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  #16  
Old 09-05-2011, 05:37 PM
Turp Turp is offline
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After a few years of research and study I have answered most of my serious build questions; mostly about the neck joint/top geometry. I know others will arise though.

My motivation is the desire to mate two passions, guitar and fabrication.

As a sideline, after pricing factory customs, the ability to select woods allows you to build combinations that usually involve significant upcharges. For instance, price substituting for a redwood top of wood binding.

I don't expect to nail perfection early but the satisfaction of the daily work and choice of materials is appealing.

I've put my kit pkg in the cart at LMI and waiting to pull the trigger. It's a parlor with a redwood top. Kit price is about $610. I made a list of tools I need that I'm short on and that came to about $200, but plan to add as needed.
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  #17  
Old 09-05-2011, 09:54 PM
tadol tadol is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
For example, some of the finest classical guitars (and some steel string) have been built with very rudimentary jigs, mostly hand tools and hand-appled varnish or shellac finishes.

. . . high-quality results can still be achieved while using different (more accessible) methods and technology and, in some cases, different materials.
This is so true - and so hard to believe at times. I've been spending some time recently with a gentleman in his mid 80s, who's built over 300 guitars in his life - all strictly as a hobby, while he kept a full time job and raised a family. The sophistication and quality of his builds is hard to believe when you see the assortment of somewhat crude hand-built jigs, and the very few and very basic tools. He makes it very clear - it's not the quality of the tools, or the cost of the materials, it really boils down to a desire to do a good job, and enjoying it enough to just keep doing it. I've spent too much time holding off on building 'cause I've felt I needed lots of special tools, and then meeting him makes it clear that you do need a very few, but mostly you just need to jump in and do it - and don't try to judge your work by that coming off a computerized factory line -
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  #18  
Old 09-06-2011, 07:11 AM
Turp Turp is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tadol View Post
This is so true - and so hard to believe at times. I've been spending some time recently with a gentleman in his mid 80s, who's built over 300 guitars in his life - all strictly as a hobby, while he kept a full time job and raised a family. The sophistication and quality of his builds is hard to believe when you see the assortment of somewhat crude hand-built jigs, and the very few and very basic tools. He makes it very clear - it's not the quality of the tools, or the cost of the materials, it really boils down to a desire to do a good job, and enjoying it enough to just keep doing it. I've spent too much time holding off on building 'cause I've felt I needed lots of special tools, and then meeting him makes it clear that you do need a very few, but mostly you just need to jump in and do it - and don't try to judge your work by that coming off a computerized factory line -
Well said.
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