Hollow Body Project

[Vinny]

Hi gang, Im a newbie here and read the Forum daily, you guys are pretty amazing and inspire me. I've got to decide on 1 of 2 builds as my first and need advice. I have a hollow body jazz guitar Body I got off Ebay that needs a neck, it had a broken neck in shipping and was removed (steamed off) and I'm left with a pretty clean dovetail joint on a natural finish 3'' deep body. I'll be making the neck from 3 laminates of maple, got the slotted fretboard, frets, hammer, nut, from Stew Mac's along with the necesscary dovetail bit for my router. To give you an idea of whats at my disposal, in my shop theres a drill press, a new jointer, jigsaw, router, dremel, palm sander, belt sander, chop saw and various files, bits and hand tools. I can also print a full scale blueprint. I have a sign shop in my home so everything was already there except the jointer (Delta 6'').

Project 2 would be a scratch built hollowbody jazz guitar, Gibson L5 or ES175 style. I've read a few books like Benedetto's and Guitar Making Tradition & Technology for reference. Im not sure which would be a better build for a novice, making a scratch built neck and fitting to an existing dovetailed body or building a whole guitar from the ground up, I would base the whole guitar build largely on Benedetto's 25 scale Jazzbox since he does a nice job of explaining the process. If I left out anything please ask, I have pics of the body I bought if needed, but found the photo upload instructions a bit confusing. I appreciate your advice and look foward to reading it. Thanks, -Vinny

Edited April 24, 2006 by Vinny

[jammy]

I'd have a go at the neck on that other one - could be a nice way to start.

Archtops are difficult, difficult instruments to make. Especially difficult to make them sound nice.

I plan to try one for my 4th acoustic instrument, and that one's got a year in my timetable, and I've got proffesional assistance...

[gripper]

Yea, +1 on the neck first. If you retain any sanity at all after that project, the complete build will be a relative breeze!

Repairs ROCK!

[Vinny]

Another question, since it looks I'll go with the neck project first, and I already have some parts to start. I researched the body I have and found out it originally had a 25.5 scale neck. my Stew Mac board is 25.0 . I dont think the 25 board will work, the body is routed for 2 humbuckers and a floating bridge, so the bridge will have to move towards the neck ¼''? Am I looking at this the right way?. -Vinny

Edited April 27, 2006 by Vinny

[kiwigeo]

Vinny,

My advice to beginners is build something basic as a first project....if youve got Campiano's book then build a classical or a steel string following his method.

Starting off on an archtop is jumping in the deep end...I admire your bravery but there's the danger youll find it very difficult and the project will kill your enthusiasm for luthiery.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

Cheers Martin

[Vinny]

Cool, thank you. -Vinny