Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all. I posted here about a year and a half ago when I first started contemplating building my first guitar. After many hours of research and a little time spend with a local guitar repair person, I feel like I am ready to tackle my first acoustic. My original plan was to build an archtop, but as time has went on, that has revealed itself to be less and less practical. For this reason, I have settled on a physical replica of a Martin 000-28EC with a few minor adjustments. I.E. the neck shaped and some cosmetic changes. Here is the dilemma I am looking at. I have been able to find plans for a Martin 000 and OM guitar. According to some forums, the OM plans are way overbraced. My intent is the build this guitar to the specs of the Eric Clapton 000-28EC, but with the longer scale of the OM series.

1) If these OM plans are so overbraced, how do I handle changing this? Should I build to the 000 spec and change the length, or use the OM plans and fix the bracing?

2) The plans I have seen show a radius on the back (maybe the front too. I forget) but the resources I have found advise to make the back and top completely flat, and allow the bracing to radius the two pieces as they dry and take their final shape. If this is not correct and I need to radius these pieces, can someone point me to some info on that, or if its easy just tell me how to do it.

3) I have seen two methods of body construction. One is to get your top all ready, lay the rosette, and then attach the tail and neck pieces. Then they attach the sides to this platform like a classical guitar. The other method is to construct the sides with the tail and neck blocks attached, then attach back and top. Any advice on this one?

Thanks a ton for any help!

I can handle #2 and #3 for you...

Number 2: The way I radius my plates is to carve the radius into the braces (according to a template) and then clamp them using an unholy number of cam and small bar clamps so the flat soundboard is drawn to a curve as it's pressed against the curved braces. This method works well if you dont have a go-deck and a radius dish, which I would not recommend making for just one guitar. I do the back braces the same way. Make the plate flat, curve the braces according to your plan, then pinch them to the plate with clamps to set the curve.

Number 3: I use a mold to make my guitars, which means I make the sides inside the cutout, add the top and bottom blocks, and the kerfing. From there I attach the plates. I like having a mold because it helps keep everything aligned, but again for one guitar you might want to think of making a fixture to hold the sides straight on a bench while you attach the plates. I have never done the style of construction where you glue the blocks to the top then attach the ribs to that. It sounds easy enough, but I like the reliability of a good fixture to keep everything straight for the glue up. Again if you are only planning on making one guitar, take the extra time to make it a beauty, and perhaps you'll make more.

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http://www.sixgunguitars.com

I would advise taking the time to make the jigs and molds. Everyone knows ya can't build just one!

Mikey

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The Biggest Little City, Nevada
www.hammondguitars.com
I love building guitars!

Mikey: Aint that the truth.....!!!

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

#1 Talk to the people who claim that it is over braced. Post specs here for more help too.
#2 Sounds pretty insane imo. I think you should work in a controlled environment and don't depend on relative humidity to do anything but remain stable. As brian pointed out you can easily arch braces and glue then to the back to get the desired radius. I use a hand plane to do it, takes 3 minutes.
#3 Ive done both methods but now prefer to do the first method you mentioned. Just choose one and go for it. I like the open face method and to not use molds so that I am not stuck into one design. But molds sure are nice to be consistent.

I read your first two sentences and concluded that you are way overthinking and doing too much research.

You could have built a couple by now.

BTW, no one should use green wood and think that by drying it will put a proper arch in a top or back.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I guess I didn't explain what I meant about the braces drying and shaping the top. What I meant was the method where you clamp them and let their shape arch the top. I got some wood ordered and should be getting to work here in a few weeks. I really like the looks of Ray Kraut's inlays. Not too sure I could nail something like that on the first go, but how in the heck does he get such fine lines in his rosettes like he does? It looks like he is inlaying mere hairs so close together. Is that even inlay material or something like scrimshaw?

Thanks for the help by the way!

What kind of research have you been doing, and has the repair guy you hang out with built any guitars? It also sounds to me like you've been getting some bad info, or are confused about what you've read. Why would an archtop be less practical than an acoustic? Seems like with a year and a half worth of research would have answered these questions somewhat.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

As opposed to a radius dish, you can make cauls to clamp against. Radiused braces on inside of guitar, radiused cauls on outside.

I've only made 2 guitars but I used a mold both times. At this stage in my abilities (or lack there of) I can't imagine doing it without a mold.

My $0.02

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.