#1
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To Kit or not to Kit
I am new to the forum. I have been kicking around the idea of building an acoustic or classical for a while. I have most carpentry power equipment (I am an avid woodworker). I would need to get all the specialty tools and a jack plane. Wondering If you all recommend starting with a kit or trying to build from the ground up? I am slightly concerned about the quality of the kits material wise. I am also more concerned about dropping a lot of money and ending up screwing it up. It's not like building a hope chest, so I suffer no illusions about my ability in that regard.
Paul |
#2
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Having said that I'm of the opinion, especially since you are already a woodworker, that starting from scratch is better. You will have much more pride in building your own from the bottom up even if it doesn't look so great imho. And like you said you can make one from cheap materials to start and save a bit of money. Now having said that again, I understand the kit mentality. I am right now for example in the process of buying a kit build amplifier. I don't understand electronics well enough to design my own amp and a kit will be a great way to start. |
#3
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I think it depends on your purpose for building a guitar. Do you want to learn the art of guitar making or do you just want to have a guitar that you made? It is an important distinction.
A kit tends towards having a guitar that you made, though it can be a starting point for learning the art of guitar making. Kits come in different levels of done-ness, from a bunch of unworked materials, at one extreme, to only assembly and setup required, at the other extreme. A lot of guitar making is similar to any other fine woodworking project. There are some aspects of guitar making that aren't typical of most other fine woodworking projects, including working with thin woods, which brings with it a variety of problems that need to be addressed, domed surfaces (tops and backs) bending sides, cutting fret slots, installing frets and setup. Only a handful of specialized tools are necessary. For example, if you already have a smoothing plane (#4 or #5, for example), you don't need a jack plane. Unless you buy them already thicknessed, you will need something to measure plate thicknesses, such as top, back and sides and a method for bending sides, unless you buy them pre-bent. As an avid woodworker, your probably have 90% or more of the tools you need - one can always add more, but most of them aren't necessary. As Redir stated, you can spend pretty much whatever you want on materials. For a first instrument, I'd suggest mid-quality materials, rather than fancy, rare, figured or exotic materials. There are many nice woods from which to chose that won't cost hundreds - or thousands - of dollars. |
#4
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Hi Paul,
I have (attempted to) build 2 kits thus far and in my opinion you can't go wrong with either LMI or Stew-Mac, I used them both and their woods / materials seem to be of good quality. In terms of doing it yourself I found LMI to be the better choice as I could choose the degree to which each of the materials are prepped (rosette installed, sides bent, top joined ... etc.). The Stew-Mac kit had most of the woods / materials prepped. Have a look at the LMI site, you can assemble the kit on their website. Happy building! Nahil. |
#5
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IMHO kits are a very expensive option and if you really are more interested in learning the craft then it's far better to do the entire job from raw materials.
Kits allow you to complete an instrument with less of a chance of making mistakes, but that's not the best way to learn the intricacies of musical instrument construction. |
#6
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If I could do it over again, I would have started with a kit first. But my skills were likely more limited than yours are. My first build looked more like a Picasso than a Collings....and I don't mean that in a good way.
As others have said, a kit will be very good quality if bought from LMII or Stew-Mac in particular, and you will likely have a much better outcome than doing from scratch. But it will be more of a clamping, gluing and finishing project. Think about this though...get a kit, and then buy some cheaper un-milled materials as you go. Then try to replicate the individual parts to the best of your abilities. That way if the neck is just not carved right (for example), you use the kit neck. I would be HIGHLY surprised that as an avid woodworker, you will only make one guitar. Whichever way you choose, I predict you posting here in 5 years about your 10th build. It's horribly addictive....fair warning. |
#7
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I just finished my number 9. I had a lot of ww experience, but decided to do a kit to see where the problems might be. I ended up buiding 2 kits, and having the sides bent and a neck made for my third. Now side bending and neck making are the high points for me. I think an inexpensive kit is a good way to start.
If you have ww experience, you will build more than a couple, I can guarantee. Here is my #9, 7 years after #1 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby16...7678301955987/ Ed M |
#8
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What is that bridge made of? Is the B/S maple? It's a very interesting design. Looks like an old Vienna guitar but with an almost Gibson L type body. Did you design the entire guitar or was this an actual copy? Also What is the top bracing? |
#9
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Sorry Redir - just seeing this. Martin used this Austrian Stauffer neck on some instruments before the civil war - he was taught by Stauffer himself. These guitars were small with a more figure-8 shape. Then Martin did a tribute in 1996 and again in 2006 (If I recall) that used their 00 12-fret body - this is what I copied. I got a tracing of Norman Blake's 1934 00 complete with bracing schedule including scallops, and I decided to use it even though the top was not Red Spruce, but Redwood. I will never build enough instruments to get meaningful information on any kind of testing as all my instruments are different. I used Red Spruce for the top bracing. The bridge is Resin-Ivory purchased from David Warther in Ohio - he is an Ivory carver who uses this at times and thinks it is the best Ivory substitute. The back and sides are maple. It is now 2 weeks old and it has much more bass than I was expecting from this small guitar, the balance is quite good, and the sound is sharp. Who knows what it will sound like in a year - but I like it so far.
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