First kit- 000-28

Take us through building your guitar step by step. Post pictures and tell us what you're doing.
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

This is my first kit guitar. I apprenticed under a banjo builder in Floyd, VA a few years back, building banjos from scratch, so I am somewhat familiar with instrument building. But the architecture of a hollow-bodied instrument is very different and challenging. And the preciseness of geometry weighs heavily. As much as I have read, watched, and practiced in other projects, I still find that each step is new. I invariably say "I could have done that better had I known XYZ" after finishing most steps, even though I read exactly what to do in advance. So this blog is just a place for me to store my thoughts, mistakes, and advice to my future self. I'll plan to end each post with a few lessons/tips that I hope to remember next time. I don't expect you to be wowed by my experience, but if my mistakes are helpful to anyone else, great!

My first step was finishing a Norm Abrams-inspired workbench I'd started 2 years ago, with some size and surface modifications to better support guitar building.
1.JPG
I also knew how helpful YouTube would be, along with other online videos, and decided to get a $150 LED TV to hang on the workshop wall so I could follow along.
2.JPG
Ready to get to work!
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Last edited by Slowpicker on Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:17 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

I got a 000-28 kit from John Hall with a dovetail neck. It's a wonderful kit, with many of the more complicated steps already well underway. Having watched many of John's videos, I knew that getting the sides into the mold, installing the neck and tailblocks, and radius sanding was the first step.
3.JPG
I did not, however, realize that John's kit had come with pre-radiused sides. After sanding the top to 28' and the back to 15', I realized my sides were down to just 2-7/8" wide at the neck joint! Whoops.
4.JPG
That's when I realized:
  • The sides were already radiused. Always measure before sanding/cutting. Wood only gets smaller.
  • Attach the sides to the mold, either through side-spreaders or screwing the neck and tailblocks to the mold, or both, before radius sanding. I think I was pushing the sides up and down in the mold as I sanded, so they just kept getting smaller instead of taking the desired radius.
  • Other than the body being a bit slimmer now (3-1/8" at the neck block with top and back installed) it still works. As John said, as long as the neck dovetail doesn't protrude into the back, it can work.
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Last edited by Slowpicker on Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:17 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

Avoiding that near catastrophe, I pressed on. I installed the kerfing next. That's when I found out that I did not have enough of those little red clamps, and clothespins don't have the same level of grip.
5.JPG
Installing the top and back bracing was fairly straightforward. I built a quick and easy go-bar deck by screwing a board to my 7.5' shop ceiling and ordering 25 fiberglass driveway locating rods from discountsnowstakes.com. They work great!
6.JPG
Next time I will:
  • Trace the inside and outside edge of the rim on the top and back before installing kerfing and again after (3 lines total) to know exactly how the side/kerfing/bracing intersections will work.
  • Dry fit the kerfing, including the clamping, to be sure I have enough clamps.
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Last edited by Slowpicker on Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

Finishing up the sides included radius sanding the kerfing and installing the side bracing. The kit came with fabric, which I am sure works just fine. But I didn't like the way the fabric edge hit the kerfing. So I found some maple in the shop and cut some braces to use. Overkill, but they're pretty.
7.JPG
Finishing off the back bracing.
8.JPG
Next time, I might:
  • If using fabric side braces, install the fabric before the kerfing so the ends are under the kerfing.
  • Line up the centerline of the upper bout/transverse brace so that the truss rod hole lines up with the neck block hole. Whoops! Had to drill a new hole in the brace after it was installed, and cover it with a thin strip of maple so you can't see my mistake through the soundhole.
  • Locate the back on the rim and mark the position of the neck and tailblock. Chiseling the excess off isn't too bad, but I could have easily cut the center strip down before installing and simplified the clean-up.
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Last edited by Slowpicker on Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:18 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

Finally, the box came together. This was nerve-wracking.
9.JPG
10.JPG
Thoughts:
  • Use more glue. I think I went a little light the first time.
  • Dry fit top and back multiple times. I cut all my slots and things fit great. Then I glued the top on (top down in radius dish, then added the back. Back braces no longer lined up with slots in sides. No idea why. Quickly scrambled to adjust the slots and got it to fit again. Dry fit 3X.
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Last edited by Slowpicker on Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Skarsaune
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:12 am

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Skarsaune »

Might just be me, but your pics don't show up?

thanks for sharing your build
Slowpicker
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:07 pm

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Slowpicker »

Skarsaune wrote: Tue Mar 01, 2022 10:53 am Might just be me, but your pics don't show up?

thanks for sharing your build
Thanks for the heads up. Google photos is not very user friendly when it comes to sharing. Hopefully I found a workaround and they show up for you now.
TEETERFAN
Posts: 342
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:43 pm
Location: Kansas City, MO

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by TEETERFAN »

Thanks for posting, looks like you got a good start! I like the flatscreen for reference. I have been building on my computer desk and I frequently display reference stuff on the monitor. Very helpful for us rookies. Good luck with the rest of your build!
Kevin Doty
Kansas City
Skarsaune
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:12 am

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by Skarsaune »

Slowpicker wrote: Tue Mar 01, 2022 11:55 am
Thanks for the heads up. Google photos is not very user friendly when it comes to sharing. Hopefully I found a workaround and they show up for you now.
Yep, I can see them now.
jread
Posts: 560
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:52 am
Contact:

Re: First kit- 000-28

Post by jread »

Your work is neat and clean! Thanks for sharing. On your comment above about cloth struts for the bracing: I glue on the struts before the kerf. The kerf overlaps the cloth a bit and makes clean seam. ( oh I see you commented on that ).

I’ve always been impressed at those builders who inlay or make the struts artworks. But I like the vintage look.
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