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How To Make Your Own Guitar
Why not make your own guitar? Well I can think of more reasons why not, than why you should. For the most part, building a guitar is for advanced woodworkers. I don't mean a general contractor who builds houses either.
A guitar maker is called a 'luthier', and by any standard a luthier is considered to be one of the most crafty wood workers jobs of all. Obviously different types of guitars have different degrees of difficulty to make. Basically, for all practical purposes, (Is making a guitar practical?) you have electric solid body guitars and a variety of hollow body guitars. From acoustic, acoustic-electric and some electrics to classical guitars that have hollow body's.
A common characteristic that exists between folks who play the guitar and someone who makes a guitar is "patience". Obviously, having the proper equipment is a must. The equipment needed depends partly on whether you buy a 'kit' or 'build it from the ground up'. Other variables to consider equipment wise may be the type of guitar you build. Meaning that an acoustic guitar utilizes more tools and types of tools than an electric solid body guitar. Patience will be your most important tool.
Something that Popeye The Sailor used to say that cracks me up is "Me has so many patients, me should have been a doctor" (patience, as opposed to Dr's. patients), holds true to the art of guitar making, no matter what avenue you take. Myself, being a guitar maker and having a repair shop has similarities to something else I have done at a high level, rebuilding car transmissions. The precision and attention to detail are similar vibes, every piece of work performed must be done with a calm and focused approach to detail. And, being able to stop and correct, or take as much time as necessary to spend on even the finest details. No grease of course, which is refreshing after rebuilding transmissions for 25 years.
Buy a kit or build the whole thing. Both ways require a certain amount of tools. Some of the tools are: big clamps, table or radial arm saw, band saw, joiner, planer, router/s, drill press, wood jawed vice and sanding equipment. Sanding meaning power sanding tools, all the way down to elbow grease. Including some special luthier tools for some of the assembly, and the final setup of the guitar after completion.
No matter how you look at it, it is a lot of work, and for most home guitar makers, a labor of love. If you have what it takes to make your own guitar, both personality wise and tool wise, don't cheat yourself and go for it. Building a guitar may be one of the most satisfying things you ever do. Enjoy.
About the Author For more information about Guitar Players Center, Guitar Players or Guitar Upgrades. Feel free to visit our website, ask questions, share it with others, make comments or simply enjoy.
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