Official Luthiers Forum!

First, I'd like to say hello. I am probably the newest member and am very impressed with this forum. I've been lurking for several weeks soaking up as much information as possible.
My son (11) and I have decided to build an acoustic--we both play, but he's probably better than I. He's been playing since he was 7 and he just loves it. Which is great for me, so I can play more too.
I am retired from the Air Force and am now teaching at a high school so summers off give me and the kids plenty of time to goof off.
I have a small business making custom pistol grips from exotic woods and other materials, like ivory, bone and stag. I just built a 24x24 shop and will be bringing some bigger machines, most of my equipment like the drill press, band saw and most sanders are benchtop size becasue grips are small. I do have a large table saw though. I will be buying a larger bans saw and a 6" joiner very soon. I have all the hand tools one could need. I need to buy the guitar specific stuff very soon too. I know I've read about building with few tools, but I don't mind making the investment in the molds, bender and inlay equipment. My grip business funds my hobbies, and I have always had a more enjoyable woodworking experience when I'v had the right tools. This is a hobby for me and I want it to be fun and stress free.
I am VERY interested, like most, in build some prewar Martin style guitars, but have no idea about the bracing patterns etc.
So my question is, wheres the best place to buy the luthier equipment and where can I buy or find blueprints? I'd like to modify these in the future, but I would like an exact copy for my first build. Maybe theres a book out these--please advise and yor help is greatly appreciated--nice to meet all of you.

Also John Hall from Blues Creek Guitars can get you started with a
"custom" kit (parts mostly come from Martin) and most specialized luthier
tools, molds and jigs, he probably can help you with bluprints and such
as well. I can't say enough good things about him. I'm sure LMI, StewMac
and Martin kits are good but I don't think you'll get the same level of
customization and customer service. Check the OLF sponsors and online
resources for tonewood, tools, jigs and so on. You also should start a
library, the Cumpiano (Guitarmaking: tradition and technology) and
Kinkaide (Build your own acoustic guitar) books come to mind first for
steel-string building, the Kinkaide book even has a complete blueprint
for an OM-style guitar) but I'm sure there are others. Frannk Ford's FRETS
website, although geared toward repair, is also worth checking out.

OLF online resources

FRETS

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Af-one, welcome,

I'd recommend the Cumpiano/Natelson book. A bit out of date, many luthiers are doing many things different than the book but it's a great place to start. Just type Guitar and Cumpiano into the search at Amazon.com to read about it.

A kit is a great way to start. Martin guitar furnished me a blueprint of an HD28 dreadnaught on my first guitar. They send along Dick Boak's booklet on assembly, but it is rather brief, but helpful. They also offer supplies at their website, and some luthier specific tools.

It's nice to get a kit, because it limits the "big tools" you'll need eventually to do a scratch guitar.

Welcome to the group! Good to see another Air Force guy around here (I'm still active duty). Like the guys above said, a kit is a great way to start. The kit from LMI comes with a dvd by one of our OLF'ers (Robbie O'Brien) who seems to have a knack for making things simple. That kit also comes with a plan. I agree with you - there's a tool for every job. I would just start out with a kit and buy each specialty tool as you go along. That way, you can ask lots of questions here and get lots of help along the way.

Cheers!

John

P.S. did you do time on AF One? In my last job we flew NAOC (AF One's ugly stepchild).   

Welcome AF.

I highly recommend John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars (one of our sponsors). He got me (and a lot of others) started with the materials for my first build. What's unique about John is that he won't allow you to fail. He was always there to help with suggeations and advice to keep the project going in the right direction.

He also provides molds, benders and some of the best products for luthiers.

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

To add to others' suggestions, I'd urge you to join the Guild of American Luthiers (www.luth.org) and the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans (guitarmaker.org). The GAL is having a convention this June. I learn a ton at these things, and they're tons of fun, too. You can also buy plans from the GAL (info on web site) and will find many useful links and resources there as well. Also, Frank Ford's web site (Frets.com) is a vast wealth of information, very useful to builders as well as repair people. Small suppliers of jigs and things seem to spring up every day - check out more of the OLF sponsors (Guitar Jigs, Luthier Suppliers, CTH Luthiery, etc).

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

One note. I would definitely get an 8" jointer.

If you are ever tempted to resaw your own woods or build an electric guitar you are going to be glad you bought the 8" jointer.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Hi AF-One

Welcome to the OLF.

Cheers

Kim

like most of us in luthierie I started with the preconceived notion that pre war Martins were end and all of instruments. But the longer I build the less I hold on to this notion to be fact. I believe a good bit of tonal edge that pre war Matins have has a great deal to do with age. I am not doubting their quality but I have played many new fine hand crafted instruments that I feel have much better tonality.

To some degree I think the collectibility of pre war Martins has overly enhanced their legion. Martin did go through a big drop in quality for many years as compared to the pre war era. This also built up the repatation of the pre war instruments. But we have not heard the new Martins with 50 years of age on them yet. So I will reserve that judgment for my grandkids to make.

Most that I have read on what really made the pre war Martin sound, has been attributed to hand tuned tops and the bracing. Personally I believe that we have learned so much about the response of tops and different bracing patterns in the past 50 years that it is just to be expected that a modern well made hand crafted instrument can and should perform at least equal to if not better than those made in the pre war era. jmo

So If I wanted to build myself a Martin design and it was a first or tenth attempt I would build based off of sucessful first time builders experiances rather than attempt to recreate a pre war legion. The truth is there would be such fine differances in the pre war and modern scalloped x brace that with out many years of experience you wold not be able to replicate exact anyway. Here again jmo. I would rather suggest for a first project maybe one of Blues Creeks Martin design kits or if you want to go from scratch for a first project there are many Martin plans out there. The OLF Library of Plans includes my OM-14 plans that has both convintioal Martin scalloped "X" braced top and ladder braced back as well as my optional X back bracing.MichaelP38742.5534953704

I too would vouch for John from Blues Creek Guitars!
He can provide you with lots of parts and tools and he's always very eager to answer any questions!
Check out he's great kits!

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

what Peterm says and he will treat you with great respect although his french speaking skills are better than me english!

Serge

Welcome AF! Watch out, this guitar-building bug bites HARD!
When I was in my "soak up as much knowledge as possible" (and before I discovered OLF), I spent a lot of time at
Kathy Matsushita's webste. She has a good list of tools as well. Sounds like you might have most of the one's she lists already. Specific tools that I added to my shop specifically for guitar is a bridge-pin reamer, fret nippers & cam clamps. I found a number of options to other specific tools that worked nearly if not just as well as specific tools.
Also, another thought, I received a great deal of information from reading the stewmac kit instructions which are available free, onlin in .pdf format.ATaylor38742.8077314815