Making A Solid Body Guitar For The First Time

[Tim]

I have a friend who would like and try to make his own solid body guitar. He is a woodsman by hobby and is also a perfectionist. His professional trade is an Aeronautical Engineer. He does remarkable work.

He made his daughter a violin clock that looks like the real thing. The scroll work and fine details were just amazing.

Anyway he wants to try his hand on building electric solid body, then move on to an acoustic.

He asked me if I could find out from any Fretters if there is a website or any other way of getting his hands on ideas on body design, type of wood and such. I recommended to him to buy the first neck and learn how they attach to the body before attempting to make one from scratch.

Any other information would be helpful. Who knows … I might end up with a custom built guitar from an unknown luthier.

 

[Hogfullofblues]

Maybe this will help with some info and ideas.

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/options_bodywoods.cfm

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Tim,

Why don't you just ask him to drop in? I'm sure he'd get a lot of help.

 

[Mark]

Im in the process of building my first guitar, a Tele. I got my body and neck from USAGuitars great quality product and very helpful.

 

[M29]

Hello Tim,

Off the top of my head there is this site. http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?

This one http://www.reranch.com/reranch/

These two should get you some ideas and info and I know there are others here that have much more then this to look to.

Please let your friend know he can contact me if he wants someone to talk to on this.

I hope this helps.

M29

PS. Here is another page from one of the same sites but he can find it quicker this way. http://www.projectguitar.com/ref/supply.htm

 

[Katastrophe]

Link him to ZoSo's "Pinky" thread...

 

[Tim]

Tim,

Why don't you just ask him to drop in? I'm sure he'd get a lot of help.

First of all he does not play the guitar. He used to play the trumpet many years ago. When he was in the New York National Guard he volunteered to play TAP at funerals.

He considers making the guitar a challenge. Wood work and stain glass are his passion.

Thanks for the links and suggestions. I will pass all of them on to him.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

First of all he does not play the guitar. He used to play the trumpet many years ago. When he was in the New York National Guard he volunteered to play TAP at funerals.

He considers making the guitar a challenge. Wood work and stain glass are his passion.

Thanks for the links and suggestions. I will pass all of them on to him.

Why does that matter? He could ignore all the ballyhoo & just pay attention to the guitar building threads.

Of course, I'd understand if he'd rather not.

...stained glass! I always have thought that there wasn't enough of that done. Of course, I grew up in the SF Bay area in the 70's. The golden age of do it yourself stained glass. Another lost art form is intricately embroidered jeans & jeans jackets. It only counts if it has some artistic flourish or personal meaning.

Jeez, time to shoot the ol' hippie!

------------------------------------------------------

I just poked around and found the stained glass association of america site.
I'm sure your buddy knows about this Tim.

http://www.stainedglass.org/

They are holding a conference in Charlotte NC next summer (2007)

http://www.stainedglass.org/html/SGAAconference.htm

 

[carp3nt3r]

hey Tim,
encourage your friend to come forward here with any questions he, as a non player might have, we, who 'claim' to play may be able to answer any questions he may have. remember we got members of limited ability here too.
(me me me me.) seriously, no shame in not knowing how to play, I deal with it each day. have your friend pop in for info. My personal knowledge of the guitar is fairly deep, im still learning how to coax the sound i want from it.

for my 2 cents worth on his undertaking, I would start by getting a neck and the bridge to be used as this will determine the dimensions of the neck pocket then choose a pick guard which should determine the routings of the body. guys jump in here if im wrong ,ive never built a guitar but i am also interested. also sell friend on the idea of strap locks, would be a shame for hours of handiwork to crash to the floor unexpectedly. Good luck to your friend Tim ,hope we get to hear how it goes and see some pix.

remember wood is your friend. carp3nt3r.

 

[Tim]

Since I have had several Fretters requesting him to join the forum, I will ask him when I see him again in January 2007. He is a friend a fellow employee at work. He is not computer savvy, but I know you guys will be very helpful to him.

I forwarded to him the websites that some of you provided. He was very happy to receive them. He is very knowledgeable about shellac. He quickly focused on one site, which described making a violin. His daughter plays a violin in the Columbus Ohio symphony. His goal is to make himself an acoustic guitar and learn how to play it.

Thanks for the help fellow Fretters.