DevinTacheny Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Im sixteen and very interested in building guitars and such. Henceforth I'm starting one but im starting small with a ukulele, same concept just smaller. Any tips and pointers are greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 First: Welcome Next: This is a great place. Lot of skilled and experienced builders. However we do like to see that peaople make a dsearch and see if a topic has been covered before and simple stuff like that. No-one will step in ans aska the question "teach me everything" (not saying that is what you do) So, the topic on hand: First ask yourself, do you want a uke? if not, there is, as you mentioned, more or less the same work invilved in makeing a good quality ukulele and a good quality guitar. So if your idea is to make one single guuitar, why not make a guitar right away? Next, I thingk you should consider a kit. There are several specialized tools that will cost you dearly and if you are only going to build one of two instruments you are going to have a few very expenive instruments. A kit will take a way a few hard parts that need specialized tools or some makeshift solutions, ie side bending. Just food for thought Other than that. To be able to help you further it is a godd idea to describe what level of wood workmanship you consider youreslf on and things like that. Once again, Welvome and god luck with your project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willliam_q Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 In addition to what Swedish has said I would suggest watching loads of YouTube videos and also purchase Melvyn Hiscock's Make Your Own Electric Guitar. I would say that the majority of people on this forum that build guitars on a regular basis own this book. It's got great information for building your first guitar. As far as tips go I would say the most important aspect is to keep your workbench tidy and free of clutter. A lesson I learnt well this week when I dinged my guitar during the finishing stages due to having an untidy workbench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 i have some level of woodwork skill but i dont have that much experience. Thanks for your input, i have a uke already that i actually built from a kit ill post a picture if you would like me too. Also i have built an electric guitar, i made the body and i bought the neck so that took most of the more difficult work out of it; i will post a pic of this too if you like. but anyway here is a pic of my neck blank made of maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I wish I had started building when I was younger, but I guess I was focused on different things back then. I think You picked a great starting point. Many people try to build their masterpiece with their first one instead of using it as a stepping stone to develop skills. Is that a school shop that you're working in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 yes i am working in my schools shop its nice to have that option because they have a lot of the bigger tools like band saws and stuff like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 That's great. It's excellent to have nice machinery to work with. I hope your instructor has an interest in instrument building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted January 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 not much progress so far i havent had much time to get in the shop but i managed to cut out the side view of my neck hopefully faster progress in the next few weeks considering i now have an open hour during the school day that i can spend in the shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I'm just going to second what everyone else has said - you're at a great age to start and a well-stocked school woodshop is going to be a great help. I made the mistake of setting high expectations with my first, which was a disaster. Good luck with the project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 ok so i live in minnesota and we havent had school the last two days because its been so cold. in the last two days I tore apart an old broken guitar and was wondering if it was possible too reuse these frets in my new instrument. tomorow there will hopefully be more progress. i hope you guys keep checking up on me once in a while and give me some tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 hey everyone sorry ive been gone there really is no excuse ive just been lazy and forgetful but im back now and im certainly going to finish my uke!! its starting to get close ive started gluing the body all together my biggest concern at the moment is making the fretboard and installing the frets... can anyone point me toward a good source to learn any of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 im going to use this black walnut for my fretboard!! and i ordered an ebony nut and saddle to. the combination between that and the maple is going to look so pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 my biggest concern at the moment is making the fretboard and installing the frets... can anyone point me toward a good source to learn any of this? Why don't you tell us what you have and what you know, and we'll fill in the blanks. I didn't find any step by step tutorials for making a fretboard here.....but you tube has videos on just about everything. Try that. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SykoDJ Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 yes youtube is a wonderful place to learn things im actually making my first guitar as well a little unconventional but my next one I will carve out myself I also wish I started earlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 alright so ive been working on gluing my body together i decided on a triangle shape because i dont have access to a bender of any sort, bummer...but i think itll come out looking pretty sweet! as for my fretboard ive cut it to a rough shape so that i still have the straight edges to go off of. its made of black walnut, ive got a little saw like they sell on stewmac or anywhere you would buy tools and i have the fret distances my biggest concern is cutting the slots straight and installing the fretwire. i understand how all that works but any tips or pointers of any kind will be greatly appreciated more updates tomorow. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Make sure the kerf on your saw and the tang width of your frets are compatible. Then get a miter box so you can keep slots square to the edge and square to the top surface of the board. Practice on several pieces of scrap lumber till you get confident. The last practice piece should be aoff cut of your fretboard wood so you understand what it is going to feel like when you cut it. I presume you are not radiusing the board? I also presume your plan is to tap in the frets with a hammer? I made a tool out of piece of hardwood, bubinga in my case that is about 4" long and 3/4" x 3/4" at one end and 3/8" x 3/4" at the other. I filed a shallow groove in the middle of the narrow end in the 3/4" direction. After cutting a piece of fretwire to length, I set it in the slot, with one end right at the edge and set the notch of my little tool on that end and tap the other end with a hammer whilst sliding the notch along the length of the fret. This directs the impact of your hammer blow right where you want it, reduces shock, and helps keep the face of your hammer from marring any frets or fretboard surface. Practice that a couple of times on your practice cut boards too. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 thanks ill do that for practice are there any alternatives to the miter box because i don't know if ill be able to get one for a while ill try to make one of those little jigs you're talking about. could you maybe post a picture of it. i am not radiusing the fretboard, 1 because i dont know how to (i should probably learn that) and 2 ive looked at a few ukes and they dont seem to use it as much. i have a saw to match my frets already so thats taken care of also. today i got the third side glued to the backboard and got the fretboard planed down to where i wanted it which was a little less than 5 milimeters.all ready to start installing the frets still need to decide on the shape of the sound hole. just a plane circle or maybe something different any ideas? sorry about my camera hopefully geting a new one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I suppose you could clamp a square to the fretboard as a guide for each cut......but miter boxes are really pretty cheap. I'm talking about one from Ace Hardware or Walmart not the StewMac version that is used with their fretting templates.....although that is what I use. There's a couple shots of my little fret setter thing here: I'm actually going to be fretting this weekend so I'll include another shot or so in my Justin's guitar thread when I update that Sunday night. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maull Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I would think something like this would fit the bill for cutting fret slots: http://www.rockler.com/mini-combo-miter-saw-set Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 i asked my dad about geting a miter box and he said that he could just make me one. i think he can hes pretty crafty like that. but anyway ive finally got all the gluing on the body done next im going to sand it all done so its all flush with itself and tomorrow im going to finish shaping the neck and the headstock and ill post a pic or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevinTacheny Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 alright Dad came through, made me a miter. I got the fret slots cut and its gluing right now all thats left is to attach the neck to the body and string her up for a test! hopefully she sounds as pretty as she looks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.