Guitar Builders Group
Contents
Members
- LaDeana Dockery
- Aaron Norton
- Aaron Rivers
Meeting Days and Times
1st, 2nd, & 3rd and 5th Tuesdays at 7:00pm
First Class for Guitar building skills class:
Late August/early Sept.
Resources
Vendors
- https://warmoth.com/
- https://www.guitarfetish.com/
- https://www.stewmac.com/
- https://masterybridge.com
- https://www.lollarguitars.com
YouTube
Tips for Small Hands
Fret Calculators
Specific Guitars
Fender Telecaster
Guitar Building Steps (Gemini)
Building a guitar takes patience and precision. Here's an expanded breakdown of 25 steps to guide you through the process:
Planning and Design (5 Steps)
- Research Guitar Types: Decide between acoustic or electric guitar. Explore different body styles (dreadnought, Les Paul, Stratocaster, etc.) and understand how they affect sound.
- Choose Your Scale Length: Scale length impacts string tension and playing feel. Research common scale lengths (24.75" for many electrics, 25.5" for some Fenders) and consider your playing style.
- Sketch Your Design: If you're not using pre-made plans, sketch your desired guitar form, including dimensions and hardware placement.
- Select Wood (Body): Pick tonewoods like mahogany, spruce, or alder based on weight, tonal preference, and visual appeal. Consider grain patterns for the top.
- Select Wood (Neck): Choose a strong, stable wood like maple or mahogany for the neck. Consider the fretboard wood (ebony, rosewood) for aesthetics and playability.
Body Building (7 Steps)
- Source or Make Templates: If not using plans, create precise templates for the guitar body outline on cardboard or MDF.
- Rough Cut Body Pieces: Use a bandsaw to cut the body shape based on your templates or plans, leaving room for final shaping.
- Join Body Pieces (Gluing): Carefully glue the body pieces together using clamps and ensure a tight fit for structural integrity.
- Refine Body Shape: Use rasps and sandpaper to achieve the exact body outline.
- Route Body Channels (Optional): For some designs, use a router to create channels for the neck joint, pickup cavities (electric guitars), and other hardware.
- Drill Body Holes: Precisely drill holes for the bridge posts, string ferrules (holes for strings to pass through the body), and other hardware according to your plans.
- Shaping the Soundhole (Acoustic Guitars): For acoustic guitars, meticulously cut and shape the soundhole using a drill, jigsaw, and files. Ensure smooth edges.
- Shaping the Neck Pocket: Rout or carve the neck pocket in the body to perfectly house the neck for a solid joint.
Neck Building (6 Steps)
- Shape the Neck Blank: Begin with rough neck wood and cut it to your desired neck profile (C-shaped, U-shaped, etc.) using saws and hand tools.
- Shape the Headstock: Design the headstock shape according to your guitar style (Strat headstock, Tele headstock, etc.). Drill holes for tuning machines.
- Carve the Fretboard Slot: Use a router or jig to create a precise slot for the frets to sit perfectly leveled.
- Install the Truss Rod (Optional for electric guitars): This metal rod allows neck adjustments. Rout a channel and install the rod with proper anchor points.
- Install the Frets: Press pre-cut frets into the fretboard slot and carefully hammer them in for a tight fit. Ensure they're all level for optimal playability.
- Fret Leveling and Dressing: Meticulously polish and level the fret tops using specialized tools to ensure smooth string action.
Finishing and Assembly (7 Steps)
- Sanding (Multiple Steps): This is a multi-stage process using progressively finer sandpaper grits to achieve a perfectly smooth body and neck surface.
- Apply Finish (Optional for natural look): For a natural wood look, use a clear lacquer or oil finish. Apply multiple thin coats with proper drying between each.
- Apply Stain and Finish (for colored finish): Apply colored stain for a desired aesthetic, then follow with a clear finish for protection.
- Install Neck: Carefully glue and clamp the neck into the neck pocket, ensuring proper alignment for straight string pull.
- Mount Hardware: Install the bridge, tuners, pickups (electric guitars), pickguard (electric guitars), and other hardware according to your plans.
- String Up and Adjust: Attach the strings following the correct order and tuning. Make truss rod adjustments for proper neck relief and intonation adjustments at the bridge for each string.
Remember, this is a general guideline. Each step might involve further techniques, and consulting luthier resources and instructional videos is highly recommended. Happy building!
Guitar Types Research
Electric Guitar Body Shapes
Impact on Playability:
Cutaway vs. Non-Cutaway: Cutaways are body dips near the neck joint that allow easier access to higher frets. guitars without cutaways (like some Les Paul models) can be trickier to play solos or riffs on the higher end of the fretboard.
Body Contour: The shape of the body where it meets your strumming arm can affect comfort. Contoured bodies (like Stratocasters) curve inwards for a more comfortable playing position compared to a flat body (like some Telecasters).
Weight: Larger, heavier body styles like Les Pauls can provide more sustain (longer ringing notes) but can also be tiring to hold for extended playing. Lighter guitars like Stratocasters offer better balance and comfort for longer gigs.
Impact on Sound:
Solid Body vs. Semi-Hollow vs. Hollow Body: Solid body guitars (like Strats and Les Pauls) have the most sustain and are least prone to feedback (unwanted screeching noise). Semi-hollows (like ES-335s) offer a warmer, woodier tone with some sustain and some risk of feedback. Hollow body guitars (like jazz boxes) have the least sustain and are most prone to feedback but produce a warm, mellow jazz sound.
Body Size and Wood: Larger bodies tend to have a fuller, bassier sound compared to smaller bodies that might be brighter. The type of wood used can also affect the tonal characteristics. Mahogany tends to be warmer, while alder is brighter.
Popular Body Styles and their Associations:
Stratocaster: Contoured double-cutaway body, lightweight, versatile sound good for rock, blues, and country.
Les Paul: Solid, heavy body with single cutaway, known for warm, thick tone ideal for blues, rock, and metal.
Telecaster: Flat, single-cutaway body with bright twangy sound, popular in country, blues, and indie.
SG: Thin, double-cutaway "horns" design, lightweight with good sustain, associated with rock and metal.
Flying V/Explorer: Radical, pointed designs, good sustain, often used in hard rock and metal.
ES-335: Semi-hollow with a carved top, known for its warm, woody jazz tones, also used in blues and rock.
Scale Length
Scale length, the distance between the nut and the bridge on a guitar, plays a significant role in both the feel and sound of the instrument. Here's a breakdown of its effects:
String Tension and Playability:
- Higher Tension (Longer Scale): Longer scale lengths (like 25.5" on many Fenders) result in higher string tension. This can make bends and vibrato techniques more difficult, but also contributes to:
- Increased clarity and note definition, especially on the lower strings.
- Tighter playing feel, which some guitarists prefer for fast passages.
- Lower Tension (Shorter Scale): Shorter scale lengths (around 24.75" on many Gibsons) mean lower string tension. This makes bends and vibrato easier to perform, but can also lead to:
- Looser feel, which some prefer for fingerpicking or rhythm playing.
- Slight loss of definition, particularly on the lower strings.
Impact on Tone:
- Harmonics and Brightness: Longer scale lengths allow more space for string vibration, which can create brighter, more shimmering tones with a richer harmonic content. This is a characteristic sound of Stratocasters.
- Warmth and Thickness: Shorter scale lengths limit string vibration, resulting in a warmer, thicker tone with a less pronounced high-end. This is why Les Pauls are known for their round, bluesy sound.
Other Considerations:
- Fret Spacing: Longer scales often have slightly wider fret spacing, which can be beneficial for fingerpicking and soloing due to more space between frets.
- Playing Style: Rock and metal guitarists who frequently bend strings might prefer a shorter scale, while those who play a lot of intricate fingerpicking or value clear note definition on all strings might favor a longer scale.
Ultimately, the best scale length for you depends on your personal preferences and playing style. Trying out guitars with different scales is the best way to determine which feels and sounds most comfortable and inspiring to you.
