ByronBlack

Thanks for the snippet of info Drak, I thought I was being a bit dim seeing as everyone i've spoken to swears by bandsaws, but being on a tight budget, the scrollsaw does seem a better option. I'm probably going to get one of these: Rexon Scroll Saw Do you think that would be adequate for an explorer shape?

I'm about to embark on my first project guitar (explorer). Which saw would be better for cutting the body-shape. Being in the UK powertools are bloody expensive, i can get a cheap 9" bandsaw for about £150.00 (and that is for a shoddy make), or I can get a pretty good Scroll Saw. ( I have a small budget as you can tell). Which would you recommend as the best tool for cutting out the body shape? I'm a bit worried that the shallow throat of a bandsaw wont accomdate an explorer shape, whereas the scrollsaw has a much deaper throat.. Or am I looking at this the wrong way? Any advice would be very grateful. (For reference, I have a Ryobi Router, and a black and decker jigsaw which would be a backup failing either a scollsaw or bandsaw).

IJC - Your skills are smooth, that 335 body looks very smart, and good work on your strat! Seeing guitars that you guy's build makes more eager to start my explorer - but I need to practice a little first :-) Mattia - I know what you mean about guitarists, but music being my first love means that I would be happier dealing with demanding muso's than demanding 'businessmen' with big ideas and short pockets :-) I'm slightly worried about the finishing to be honest, with all the reading i've done lately the fretwork doesn't scare me that much as i'm a pretty acurrate guy and have a long attention span (due to coding) so I think i'll be more comfortable with that than trying to get a finish right. I'm about to strip a Randy Rhodes today, and thats due to have a natural finish, i'm going to use beeswax, and some oil - keeping it simple. But i've got a nasty brown westbury (mahogany) that i'm going to use as a guinea pig for a paintjob, i'm going for a combination of cream with black binding - i'm sure i'll mash it up, but I guess i've got to start somewhere..

Aye, it is a dream, and these are my first steps. Once I master the tools and techniques, i'm hoping I'll be able to utilise my design skills, and hopefully come up with something unique and cool and get a bit of brand-buzz about it, kinda like how Parker Fly came on the scene.. Keep us upto date on your ES335, they are wonderful guitars!

Cheers for the link, much appreciated, i'll give them a call. IT Sucks don't it ! :-) Cool for you about the studio space, that is a very valuable commodity, at the moment i'm working of the garden shed (ahem - converted workshop!! ) My current project(s) is to strip the four el-cheapo guitars that i've got, give them a new finish, and a pro-setup. I've got to a make a new neck for one, refret another, put a new finish on a Jackon Rhodes performer, and do some rather drastic body repairs on an old westbury, these guitars are all wrecks, and if I can them make them atleast playable after it, that will give me the confidence to start a new build - or go on one of those 5 day courses.. In the early stages, I think I might offer my services to the local music scene (Thurrock) for setups and repairs, every other person round here seems to be a guitar player :-)

Mattia I've been looking around most colleges in the uk but most seem to be classical guitar building, or short courses by luthiers too far for me to travel. Armed with the right books, this forum and other existing online resources, in lieu of a guitar building course, do you think a general woodworking evening course would be worth the time, or do you think i'll pick up the basics easily enough by diving in?

I'll actually be using mahogany for the neck with a rosewood fingerboard - I did consider smaller tuners, but I like your idea of clamping weights to a template, that could definitly be a bit easier and hands-on than working out dense masses in CAD.. Thanks :-)

Great info, cheers! I'm probably similar to you in that i've not really got an interest in classical guitars. I'm relatively handy in the design and project mangement (I currently run a web-development firm) and looking at guitar repair/building as an escape from the computers and demanding clients, and to get back to some 'hands-on' work. I just need to fill in some theory basics and some woodworking skills. However, i've recently purchased all the standard books (Hiscock, Koch et al) and intend on learning by book and practice, but would have liked to have had the input at course level - there definitly seems to be a gap in the market (Hey luthiers - start a tuition guild!!) I'm definitly viewing it as a hobby as I would much rather build my dream explorer than paying over the odds at a custom shop, and if along the way I can sell a few guitars, i'll view that as a bonus. But in a few years - who knows, if it could sustain an income, I would much rather do that than sit at a computer for 12 hours day typing code..

Thanks for the input, i'll probably just go ahead and wing-it and see how it comes out, but I was intrigued to know if there were any techniques to it. Perhaps weighing the hardware, and calculating the wood densities to work out a balance point?

Hey chaps. This is my second post (after the one about balancing) and this is more of intrigue based question. Being new to guitar making and luthiery i'm looking to build up experience and skill over the next few years with the eventual aim of making guitars fulltime. Now, is there room/market for custom guitars or would you say most people buy their guitars from traditional names. Also, as a luthier, would you make the bulk of your income in making guitars or instead offering support services, such as repairs, setups and modifications? Final question - I'm based in the southeast of the UK, do any of you know of luthier courses that I could go to, i've searched the .net and havn't really found anything (i'm more interested in solid body electrics as opposed to classical acoustics). Any info, insight, weblinks or general discussion welcomed.

Hi Guy's, i'm a newb to this forum, and i'm planning on building my first guitar soon, however I have a question that i've yet to find already answered on here. Are there methods or techniques that can be applied to help make the guitar balanced when creating the body and neck? I plan to build a Ken Lawrence style Hetfield Explorer replica. I've owned cheap explorers in the past and all have been excessively neck heavy. A Gibson Gothic Explorer was perfect, yet the body didn't seem to have any weights or body cavities to help balance it.. Any idea's on what I can do to ensure perfect balance? I don't want to use liquid lead placement, or other after-build adjustments if possible. Regards BB