Tools needed to build a guitar from scratch?

spacecadet · Post by **spacecadet** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:36 pm

I'm not sure if or when I would try this, but I'm getting pretty good at working on my house and I'm getting pretty confident in my wood-working ability. Electronics and hardware aren't big problems for me either; I've been building computers for 20 years. My soldering skills ain't great but I can always practice.

So I'm thinking about trying my hand at building a guitar, maybe turning it into a new hobby. I mean really building one from bare wood planks. What tools would one need to build a guitar from scratch, start to finish? I'm not a stranger to working with wood but I'm not sure, for example, what the best way of fashioning the back of a neck would be, or then getting a fretboard shape to exactly match. And spraying finishes isn't something I'm used to either; I'm used to rubbing or brushing them on, so I'm not sure what I'd need for that.

Just curious if this is something even worth getting into. I've seen plenty of people that have built guitars from scratch with no other real experience, so I'm thinking it can't be *too* hard.

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:59 pm

spacecadet wrote:I've seen plenty of people that have built guitars from scratch with no other real experience

*Raises hand.*

Speaking from experience, it's definitely possible to make a guitar from scratch with no prior experience. Though previous wood-working skills is certainly a plus (mine was very little). As for tools, get a quality router. I made my first guitar with very little else besides my trusty router and hand tools.

Just about any other tool you can think of would help too.

Seriously though, I have more tools than I'd ever care to list. And that's not even including the tools I don't own, but just use at a friend's house. Guitar-making becomes this odd situation where you're spending more money on tools than on wood and fretwire, etc. and more time making jigs than actually making guitars. And finishing, gawd, don't get me started! That's the hardest part.

At least that's my situation. Keep in mind that I set out for semi-mass-production from the beginning though. I knew I wanted to be able to crank out a guitar a month (at least) when I was at full steam. For you it might be different if you just want to make a couple for yourself. Don't be surprised when you get requests to make people stuff when you go to show off your work though.

spacecadet · Post by **spacecadet** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:31 pm

stereordinary wrote: At least that's my situation. Keep in mind that I set out for semi-mass-production from the beginning though. I knew I wanted to be able to crank out a guitar a month (at least) when I was at full steam. For you it might be different if you just want to make a couple for yourself. Don't be surprised when you get requests to make people stuff when you go to show off your work though.

Yeah I was actually hoping for that

I've been looking for something I can do in my spare time that I actually enjoy and that I can make some money at. Like a hobby combined with a part time job. Figured this might be it. Though I'm sure I'd make some guitars I'd want to keep too.

My wife and I have had this idea that we're going to decorate our dining room with four full walls of guitars

That's gonna get expensive if I need to buy all of them.

Anyway thanks for the advice, and whoever else has done this, keep it coming!

the older brother · Post by **the older brother** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:51 pm

I second that the router is the most important power tool needed.

Besides that I would recommend a drillstand and a power drill to get all your holes right.

I guess you find out what you need during the work - that's how I do anyway - I haven't tried doing neither body nor neck from scratch though...

Post by **sookwinder** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:03 pm

Re: Tools needed to build a guitar from scratch?

big tree and an axe

the older brother · Post by **the older brother** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:15 pm

sookwinder wrote:
Re: Tools needed to build a guitar from scratch?
big tree and an axe

waynebell · Post by **waynebell** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:20 pm

I would recomend Melvin Hiscock's book.

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Ele ... pd_sim_b_7

There is a whole section on tools.

I would say get:
-a good router.
-a benchtop drill-press.
-a random orbit sander.

Be careful and economical when it comes to luthier tools. Those can get really expensive really quick. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet though.

spacecadet · Post by **spacecadet** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:09 pm

Thanks for the help, and I will definitely pick up a copy of that book. I think I'm gonna do this! Though I'm sure it's gonna be a little while before I start mass production

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:17 pm

The Melvyn Hiscock book is like the Bible over at the Project Guitar Forum, and it is a great book. But my personal favorite is Martin Koch's Building Electric Guitars (available at Stewart-MacDonald or Luthier's Mercantile). He shows you multiple ways of doing things, inlcuding many that are useful for people on a budget. Though honestly you should pick up every book on the subject that you can. I usually pick up a new book or instructional DVD or whatever everytime I make an order with either StewMac or LMII. I have a pretty big library and I've learned new stuff from all of them.

sewkid · Post by **sewkid** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:49 pm

Check this out.
I made one from mahogany 'sticks'. 27 coats of nitro and an aluminum pickguard. I don't think it looks to bad.

Gluing the body and through neck together

Marking the fretboard for the frets

Fretboard/neck/body all come together

Electronics going together

It was a little easier then I thought it would be

rickenmetal · Post by **rickenmetal** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:52 am

You also need a bandsaw, unless you are crazy enough to try with a hacksaw, if you use a circular saw or an electric hand saw it's just dangerous. Then there's tons of tools you need for making the neck, fret and nut files, clamps, etc. I was thinking of making a guitar sometime, but there's too many tools to get and I don't really have a decent space where I could make guitars anyways.

Post by **sookwinder** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:52 am

I work on the priciple of modern car manufacturers....

design then outsource things that you cannot do in house, or is just too hard/expensive to do in house. then manufacture paint, badge (decal) and have fun.

basic body and neck structurers I cannort do myself, for many of the same reasons outline before (space, time, equipment, tools, skills) but once these two basica items have been sourced (to my specs) then I can develop and modify... which is fun

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:36 am

Yeah, outsourcing parts of the job is not to be frowned upon. Most companies don't make their own tuners and other hardware, as well as plastic bits and many don't even make their own pickups (the winding/assembly part anyway, everyone's still using the same bobbins and covers and stuff). But there are certainly those who also outsource less obvious parts, like the paint job.