I want to attempt to build an acoustic...

[burdger]

So, I've been looking into building an acoustic for myself. I've been reading a ton about it on the internet, and I even bought "Guitarmaking" as a guide. However, I'm still unsure about how I want to go about doing this. I guess what I want to know is, would it be inappropriate of me to approach a local luthier/acoustic builder and ask them about the process? I know there are a few in the area here, and it would be very helpful to me to actually see some of the processes before I attempted them on my own.

[Ben-Had]

That's a good idea, you just need to find one willing to "pay it forward."

[burdger]

Yeah, I just didn't know if that was a common thing with builders, or if it tends to be "privileged' information.

My uncle is actually good friends with a guy that builds uke's... would that be helpful to me, or should I look more for a true acoustic guitar builder?

[naccoachbob]

When I started, I began with a kit guitar from Stewart-McDonald. While in the process, I looked around and found that Stephen Kinnaird lives here in the same city I'm in.
I called him up, and he invited me out to his shop to answer questions for me. I've found the luthiers here on this forum to be almost exactly like Steve. They will help as much as they can. Hopefully you can find someone in your area who is just like these folks.
Bob

[mb propsom]

It's been my experience that guitarmakers are about as diverse a group as any other in our society. Some are perfectly willing to spend time giving neophytes an overview of their version of the process, while others won't give a person the time of day without financial compensation. So, while it's not inapropriate to approach a maker with such a request, it shouldn't be expected that you'll get the answer you desire. In the last decade or so, it seems that more people than ever have decided they want to make guitars (my theory is that so many 'baby boomers' now entering their twilight years feel a need to leave behind some legacy, other than a rapidly dimishing 401K, to let the world know, "Yes, I was here." sort of their version of immortality as it were). So many established "luthiers" are being inundated with requests for anything from a general overview to a full-blown apprenticeship, that it could impact their productivity. So, ask away, but don't be surprised or hurt if your request is denied. Good luck and don't let this discourage you from your goal to make an instrument.

[Rudy4]

You might find someone local that is willing, but you could learn a TON and not impose on someone's ability to make a living by watching what seems like thousands of "how to" videos posted on youTube. There are videos for any aspect of guitar (or other)instrument constuction that you could possibly desire.

That, and jumping in with a simple project will take you a long way. Don't set your sights on a Martin herringbone copy as a first attempt, something simple and well executed trumps a botched masterpiece any day.

[jaylynch@yahoo.]

here's several sites that may help:

http://www.kitguitarmanuals.com/

http://acousticguitarconstructionforum.com/index.php

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/

[printer2]

Do you have a few hours to kill?

http://www.youtube.com/user/OBrienGuitars/videos

[burdger]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll update if I make any headway.

[runamuck]

http://luthiersforum.com/

Search around the many posts and videos there. Just about everything a person would need to know about guitar making has been discussed.

Jim McCarthy

[Viking]

You perhaps prefer a different kind of learning than I do. I like to jump into the deep end, get my hands into the mix, and figure it out as I go. No teacher quite like failure & trial and error. I've always learned best that way. Like you, I've read Cumpiano's book. I've also read Kinkead's book, another book specifically on voicing, and now I'm reading Somogyi's books. I plan on my first few guitars being made from very cheap materials so that I can get a feel for the art before spending any serious money on quality wood. And I figure, if I can get a guitar to sound good made from cedar fence boards from Lowes and maybe pallet oak for the back and sides, I should be able to do the same with quality tonewoods purchased from LMI or where ever. I just resawed my first fence board into strips for laminating into a top. They already have a pretty nice tap tone. Deep and sustaining.

Here's an interesting blog along the same lines.

http://ericsguitarhacking.blogspot.com/

Not sure what any of the more established luthiers around here think of such an approach to learning the art of luthiery. In fact, I'd be interested to hear what they think of it. But it seems to make sense to me. Why learn in a high stakes environment where a mistake costs you decent money to replace wood you've ruined? Especially when it's been shown that decent results can be had from "inferior" wood.

http://www.laguitarsales.com/pages/3...hop_Pallet.htm

The way I see it so far, 2 major variables exist in building. Wood quality and tonality and the skill of the maker. What plays the largest role in building a quality, fine sounding guitar? If you suck at making guitars, does using the best adi & brazilian rosewood guarantee a good result? Conversely, if you know what you are doing, can you build something notable with whatever is at hand?

Course, it's worth noting that I don't really have a clue of what I'm talking about based in experience. This is just what seems to make sense to me given my research and reading thus far.

Edit: My point in saying all of that... do you really need a teacher? Someone standing over you and showing you how to do it? I don't think I will. I feel certain that somewhere within the first 5-10 guitars I've built, I'll figure out the broad strokes of how this stuff works and be able to produce a very nice sounding instrument. If you don't learn well in a hands on instructor free environment, then ignore what I'm saying and find a teacher.

[charles Tauber]

In nearly any human endeavour, the purpose of having a teacher is to shorten one's learning curve and the number of iterations of trial and error that need be experienced. If one wants the most direct path from point A to point B in an area that has significant "prior art", find a good teacher. Once one has the basics down, one can depart from the main as much as one wishes and be as creative as one wishes.

[John Arnold]

Not sure what any of the more established luthiers around here think of such an approach to learning the art of luthiery. In fact, I'd be interested to hear what they think of it. But it seems to make sense to me. Why learn in a high stakes environment where a mistake costs you decent money to replace wood you've ruined? Especially when it's been shown that decent results can be had from "inferior" wood.

The first several guitars I built were made from pallets and shelving boards. In fact, it was several years before I could get used to the idea of actually paying luthier prices for wood...with the exception of rosewood or ebony for fingerboards.

[WaddyT]

If you are interested in build threads on a forum, you might want to check out luthiercom.org. Lots of personal builders benches there with build threads.

[Viking]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

In nearly any human endeavour, the purpose of having a teacher is to shorten one's learning curve and the number of iterations of trial and error that need be experienced. If one wants the most direct path from point A to point B in an area that has significant "prior art", find a good teacher. Once one has the basics down, one can depart from the main as much as one wishes and be as creative as one wishes.

As little as 20 years ago, I would have agreed with you. But in today's information age, the internet can teach anyone almost anything, and it is generally very good at it. And if you have the capacity to thrive in a self directed, self motivated drive to learn something, it can even be quite efficient in doing it as well.