Thread: Where to begin?

Hi, good to see another from Adelaide!

Best place to start is with a book i believe, books like Melvyn Hiscock's book: Build your own electric guitar and acoustic books too by Kinkead and Cumpiano.

What tools do you own or able to use so far?

Good to see another adelaidian, best to research a little.

Then decide if you want to build a guitar from absolute scratch, or from a kit.

Then do it. But those books above are good also. where in adelaide are you

I live in seaton Area near Grange Road.

Ok so, I'd rather try a kit first, but I have this image in my head of the guitar I built from the kit, not working and the neck i warped.

I actually have like no tools at all apart from your, Screwdrives ect.

I think I might just try and build one, I don't have any of the tools that are required.

heres a simple tele kit



very simple guitar to build and apparently sound fine
by some better tuners
you'll need some wipe on poly
screwdriver, fretsaw some sandpaper
a good way to start
dont even have to solder up the electrics

Originally Posted by SteveGuitarist

I live in seaton Area near Grange Road.

Ok so, I'd rather try a kit first, but I have this image in my head of the guitar I built from the kit, not working and the neck i warped.

I actually have like no tools at all apart from your, Screwdrives ect.

I think I might just try and build one, I don't have any of the tools that are required.

Hi Steve!
Do you want to build an acustic guitar, a classic guitar or an electric one?

You can find good kits at www.stewmac.com I have used their necks and they are just fine.
These kits are good even if a little expensive. Very few tools needed.

Welcome to the fold Steve and "il" Marzio.

The way I learnt was to get the books, couple that with internet forums,
mainly this one and Projectguitar.com and read 'til your eyes hurt.
Then read some more.
Then use the search engines on each forum for past threads dealing in what you're wanting to know at the time. Failing that, ask the questions you can't find answers to.
As far as whether or not you go a kit build or from scratch.......well that will work itself out in the mix after a little bit more understanding into the whats and wherefores of building your own.
We're all a really friendly bunch over here and willing to help out, so go get them thar books and start the journey , Steve.

Thanks Steve,
of course it's good reading books and forum 3ds.
But IMHO building from scratch is a better option when you already have some woodworking experience and some tools.
A kit allows plenty of opportunity to understand how an instrument works
and still you have very good chances of building something you can play and enjoy.
May at the second guitar one can go for a finished neck and build all the rest from scratch.
Never be in a hurry in lutherie...

Thanks for link I'll try

Originally Posted by SteveGuitarist

Im very interested in getting into making guitar/luthier work, but I have no idea where to begin. I'm only 16, and havn't had much experience with wood. Can anyone help me out/give me some suggestions, much appreciated.

cheers!

Steve,

Im in the hills and building acoustics. Im away at work right now but when I get back to town I'll PM you and arrange a workshop visit and we can talk about starting out.

Cheers Martin

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Steve,

Im in the hills and building acoustics. Im away at work right now but when I get back to town I'll PM you and arrange a workshop visit and we can talk about starting out.

Cheers Martin

Very nice.

+1 to Hyssock's book.
+1 to Project Guitar Forum.
+1 to trying out a kit first if you're an inexperienced woodworker.

Hysock's book is an invaluable tool for luthiers. It's most useful if you're doing the neck, body, or both from scratch.

Project Guitar Forum has in one form or another every bit of obscure knowledge you'd ever need. What's more, 99% of the folks there are very friendly, generous with their knowledge, and patient with the rookies.

If you're an experiences woodworker, you still might want to build a kit first. If not, don't make a neck on your first time out. Just like with everything, there's a learning curve and ya gotta start with baby steps. If you're not experienced, they're a valuable tool to see how everything goes together. Or... you could drop $100 at a pawn shop and get a beater to disect and "reverse engineer".

I disagree with the choice of kits, however. Those Saga kits are not very high quality. If you can get them down there, Carvin kits are the best kit available.