Wow!!! HOLY CRAP! What is going on here?
I have just returned from two blissful weeks of flyfishing in Montana (no TV, no electricity, NO INTERNET) and it looks like my post turned into an all out pisser.
Woodenspoke, I apologize for not responding sooner. I have enjoyed reading your posts and find them very helpful. I guess there are rules of etiquette to posting that I have not yet learned. I will try to be more thoughtful in the future (those Montana brown and rainbow trout were MONSTERS though!!!)
But, I do not plan to stop asking questions and looking for guidance. This is this best post site online and I don't really care if someone calls me a "newbie" because that's what I am, but I am also not a total idiot. I have been working with tools my entire life; guitar building just happens to be quite different from what I have done before. A friend and I built a 30' sailboat that we navigated from Boston, Massachusetts to South Florida and back and it never even took on (much) water!!!
But you know what? I'm not here to brag about what I can do. I'm here to learn from people who know and do what I am now interested in. You will notice that I have not posted ANY advice. That's because I am a novice (more polite term) and am keeping my mouth shut until I learn more. I simply would like to keep things on the positive side. WE ARE ALL BUSY! I'm not trying to compete with anyone on this forum. I simply want to feel that I can ask a question without feeling like the act of asking questions somehow makes me lazy or not a serious builder. One of our fellow posters has a note at the bottom of his posts that says "There is no such thing as a stupid question." That says it all.
Of course I want to build a guitar! Guitars are the coolest instruments on the planet. You know that better than anybody. To say that my desire to build a guitar is secondary to learning how to use the tools or that I should be proficient with the tools prior to building a guitar is somewhat simplified. The desire to build the guitar is the fuel that drives you, me, every one of us to bother in the first place. I doubt there are very many fine furniture makers out there who would bother wasting all the money and time we do just to showcase their talents by building an instrument most of the rest of the civilized world thinks is a toy for adolescent teen boys. I get it, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GUITAR!!!
The Godfather of project guitars, Melvyn Hiscock (yeah, I own both editions of his book, as well as ones by George Buchanan, Irving Sloane, Arthur E. Overholtzer, Dave Burrluck, Dan Erliwine, and others) didn't know diddly-squat when he began building his first guitar. He just KNEW he had to have a Flying V. You better believe he asked some questions along the way, and I'll bet he had some teachers that were stoked that that little "newbie" was learning the craft. Even with all those books, I still want to ask questions!!!!!!! Isn't that what this forum is for?
Oh yeah...
I did read ALL the posts from all the members and found the advice offered to be very helpful. In fact I did buy a flat spokeshave and found it to be a neat tool, but in my hands a very dangerous one as well. Practice is surely the key. I ended up doing most of the shaping of my neck with a shureform and sandpaper powered by my right hand
I have (or will very soon) posted pictures at http://buckradius.blogspot.com/
Please feel free to comment or criticize, but be sure your criticism is constructive ; )
Buck
PS. This response is not specifically directed at Woodenspoke; he has my utmost respect!!! I JUST HAPPENED TO BE READING HIS POST WHEN I RESPONDED. I AM NOT TRYING TO START ANYMORE TROUBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can we move on if I promise to be more humble and respectful? Please!!!
Thanks,
Buck