Guitar building questions

[mikey5]

Hey there I want to start building guitars as a hobby. I have some tools but what tools would I need to build from scratch. I have Sanders power dril, thats about it. Let me know. I have ordered some woodworking tutorial vids.
Mike

[WezV]

buy melvyn hisc--ks book, 'how to make your own electric guitar' and start reading.   i wont scare you off with a tool list as you can get by with less tools than is ideal and some ingenuity

also pop along to website like mimf.com, projectguitar.com and simnettguitars.co.uk/forum
and do some reading there as well

[Adam.M]

I keep meaning to buy that book but every time i'm about to order it i remember i have NO space to build guitars at all, unless i can find some sort of collective woodwork place or something like that... i'm goosed for my bass ideas.

Or find some cheap industrial place to rent that i could use as a rehersal slash guitar making slash whatever place, but even at the cheap cheap prices that i've heard for some places of relatively small size.

I could get someone to make my idea but... i dunno... i'd want to do it! even at the moment all i want to do is the body, i have a beautiful neck that i can use for it.

[FernandoDuarte]

I keep meaning to buy that book

Buy it, at least to understand what you'll need or not to build it... I like the book a lot... that's an ace suggestion from Wez :D

[WezV]

i brought it when i was living in a bedsit flat.... it was 4 years till i got chance to build anything from scratch. but it did come in handy for so much other suff like set-ups, wiring and a general understanding of guitar construction that it was definately worth having early on.

[ToneMonkey]

I used to work in the spare bedroom (without a door on it).  It was a right pain in the arse and covered a lot of my house in sawdust but it kind of worked (BTW take the computer out before hand as the innards of mine nearly set on fire due to an inch of sawdust in it).

Now I guitar fiddle in the front room and if I need to use a router or sometihng which generates a lot of sawdust, I work on the patio.  There's always a way  :D

EDIT: + another 1 on Melivins book.

[mikeluke]

Pick up pole piece alignment - I have the same issue with one of my guitars - looks like string spacing slightly greater than the 53mm spacing of a 'Fender' spaced pickup - can't see any way of fixing this, so just have to live with it.

[mikey5]

Ok thanks a dude from Feline suggested the same book. I have the Martin Koch book. I was actually looking at the Martin Koch walk through DVD. He builds a brian may style guitar. I guess I will get both maybe. But seriously hit me with a tool list. What would you guys consider the bare minimum amount of tools or a good amount of tools to be.

I am getting a Band Saw Table Saw Drill Press Plunge router. I have a dremel tool. Umm

What kinds of chisels should I get and planes what numbers etc. Obviously a nut saw. Clamps.

What jigs or templates?

Will get the book though. I am not just curious about this. I actually sold an instrument and held of on another so I could have the money to set up my workshop. I have about 12 hours a week to get good at this.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I often get asked about making guitars and I always recommend Melvyn's book (and or Johnny Kinkade's book for acoustic)

It is a must have in my opinion and it's less than £20

I often wont actually give any further "in depth" answers to questions till the person buys the book and takes the time to read it as reading about & learning the steps is an important part of the process  rather than being spoon fed all the way.

It is a good hobby and you will fall in love with tools as much as you do guitars and you will find yourself GASing for powertools more than guitars at times.

[ToneMonkey]

Cumpiano and Natelson's Guitarmaking book is also really good for acoustics.

[WezV]

I find C&N's book would scare of most people starting out, its just so dense and precise, and just generally not as friendly!!

Hisc--k's book has clearly got the complexibilty balance about right!!

for acoustics i also like kinkeads as it has clear colour photo's and presents a rather simple method that is easily tweaked to suit what you want to build.  My second favorite is the irving sloane one as its also easy to follow without making things overly complicated

[ToneMonkey]

its just so dense and precise, and just generally not as friendly!!

Just like me, that's why I like it.