Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

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scamp
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:19 pm

Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by scamp »

Call me crazy but after finishing my first guitar I'm starting to think about building another.
Ok.. Ok.. I know that isn't a big surprise to anyone who has traveled this path before me but it does seem a bit nuts.
As my wife would say, how many guitars do you need.
My answer recently..... one more than I have.

Anyway... My first guitar build was a prewar style OM 28 ( kit from Blues Creek Guitars ).
I'm not a great guitarist ( only started to play guitar since I retired 3 years ago ) but love guitars in general.
Started playing on a Martin D28 ( my first real guitar ) but recently started finger picking ( using fleshy parts of fingers ) and D28 wasn't such a good match for this style.
Now have the OM 28 and love it. Much better and I find I like the guitar better overall than the D28.

So.. what next? Since there are so many knowledgeable guitar folks here I thought I would ask for recommendations.
I'm thinking of maybe something a bit different and unique that fits my playing interests.
After a bit of research I came up with maybe a prewar style OOO 12 fret with a long scale ( 25.4 ) and a wider nut ( 1 3/4 or 1 13/16 ) for good finger picking.
I like the rosewood sound but given my finger picking style maybe a mahogany back and sides is more appropriate for a guitar like this and would complement my OM 28 better.

Anyway... would love to hear if anyone has any suggestions. As I have learned, building a guitar is a lot of work and I want to make sure I'm putting the effort into something that makes sense and is a bit special ( you can't go to your local guitar shop and buy) .

Thanks in advance for your help.
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by tippie53 »

I have a 0000-12 fret that I love for finger picking
the long scales will sound more dredish but this combination
fits and I love it. Martin did a run of these with sinker mahogany for Gruhn
a few years ago and I have the honor of playing a few.
If you go short scale I suggest 1/4 in bracing
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
scamp
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:19 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by scamp »

tippie53 wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 9:32 am I have a 0000-12 fret that I love for finger picking
the long scales will sound more dredish but this combination
fits and I love it. Martin did a run of these with sinker mahogany for Gruhn
a few years ago and I have the honor of playing a few.
If you go short scale I suggest 1/4 in bracing
Thanks John
I will look into the 0000-12 fret.
Found this on Utube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKgJ95SkULU
Looks awesome and appears to be the Martin guitar your talking about.

BTW...How hard is it to get sinker mahogany?

I assume the 0000-12 fret has 5/16 scalloped bracing vs 1/4.
My 1931 style OM 14 fret kit you sent me I think as 1/4 inch bracing but not sure.
Hard to go back and measure it with the strings on etc. :)
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by tippie53 »

hearne Hardwood has some
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Nah. You're not crazy at all.
I always knew you'd build another........and another and.......
Do what I did and build your wife one that helps keep the hobby going too. I'm on #17 and not ready to quit yet.
As for your next build. Yah do something unique.
Sounds like a small body like an 00 might be a good lap sitting finger picker fir you!
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by MaineGeezer »

For something unique, take a look at falcate bracing . I've had very good luck with it, especially in my latest build. A 00-size body responded really well to it.
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
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I'm building an OM right now with sinker mahogany from Hearne Hardwoods. Love the tap. I'm anxious to hear this one.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
phavriluk
Posts: 554
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by phavriluk »

OP: It's your guitar. You don't have to copy anything and the Guitar Police won't seek a warrant. There's tens of thousands of copies of storebought guitars, and copies of copies of copies. Draw up something you want and go build it. And it'll have its own unique sound and feel.
peter havriluk
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Just like you, I started of thinking about guitar #2. I went to our local lumber yard, where they let me climb up to the rafters, where they store their cherry.

I found some really old cherry and black walnut that they had no idea was back there. This stuff was 12" wide and an actual 1" thick (some 2" thick), and has the craziest fugure I've ever seen in cherry. They only sell standard measure boards, none over 8" wide in these woods. I had to crawl over boards to get to this forgotten wood. Since they didn't have pricing on it, I paid for 8"x 3/4" boards, by the foot. I paid $35.

I made a mold (badly) based on a 00. I made it a 12-fret guitar with a deeper body. It's shape isn't perfect. It has a fantastic voice. I've had a couple of offers from people wanting to buy it. It's one guitar I won't sell.

Your only limited by your imagination.
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
scamp
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:19 pm

Re: Call me crazy. I'm thinking of building another guitar

Post by scamp »

Thanks for your input and good ideas/suggestions.
Since I have only built one guitar and I don't have an extensive wood working shop I think I still need to restrict this next build to a kit.
My goal is to gain more experience with this next build so hopefully in the future I can justify more tools etc. and start being even more creative and start building guitars from the ground up.

I think I will contact John Hall and see what's possible in a kit that is still fulfills my desire for something a bit on the unique side.

Thanks again for your help.
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