Official Luthiers Forum!

Newbe here. I got some serious woodworking chops but don't know squat about guitar building other than extensive reading for the last few months. Have been lurking for a while and am contemplating my first build. This is a great site with lots of info. I have really enjoyed reading all the posts and seeing the great work being done. A word of warning though, I may be asking a lot of questions.
I want to build a OOO 12 fret. I have the Steward MacDonald plans. Couple questions. The scale length is 25.34 and I wanted a shorter scale. What has to be changed to accomodate this and should I bother or just go with the plans. I read here where some of you had said the LMI plans were over braced. What do you think of the SM plans and would I need to modify them to lighten or other wise improve apon them in anyway.
Thanks,
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Link buddy welcome to the OLF!

If you want to change the scale length of a guitar it will impact where the bridge plate and bridge need to be. Depending on how much of a change you want to make to the scale length this can also mean that the X-bracing gets shifted as well.

It's all very doable (is doable a word...) you will just need to recompute where things need to be.

IMHO the Stew-mac plans are not over braced much if any.

Again welcome to the OLF.

Welcome to the OLF, Link. It will also change the distance from the nut to the 12th fret/body join, so it could have some impact on the neck construction.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Link - I am building my second guitar after making fine furniture for 20 years and this is just my opinion: making a properly built, nice looking guitar that sounds good is enough of a challenge, even for the experienced. If you get hooked with the building bug, you will want to make some guitars with an objective including acquiring objective data and also intuition about what makes a good instrument and you can't do that by changing the rules right off of the bat.

On the other hand, it is a good idea if you are building with a specific set of plans to find out if there are any inherent problems or strong opinions about those plans. To that end, you are in the right place, and others will chime in, I am sure.

Oh, and welcome!

Almost every set of commercial plans you find (except mine of course ) will be over braced. It is kind of the better save than sorry point of view. Now that does not mean it will produce a dead guitar. Just not as lively as it could be.

As far as changing the scale on the SM plans, you will need to redesign the neck for the scale length, the brace position and splay angle of the X brace, bridge and bridge plate position, and sound hole position according to the scale length. That is a lot of modification for a total newbie.

If I was to give the best advice I could give I would say build one of StewMac’s kits or a Blues Creek kit first. Then attempt your first scratch build. Less tools acquisition will be required that way and you get a shot at assembly before you have to manufacture any parts from scratch. Really is a smart way to start.

if you do decide to go for the whole shebang the first time out. draft a new set of plans out on paper to proof out before you start. Another better safe than sorry exercise

The LMI OOO plan is a 14 fret body (OM body).

Zack your ar right The LMI is am OM body and the StewMac is a 000

Your advise is well taken and thank you and everybody for replying. I am not too worried about making parts from scratch or building the guitar in general. I am a professional woodworker of over 30 years. A 2 year student at the College of the Redwoods back in 85/86 (man how time flies) have my own shop where I make fine furniture etc. I am also a do metal fabrication for a high end shop from time to time. Tig, Mig, lathe, mill, etc. Reading plans, making parts is what I do. I make my own wooden hand planes and irons. Blah, Blah. So I know I can build the guitar. For me making a pretty guitar is not the big challenge, making one that sounds good is beyond my experience and knowledge at this point. I know that knowing how thin to make the top, the bracing , and a huge number of other things make a big difference and can only come from experience. My hope is that with your help I can make the experience part as efficient as possible. (I am getting older, I've got a lot of catching up to do.) I am very happy to have found this site. The collective knowledge here is unbelievable.
Thanks,
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I`ve built a OOO 12 fret with a 24.9 scale and it came out nicely.I got the plans from John Hall at Blues creek.He also explained to me how to position the sound hole.I also as Michael has mentioned slimmed down a bit on the bracing.It`s amazing how powerful these guitars can sound.The 12 fret with the 24.9 scale is a real dream to play.
James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Link,

Do you have the book Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology: A Complete Reference for the Design & Construction of the Steel-String Folk Guitar & the Classical Guitar. There is a section in the book that shows you exactly what you need to do to layout a guitar top.

If you don't have the above book it is well worth getting it. Amazon sells it for about $27 plus shipping.

Sounds to me like you have a lot more in the way of woodworking skills than the majority of us had when we started.

to have known this up front would have changed my opinion on the joinery but the sonic mechanics of the guitar will be the challenge for you for some time to come yet if you decide to continue on building.

With that much experience with wood, you might get lucky with the first build. I think you have already made some thoughtful modifications to a proven formula that show potential. Short scale 12 fretters have a sweet sound. Like others have said, the soundhole position, neck, bridge placement and bracing will all have to change. Make full scale drawings of what you want to do. Make sure the bridge wings extend over the X brace and that here is enough room for all the bridge pins between the X. You still in northern California, Link? I'm in Ukiah if you ever want to share notes.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Ken,
I am still in Sebastopol. I would love to share notes. No pun intended.
lvc57 then the at part comcast.net
Drop me a line.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.