Getting Started with your first

[jstream]

For me, it's simple. No money = lots of planning/thinking about it time. I'm just hoping to have the cash for a kit by my birthday in december.

[Oval Soundhole]

When I was young and ambitious, I bought an unserviced kit from lmi (I probably should have bout a serviced one) and after months of work, I ended up with a decent quality guitar. The most important thing about it, was the immense amount of knowledge I learned. Now I spend under $100 per build (thus proving that you can build a nice guitar for a little amount of money :D ) and get pretty good results.

BTW, after I learned more about building, I fixed the playability of this guitar and it sounded great. Unfortunately a member of my family dropped it flat on it's back and I still haven't gotten around to replacing the back.

[tippie53]

it is not easy and no one answer will solve all problems. As Tony says . just do it . Ken and I will do all we can to supply a quality product and support so your guitar makes you happy.
I had to start at one point to so I was a beginner to . I had some mentors and the internet was in its infancy at the time but I muddled through my first builds and today I am now a full time luthier .
If you don't start you won't know where you will go with this . Keep it simple . ask questions and observe what happens . It it doesn't make sense to you , learn to ask the proper questions .
Go for it .
Tony sums it up well and never be afraid to ask questions .

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I bought my first kit from LMI before I had any specialized tools. I did allready have a fully tooled knifemaking shop, so I guess I was more prepared than most, but I was not into woodworking per se, so there was much to learn, and many tools, jigs, etc to obtain or make. I am glad that I "Jumped in" to it and did not procrastinate. I think I had my first kit ordered about 2 weeks after learning that there were even kits for making guitars available out there.
So I am with others, to you who are contimplating......"JUst Do It!".
Sell your car, your boat, your tricycle if needed and buy that first kit, and go from there.

Kevin

[ColestineGuitar]

I am part way through that first build, and wishing that I had taken Tony's advice much earlier. I am having a great time building. My situation is unique; I got my brother interested, and he has a rather nice shop, all tooled up for furniture building. He is also an extreme perfectionist. He makes up for this by having the tools and patience to pull off "Perfect." We have necks about half done at the moment, and despite all of the neato tools, both of us have made mistakes. The mistakes were fixable, as most are.

Since we started, literally, with a tree, we've spent most of our time getting to the point where you would be if you ordered a kit. I should have ordered a kit years ago! Still, I'm glad that I get to spend lots of quality time with my brother--which hasn't happened in years. And he like to start from a tree.

[tippie53]

there is a heck of a kick when you strum your guitar for the first time

[Ben-Had]

there is a heck of a kick when you strum your guitar for the first time

Ain't it the truth, AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!

[nkwak]

One thing that really stands out to me as I muck my way through my first guitar build is how blessed I've been with support from others who tinker with things that make noise. I don't think I can ever recall such generosity with knowledge and materials in any other endeavor I've undertaken and I am both humbled by it and appreciative of it. Some you all know from here: John Hall of Blues Creek, Freeman Keller (who just built a beautiful pair koa whachamacallitz), YJ John (who lets me muck about in his shop) and many others who I've met "online" and in person.

With my first build I started from scratch using blueprints only as a guide. I went on and spent the first few months making the molds and such in my spare time. I frequented hardware stores much more often and bought some tools and materials that I justified by telling myself that I could both use them on my build and other projects around the house. The word "obsessed" was uttered by a few whose opinions I value - including my wife! I persevered but it did make me doubt my convictions and question my priorities. I might have to do some of those "other" projects - such as fixing some rotting wood on the outside of my house and putting in a new kitchen floor - just to keep the peace!

Call me crazy, but even after all of this I think I'm ready to start my second, or at least start buying materials toward it - and my first is a LONG way from being done; I'm just about to finish the rims and move on to bracing the sound board. I just want to see if I can somehow simplify the process I've undertaken so far - and avoid the mistakes I've made the first time around! Next time around I think I might just do a standard rosewood Martin dread but with a few "upgrades." I won't have to do half the setup work, though I will have to rely more on my own resources and less on others' - as it should be IMO, though I still won't be able to stand on my own two feet just yet.

In the meantime, I think I may have to seek an intervention to make my wife happy! ;o)

[crimsonlake]

I can't wait to start my first build! There are however two other projects that I HAVE to finish before I start anything else - an underwater robotic explorer and an RC model plane. They are both from scratch and I'm doing both of them with my 14 yr. old son who is about to start high school. I can probably come up with a million excuses, but those two are staring me in the face every time I go down to the workroom.

That being said, I did decide that the first build is going to be an 000 size 14 fret. I honestly haven't had much experience with Martin guitars so I wasn't too familiar with their sizes. I have a dreadnought already (Takamine) and my other guitars are Ovations. I took my son to Guitar Center and tried out the various sizes that they had and liked the 000 the best. Now I have to decide on the wood combination and where to get it. I purchased Bill's e-book on Kit Guitars and that has been extremely helpful.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to hang out here and learn all that I can before I start.

[chimpotle]

somewhat similar boat as crimson lake - not so much the project priority, though my must do project is setting up a corner of the garage as the workspace. Also, i'm gathering as much borrowed tools as i can, bought bills e-book, am going to order clamps and some other supplies as prescribed for phase one in bills book TONIGHT, before i take off for the long weekend.
As a result of this nudge thread - ive decided to pull the trigger on the stew mac 000 (2 reasons - credit card purchase is a necessity unfortunately ATM, and DVD will be watched and rewatched during the process). As long as the guitar ends up remotely playable, this will be just the warm up, and the next one (or more) will be bought from a sponsor...

I should note: the past two weeks have been spent gearing up my girlfriend with paint supplies... looking ahead i thought it would be a good idea to get her all wrapped up in her hobby before i get going on mine... that might end up being the best bit of preparation i do ;)