Recommended Book/Resources On Acoustic Guitar Building

[Wellington]

It's always been a desire for me to build an acoustic guitar. I know this is a highly skilled trade that takes years and apprenticing etc, but it's just for myself at home. Is there an ideal book you'd recommend for a beginner to attempt a build?

[Glen H]

I’ve read them all and the best I read was Cumpiano and Natelson Guitarmaking. But ignore the neck attachment method in the book. He has an updated method on his website. I still look up dimensions in the book occasionally.

[srick]

Wellington -

A book may or may not help you. The first book that I ever purchased about guitar building was Irving's Sloane’s classic, "Classic Guitar Construction." and that was in 1977! On my shelf is Cumpiano's book, Somogyi’s book, Roger Siminoff's book and a bunch of repair books.

Over the years, so many of the materials have changed as have the thoughts about the building process, and yet the target has always been the same. And the techniques in Sloane's book from 1977 would work the same today.

After all of that. I don't think I learned half as much from the books as I did from jumping in. I knew what was involved and for years had shied away from taking on a 'build', but for my 70th birthday, my wife bought me a StewMac kit. 3 months later, it was a real guitar - and it sounds and looks like a guitar! Holy Cow!

So I would suggest that a kit would be your best teacher. There are many sources; StewMac of course, Blues Creek, Martin, etc. Check out some of the building forums on the web and do some browsing. I think in today's world you may get as much, or more from various YouTube videos and websites as you would from a traditional book.

I'm sure I could offer a ton of advice, but if were to distill it all out, I would leave you with this:

• Go in with realistic expectations - this will be your first build; it won't be perfect. Look at it as your tutor and preparation for your seconds, third, fourth... it is addictive.
  
• And also, go in with a healthy credit card. I know that there's a video of a Mexican luthier who builds an entire guitar with a machete, but that may not be the best way to build a guitar.

Have fun with the research, but don't be afraid to jump in the pool.

best,

Rick

PS - The $650 kit probably ended up costing 3-4x that amount, but what a great experience and I ended up with a darn fine looking and sounding guitar too.

[Alan Carruth]

It doesn't hurt to read several of the books, but when it comes time to actually make one, stick with one and leave the others on the shelf. A guitar is a fairly complex system, and every maker works out something that works for them. You can't really mix and match things from different designs until you've got some experience.

Every maker is always trying to do better, making small 'improvements' all the time. Most of the experiments don't work, but once in a while one does. Then all the other makers copy it. The 'standard designs' are the result of centuries of such cut-and-try development, and they're hard to improve. Start with such a standard design, use decent wood, and work carefully, and you should end up with with a better-than-average guitar. After all, the 'average' includes a lot of the sort of guitar-like-objects they sell at WalMart that drag it down.

[phavriluk]

Anybody taking Cumpiano as Gospel needs to ignore the neck-attaching section, as mentioned before, and forget about making one's own truss rod. Martin's got that one covered for eight bucks a pop.

[redir]

I would recommend Cumpiano and Natelson as well. It's kind of the bible of the craft. Some of the things as mentioned are 'old school' and not used much any more. The paper shims used are more geared towards the hobby builder but it's not unlike building in the traditional Spanish style.

I started off using molds and Sloane's books on classical and steel string construction as so many have. After I got the C/N book I adopted building in that style, open face, build off the top but built proper work boards to do it. It's not hard to do really and I would recommend even the beginner use that instead of the shims because it is more useful.

Alans advice is best in the end though, pick a book with a method and stick to it. At least for number one.

[Dave Richard]

Does the OP have much woodworking experience? If not, I too would suggest perhaps starting with a kit from one of the many good suppliers. There will more than enough challenge in properly assembling a kit, without having to do the basic(but still time consuming) milling and prepping of parts.

[printer2]

There was a video from an Eastern country, no idea which. A factory of sorts, people doing different jobs and guitar parts in piles. The one guy was doing a neck set with a hand held planer, eyeballing it and slapping it together. Wish I can find it. Saw the Mexican guy, he has some skills. My first acoustic guitar was inspired by finding a $40 guitar in a clearance centre. The thing was rough but actually did not sound too bad. I thought if I could build one that was no worse that that one I would be happy (when time came for a good guitar I might even buy one). In hindsight I should have paid the $40 and put the building out of my mind and concentrate on playing.

But of course when I do something I want to see where it would take me, made a few guitars since, many more to make. I would suggest making a ukulele first. Easier to get some confidence and taking stock of your abilities before jumping in to do a guitar. If you gave your thoughts on what you want to build and what you have for tools and what you feel your abilities are we could probably give you a better direction in which to go. I was advise to pick up a kit when I dipped my toe in the waters, but I had a little more experience that the average bear. I built and crashed radio controlled planes so working with thin sheets of wood with bracing was not a big stretch. More than anything working patiently is a virtue. Most steps are not hard to do, some do need to be done accurately though.

[Fathand]

My brother bought the David Russell Young book some 40+ years ago, I was contemplating building a banjo from the Scruggs book at the time. I was fascinated by that book, it introduced me to the idea that people could build their own guitars.

Over the years, I read every build and repair article in every issue of Frets magazine, built 12 banjos and some electric guitars. In late 2019 the time came to build an acoustic guitar. I downloaded Grellier plans for an L-00 and mostly used this book to guide me, as well as looking up internet/youtube advice. I am finishing up #11 currently.

https://www.amazon.ca/Acoustic-Guita...9220644X&psc=1

[redir]

I've never seen that Forbes book before. I like how it goes over using simple shop tools and making tools. The Young book was the first one I ever read on building guitars too. The only thing I can remember about it was the epoxy butt joint for the neck. A mentor of mine at the time warned me not to use that joint. On some forum though a few years back one of his guitars came up and it was still held together but needed a neck reset.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by redir

I've never seen that Forbes book before. I like how it goes over using simple shop tools and making tools. The Young book was the first one I ever read on building guitars too. The only thing I can remember about it was the epoxy butt joint for the neck. A mentor of mine at the time warned me not to use that joint. On some forum though a few years back one of his guitars came up and it was still held together but needed a neck reset.

David Russell Young book was my introduction, but I also purchased Irving Sloane's "Steel String Guitar Construction" book at the same time. I used most of Young's book, but used Sloane's neck joint. It came out well and is still in use today by my daughter.

As a side note, several of Young's guitars have had heel joint repairs done, so nix the epoxy!

Watch this video detailing the complete construction of a steel string guitar by Michael Bashkin to fully understand the process before getting in too deep.

[Wellington]

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations everyone I really appreciate it, also, if a person was looking for building plans, where could I find something for a 00-12 fret type build?

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by Wellington

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations everyone I really appreciate it, also, if a person was looking for building plans, where could I find something for a 00-12 fret type build?

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=661430

If you decide on a 14 fret instead there are free plans on Grellier site

https://www.grellier.fr/en/downloads

[phavriluk]

OP: Well, building these things ain't rocket science, no matter what you read. Or at an entry level, there's lots to worry about before nitpicky details overwhelm one's mind.

So...Obtain the plans, get several copies, and start turning one of those copies (contrasting red pencil) into a 12-fret version. The soundhole, bridge, and bracing will all be relocated to some extent and much more intimate knowledge of design and building will appear. All for the few bucks for another copy of the plans. Cheapest guitar university I ever went to. Not only will you have made your guitar, you will have designed it, too.

Enjoy the trip!

[kbinde2]

Two books that were helpful to my building were authored by Jonathan Kinkead and Alex Willis. Both have a plan included, and start at a basic level with an introduction not only to the process, but wood, basic tools, and shop set-up.
Good luck on your journey, be prepared for bumps along the way, but hopefully you can be successful in your build. Mistakes become lessons learned.! kb