Are there any hobbyist builders around??

NickCormier · 09-21-2006, 03:26 AM

Im looking to speak with afew hobbyist guitar builders.. I am curious about afew things and would like to talk some things over with someone hopefully.

I already spoke to Elysian, but anyone else who builds guitars and wants to possibly help me out, Gimme a PM!

(sorry, it does involve a 6 string though hehe)

JPMDan · 09-21-2006, 04:13 AM

talk to DPM he's a builder also Jim Soloway is a builder too.

dpm · 09-21-2006, 04:17 AM

PM or email me with your questions and I'll do my best to help, though I am freaking busy these days

JJ Rodriguez · 09-21-2006, 01:07 PM

I am looking at building my own guitar, once I can afford tools (I've been saying this for awhile now so I'm not holding my breath). I've been doing research and hopefully will some day be able to afford to pick up tools.

Durero · 09-21-2006, 03:22 PM

I'm currently in the prototyping phase for some very experimental guitar designs. I obsess over this stuff all day - be happy to offer any helpful info I can.

rogue · 09-21-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ Rodriguez

I am looking at building my own guitar, once I can afford tools (I've been saying this for awhile now so I'm not holding my breath). I've been doing research and hopefully will some day be able to afford to pick up tools.

what things you after?

im planning on building an acoutic as part of my A level course, i'll b able to use the schools tools. jsut started to chat ideas over with my teacher and he recons he'll let me do it

Durero · 09-21-2006, 03:51 PM

Nick, I'll bet if you post your questions here you'll get plenty of helpful info!

RISKY · 09-21-2006, 05:06 PM

i built some Saga kits but thats it, i'd suggest them, it's pretty neat, but they tell you not to solder. I soldered. they have some rubber tubing connectors that i had seen before but never seen on a guitar, so i soldered.

you can get them for under 100 bucks

Chris D · 09-22-2006, 02:34 AM

I'm what you'd call a hobbyist builder, I've put together about 10 guitars over the years...

I say "put together" cos they mostly I use premade parts, I've made a few bodies from scratch, but I've only built guitars with premade necks.
I just haven't got the room/tools/time to build from scratch.

I'd suggest this, at least to start with, as the most daunting part to make is the neck/fretboard.
Try Warmoth/Allparts/WD Music Products for necks.
You can get some with "paddle" (unshaped) headstocks, so you get to choose your own headstock shape, tuner configuration etc. You should be able to find one with the fretwire-size & fretboard radius/material that you're after.

Then cos the "complicated" bit's already sorted you get to concentrate on stuff like body shape & material, pickup type & placement, bridge type, hardware spec, finish & the like...

This way you can get some finished guitars & experience & move on to making your own necks later when you're workshop's better equipped.

If you start out like this ( using premade necks ) all you need is:
Workbench with vice & clamps
Router
Pillar drill (you can get pillar attachments for regular handheld electric drills)
Regular woodworking tools (rasps/files, sander, Tsquare, steel rule etc)

As for cutting the body shape you may find a helpful hardware/lumber shop or carpenter's workshop that will bandsaw the basic shape for you for a few quid.

What do you have planned?

Bassies7string · 09-22-2006, 03:32 AM

I'm in the same league as Beelzebloke, but i have a builder build half fabricate necks custom to my order. That makes it more flexible for me to build strange things like 8 string guitars or basses. Post your questions here, ill think everyone will gladly answer them.

JJ Rodriguez · 09-22-2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogue

what things you after?

im planning on building an acoutic as part of my A level course, i'll b able to use the schools tools. jsut started to chat ideas over with my teacher and he recons he'll let me do it

For my first guitar, I wanted something simple. Limba neck, so the tone would be similar to mahogany without the weight, and mahogany body. I wanted a smaller body (similar to the Oni in size, not quite shape) so I chose Limba for the neck to make sure it wouldn't get neck heavy. 6 string, neck through, Kahler trem, blank ebony fret board, stainless steel frets, floyd rose locking nut, 25.5 inch scale. No binding or fancy inlay work to complicate my first guitar. I was thinking of just doing an RG shape for starters. Would paint it a solid color, probably white.

NickCormier · 09-23-2006, 02:39 AM

Well, I don't think my "creation" could be as simple as just a warmoth neck and body..

I probably am going to get the neck custom made, with a custom inlay.. and headstock. Also I want a neckthru, I really dislike bolt ons, so its not so easy as if you mess up the body, you can just start over..

I was asking if it was possible to do shaping with just a router alone.. but I really don't want to get into it because I have very little experiance, the whole bit.. I guess i'll just have to wait and see what becomes available to me, in terms of possibly finding someone who can do a body blank for me for a good price.. I already have all the parts, just a matter of getting the body routed and made up.

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09-21-2006, 03:26 AM	#1
NickCormier Carvin User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Moncton/Halifax Posts: 4,963 Thanked: 91 Feedback Score: 8 reviews	Are there any hobbyist builders around?? Im looking to speak with afew hobbyist guitar builders.. I am curious about afew things and would like to talk some things over with someone hopefully. I already spoke to Elysian, but anyone else who builds guitars and wants to possibly help me out, Gimme a PM! (sorry, it does involve a 6 string though hehe)

09-21-2006, 05:06 PM	#8
RISKY still got my no-no Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NEW JERSEY Posts: 44 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i built some Saga kits but thats it, i'd suggest them, it's pretty neat, but they tell you not to solder. I soldered. they have some rubber tubing connectors that i had seen before but never seen on a guitar, so i soldered. you can get them for under 100 bucks they took our jyawbs

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09-21-2006, 04:13 AM	#2
JPMDan Dis fuckin' guy... Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 5,711 Thanked: 49 Feedback Score: 10 reviews	talk to DPM he's a builder also Jim Soloway is a builder too.

09-21-2006, 04:17 AM	#3
dpm Oni Guitars Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 3,377 Thanked: 21 Feedback Score: 2 reviews	PM or email me with your questions and I'll do my best to help, though I am freaking busy these days

09-21-2006, 01:07 PM	#4
JJ Rodriguez Pantysniffing zombie Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 11,705 Thanked: 82 Feedback Score: 18 reviews	I am looking at building my own guitar, once I can afford tools (I've been saying this for awhile now so I'm not holding my breath). I've been doing research and hopefully will some day be able to afford to pick up tools.

09-21-2006, 03:22 PM	#5
Durero prototyping... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Qualicum Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 5,366 Thanked: 41 Feedback Score: 5 reviews	I'm currently in the prototyping phase for some very experimental guitar designs. I obsess over this stuff all day - be happy to offer any helpful info I can.

09-21-2006, 03:51 PM	#7
Durero prototyping... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Qualicum Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 5,366 Thanked: 41 Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Nick, I'll bet if you post your questions here you'll get plenty of helpful info!

09-22-2006, 02:34 AM	#9
Chris D Fiddich or Morangie??? Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 398 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I'm what you'd call a hobbyist builder, I've put together about 10 guitars over the years... I say "put together" cos they mostly I use premade parts, I've made a few bodies from scratch, but I've only built guitars with premade necks. I just haven't got the room/tools/time to build from scratch. I'd suggest this, at least to start with, as the most daunting part to make is the neck/fretboard. Try Warmoth/Allparts/WD Music Products for necks. You can get some with "paddle" (unshaped) headstocks, so you get to choose your own headstock shape, tuner configuration etc. You should be able to find one with the fretwire-size & fretboard radius/material that you're after. Then cos the "complicated" bit's already sorted you get to concentrate on stuff like body shape & material, pickup type & placement, bridge type, hardware spec, finish & the like... This way you can get some finished guitars & experience & move on to making your own necks later when you're workshop's better equipped. If you start out like this ( using premade necks ) all you need is: Workbench with vice & clamps Router Pillar drill (you can get pillar attachments for regular handheld electric drills) Regular woodworking tools (rasps/files, sander, Tsquare, steel rule etc) As for cutting the body shape you may find a helpful hardware/lumber shop or carpenter's workshop that will bandsaw the basic shape for you for a few quid. What do you have planned?

09-22-2006, 03:32 AM	#10
Bassies7string ss.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Posts: 111 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I'm in the same league as Beelzebloke, but i have a builder build half fabricate necks custom to my order. That makes it more flexible for me to build strange things like 8 string guitars or basses. Post your questions here, ill think everyone will gladly answer them.

09-23-2006, 02:39 AM	#12
NickCormier Carvin User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Moncton/Halifax Posts: 4,963 Thanked: 91 Feedback Score: 8 reviews	Well, I don't think my "creation" could be as simple as just a warmoth neck and body.. I probably am going to get the neck custom made, with a custom inlay.. and headstock. Also I want a neckthru, I really dislike bolt ons, so its not so easy as if you mess up the body, you can just start over.. I was asking if it was possible to do shaping with just a router alone.. but I really don't want to get into it because I have very little experiance, the whole bit.. I guess i'll just have to wait and see what becomes available to me, in terms of possibly finding someone who can do a body blank for me for a good price.. I already have all the parts, just a matter of getting the body routed and made up.