Official Luthiers Forum!

This post is for anyone lurking , thinking about building their first guitar from a kit .Let me save you some time and trouble DO NOT BUY A KIT FROM THE GUY(S) ON EBAY selling a mish mash of parts that will supposedly work to gether as a kit. you will get parts that are seconds , you may get parts from different size guitars , you will probably get some parts that dont fit .you will probably get no response if you, months later try to ask a question about your "kit".at least this has been my experience !

I just glued my top to my rims , after months of trying to be sure everything was carved and fitting right . well I have d rims , and the top layout was/is incorrect , from the top it seemed everything was fitting well and in place ,I lined up the alignments holes on the top with the alignment holes on the neck block, the edges of the top were down laying on the rims without force , so I clamped it , now turning it over ( after the glue is dry) I see the layout was in correct , the "tongue" of the neck block is riding on the "pop sicle" brace , which now distorted the front of the rims , if I had positioned the top so the transverse brace, 'popsicle" brace , and neck block , all aligned properly ,( which I did in practice runs observing from the inside of the guitar ) then my bridge plate would have been to far forward by about 1/4 - 3/8 of an inch ! that is by using the lay-out and parts that came with the "kit".

so now I must try to figure out a way to release the glue on the top/front edge of the rims . cut the tongue off the neck block , and try to reposition and reglue the front area of the top and rims to correct the angle of the front of the rims ! , not how I wanted my first build to go !
so now I am hoping I will be able to separate the top from the rims by forcing a heated knife between them to loosen the glue to correct this issue.

I still think a kit is a good way to start building , just buy it from someone reputable , that you can later talk to if issues arise or if you get a bad part or three !
I would recommend buying the kit from some one like John Hall/ blues creek or someone that is also a guitar bulder , that you can contact, and talk to, at a later date ,if you have an issue with the parts, or a question about fitting them together .
Good luck Jody

Sorry to hear of your troubles, Jody but appreciate the fact that you chimed in on the sellers kit crap. Hopefully it will help others to make the right decision.

I'd also like to suggest that John Hall will get you started off on the right foot...and he will answer questions when you get stuck.

In addition, I'd also like to recommend following a print or a plan related to the guitar you are building. There are several available through the OLF that have been vetted and are well-detalied...thanks to our own Michael Payne!

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

Jody--

I'll second the vote for John Hall. He has put together two really nice kits for me. Both are based on relative obscure Martin models, 0-16NY and a deep bodied 00-21. Not only are the supplied materials first rate, but John makes himself available to you via e-mail and telephone. Outstanding service! If you can dream it up, he can put it together for you.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Thirded.....

well it went better than I thought , I managed to separate the top from the rims and neck block , a little damage , the top seam opened up a bit ,but it wil be under the finger board , I think I need to let it acclimate before I reglue it , but I am not sure how long to. I think next time I would wet the top before separating it with the spatula . a little bit of scorching on the inside , hopefully it will sand off. I need to cut the little tabs off of the neck block now , i suppose a dremel with a small saw blade . then I should be able to correct the geometry of the body .I feel better now, knowing I can salvage my efforts . Jody

I ordered the OM plans yesterday from the "Library of Plans" here on the OLF. Can't wait to get it. I'm not done with my Dreadnaught yet, but really excited to get started on an OM!

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

good luck...sheesh...

I ordered a set of MJ plans about 2 months ago...haven't received them and am currently being totally ignored by both lance and brock...great business model you got there d00ds...lame as hell...a customer pays in full for a product, you don't send it, and give NO response to inquiries....in some countries that would be called thievery and would end up with you all having your precious hands being cut off...