What do you think of the Inexpensive Kits?

[phavriluk]

There is another path to building a guitar that hasn't entered this conversation, building a guitar in a luthier's shop under instruction. Tool expenses are nonexistent, you get an excellent introduction into shop practices and what you'll need to continue on your own, and have a life event experience. I think the dollar cost will be less than that of a kit and a modicum of tools. I don't have any idea of how much time you can invest, personal obligations, and such, but if you can get yourself to Malone, NY for a solid week, you'll come home with a wonderfully playable guitar you made yourself out of wood you selected and processed. I'm putting in a plug here for Custom Pearl Inlay, Dave Nickols. Been there, done that, and thoroughly pleased. It's worth a look at Dave's web site and the student projects there (they're all smiling!). For an idea of what the luthier's shop experience is like, read 'Clapton's Guitar'.

[Ben-Had]

There is no reason your first guitar has to sound mediocre. Go here and listen to the sound clip in the upper left, it was played on my first build. It's been all up hill since. I have bought several sets and other parts from John, all first quality. You will find the help here to build a guitar that will stack up sound wise to any.

http://www.apexcustomguitars.com/

Thank you for your post; it sounds wonderful. If I can create a guitar that sounds half that good, it would make me very happy.

You can, you will!

[tippie53]

I covered classes and they are by far the best way to jump ahead on the learning curve.
Not only in learning guitar making techniques techniques, but also in learning tool making techniques.
Many beginners buy tools and end up with things they don't need.
You pay to learn the craft, you either pay the teacher or pay for the mistakes.
Either way, you pay to learn the craft.

[JLT]

My two cents:

You didn't tell us whether you're located near any sort of school or luthiers who could guide you through the steps. That would be my first choice. They have the tools and the knowledge. Even some community colleges have these courses, and it's worth checking around. If you can get a recent copy of American Lutherie, the publication of the Guild of American Luthiers, there are listings there for many schools. Or ask your local repair person. He or she may be aware of resources that aren't usually well-known.

If there are other amateur luthiers in the area, they may have special tools and molds they'll loan you or let you use under their supervision. That will greatly reduce the amount of money you'll be laying out.

If you don't have access to this sort of thing, you're on your own, so I'd buy a decent kit from John Hall or one of the other established kit-makers, which will come with everything you need to finish the job ... parts, plans, and good step-by-step instructions. I'd stay away from the more expensive woods for your first one; you can make a perfectly acceptable first guitar from mahogany or American walnut with an AA grade spruce top.

Stay away from the eBay sellers; their support will be practically zero. This whole website is a testimonial to John Hall's level of support, and speaks for itself. I can't comment on the support that LMI or Stewart-MacDonald gives, since I haven't dealt with them. Musicmaker's Kits gives excellent support, but their instruments designed more for easy assembly than for tonal qualities, and you won't learn much from their instruments about how most guitars are constructed.

One thing I'd recommend, which nobody else has suggested so far, is to buy a couple of old beat-up guitars from thrift shops or garage sales or whatever, take them apart as carefully as you can, and then put them back together again. That way, you'll be acquainted with the various processes of clamping and gluing and such, and you'll see what the inside of a guitar is supposed to look like first hand. And you can do a few experiments with re-shaping braces and trying out what the consequences are without building a whole new guitar each time. I learned a lot by doing that. (Hint: buy some fish glue from John; you'll probably be taking things apart and re-assembling them a lot, and fish glue is ideal for that.)

Whatever you do, save your pretty wood for your second or third guitar, and get the basics down first. Trust me, you will be making more than one guitar before this is over!

[Diane Kauffmds]

My two cents:

You didn't tell us whether you're located near any sort of school or luthiers who could guide you through the steps. That would be my first choice. They have the tools and the knowledge. Even some community colleges have these courses, and it's worth checking around. If you can get a recent copy of American Lutherie, the publication of the Guild of American Luthiers, there are listings there for many schools. Or ask your local repair person. He or she may be aware of resources that aren't usually well-known.

If there are other amateur luthiers in the area, they may have special tools and molds they'll loan you or let you use under their supervision. That will greatly reduce the amount of money you'll be laying out.

If you don't have access to this sort of thing, you're on your own, so I'd buy a decent kit from John Hall or one of the other established kit-makers, which will come with everything you need to finish the job ... parts, plans, and good step-by-step instructions. I'd stay away from the more expensive woods for your first one; you can make a perfectly acceptable first guitar from mahogany or American walnut with an AA grade spruce top.

Stay away from the eBay sellers; their support will be practically zero. This whole website is a testimonial to John Hall's level of support, and speaks for itself. I can't comment on the support that LMI or Stewart-MacDonald gives, since I haven't dealt with them. Musicmaker's Kits gives excellent support, but their instruments designed more for easy assembly than for tonal qualities, and you won't learn much from their instruments about how most guitars are constructed.

One thing I'd recommend, which nobody else has suggested so far, is to buy a couple of old beat-up guitars from thrift shops or garage sales or whatever, take them apart as carefully as you can, and then put them back together again. That way, you'll be acquainted with the various processes of clamping and gluing and such, and you'll see what the inside of a guitar is supposed to look like first hand. And you can do a few experiments with re-shaping braces and trying out what the consequences are without building a whole new guitar each time. I learned a lot by doing that. (Hint: buy some fish glue from John; you'll probably be taking things apart and re-assembling them a lot, and fish glue is ideal for that.)

Whatever you do, save your pretty wood for your second or third guitar, and get the basics down first. Trust me, you will be making more than one guitar before this is over!

Unfortunately, none of the colleges in this area offer luthier courses. I've looked through course catalogs and found nothing. The next door neighbor has built a couple of guitars, plus other stringed instruments. He's offered to help.

You're suggestion on finding beater guitars and dismantling them is an excellent one. I'll do as you suggest. I'll put the word out to our friends; I'd be willing to bet that someone has an old beater that they will donate for the "cause". I'll start trolling flea markets and pawn shops too.

As far as kits go, I'll be ordering one from John.

Dumpster diving and cruising the neighborhood at sunrise on garbage day shouldn't be ruled out

[Diane Kauffmds]

Dumpster diving and cruising the neighborhood at sunrise on garbage day shouldn't be ruled out

I would have some stiff competition here in WV. We have professional dumpster divers!

[JLT]

Unfortunately, none of the colleges in this area offer luthier courses. I've looked through course catalogs and found nothing. The next door neighbor has built a couple of guitars, plus other stringed instruments. He's offered to help.

If you're in West Virginia, you might check out what's happening at:

Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College
Jennings Randolph Hall, 1st Floor
100 Campus Drive
Elkins, WV 26241
304-637-1209
304-637-1317 (fax)
https://augustaheritagecenter.org/

They're listed on two luthier's supply sites as a school, although their website doesn't specifically state that. I don't know how far Elkins is from you, though. I've been to West Virginia, and I know that places that are only eighty miles apart may take a half a day, or more, to travel between. But you may get lucky!

[Diane Kauffmds]

Unfortunately, none of the colleges in this area offer luthier courses. I've looked through course catalogs and found nothing. The next door neighbor has built a couple of guitars, plus other stringed instruments. He's offered to help.

If you're in West Virginia, you might check out what's happening at:

Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College
Jennings Randolph Hall, 1st Floor
100 Campus Drive
Elkins, WV 26241
304-637-1209
304-637-1317 (fax)
https://augustaheritagecenter.org/

They're listed on two luthier's supply sites as a school, although their website doesn't specifically state that. I don't know how far Elkins is from you, though. I've been to West Virginia, and I know that places that are only eighty miles apart may take a half a day, or more, to travel between. But you may get lucky!

Thank you for taking the effort to find a college that offers a course. I never thought to look at Elkins. I'll see what I can find out.