Official Luthiers Forum!

so I just had the good fortune to obtain a beautiful Martin kit for my first build (thanks, Hesh!). Now I'm not a complete neophyte at building stuff and am a real learn-by-doing sort of guy, but I also strongly believe in reading as much as I can find before getting going. I'm looking for some advice for a book that might be applicable to building an acoustic kit. I'll even use the OLF amazon link to get it.

So - Advise Away...

Thanks - Mark

Cumpiano & Natleson is most highly recommended for beginners.
http://www.cumpiano.com/

The Gore/Gilet books are much more comprehensive, and I highly recommend them.
http://www.goreguitars.com.au/

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Great - thank you, I'll see which one looks like it works for me now.
Rgds - Mark

Hi ya Mark!

Glad that your kit arrived safe and sound.

It's a Martin kit so although there is great value in some of the books mentioned Martin kits are assembled in a very traditional manner. Knowing as I do that the documentation with these kits..... well, er..... sucks..... I was looking just now for something that might be more applicable.

John Hall who is a member here sells Martin kits and his site has lots of tutorials that John has generously put together that I think would be not only helpful to you but specific to how a Martin kit is assembled. So here's a link to John's site and I hope that john does not mind me posting this: http://www.bluescreekguitars.com

Bill Cory http://www.kitguitarmanuals.com/ a technical writer wrote a book on building a Martin kit guitar. It is step by step and very focused on the Martin Kit.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

The two books I posted are very good references, but I'm sure your Martin kit has a dovetail neck joint, and neither uses that type of joint.
Another reference for setting a dovetail neck joint would be most helpful, I'd also recommend Bluescreek.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Great suggestions - thank you.
I had been poking around on Amazon before I asked here and didn't see much, I'm glad I asked here. I am surprised at what is available from the online resources too - something good for free? You don't see that too often. Blues creek looks real useful.

wrt the books, I'll get the Cumpiano & Natleson one, the Gore & Gilet one is a touch pricey for my neophyte ability - I'll reserve that for the next build. I did pick up the Benedetto book previously (garage sale), when I got around to reading it a few months ago, that sort of got the whole idea flowing.

Benedetto's book is also very good, there's several good techniques that also work for flattop guitars.
The Gore/Gilet book is really heavy on design considerations with all the math that explains how a guitar actually works, it's closer to a college-level textbook(as you see by the price) than a "How To" book.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

KMG kits are very similar to Martins -- check out the on-line instruction, and the dedicated forum

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And they don't even demand that I buy one of their kits to take part.

Man, this lutherie group is a bunch of really friendly folks!



quote="maxin"]http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

KMG kits are very similar to Martins -- check out the on-line instruction, and the dedicated forum[/quote]

Download the free pdf from StewMac for one of their kits. Here is the dread version, there is also one for their 000. Also, since your Martin kit is probably a dovetail, be sure to get that version

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Kits/Acoust ... 9054846451

StewMac is in the business of trying to sell you tools but you can filter through the list to see what you really need. Also, they use a simple cardboard mold (Cumpiano builds with no mold) - most of us do use one and almost any building thread will show how to make one.

There is also a kit guitar forum which does have some good references and on line materials

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/index.php

And it is very helpful to read some of the building threads - both to learn how others have done things and some of the mistakes they have made. Here was my first guitar - very similar to the StewMac 000 (this is still my daily player after 8 years)

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 25_0_6_0_C

and my minimal shop at that time

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 46_0_5_0_C

And when you have questions, please post here. Most of us have gone through all of this and will be happy to help.