Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all...

I am very interested in beginning to build my own guitars from scratch and becoming a luthier. I'm exploring a number of ways to begin, but I was curious how any of you began to do it? In other words, did you

1. Just pick it up on your own, reading books, learning as you go...?
2. Start with kitbuilding and graduate from there...?
3. Attend a lutherie course/school?

I have no woodworking experience, but I am creative, have a fascination with guitars, and would love to create my own instruments, and there seems to be a number of ways that people get into building thier own guitar, and I would really like to hear from you--not just from those of you building full time as a career, but even those of you who build a few here and there as a hobby..

Thanks!

You can do it all three ways most important is what fits you best. How much woodworking have you done?
Definitely start by reading here is one of the first recommended books http://www.amazon.com/Guitarmaking-Tradition-Technology-Construction-Steel-String/dp/0811806405/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219645046&sr=8-1
I had no experience with woodworking so ended up going the kit route very fun gives you a good taste of building wihtout having to buy alot of specialized tools. You can't beat hands on instruction the only downside is the price
just my 2 cents worth

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Duke welcome to the OLF!

As you already figured out there are lots of ways to go about this and you will find that the members here are a good representation of all manner of approaches.

I started with a kit and great kits are available from our sponsors (links above) Blues Creek, Stew-Mac, LMI but others have built very nice first guitars entirely from scratch. Kits are probably the best way to go if you have no wood working experience and limited or no tools.

Understanding wood, or learning to understood wood is key here too to your success. Things like humidity, grain, run-out and which types of wood are suitable for our purposes are very important. There are some great books available that will help you get started in learning about wood.

Like you I had no experience with woodworking and still really don't..... but I can frame a room now..... Tooling-up can be expensive but very rewarding too and also requires a commitment to learn about tools and safety.

Depending on your age and the commitments in your life if possible and if you really want to become a Luthier I would recommend going to a good Lutherie school. Not unlike many professions Lutherie requires a life long commitment where the learning never ends - nor should it.

Although the distinction as to the meaning and use of the term Luthier has loosened up greatly here on the OLF in the past several years many of us still believe that being a guitar maker does not make one a Luthier. Luthiers IMHO have a far greater level of experience and expertise in the building AND repair of numerous types of stringed instruments.

Once you have had some formal Lutherie education you may be able to find an apprenticeship with an experienced Luthier. This is one of the very best ways to learn and your floors in your own home will become spotless too....

Conversely build a kit, participate here asking all the questions that you wish and also helping others with what you have learned, immerse yourself in guitar building spending every waking moment reading, doing, meeting other guitar builders, going to shows, watching building videos, AND playing guitars too and you will learn a great deal.

Welcome aboard.

Do a couple tops first, see what kind of tools you need for that. This biz is really really picky, and I'm a woodworker/carver etc.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

A couple months ago, I was in the same exact position as you. I decided to start with a book and a kit, but the lack of woodworking experience and guidance has really been taking a toll on me and my current project. If time and money are not an issue, I would definitely seek out at least a short term lutherie course as they will properly instruct you not only in building the guitar, but also the proper way to use your tools. Of course this is from my personal experience, you may find that you'll build from a kit just fine (maybe I'm a bit slow ^^;;) but I think having an experienced person to guide you is never a bad idea whenever possible.

In my opinion, you will shorten the learning curve by years by enrolling on one of the guitar building coarses around the country. The books serve as a reference after that, but most books and videos don't cover every detail.

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John Ressler

We all have had this discussion many times here on the forum. It really boils down to a couple things that only the person asking the question can answer.

1. How intent are you in continuing to build after your first attempt.
2. How much funds can you layout up front to get started.
3. Would you rather not invest in tools till you know you wish to continue to build past your first build.

Like many crafts this one is expensive to pursue. (You need to seriously ask your self the following question and answer it honestly). Are the odds even slightly that this first guitar is the only guitar you will ever build? If you can answer this question “YES” then you can eliminate right off the bat spending the money to tool up even in a minor way. In this case a 2-3 week course is a great start because you will build a guitar that you take home and apply a finish to without the expenditure of tooling. If after that you wish to continue then you will have enough insight to slowly build up your tooling.

I am fond of kits for new builders and it really does not take a fortune in minimal tools to build a highly serviced kit but in your case having absolutely no woodworking skill. Your best chance for a successful first build would come in a structured short course curriculum. Now you are going to spend enough to buy a moderately high end factory guitar to take 2-3 week course. But you can be assured that you will walk away with a decently constructed guitar and a great deal of knowledge that would take quite more time to acquire if you soloed your first build.

I would highly recommend a serviced kit from Martin, Blues Creek, LMI, or Stew Mac. If afterwards you can't think of anything else but building and are drawing plans on stall doors of public restrooms then consider taking a building course and diving in with both feet. As mentioned the courses will shave years off your learning curve when building from scratch. I took the Fox course but there are many good ones.
Terry
www.kennedyguitars.com

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I started with electrics, building solidbodies of all stripes (most set neck, chambered, a few neck through, some bolt on), which taught me to do necks, helped me understand setups and fretwork/fingerboard geometry, which is the bit of the guitar that needs to be right if its going to play at all decently.

In the meantime I read Cumpiano and Natelson, read tons of old and new discussions in the MIMF.com library (much as I like it here, their library is significantly better if you're looking for categorised information on a variety of subjects. Bit old and slightly out of date at times, but it's still a fantastic resource), and started to figure out how I wanted to build my guitar - mold or no mold, dishes or no dishes, what to buy/what to make, etc.

I ended up building using Cumpiano as a guide, but with outer forms/molds+spreaders and radiused sanding dishes, and a heat blanket powered bender. All three can be made within a few weekends, and at minimal cost (the mold and forms and dishes for the cost of two quarter sheets of 3/4" MDF, plus the cost of the blanket). Hit any one of our sponsors for some nice tonewood (don't skimp too much), EIR sounds great, looks great, bends great and is relatively cheap, and start building.

If I had the opportunity to learn from a teacher, I'd very much appreciate it. Sadly, there's little to nothing of that sort - short of full-time courses focused on historic/classical instruments, which I'm currently not terribly interested in building, and that's not even that close by - so I've had to 'make do' with the internet and books, and it's certainly proved worthwhile for me.

Honestly, I don't see a major advantage to kits over building yourself. The servicing is about the cost of the bender materials, give or take a few bucks, and the 'hard' things (jointing tops/backs, bending, neck joint) aren't/do not need to be that difficult, and some of them are among my favourite bits of building (neck carving, brace stock shaping, etc.). I would get the supplier to thickness back/sides until you get/find someone with a thickness sander, but the top can be done by hand with a medium priced plane.

The way I did it isn't the best way, and certainly isn't the fastest. Guitarbuilding was the first real woodworking I ever did, and I learned to use and sharpen edge tools and power tools along the way. Formal instruction will push you along the learning curve at a significantly higher rate. Then again, I'm doing this alongside med school and translation and a long-term relationship. So, y'know, the tempo, and the bits that see me 'learn' things outside of the shop suit my situation just fine. I mean, the electric guitars (started with a kit, which was fun but nowhere near fun enough, you get to do all the boring bits like finishing and wiring) certainly showed me this wasn't the effective way to get a good guitar for cheap money, but it's very rewarding. Expensive (could've afforded a Ryan guitar and a handful of other handbuilts with the money I've spent on tools and wood), but worth it.

Glad to see another beginner find this place welcome Duke, 4 months ago I was in the same position as you the luthier I use (I'm always careful of saying my luthier) guided me on a set-up he set-up my new all solid guitar which was fine until winter and the heating came on he guarantees his work and walked me through it in his shop. Then talked me through several repairs over the phone for myself first then friends, I feel guilty as it seems I'm stealing his work, but he says he's always too busy and like helping interested people. I then bought Kinkheads book as it had plans was reading it at my local folk club and the following week a friend came in with some wood to get me started.

Since then I've stumbled on this place and would like to say thanks guys especially Mike Collins who gave me the confidence to carry on with the top, Hesh who's amazing in his unstinting help and amazing speed in answering PM's and Joel Thompson who invited me into his workshop for the day.

Thanks Guys you all make this forum what it is AMAZING!!!

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

This is completely my concern about a kit--that my lack of woodworking experience will be discouraging. I think its difficult enough learning the art and craft of building, much less starting from step 1 with woodworking.

Thanks for your help. My goal is to continue building way past guitar #1 not just to make 1 guitar and be done. I dont have to make 30 a year and make aliving off of it, but I want to continue to build. I am sriously thinking about a course as a way to get a head start. Even though its expensive, it's cheaper than paying for tools and a kit with no direction and getting frustrated at it--or doing it, but at so many hours, it would have been a better investment to take a course. If I do the go myself route, I'd like to do it on my own as opposed to a kit, but that's a pretty big proposition...