Author Topic: Lunacy - opinions welcomed (Read 5010 times)

Jonesy76 · « **on:** September 20, 2007, 11:31:02 AM »

OK.......am I losing the plot?

I've just refinished my clapped out SG copy for the second time, and done a damn good job on it even if I do say so myself (pics to follow when the final coat of laquer has had 3 weeks to set hard prior to polishing it), and a horrible idea has crept into my mind..........

I fancy having a crack at building my own guitar!

I'm the son of a master carpenter and joiner, and am pretty handy with a lot of woodworking tools, but understandably have never made my own guitar before which is a whole step up from built in wardrobes, roof trusses, and decks!

Am I bonkers for even considering it, or is there a chance? If you guys think there's a chance then where can I go for the best info (books, web, or otherwise) and where can I get good wood from?

WezV · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2007, 12:19:38 PM »

might as well have a go

check out mimf.com and www.projectguitar.com for some handy forums and tutorials

and buy this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-0392432-0103034?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190287076&sr=8-1

www.luthierssupplies.co.uk are good for wood, david dyke is very helpfull

www-stew-mac.com is great for parts and specialist tools (although a lot can be made cheaper)

Jonesy76 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2007, 01:06:57 PM »

Thanks Wez.......I don't know but I had just had one of those mad moments and thought "why the devil not?"

I have made querries to Bob Johnson about having a new Les Paul Custom made to match my doubleneck, but as I'm in no hurry what-so-ever for the guitar I just thought that it might be an interesting project to have a go at over the winter months myself. I have a whole load of gash timber at home on which to practise, and I just feel that the satisfaction of making one myself from scratch would be so immense that it must be worthwhile having a shot at.

It was my old man who said that I should give it a go myself rather than have someone make it for me, and some dumb part of me seems to have listened. I've always done everything else myself (re-finishes, wiring, set-ups etc), and I realise it's a huge step up to make my own, but what the hell!

What got you into building your own Wez?

WezV · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2007, 01:58:27 PM »

couldnt afford what i wanted so i started modding guitars at 16, then i found the book above when i was 18 and spent 4 years researching it and building from parts before taking the plunge and starting from scratch. most people are put off by the neck stuff but its really not that hard if you are familiar with how guitars work.

Most who do adequate research are more than capable of building a guitar they can be proud of on their first attempt - getting them really great takes a bit longer bit its always really satisfying playing something you have built yourself.

i see some first timers that build excellent guitar, far better than my first 10!!! they are usually the ones that spend years doing one guitar. i have always built relatively fast and probably made a hell of a lot more mistakes because of it. that means i have been able to try many more techniques, build a lot more guitars and (i think) learn a hell of a lot more.

Things will go wrong with your first build, but most of them can be fixed with a little thought. It probably wont be as bad as the time i carved through to the truss rod on a neck through on my first ever commission!!

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2007, 02:21:50 PM »

I inhereted the "Sod it, I'll build it myself" gene off my folks.

Since your old man probably has a lot of the tools and some helpful advise, you're probably in a better position that a lot of the people that start up.

And the book that Wez recomends is definately the first step. Damn good book.

Jonesy76 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2007, 03:06:53 PM »

Cheers guys.......book is ordered! Now just got wait for it to be delivered, before finding myself immersed in another book for bedtime reading that the wife simply looks at in disgust!

I'm actually really excited about getting out there and having a bit of a go at it. If the first attempt actually works I might start trying to create those dream guitars that have been knocking around my mind for years that I haven't had the money to have someone make for me.......a Tele with a Spalted Maple top and a 24 and 3/4 inch scale length, complete with standard Tele pickup configuration would be fairly high up that list!

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2007, 04:12:41 PM »

I can highly recommend building your first out of some cheap wood, you can always put decent hardware on it and the rob it when you start building some out of nice wood. I went a little overboard on my first and ended up killing a very nice piece of 4A Quilted Maple :oops:

Jonesy76 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2007, 04:53:37 PM »

I have a garage/shed full of various bits of gash timber that I have left over from many of my varied woodwork projects that have been finished and left me with spare wood left over. I definately aspire to my fathers thinking that any old piece of wood can be used for 'something' further down the line. A load of that will be used to practice various techniques on first before I go anywhere near to an expensive block of wood!

"Measure twice and cut once" was what my Dad drilled into me......"Measure 10 times - then once more for luck - then cut...on a test piece first" is my mantra with any of the tricky bits of carpentry I've done around my house, and is certainly the mantra this guitar project will be getting!

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #8 on:** September 20, 2007, 05:04:40 PM »

Have a good browse of the tutorials over at project guitar. There are quite a few jigs which are easy to make and dead handy.

Good luck dude, let us know how it's going.

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2007, 05:08:34 PM »

also, if you donate to project guitar, you get access to the drawing library. There are a lot of drawings in AutoCAD format as well as others.

If you want some 1:1 scale plans then I can probably print some out of the works plotter (better be quick tough as it looks like I might have a new job next month).

What I have been considering though is getting some thin steel templates laser cut using the plans. Saves on my drunken errors. Got access to a good laser cutter near me too.

Jonesy76 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2007, 07:02:03 PM »

Thanks ever so much Tone Monkey...........might have to take you up on that offer. It'd be simply a Les Paul and a Telecaster for me, although the Strat hater in me would love to make a 24 3/4 inch Strat with an ABR-1 and a stop bar!

Will · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2007, 09:02:01 PM »

You're getting near to a Jake E Lee strat there.

Hardtail, but not T O M.