Official Luthiers Forum!

I have been posting pictures of my build, most have been posted here, on OLF, to a Photobucket album.  If you are interested in seeing a slide show, or going through my build, you can use this link.  So far it is about 175 pictures, so it is long, and somewhat repetitive on some parts of the build.  I would appreciate any thoughts any of you might have on how to improve it.  I am sort of using it as my log-book.  In the upper right hand corner, you can get out of the slide show, and page through the thumbnails, only looking at the ones you want to.  Thanks for looking, if you have time or an interest.

Waddys First Guitar Build

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy that's a great slideshow of your work. Thanks for sharing!   

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Thanks, Waddy- nice project.

John

Thanks, Bruce and John!  It is a good way to keep the process together.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Incredible for a first build Waddy!

Impressive skills...and lots of hand tools ...kudos!

Thanks for posting!

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

My whole idea was to learn to use the hand tools as much as possible,  while learning to build a guitar.  Cutting those stupid little slivers off the rosette logs beat me down though, and I bought a little 10" band saw.  It saved my buns, and enabled me to complete the rosette without having to start over with new logs.  I have my share of power tools though, and use them when I need them.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Awesome work, Waddy! 

Great work Waddy!  Just don't get Grumpy!

That is some seriously great looking wood!  You have done a masterful job of turning pieces of wood into a fine instrument.

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Way-to-go Waddy!!!!!

I think that you and I really enjoy the documenting process, with photos, almost as much as building.  Besides taking the time to take and post photos is a great way to be a slacker.......

Waddy - That's a nice show. I didn't realize that you are
using Zebrawood for the build. I just sawed 6 B&S sets of Zebrawood from boards that I found locally. I'm eager to use it. It does tear out easily when you are planing it - glad I have a drum sander.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Great job Waddy!! This is your first? Nice work, fabulous rosette.

Vince

Excellent slide show Waddy! Hope you dont mind if I borrow some of your good ideas for my first nylon string.

 

 

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Reguards,

Ken H

Thanks for all your nice comments.  This is a great learning experience for me, and using the photographs never even entered my mind until I got here.  OLF, that is.  This forum has made me believe that I can build a good guitar first time out.  Not perfect, I'm sure, but acceptable for a first.  I already have my booboo's that I have had to work around, and I'm comfortable with that.  All learning experiences.

Jim, you're right about the Zebrawood.  It is a bear to plane.  Even very sharp does not seem to matter.  I did have some luck with a wooden plane that I had had for years, and had never used, but it has a high angle on the blade, and it seemed to plane better than a standard #4 bench plane, or a low angle block plane.  The Stanley #12 Cabinet Scraper has been excellent for this wood, but you have to sharpen it fairly often, even with a Hock blade in it.  It's all good though.  I have learned a ton, so far.  Still have a long way to go.  Finished gluing fan braces last night.  Now I have to shape them.  I'm looking forward to that.

Hesh, you are right.  I do like documenting the build through the pictures.  I'm better at that than I am at keeping a log.

Thanks Vince, the Rosette came out better because of comments I got here.  There were some great suggestions from folks like Shawn, Joshua, Dave LaPlante and others.  My basic design was, well basic, and the comments refined it to something that came out better than I expected.

Ken, thanks, borrow anything you like.  Just remember the experience level of the person from whom you got the idea.  Zip!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

It looks real good Waddy ! Lots of photos'
I think its going to be a great guitar for you.
You are really taking your time and are doing very good work.Thanks

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Hey you big tease!!
I thought it was going to show the whole build leading up to the finished guitar!!

Well done! Can't wait to see the rest!

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

[QUOTE=peterm]Hey you big tease!!

I thought it was going to show the whole build leading up to the finished guitar!!



Well done! Can't wait to see the rest![/QUOTE]

Sorry for the let-down, Peter.  I hope things will move a little faster now that I am into some of the assembly process vs. parts making.  I'm still not pushing it though.

Thanks!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy, impressive! Amazing job on the rosette! But all those hand tools...oh the horror

I haven't been as captivated by the notion of doing so much with hand tools (particularly plate thicknessing), but I do want to make a circle cutter like yours at least for initial scoring of rosette and soundhole cuts. I messed up a soundhole with an apparently dull bit on one of the guitars I started recently. I'd like to start scoring those cuts and binding channel cuts.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Keep up the great work Waddy.

Your patience and perseverance are paying off and it looks great. I'm eager to see the finished guitar. Thanks for sharing.

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Peter

Waddy,

I really enjoyed watching that - that's great stuff for a first build and a classical as well.

It's amazing how much you will forget about what you did in the future so being able to come back to a photo record like this is useful. I've tried to photo-document the key parts of the build of all of the instruments I've made - it's a pain in the butt as it gets in the way of the doing but worth it I think.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010