[Haunted Cereal]

sorry i wasn't sure where to put this.

how did you get started? the more i think about this the more i want to get into it. did you just start buying materials or apprentice under somebody? recommend me things and tell me about your experiences, i'm very eager to learn.

[skinhead]

The age isn't a problem. The money yes.

First, you need what does what and what you can do with a tool.

Project Guitar.com :: Guitar Project.com will be your bible, and the tools your help.

For starting you will need a router, metal rulers, a caliper, router bits, a saw (can be a jigwsaw or maybe you have access to a bandsaw), files, screwdrivers, a solder and tons of sand paper.

[Apophis]

Tools are expensive the most and you need those to make nice instruments. Yes you can start building only with few tools, but this will be pain in the ass to build and wayyyyyyyyyyy longer

[TripleFan]

First of all to get started I would recommend you the books by Martin Koch and Melvyn Hiscock.
They both cover the basics and more advanced techniques of guitar building. A very enjoyable read too.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by TripleFan

First of all to get started I would recommend you the books by Martin Koch and Melvyn Hiscock.
They both cover the basics and more advanced techniques of guitar building.

Also, the book by Martin Oakham is reasonably informative, but the real strength of it is the quality/frequency of full color photos.

[jammy]

I trained for 2 years for a qualification in musical instrument technology, but I've been re-wiring and repairing since I was about 14, just out of necessity i suppose. I was also a keen woodworker before I started making instruments

[Haunted Cereal]

thanks guys, this is all really great stuff so far. i already have a few files and a 15 watt soldering iron, i've been doing my own wiring for awhile. so besides files, router, router bits, jigsaw, caliper, and of course butt tons of sand paper is there much else? if i'm gonna do this i wanna do it right.

[Randy]

I use a table saw, planer and band saw a lot. Also, CLAMPS CLAMPS CLAMPS CLAMPS CLAMPS.

[Haunted Cereal]

yeah i was wondering about clamps, any recommendations?

[Chellee Guitars]

I started apprenticing at a repair shop. I highly recommend doing some repairs before you build. It will give you an idea of how the guitar actually works (and doesn't) as well as some of the different approaches that builders and manufacturers have taken. I was fortunate enough to be able to work on a hundred guitars or so before I started building my first. Again, I HIGHLY recommend trying to fix some stuff. Re-fret a guitar. A cheap one.

When I started working toward my own shop the most expensive things I bought were a bandsaw, drillpress, router, clamps, and an fretcrowning file. You'll also want nut files, about 300 pounds of sandpaper (no, really, you do a lot of sanding), allen wrenches, a mallet, a good straight-edge, a soldering iron, a protractor, a couple of good chisels, and humility. Just for starters. Bug us constantly, too. Read everything you can and remember that everyone has their own way of doing things, which may or may not be the best way for you. Just as there are many opinions on what the best guitar is, there are many opinions on techniques and tools for luthierey. Learn as much as you can about "why" and choose which "how" and "what" works for you.

Get lots of cam clamps. They're not cheap, but if you can afford them then get about 40. I started with some cheaper screw clamps that I got from Home Depot. They're not as nice, but they're better than nothing. I started buying cam clamps a few at a time with every LMI or StewMac order.