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I have a friend who I work with that wants to learn how to build guitars, after some discussion I told him I could just give him a parts list from memory and help him do it from scratch. But he has his little heart set on getting a kit, so what I'm looking for is suggestions.

Personally I'd like to just see a box of wood, no jointed tops, bent sides, nothing cut with the exception maybe of the neck tenon and morise and some basic bracing stock. Everything else I can teach him and I've been pretty adamant that learning to do it all by hand is a much better way to go, especially when someone is there to help you through the process.

If there's nothing out there then I'll just make him an LMI shopping list, which I've been telling him I was going to do :)

Thanks

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

John Hall, Stew Mac & LMI all have kits. Seems prices range from about $270 to $450 for unserviced kits and from $350 to $950 for serviced kits. Doesn't sound like a lot more than buying the parts.  Might even be less in some situations.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I built one using the LMI 'unserviced' kit. It's basically a box of wood. Actually its a bit more than that, it has all the parts you need including tuners, fret wire, and a set of plans. I had to figure out all the rest, thicknessing, bending sides, etc. It was a great way to get into guitar building.

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53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/

I went the StewMac route, with a serviced kit. But when it was all over, I ended up making so many changes to the kit design, and kit materials, that doing it from scratch would have made more sense. With you helping him, that's eventually what he'll end up doing most likely. I messed up my original pre-bent sides, and had to order more, and then ended up bending those on a hot pipe, so I did gain some fairly good experience.

That said, if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably go with one of John Hall's kits. The StewMac instructions were essentially useless, and I ended up buying addtional bracing, binding, tuners, etc., plus John's kits match his outside forms, and his molds match his Fox bender, etc.   So that's a nice thing.

If you go with a John Hall kit, you can specify whatever you're looking for, and he'll put it together. That's my .02. And it's clearly price competitive.

Bill

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

LMI kit, for the sake of getting Robbie's DVD, plus it can be customized to your heart's content. I put together my last classical build that way just to get the DVD.

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I think Robbie goes the LMI unserviced route for his classes.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars can probably make anything you want. He's THE Kit Man IMO.

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

I got him all setup, I sent him to LMI so he could also get Robbie's DVD (which I want see as well). He'll be using my shop to do this, and I'll be walking him through the process, it should be a ton of fun...

I've got a couple on the workbench now and one that I'll probably hold off on so I can build with him at the same time....

Thanks All...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

[QUOTE=Bill Greene] I went the StewMac route, with a serviced kit. But when it was all over, I ended up making so many changes to the kit design, and kit materials, that doing it from scratch would have made more sense. With you helping him, that's eventually what he'll end up doing most likely. I messed up my original pre-bent sides, and had to order more, and then ended up bending those on a hot pipe, so I did gain some fairly good experience.

That said, if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably go with one of John Hall's kits. The StewMac instructions were essentially useless, and I ended up buying addtional bracing, binding, tuners, etc., plus John's kits match his outside forms, and his molds match his Fox bender, etc.   So that's a nice thing.

If you go with a John Hall kit, you can specify whatever you're looking for, and he'll put it together. That's my .02. And it's clearly price competitive.

Bill
[/QUOTE]

Understand what you are saying here. I hated the Stewmac plastic binding, and I had to ground the printed instructions in plenty of web research (something I spend most of my time online doing) and a Cumpiano book...

I found the kit a little frustrating too- I don't mean that it was easy, it just felt I had cut a LOT of corners, with the prebent wood and the already carved neck and braces. I knew what I was getting, so I can only blame myself!!!

HOW could ANYONE skip the neck carving/volute/brace shaping??!?

It was right at the time, because my desire to build guitars outran the few shop tools I had at the time.

Having more autonomy in buying a serviced kit from LMII (Kit Wizard) or John Hall is great for people who want to explore this craft.

But my new mantra is..."if you can get to Luthiery Evening classes, DO SO!!!!"

Steve is correct. I do use the LMI unserviced kits for both my classical and steel string building classes. It is just a box of lumber and you can build any model you want, dred, OM etc. However I build an OM in the DVD.
Speaking of which, Fine Woodworking Magazine just did a review of all three of my DVD's and posted it on their website.   

Here is the link

First of, I'll come out of hiding to say welcome back Paul, still haven't gotten to using the FB templates you made me last Oct

Second, for those of you who don't know, Paul Davis builds so very nice guitars, check out his website and archives on his very very cool shop too.

Paul, you ever get that set up bench built? The Ryan style.

Glad you hooked your friend up with some materials, show progress' ok? Also anything you're working on would be nice to see as well.

Good to see a Sprocket post, miss the snoopy but I like the new avatar as well.

Welcome back Paul

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hey Rod, good to see you again. I was just wondering where you had gotten off to of late.

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Aoibeann

Go with Blues Creek Guitars...
John Hall makes great guitar kits plus, you can call him if you have problems plus....he is fexable with changes in kit components the other Co. do not!!
Call and speak to him you won't regret it.

walter

[QUOTE=Rod True] First of, I'll come out of hiding to say welcome back Paul, still haven't gotten to using the FB templates you made me last Oct

Second, for those of you who don't know, Paul Davis builds so very nice guitars, check out his website and archives on his very very cool shop too.

Paul, you ever get that set up bench built? The Ryan style.

Glad you hooked your friend up with some materials, show progress' ok? Also anything you're working on would be nice to see as well.

Good to see a Sprocket post, miss the snoopy but I like the new avatar as well.

Welcome back Paul [/QUOTE]

Thanks Rod, your too kind...

No haven't built it yet, it's still in my to-do list, I've been busy with a new job, doing lots of CNC work for various people, trying to work on my own stuff and keeping up with the family. It's been one crazy year but in a good way, more changes than I care to mention.

I've started building again, getting out in the shop when time permits and I have a lull in the CNC stuff. I have a couple of projects just about done and then I can devote some serious time to getting things done out there, we still have a small list of upgrades we want to make before I'll call it finished but I can build today which is all I need.

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Hay Paul... How the heck are you?