newbie with his first question

Questions and answers for beginners. If you have a question, so do most other people.
Michael Haines
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:33 pm
Location: Hudson Massachusetts

newbie with his first question

Post by Michael Haines »

Hello I was wondering which style kit (ex. 000, dread) is the easiest for a beginner to both build and play this would be my first guitar ever and would like something I can learn on. Thank you Mike Haines
tippie53
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Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: newbie with his first question

Post by tippie53 »

between the 000 and dred there isn't that much difference in the building process instead though between a 18 style and 28 style the decoration is a thought.
keep the first few simple. the 000 is a great couch guitar and as you get old the dreds are not the most comfortable to play sitting,
we are all here to help so enjoy the journey
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by MaineGeezer »

They're all difficult to build!

John notes what may be the most significant thing you can change to simplify building though; simplify the trim. In my enthusiasm I went for abalone and multiple purfling strips on my first guitar, which added to the difficulty. Keeping all those strips under control while gluing them in is quite a task. It's do-able -- I did it -- but if you're looking for ways to reduce aggravation, that's one area to look at.

Personally, I'd go for the 000. A dreadnought has mystique, but IMO it's at its best playing backup in a bluegrass band. If you want a guitar to play solo, I think the 000 is better suited.

You might think about a 12-fret neck and a shorter scale. I think there's a 12-fret 000 model. Personally, I find the shorter scale easier to play, because the frets are not so far apart.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Danl8
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Location: Chadds Ford, PA

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by Danl8 »

Mike,
The Martin-style std 000-12 fret is typically long scale, I believe, at least both of mine are. The 000-14 fret can be in short scale, 24.9" or long scale 25.4" (it's called an OM, orchestra model, usually instead of 000). Maine G is on target; simple is a good plan for the first. I like to say that each of these models has a unique personality, so none is 'better' than the other, just different. PS this is great fun. Good luck!
Dan.
MaineGeezer
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by MaineGeezer »

Thanks for the clarification on the long scale / short scale options. I'm pretty vague on the details of what models have what scale length.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Michael Haines
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:33 pm
Location: Hudson Massachusetts

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by Michael Haines »

Thank you everyone for the comments. John I am leaning towards your 000-18 Martin kit which mold do I want with that.
Michael Haines
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:33 pm
Location: Hudson Massachusetts

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by Michael Haines »

Thank you everyone for the comments. John I am leaning towards your 000-18 Martin kit which mold do I want with that.
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: newbie with his first question

Post by tippie53 »

you will need the 000/OM the 000 and om are the same shape
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by MaineGeezer »

That kit looks like a good one to start with, and the price is reasonable.

You'll quite likely find that you'll need more tools, lots of clamps, and the ability to sharpen -- REALLY sharpen -- chisels and plane irons. A go-bar deck makes gluing braces easier and more certain. You will probably need radius dishes to match the top and the back radii. But John will guide you through all that.

As far as sharpening is concerned, Lei-Nielsen https://www.lie-nielsen.com/nodes/4114/sharpening has developed an excellent system for sharpening. Their honing guide and other equipment is gorgeous, and very expensive, but the method can be used without buying t their equipment. The two key things are a honing guide, such as http://www.rockler.com/honing-guide, and the use of various grades of abrasive paper to quickly establish the basic angle of the cutting edge. It would take "forever" to clean up the angle of a plane iron using a sharpening stone, but it can be done fairly quickly on a strip of #80 abrasive paper, with no danger of overheating. One then works through progressively finer grits of abrasive paper and eventually moves on to sharpening stones.

If you have already mastered sharpening, you can skip all that, but it was such a revelation to me that I wanted to pass it on.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Michael Haines
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:33 pm
Location: Hudson Massachusetts

Re: newbie with his first question

Post by Michael Haines »

I ordered my 000 kit and mold from John yesterday
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