Have you ever built your own?

[Pachowder]

Hi all,

I registered a while back but mostly lurk and drool in the classifieds until I can unload some stuff. Anyway, I am too lazy to do a search so thought I would ask, has anyone here built there own guitar? For my 40th birthday a few years back the lady of the house got me a week long class to build my own with Frank Finocchio. It was an awesome experience and the guitar is pretty darn nice. Of course I can pick out every flaw (like the one side of the maple bindings I just couldn't stop sanding). Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone else has done such a thing.

PS - I do have the bug to try one at home since I spent too much on jigs...always spending!

[Big Band Guitar]

Not a guitar but a banjo from plank to plink.

[coopman]

Go for it. You'll save all kinds of money by not buying expensive guitars (That was sarcasm) ... BUT your satisfaction quotient will be priceless.

My guitar builder instructor taught us two things if I don't remember anything else:

- Don't point out your mistakes to anyone else (most will never know!)
- The next one will always be better ...

Keep us posted!

[RP]

I built a banjo and several mountain dulcimers from kits back in the day....

[Floridapicker]

I'd love a build your own project and I know CF sells some (and many others) but that's on my bucket list. Unfortunately I really don't know where to start. Good luck just the same!

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by Pachowder

Hi all,

I registered a while back but mostly lurk and drool in the classifieds until I can unload some stuff. Anyway, I am too lazy to do a search so thought I would ask, has anyone here built there own guitar? For my 40th birthday a few years back the lady of the house got me a week long class to build my own with Frank Finocchio. It was an awesome experience and the guitar is pretty darn nice. Of course I can pick out every flaw (like the one side of the maple bindings I just couldn't stop sanding). Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone else has done such a thing.

PS - I do have the bug to try one at home since I spent too much on jigs...always spending!

Most builders start with the belief they can build a better guitar than they can afford to buy. Most then find they need a bit more practice produce a commercial line of "product". Those luthiers who can do that, then find themselves trying to found a business in an extremely small market with incredible competition, without a reputation to rely on, and seek another line of work to support themselves...

I believe it's easier to support oneself playing guitar, than building them? YMMV........


Don

[rick-slo]

Built a few back in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Building information was sparse back then but Brazilian was cheap. Met a few luthiers during
those years and all were friendly and helpful. Had a memorable experience hearing the Romero brothers in a luthier's shop playing music on a guitar
he had just finished building for Celedonio (papa) Romero.

[Rudy4]

A LONG time ago I decided to switch from my Ovation Balladeer to a nice wood guitar. I went to the local Martin dealer and got serious sticker shock, and then considered that these were built by mere mortals such as myself. Already well-versed in woodworking, I picked up the only two books that featured guitar construction at the time and built my own dread.
It turned out to be a really fine sounding guitar and is now played at my daughter's house.

As I'm pretty monogamous when it comes to guitars it was my only acoustic for many years. I did branch out to other instruments and built mandolins, a LOT of 5 string banjos, and close to 100 custom lap steel guitars when I retired and made it a side business.

Bottom line, it can be done. What's changed in the formula today is that unless you want something particular there are a lot of very good factory guitars that are available inexpensively, particularly imports.

Guitar-wise I now play a Taylor 322 and a Cordoba Orchestra Fusion for 6 string acoustics at present.

[redir]

I'm building my 60th right now. Be careful, it's very addictive.

[printer2]

I had a low bar to hurdle as far as my first guitar was concerned. I was in some factory seconds outlet and there was a cheap and I mean really cheap small classical guitar. I strummed it and it surprised me that it did not sound too bad. So my bar was a $50 dollar guitar, I thought I could do better than it. If I knew then how much time and money I would spent on this hobby I would have looked at that crappy guitar with more respect. Seriously, I now have a past time that I enjoy and it keeps my mind occupied. One day I might even get good at it.

[Athens]

I've done a lot of woodworking, but I wouldn't begin to think I had the understanding of luthiery to try to build a guitar.

There's so much more to it than simply cutting and assembling the wood.

[dtpolk]

In the 70's and 80's I repaired violins. During those years I built a couple of Fender copies (two Strats and one Tele). I played the Tele for many years. Also built about 4 acoustic guitars based on a simple dreadnought design. It's not too difficult if you have the right tools and you are not going for too high a quality the first time.

[Rodger Knox]

I've built about 20 or so, half of those are electric.
It's not that hard with all the resources easily available now.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Athens

I've done a lot of woodworking, but I wouldn't begin to think I had the understanding of luthiery to try to build a guitar.

There's so much more to it than simply cutting and assembling the wood.

You can build a descent enough guitar just by following the recipe. I think what experience does for you is gets you to be more consistent and also to design a guitar to get a certain sound out of it. The more you handle certain woods the more you become familiar with them too. But otherwise it's just a construction project and if you already have wood working skills then you are most of the way there.