Please allow me to belatedly introduce myself after many months of visiting this forum during which time I have managed to collect many useful tips and helpful advice.
After reading a couple of books on the subject last December, I decided that I wanted to build a guitar.
I live in the UK and I am now in my 60's, a recycled teenager. I am retired and trying to improve my woodworking skills. I was a Pro drummer in a Rock band in the late 60's and early 70's and I was satisfied with my competence as a drummer. However, I have owned a Yamaha FG180 guitar for over 40 years and still cannot play it properly. My excuse is that it's because I'm left handed: But I know it's simply because I'm not very good at it.
Originally I was foolishly under the impression that I would easily build a guitar from scratch. After all, I've been modestly practising woodwork for many years, both as a DIY enthusiast and making furniture. Clearly though, I did not fully appreciate how much work is actually involved when building a guitar.
Originally, I was going to build my guitar from scratch but told myself that this one will be the first, and not the last one, so I would build it from a Kit in order to learn the easy way what was actually involved.
I bit the bullet and have begun with a Stewmac Dreadnought kit. I am deviating slightly from the plans in some small ways so as to customise this as being MY guitar. After playing (heh) my Yamaha upside down for over 40 years with the strings repositioned to suit my left handedness, I have concentrated on making this one a proper left handed guitar. I had no idea that the position of Tone bars would vary between a right handed guitar and a lefty. So I've learned something already.
I have made (very slow) progress with my build and have tried taking pictures as I went along but, similar my guitar playing, they are rubbish compared to the quality of pictures regularly posted on this forum.
Anyway, that's me so far. I look forward to picking your collective brains for advice if you would be so generous as to allow me.
Cheers,
Jim
