Guitar 101: More Reasearch

I now have a roughly shaped neck based on a combination of specs and instructions from a book and completely different set of plans that I downloaded from the Internet. At this point I realized that the two different sets of plans, although the same size and model, were very different in construction and important details. This realization was the first of many small problems that I would encounter because I was using different plans for different parts of the guitar. A logical person would have picked one and stuck with it but not me, I had to mix and match and change as I went along. I think it has something to do with that left brain, right brain stuff. So, at this point I decided I needed another book and a lot more research because the book method for the neck joint was really different from everything I was seeing in other references. I ordered my second book. It arrived at my doorstep in two days just like the first, so I dove into it thinking it would surely answer all my questions.

My new bible on guitar building methods

It, like the first book had beautiful color photographs and great detailed drawings. It also had wonderful examples of finished guitars that made my head swim with ideas. Focus Larry! Stay on track, keep that creative brain in check. This one used the same neck joint method as the plans from the Internet. It was a classic dovetail joint. Perfect, if it was good enough for a Martin it was good enough for me. So I pressed on. I chose to stop working on the neck, mostly because I had to build the body before I could install the neck, and move to the top or soundboard. In my research I found out that for tone almost all guitars had spruce tops. Quality quartesawn spruce is not available from local sources, so I had to order it. I decided to order it from Stewart MacDonald, a luthier supplier that I had heard about in numerous places on the Internet. I ordered it and a few other items, including a router base for my Dremel tool. Just like the books it arrived on my doorstep in two days. Isn't the Internet amazing! In the shipping box they included a catalog uh-oh, that's going to get me in trouble. I quickly started working on the top and the back. I actually started on the back first while I was waiting on the top to arrive. Remember the maple board I told you about earlier that was a little shy of 8 inches. Well that was for the back. I resawed it to slightly under 1/4" on the band saw. The two pieces would be glued together to make a thin board 16" wide but you remember, oh yeh, the original wasn't quite 8 inches. I had a piece of rosewood that I had been saving forever for that special something. Well this was it. I cut a piece aproximately the same thickness and length as the maple to use in the middle to widen it to the necessary size. It turned out as a very nice accent and I am planning to use more of the rosewood for the finger board and bridge.

Resawing the maple for the back

Resawing was one of those techniques that I was afraid of. I had tried it before with less than great results. The right tool and Matthew's help - no problem.

All three pieces for the back, the two 8" maple and one 3/4" rosewood were jointed and sanded to even thickness and glued up.