Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello all,

I am a beginner here at OLF and have'nt built my 1st guitar yet. I hear there's kits a person can buy, books, and all sorts of online information.

As a beginner, my first question is: Do I need a lot of room to build my first guitar and how many special tools will I need to purchase? My first thought was that it might be cheaper to build my guitar as opposed to buying a real good one, but as I see all that needs to be done, it looks like it could actually cost more.

About building an online guitar, I had an idea and didn't know if it's ever been tossed around. What if there was an online tutorial with an accompanying guitar kit that took a user through the whole process of building a guitar. The course would be like an online college course, taking the student through every step that needs to be accomplished in order to build a guitar. There would be an initial tuition fee up front and the course would be designed to give a beginner time enough to understand concepts.

The course could first have an introduction to everything that is involved in the process. It begins with letting the user know how much room they'll need, how many tools, how much time it will take, etc. All the students will have the same kit containing all the same items. Maybe there could also be a tool kit as well.

Step by step, week by week, the online student is building the guitar. Help is always available online, a forum is also included in the course, and maybe the cost of the course could be made in payments.

Some students/builders may need more time than others; that wouldn't be a problem. The course could be self paced.

Think of the 'Esteban Guitar' infomercial where for only a couple of hundred dollars (payments) a person can get a guitar, accessories, and also learn how to play it. What if a similiar infomercial portrayed a guitar building kit that accompanied an online guitar building course, self paced, and payments accepted. A seperate domain would be setup where students sign-in by a password once they have signed-up for the course.

Maybe I'm saying all of this and there's already something out there like it now...I don't know. If I knew of an online course where I could make payments and learn how to build and play my own guitar, wow - I would be interested.

I setup domains, websites, develop software, and have been a CNC machinist for 23 years (have played guitar for 36 years) and I would love to get in on something like this.

PS: I hope I didn't create to long of a post and/or post this in the incorrect area. Please forgive me if this is so. Thank you all.

HI Allen
    I teach people to build all the time over the neck. The schedule isn't as easy to do as you describe as there is the human element and you need certain skills.
   I try and bring them out and it is all part of the kits I sell. Check out my site
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
   Look in the article section under building a guitar , this can get you started as to what you may need. Also some of the links are more than helpful as they take you to other builders so you can see more than one way to build the guitar.
Yours
john hall

Hi Allan, there is a place on the internet with a free course with photos and tutorials, look for onlineapprentice.com or make a search for David Schramm, the first one should bring you to the website though! And check also Blues creek guitars!

good luck and welcome friend!

SergeSerge Poirier38726.5515393519

Allan, Welcome to the OLF.

First off, the question of size of work space, tools, cost to build is very relative to your pocket book and current living/shop space (if any)

I know that there are people here who live in apartments and build (Mattia I believe). Don't know what power tools he uses.

I also once heard that someone built a guitar with just a swiss army knife to see if it were possible.

Of course, you can buy all the parts in kit form or idividually that require mostly just assembly, therefore most power tools, planes aren't required.

There are several members here who have created very good instructional DVD's (Robbie O'brien and John Mayes) and there is also a member who sells kits (John Hall, blues creek guitars). I'm sure you could get good information and materials from any of these folk.

As far as the online course, take a look atDavid Schramm's online apprentice. This is what you may be interested in.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Wow, what a bunch of keeners. Don't we all have better things to do

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

... GGGRRRRR.... ESTEBAN!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] In short order my master bathroom held a band saw, drill press, belt sander, Go-bar deck, 10" circular saw, shop vac, compressor, buffing arbor with motor, plate joining jig, and most recently a bending machine..... But again you do not need any of the above to complete a guitar kit.[/QUOTE]

And you still have room to S,S,S in there? That's impressive Hesh.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

[QUOTE=Rod True]
I also once heard that someone built a guitar with just a swiss army knife to see if it were possible.
[/QUOTE]

Eddie Izzard Swiss Army Penknife joke:

"And with this, I can open a can of beans . . . in a week!!"

You probably have to be from 'Yurp to fully appreciate

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Room: It takes only enough room to move around a table. I built my first kit on a kitchen table.

Cost: This is a loaded question It is cheaper to build a Blues Creek kit or Martin Kit than to buy a Martin off the shelf of the same quaility. However there are some pretty good factory guitars out there for under $600. Alvarez Profession series is a very good factory built all solid wood guitar.(Not the Artist series, these are laminated back and sides and not that well built). Their MSRP is $1000 but sell all over the country at around $600 with 3 ply hardshell case. With that said there are more things in the cost to consider. Like required tools, consumables like sandpaper, glues and finish material. Also the value of your effort.

Kit build cource: You can get darn near as much help here as you would need to build a kit. Luthierie cources are well worth the money but I don't know anyone that offers a payment plan. If you really want to build and can not afford upfront cost of a luthierie school, build a kit. You will know at the end of that project if you wish to follow this craft futher.

A warrning here: If you are a person that injoys wood work already, this is an addicting craft. My first build was to be a one time thing, for much the same reasons you are considering building. Some 27 scratch builds later it turned out to just be the spark that lit the fuse.

Hi Alan,

Welcome to the forum. I just finished my first Stewmac guitar and can point to my own experience for some of your questions:
If you want to save money by building one guitar, don't do it. Even without buying a LOT of new tools, you'll still invest a lot just setting up a workplace and buying minimal tools. The previous suggestion about a commission is a good one. I've seen a few of these guy's guitars (Healdsburg) and can tell you that you can get a SWEET guitar for not a lot of money (relatively).
That said, building my own guitar was an extremely gratifying experience and, being biased as I am, I can't believe the great sound it produces (I've put my Taylor in it's case). If you want to check out a possible life-long pursuit and are thinking about building more that one guitar - go for a kit first. Check out Stew-macs online instructions here. The instructions show ways to save some money buy building inexpensive (or free) jigs etc.
Another thought about tools: I found that a LOT of areas where instructions (stewmac or other) say "you need this specific tool" I was able to get by with a tool I had already - i.e. special nut files are nice but, for a first guitar, a razor saw and some inexpensive hobby files did the job great for me.
I do web development, marketing and design as well. Have built online tutorials for continuing education courses. Yours is an interesting idea. With some third party software packages (Scribe Studio) , one could have your idea up and running in short order

Welcome, Allan. I think you'll find this bunch to the most generous and accomplished (myself excluded) you could possibly hope for. I just completed my first, a serviced kit from LMI, but couldn't have gotten the results that I did without the OLF. And what they say is true -- it can be addicting. I'm planning and gathering materials for my next one(s). I doubt that I'll stop after two!

Your idea sounds great, but there's certainly enough out there to help you produce a decent guitar the first time, and your playing and machinist's experience will definitely serve you well.

Note that, alas, Schramm's Online Apprentice stops at routing the channels for binding and purfling. He apparently got distracted by a Masters program and a new child, but his site says he's looking to continue the online course.

You may know about Kathy Matsushita's Amateur Luthier site, but if you don't, be sure and have a look. http://pweb.jps.net/~kmatsu/ She has a lot of online resources. I found it helpful to glean info from as many sources as I could find, and the web has a lot.

A good part of my build was done on a bench 28" x 60" in a basement room that has about 18 in x 6 ft to stand in. Dust-producing steps were done in the garage, where the temps were too extreme for long-term work. Robbie O'Brien's DVD from LMI (free with their kit) was extremely helpful, along with Cumpiano/Natelson and Kinkeade's books. I'd say the cost of the kit, other materials and tools (already had basics, such as a plane, files, chisels, handsaws) was about the same as what I'd have spent on a used Martin OM 28, which is about what LMI's kit is modelled after. But if I'd just bought one, that would have been the end of it, and I would have missed out on the most rewarding creative experience ever.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Wow, my original question got answered by all you guys, I love this place. You know what brought me to this site in the first place?

I really like the way Justin Hayward plays and sings and I do the same style of playing and my singing range is just about the same as his. I've always loved his music and the Moody Blues of course. Well, I went to http://www.justinhayward.com a few months ago and bought the DVD where he plays live at San Juan Capistrano. He introduces his James Olson guitar (http://www.olsonguitars.com) on that DVD and it was upon viewing and hearing the songs on that DVD that first inspired me to inquire about making my own guitar.

Well, I googled and found James Olson's site but his e-mail wasn't listed so I wrote him a letter using the postman. About a week later he e-mailed me and said only nice things and answered my questions. The main place he told me to go is here at OLF!

I really appreciate all of you taking your time to help me out, it's just about unbelievable. Now I must figure out my first step, I guess I order a kit (tax time cometh and I claimed zero). I know I can't fail with a support team like you guys.

A few more questions: I get the feeling that a total beginner like myself should start out by building an acoustic guitar as opposed to electric? Which is easier?

Before I ask a million more questions, I'll sleep on it and tomorrow I'll make it a priority to search for different kits so I can learn the differences in kits.

Thank you - all of you!

I would say that most electric entry level kit have easer wood working required as most components are near ARF, but require some electronic knowlage.

(ARF is a RC airplane term for almost ready to fly)

If your desire in build is to determine if this craft is for you I would start with an accoustic kit, so that you get a better basic exposure to the jointry and wood working involved in instrument fabrication. IMO entry level electric kit do not provide this.