Official Luthiers Forum!

I will be stringing up my first guitar in the next week or so, and I'm anxious to know whether I've made some sort of critical, perhaps fatal mistake. I'm pretty sure I'll know if my bridge isn't glued down securely, as I expect bridge failure will be a spectacular sight. I'll know if my neck isn't properly aligned because it will be visually obvious.

But how will I know, and when will I know, if my bracing is too light? Will bellying be obvious in the first week? First month? First year?

What else should I be worried, or not worried, about?

If it doesn't fold up like a lawn chair in the first minute, then you will probably be okay. Just kidding. It could be months of string tension before you notice that the bridge pulling forward and bulge developes. I knew a guy who makes his bridge wings rounded, and therefore doesn't hit the x brace. After about 3 months, he noticed a big bulge behind the bridge. It still plays and sounds great, but it is already starting to give way. You will also know pretty much right away if you didn't cut your fret slots correctly when you string it up and can't get it in tune. The good news, is if it is something very serious, you'll know pretty much right away. Just don't stand in front of the bridge when stringing it up, you might wake up on the floor staring at the ceiling with a big knot on your forehead. Good luck, nothing like the excitement of the first guitar string up. I video taped mine.
Tracy

John,

Congratulations!

First, don't be worried about anything --- no matter what goes wrong, you should be able to fix it!

If it doesn't fall apart within the first day, you should be pretty good. One caveat is that if you used a dovetail neck joint and did a poor job with your jointery, it could take months before you notice the heel separating from the body.

One suggstion I'm sure you have heard before: When you string it up, keep in mind that it probably won't sound great right away. At first, it will probably sound thin and weak. Don't worry about it. Within 3-4 weeks, it will sound like a completely different instrument.

Let us know how it comes out!

A bit of belly is perfectly normal, and I'd be very surprised if you underbuilt your first if your stayed anywhere near the 'standard' measurements Cumpiano and Co reccomend for a first. I'm sure my first is overbuilt, for example. Might go in and try to hotrod it when I've built myself a second one to play while that one gets the top finish stripped (want to thin the top a bit rather than take most of the braces down). But we'll see.

I agree with Kelby, though: don't get discouraged if it sounds nasty when you first string it up. Keep playing it, and listen as it opens up in the first couple of hours, and more so in the weeks to follow.

If you don't get just a little belly in the first couple months, it's probably because you overbuilt.

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