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My husband suggested that I buy one of those really inexpensive guitar kits, before investing in a good kit, to get some experience in building a guitar. What do you think of this?

I have a couple of thoughts about this:

1. I'm assuming cheap kits have cheap parts. Cheap parts usually don't go together well, which can result in utter frustration.
2. Even if I meticulously build a guitar from a cheap kit, I will still have a cheap guitar with a cheap sound.
3. The money spent on a cheap kit, could be spent on a nice soundboard.


But, on the other hand, he may be absolutely right. I would prefer to make newbie mistakes with cheap materials, than with wood that I'm carefully choosing, and a kit that has first rate material.

Opinions?

Hey Dianne, as you pointed out there are two schools of thought on this. I went through the same thought processes that you are going through now when I was contemplating my first kit. There are valid points on both sides of the coin as you pointed out. I decided not to get the cheapo kit and I opted to purchase from John at Blues Creek. Here's what tipped the scales for me, I figured that I would have a better chance for success with a higher end kit and then I would more likely stick with it. If I fail miserably at my first attempt I'm more likely to throw in the towel and move on to something else.
Building a guitar can be quite intimidating for some people (including myself) there are many different facets to the process. I had a bit of an advantage in that I have been a hobbyist woodworker for several years so I had a little bit of confidence in that area, however I don't play the guitar (or any other musical instrument) so I'm at a disadvantage in that area. My observation is that most of the people that build also play.
The other thing to consider (and only you can answer this) is how deep your pockets are. Keep in mind that there is at the least a minimal amount of tooling that you will need. I spent quite a bit on tooling because again, I wanted a higher chance at success.
Everyone on the forum are nice folks and want to help each other out no matter what the skill level or amount of experience, everyone has something to add.
Whichever way you decide to go you can be confident that you will get as much help here on the forum as you ask for, that has been my experience.

David L

Here are some points for you to consider.
We offer full support. On Ebay there are a few sellers that offer "Martin Kits." These are often made up by people the don't know what they are selling. I know a few people here have purchased these kits only to find out the parts don't match.
Also as you pointed out, cheap means cheap. We want to see you build a kit which ends up as a good guitar. Have you thought about taking a class? One big advantage there is you get to see a guitar being made as you build along side.
Beware of the kits made up of poor quality seconds on ebay. You will invest 100 hrs to make your first guitar so set the odds in your favor. Buy from a source you know and trust.

Thank you John and David for your responses.

I've already decided that my "forever guitar" kit purchase will be from Blues Creek. When I'm ready for the big purchase, I'll contact you John, to get guidance on which kit meet my needs.

My initial reaction was what you said John; cheap is cheap. Generally you get what you pay for. My fear is that the Ebay kits are put together with inferior parts, that might not go together right, no matter your competence in the workshop. There is nothing better at scaring someone out of a project that's difficult under the best of circumstances, than having junk that would never fit together in the first place. My inclination is to use the money for something that I need to build a really good guitar.

I'm competent with all hand tools (electric and manual), as well as common wood shop equipment. We have a well equipped workshop in the basement. I'm fortunate to have a next door neighbor who is a fine wood worker, who has built guitars, banjo's and other stringed instruments, and he's graciously offered his expertise. However, this is quite an ambitious endeavor and I know I'm going to need a lot of help.

Plus, I've located precisely what I want for the sides and back of my guitar, a set of highly figured Peruvian Walnut. Now I have to decide between Carpathian Spruce, or Redwood for the top, as Alan Carruth mentioned in his interview on this forum. A vision is taking form as I do my research. I just hope I'm not setting myself up for a disappointment.

I've read posts on other forums, that suggest that a first guitar will be mediocre, at best. I truly hope not. While I know it won't be comparable to an instrument made by a master Luthier, my hope is to have an instrument that has a beautiful sound, that I'm proud to play, even if it has a couple of small boogers. LOL

Diane Kauffmds wrote:I've read posts on other forums, that suggest that a first guitar will be mediocre, at best. I truly hope not. While I know it won't be comparable to an instrument made by a master Luthier, my hope is to have an instrument that has a beautiful sound, that I'm proud to play, even if it has a couple of small boogers. LOL

There is no reason your first guitar has to sound mediocre. Go here and listen to the sound clip in the upper left, it was played on my first build. It's been all up hill since. I have bought several sets and other parts from John, all first quality. You will find the help here to build a guitar that will stack up sound wise to any.

http://www.apexcustomguitars.com/

I'm gonna go against the grain here and suggest the 'other' path.
If your time is plentiful and your neighbor/mentor has scratch built his guitars, I suggest you go for the less expensive components and build a first guitar which will absorb your rookie mistakes and wind up being sonically pleasing. The dollar savings, while not extremely significant, will give you breathing room and allow you to unpucker while you learn, especially with an experienced builder on call. This lutherie thing is not a sprint for a first timer....it is a marathon.
Blues Creek offers many free video guides on youtube.
There are also some very helpful guitar building DVD sets available. One that comes to mind is the course by Frank Finocchio which I found to be very helpful.
(http://elderly.com/videos/items/566-DVD1.htm)
If your pockets are sufficiently deep there is an Australian guitar building DVD set that is considered to be one of, if not, THE best of the bunch. (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Video,_DVD/ ... aking.html)

No one can make this decision for you since either route would depend on your personal preferences, availability of your time, availability of local support, amount of money willing to spend, etc. One item I'd strongly urge you to consider is Bill Cory's book on building kit acoustic guitars. Bill is the founder of this forum and a supporter. See the ad boxes on the left of this page for a link to Bill's website.

I would go with a good quality kit. Yes, by true professional standards the first may be mediocre, but I will bet with the help you have available it will not look nor sound mediocre. The differences will be in the finer details that one would need to look for with a professional or experienced eye. If you have experience with joinery, your first may be good by any standard. The other things is that the kits are made of wood, you can fix most newbie mistakes.

I am still playing the first classical guitar I built, it is a great sounding instrument, I am able to set it up nicely so it is a joy to play as well. But if one looks carefully ... Basically do not be scared off by comments that the first or the first few are mediocre.

A cheap kit may very well assure a mediocre result

I have built 4 from Blues Creek. I did not want a dread or a triple-0, so each was an odd-ball in terms of design and John accommodated every step. Ony on this 4th did I get my wood and send it to John for him to bend - I chose Osage Orange which is MUCH cheaper than your Peruvian walnut.

For your first, let me suggest that you bypass the expensive wood and let John give you a nice piece of what ever you chose that he has. If you are interested in building one, then chances are you can't be stopped once you are done with it - this will not be your last.

And cheap? I don't know how you can be significantly less expensive than John unless you are buying 2nds and then they might not fit.

This is fun

Ed

Ben-Had wrote:There is no reason your first guitar has to sound mediocre. Go here and listen to the sound clip in the upper left, it was played on my first build. It's been all up hill since. I have bought several sets and other parts from John, all first quality. You will find the help here to build a guitar that will stack up sound wise to any.

http://www.apexcustomguitars.com/

Thank you for your post; it sounds wonderful. If I can create a guitar that sounds half that good, it would make me very happy.

Runningdog wrote:As a professional luthier and professional instructor, I'm finding red flags going up here!

I would NEVER want to discourage an enthusiastic first-time builder BUT I would try to inject some caution. First guitars are learning experiences. Period. They can sound good, play well, be durable, and even look good. But the odds are against all of those coming together in the first instrument. Or second, or third. When I get inquiries from folks who want to take a class and build their dream guitar, I ask "Are you willing to make three or five or ten guitars before you attempt to build it?" That's the reality of the learning curve.

Truly, if the end product -- a rare-wood fancy guitar that will serve honorably for a lifetime -- is the only goal, you're better off buying it. There are plenty of experienced, dues-paying luthiers out there who will work with you to achieve the dream.

But if the dream is to learn something about lutherie and the discipline and skills it takes to make good guitars, then start building! Buy a kit from John, get some decent quality wood from RC, watch some videos (or read books!), find a competent teacher … and start on a long, difficult, and frustrating but rewarding and, I have found, valuable journey. When you're ready to build that once-in-a-lifetime guitar, you'll probably know. After 22 years, I'm still working toward it.

I would never presume to create anything approaching what dues paying luthier would produce.