Keep good notes, or, project drift....

[Skarsaune]

Finally getting some time back to guitar building after a busy summer/fall, and completing a major resto/repair job.

So I pick up a box I closed last spring. Walnut dread, redwood top, body based on a Martin 12 fret. Hmm, what did I brace this for? 12 fret, or 14 ? Long or short scale?

I'm not sure. But measuring where the bridge plate is, to get the pin holes to fall where they should, this might be a 13 frets to body, 25.4" scale length.

Good thing I build for myself.

I've generally been able to finish up a guitar in a 'building season', but this one has hung around a while waiting it's turn, and somewhere between initial conception and now, things have drifted off course.

This top is one I voiced while taking Robbie O'Brien's top voicing class, so I'm eager to hear it strung up.

[TEETERFAN]

Oh yes, time can erase things in one’s mind. Good luck deducing your design. Interesting dilemma, but it could lead to a sonic innovation!
I first encountered this while pulling and rebuilding car engines. Things like “I don’t need to label that wire” cost me hours, hooking things up 3 months later. I now write down everything and take tons of pictures. And even then, I still miss stuff.

[John Reid]

I actually been keeping detailed notes in log books. Habits from my research days. I find it fun to do and, especially being new to this, find it REALLY helpful to go back and see how I’d done things and what I was thinking. I take lots of pictures, too.

[Skarsaune]

I actually been keeping detailed notes in log books. Habits from my research days. I find it fun to do and, especially being new to this, find it REALLY helpful to go back and see how I’d done things and what I was thinking. I take lots of pictures, too.

Oh, I keep a logbook of my builds.

It's not near as detailed as I thought, though. :-)

Time to improve that aspect.