for "as much info" as you can absorb - get a library card if you dont already have one,
then you will most definitely have access to alot of guitar and luhiery material, heres a few
a)I own
b)have borrowed
c)that are on the way
d)that will be borrowed or bought one day.

There are a couple books by Irving Sloane,
Classic guitar construction
Steel-String Guitar Construction Sloane, Irving. 1975
and a repair guide or 2 by him,

Guitar Makers Manual, by Jim Williams, which has loose sketched out binding router jig side bender and other things in it.

Theres Bob Benedettos book, How to make an Archtop Guitar,

Acoustic guitar : an historical look at the composition, construction, and evolution of one of the world's most beloved instruments / Teja Gerken ... [et al.]. [2005]. Hal Leonard,

Build your own acoustic guitar : complete instructions and full-size plans / Jonathan Kinkead

The guitar maker's workshop / Rik Middleton
A guitarmaker's canvas : the inlay art of Grit Laskin

Building an acoustic guitar [videorecording]. c2002. Stewart-MaDonald

How to make a solidbody electric guitar [videorecording]. c2002. Stewart-MaDonald

Manual of guitar technology : the history and technology of plucked string instruments / Franz Jahnel ; English version of Die Gitarre und ihr Bau by J.C. Harvey. Jahnel, Franz. 2000. Bold Strummer

Guitars from start to finish / Samuel G. Woods ; photographs by Gale Zucker

Guitar finishing step-by-step / [Dan Erlewine, Don MacRostie]. Erlewine, Dan. c1998. Stewart-MacDonald

Making of stringed instruments : a workshop guide / by George Buchanan

Lutherie woods and steel string guitars : a guide to tonewoods, with a compilation of repair and construction techniques / edited by Cyndy Burton and Tim Olsen. c1997.

Making master guitars / Roy Courntall ; illustrations by Adrian Lucas. Courtnall, Roy. c1993. Robert A. Hale,

The development of the modern guitar / John Huber. -- Huber, John. c1991. Bold Strummer Ltd

Antonio de Torres, guitar maker : his life and work / Jose L. Romanillos ; foreword by Julian Bream. Romanillos, Jose L. 1987. Element Books

The steel string guitar : construction & repair / David Russell Young ; introduction by Jim Crockett. Young, David Russell. c1987. Bold Strummer

Build your own electric guitar : custom guitar assembly made easy / by Bill Foley ; illustrated by Jim Kasper. Foley, Bill. c1986. Gvm Pub

The fine guitar / Jose Oribe. Oribe, Jose. c1985. VEL-OR Pub. Co

Constructing a solid-body guitar : a complete technical guide / by Roger H. Siminoff ; illustrations by Lachlan ; photography by Andy Siminoff and Mark Siminoff ; cover photograph by Andy Siminoff ; text editorJim Hatlo. Siminoff, Roger H. c1986. Hal Leonard

The acoustic guitar; adjustment, care, maintenance, and repair [by] Don E. Teeter. -- Teeter, Don E. c1975. University of Oklahoma Press

An introduction to scientific guitar design / by Donald Brosnac. -- Brosnac, Donald, 1947- c1978. Bold Strummer

Make your own Spanish guitar. Sharpe, A. P. 1971

Making your own Spanish guitar, balalaika, violin. [1970]. Model & Allied Publications

Guitar construction from A to Z. 1971,c65] Society of the Classic Guitar

Classic guitar maker's guide. Brown, H. E. 1967. International Guitar and Import Co

Making a folk guitar. Photographs: Russ Woolnough. Bailey, John, writer on music. [1965] C. Sharp House

and many many more.
God bless the library an underutilized resource.
Cheers
Charliewood

Not exactly a book, but Robbie O'Brien's DVD on building a steel string, from LMI, is a great resource, for building an LMI kit. He identifies sections that can be skipped if you're building a serviced kit. It's included with LMI kits, or you can buy it separately and get a refund if you buy a kit later.

You can rent DVDs on building and repair here.

http://technicalvideorental.com/index.php?main_page=index&cP ath=39

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

The Cumpiano covers alot, and is a good reference. The problem I have with it, is that he tries to cover both Classical & SS 'at the same time' in the same chapters. I find it hard to tell which he's referring to. I've suggested that he use different fonts or text colors to descriminate. Or separate chapters for each.
One book to 'be careful with' is the one by Arthur Overholzer, he has some rather controversial opinions and procedures. For instance, soaking rosewood in a tank of acetone to remove the oils.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

No offense to anyone, but I think the cumpiano one is almost like an
antique. I'm not sure why people might use it other than the lore it has
now. I read the kinkead one at borders last week and thought it would be
great to learn from. And get john mayes's voicing dvd.

I mean, I seriously can't think of anything I personally apply from it.

James, I have the book, and do use it from time to time when I am trying something new or different or just want to study his approach. I have to agree with your position to some degree. Still a great resrouce in certain areas. I have applied many of his techniques in certain applications, but have just found better mousetraps for getting the same end result. The book is mostly all hand everything with very little equipment for the most part. With that in mind, some of the Beginners learning the truly "handmade" approach is still a good thing. Especially when alot of these guys and gals don't have much equipment etc. As an example, I have seen very few guys here on the OLF that thickness their tops, backs and sides the Cumpiano way with strickly a hand plane. Some might, but with the Wagner Safety Planer, Drum Sanders and the like it appears alot of folks have some form of automation. I have thicknessed all three with a planer, once, and glad I know how it is done, but now I use a Safty Planner on the Drill press. I think it is a good thing to know as much of the "old school" techniques and approaches this book teaches whether you continue to use them or move on.

Mike

Mike