------------------------------------------ GUITAR BUILDERS FAQ Part I, Electric Guitars Version 1.4 10 July 1995 Copyright (c) 1995 Bill Wyza All Rights Reserved ------------------------------------------ ================ = DISCLAIMER = ================ The information contained in this FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) file comes from many different sources, and as often as possible, specific individuals are credited with their contributions. This FAQ is provided as-is, with no expressed or implied warranty as to its contents. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate, all authors/contributors assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages that result from the use of the information contained herein. This FAQ may be reposted or redistributed as long as the following conditions are met: 1. The contents of the FAQ are not altered in any way. 2. No money may be charged for the FAQ at anytime. 3. The copyright notice is included at the beginning and end of the file. This FAQ, in whole or in part, cannot be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written consent of the author. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "????" before an item means it is an unanswered question. ">>>>" before an item is a new answered question since the last release. ======================= = TABLE OF CONTENTS = ======================= PART 1 - BEFORE YOU BEGIN I. General Information A. Purpose B. Where can I find this FAQ? C. Contributors D. Updates E. Version Description II. So You Want To Build A Guitar... A. Why build a guitar? B. Will building a guitar be cheaper than buying one? C. How much will it cost? D. How long will it take? E. What will I need to get started? III. Wood. A. What types of wood are commonly used? B What's all this "quarter" talk? C. Does the type of wood effect the sound? D. What are their properties? E. How much does wood cost? F. Where can I get the wood? G. How do I choose a wood? IV. Tools And Materials A. What tools do I need? B. How much will they cost? C. Where can I buy them? PART 2 - BUILDING A GUITAR V. Initial Considerations A. What parameters do I need to consider before I start? B. Can I say I built it from scratch? VI. The Body A. What size should I make the body? B. What shape should I make the body? VII. The Neck A. What is scale length and what does it mean? B. How do I determine fret spacing? C. What kind of frets should I use? D. What type of nut should I use? E. What type of tuners should I use? F. What types of neck joints are there? VIII. The Electronics A. What are the capacitors doing? B. How do I shield cavities to prevent that humming sound? C. How do I remove that annoying scraping sound in the potentiometers? IX. Pre-Assembly A. B. X. The Finish A. How do I stain a guitar? B. What kind of paint should I use for colors? C. What is a sample finishing schedule? PART 3 - THE FINAL STEPS XI. Assembly A. B. XII. Setup A. How do I adjust intonation? B. How should I vertically adjust my bridge saddles? >>>>>XIII. Maintenance >>>>>>>>>>>A. How often should I replace my strings? >>>>>>>>>>>B. When should I reset my intonation? C. Part 4 - TIPS AND TRICKS This section is for tips and tricks from readers who have encountered some aspect of guitar building they wish to share. A. Pre-drill humbucker corners before routing. >>>>>>>>>>>B. Routing >>>>>>>>>>>C. Bridge Location (for a fixed bridge) >>>>>>>>>>>D. Bridge Pickup Location >>>>>>>>>>>E. Centerline >>>>>>>>>>>F. Sandpaper Part 5 - PITFALLS AND PROBLEMS This section is for pitfalls and problems from readers who have encountered some pitfalls of guitar building they wish to share. A. Bandsaw too small. B. Drill press too small. C. Trouble with painting area. Appendix A. Wood Suppliers Appendix B. Parts Suppliers Appendix C. Tools And Materials Appendix D. Fret Spacing Tables Appendix E. Books On Guitar Building Appendix F. Videos On Guitar Building Appendix G. Organizations Appendix H. Schools Appendix I. Sample Cost Of A Guitar =============================== = PART I - BEFORE YOU BEGIN = =============================== I. General Information A. Purpose The purpose of this FAQ is to discuss some of the inner workings of building electric guitars. While the subject of guitar building and luthier in general can (and has) filled volumes, the goal of this FAQ is to touch on some of the major topics in a level of detail that can get the beginner started as well as inform the more experienced builder. It is NOT the goal of this FAQ to be a text book on building guitars. See Appendix E for such books. B. Where can I find this FAQ This FAQ is posted periodically to the following newsgroup: rec.music.makers.builders To save bandwidth, only a FAQ notification message is posted at the following newsgroups: alt.guitars rec.music.guitars rec.music.makers.guitars The latest version of the FAQ can be requested from the author. The author can be reached at: bill@tpd-pss.hac.com (Checked daily Monday thru Friday) - or - wyza@aol.com (Checked weekly Saturday & Sunday) C. Contributors The following individuals contributed to this FAQ: NAME SECTION ============================== ======================= miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa) Tips and Tricks (B thru F) Comments (of a constructive nature) and contributions are always welcome. The author reserves the right to edit any contributions for grammar, spelling, readability, etc, but credit will be given as appropriate. D. Updates This FAQ is updated periodically as the author sees fit. Updates to the text in this FAQ are described in the Version Description section that follows. E. Version Description The following is a description of the version history of this document. Not all updates/corrections are necessarily listed below. Small editing and rewriting changes (at the author's descretion) will *not* be mentioned in the table below. Version Date Description/Changes - ------- -------- ------------------- 1.4 07/10/95 Added more Tips and Tricks Added Section: XIII. Maintenance (A,B) 1.3 06/12/95 Added section: Part 5 - Pitfalls and Problems. questions A,B,C Added question: Part 4.A 1.2 05/25/95 Expanded answer to question VIII.C. Expanded Appendix E and F. 1.1 04/27/95 Added a new school, American School of Lutherie Added misc. data to the Appendices Added a new nut material, TUSQ Expanded answer to questions III.A, III.D, and III.G Added new parts and wood suppliers: Wood 'N' Guitars Pacific Rim Tonewoods Sundance Tonewoods Added new book, _Making_an_Archtop_Guitar_ Added question XII.B 1.0 03/25/95 This is the original issue. // End of Section I //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// II. So You Want To Build A Guitar... A. Why build a guitar? Why do you want to build a guitar? Some people build guitars because the enjoy woodworking, others because they love the instrument, and still others because the commercially available guitars do not meet their needs. Some people actually think that it would be cheaper than buying one (see below for more on that subject). These are just some of the answers, and odds are that you fit into one of those categories. If you want to build a guitar for the love of the instrument and the challenge of the task, you will most certainly be satisfied with the adventure. At times you will love it (when you start to see the body take shape), and at times you will hate it (when you carelessly lift the router from the pickup cavity and gouge the body surface). But, be assured, there will never be a dull moment. B. Will building a guitar be cheaper than buying one? Simply stated: No, but let me explain further... Building your own guitar *could* be cheaper than buying one, if one or more of the following conditions are met: o You are related to the president of Fender guitars are allowed the use of their manufacturing facility. o You own a music store and have access to wholesale parts and supplies. o You own a woodworking shop and have every imaginable tool for cutting, shaping, and sanding wood. If you are like the rest of us, and don't have all the files, saws, and sanders, etc., there is a substantial investment to be made on tools and supplies. C. How much will it cost? Many factors affect the cost of building a guitar. Primarily, there is the cost of tools, parts, and supplies. See the Appendices for samples of the costs. When possible, beg and borrow whatever tools you can to keep your initial costs to a minimum. Don't run out and buy the newest "WhizBang" bandsaw unless you really can afford it. I have found that there is a kind of Catch-22 when you are starting out. If you use the simplest tools, you will spend more time and effort finishing your instrument, but you will save some money. For example, you can spend 8 hours hand sanding the body with sandpaper and a wood block (building some pretty strong arms in the process), or you could purchase a small hand-held detail sander and finish it in 2 hours. You have to decide what is best for you. On the good side, if you do decide to invest in some tools, at least they are a one-time investment and should recoup their value over time. D. How long will it take? This will vary for everyone, and depends on many factors, such as: o Woodworking experience Experienced woodworkers probably have the tools and knowledge to avoid many of the pitfalls that novices encounter along the way. o Tools available High speed tools, and specialized tools simplify and speed up many of the mundane and time consuming processes, such as sanding. o Desired results If your desired results are a simple instrument for your own entertainment, or a professional instrument for resale, you will spend your time and effort accordingly. o Time available You can only work on your guitar when you have the free time. What may normally take a few weeks could easily stretch into months depending on the availability of free time at your disposal. E. What will I need to get started? An almost fanatical "If I build it, it will play" attitude to get you through the tough times. You will also need a minimum set of tools (See Appendix C), some wood, some paint, a lot of guitar parts, a clean (temporarily) and dry workspace, a work table, and a lot of time. // End of Section II //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// III. Wood. A. What types of wood are commonly used? "Hardwoods" are the most commonly used woods for guitar building. Below is a list of some of the types of hardwoods used to build guitars: COMMON EXOTIC/IMPORTED =============== =========================== Alder Bois De Rose (from Madagascar) Ash Bubinga (from Africa) Basswood Cocobolo (from Mexico) Cherry Koa (from Hawaii) Ebony Pau Ferro (from Bolivia) Mahogany Satinwood (from Sri Lanka) Maple Zebrawood (from Africa) Oak Poplar Rosewood Walnut B. What's all this "quarter" talk? Commercial lumber is measured in terms of a "quarter" of an inch. Therefore, a plank of any particular length and width, with a thickness of 1 inch, would be referred to as "Four quarter" wood. Five quarter is 1 1/4" thick, etc. C. Does the type of wood affect the sound? Yes and no, but mostly no. Although the acoustical properties of maple are different than that of mahogany, the contribution of the maple (which is much harder and denser) to the overall sound is very small to the average person. You will find that a heavier, denser wood may improve sustain, which is a desirable quality, but there is always a long standing debate on whether this is entirely true or not. I do not wish to enter into a debate on the subject, decide for yourself when you have compared the woods on similar instruments. D. What are their properties? Here is a brief description of some of the more popular hardwoods. Alder - tbd Ash - Ash is lightweight and has a good texture. It is particularly good for clear/transparent finishes. Ash is often used for expensive guitars. Basswood - tbd Cherry - tbd Ebony - Ebony, one the heaviest of the hardwoods, is very dense, machines well, and resists warping and cracking. Ebony is a popular wood for fingerboards due to its stability and strength. It holds frets extremely well and has a striking appearance. Ebony is also an expensive choice. Mahogany - Mahogany is a porous, but strong wood which is easy to machine and finish. It has a spiraling and interlocking grain pattern which makes it a very stable wood. Honduras mahogany is the favorite choice of instrument builders, but is very hard to find. African and Spanish mahoganies are often used as a replacement for Honduras mahogany. Maple - Maple usually comes from 2 sub-families: red maple and sugar maple. The common designation of "curly" and "birds-eye" are natural phenomena of the wood and not a species of their own. Maple is a strong, very heavy wood which is light in color. Maple finishes well and can be steamed and bent. Maple is used in both bodies and necks. If used in necks, it is advisable to laminate the neck from two or three pieces for increased stability. Maple also has very tight pores, a feature which simplifies finishing. Oak - Oak is heavier than maple and has larger pores. Oak has a desirable grain pattern that makes it a good choice for visual impact. Poplar - Poplar is similar to Maple in color and weight. The difference is in the size of the pores. Rosewood - Rosewood, like ebony, is a popular choice for finger boards. Rosewood, however, is more oily than ebony, making finishing more difficult. Brazilian rosewood is the most sought after type of rosewood and therefore the most expensive. Indian rosewood is often used a replacement for Brazilian rosewood. Walnut - Walnut is a beautiful, rich, brown wood. Walnut is similar to mahogany, but with larger pores and less stability. It is also much more expensive. Walnut has a very appealing grain pattern. E. How much does wood cost? Wood prices vary for each type of wood depending primarily on the availability and quality of the piece. The "common" woods listed above are available in most specialty lumber yards for a reasonable price. Take the time to shop around and call each source for a quote. The higher the quality of the wood the higher the price. Also, the more rare a wood is, the more expensive it will be. Price some koa from Hawaii and you'll begin to understand. Some sample prices for woods are given in Appendix G, Sample Cost of A Guitar. F. Where can I get the wood? The woods listed above are available in most specialty lumber yards. Look in your local yellow pages under Lumber, or Hardwoods. Also, contact the wood suppliers listed in Appendix A. Most hardware superstores, Home Depot, etc., will not have the type of woods in the sizes and qualities necessary for guitar building. G. How do I choose a wood? This depends on many factors, including: availability of wood, budget, desired look and feel, desired weight of instrument, etc. Some of the things to look for in choosing a wood are: close-grained, no knots, and no checks or cracks. Rap the wood lightly on the floor and listen for "clunking" sounds. If you hear this, the wood may be cracked internally. Also, look at the visual appeal of the grain. This is especially important if you will use a see- through stain finish that will accent the grain pattern. When choosing a wood from a local supplier, you will very likely be unable to find a single piece with sufficient width for the body (usually about 13" or so wide). What this means is that you will have to select a plank that is some other width, say 7 inches wide. You will then have to cut the plank to the desired length and laminate (glue) the pieces together to get the needed width. This complicates matters since the glue joint needs to be as "square" as possible. Clamping the pieces together takes some practice. If you can find a plank that is wide enough and has no flaws, grab it, you'll thank yourself later. // End of Section III //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// IV. Tools And Materials A. What tools do I need? There are a great number of tools that can be used in guitar building. You won't need them all to start out. Unfortunately, having the proper tools to do a job invariably makes that job easier, quicker, and more successful, but you will have to decide what meets your building needs. Refer to Appendix C for a list and description of many of the tools used in guitar building. B. How much will they cost? Purchasing all the tools necessary for guitar building can be a very expensive venture. Just the common tools alone can add up if you are starting from scratch. In many cases, used tools work just as well as new ones, and at a fraction of the cost. Specialized tools such as fret files, etc., are more expensive and would be difficult to find used. Check the suppliers in Appendix B for prices and availability of the tools. C. Where can I buy them? The common tools can be found at almost any hardware store or department store. Your cost will vary, so shop around. The specialized tools are more difficult to find and you will most likely have to resort to a specialty store or mail-order house. Check the listings in Appendix B for sources of tools. // End of Section IV //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ================================ = PART 2 - BUILDING A GUITAR = ================================ V. Initial Considerations A. What parameters do I need to consider before I start? You have to consider may factors when deciding to build a custom guitar. For example, do you want to design and cut your own body and neck, or purchase ready made parts from another supplier, and install your own selection of hardware? This is one viable option, and will drastically reduce the amount of tools you need. If you decide to do everything from scratch, your initial list of factors will be much greater. Listed below are some of the things you need to decide before you get started on your dream guitar: o Wood selection for body, neck, and fingerboard o Scale length (24 3/4 in. or 25 1/2 in., or some other length) o Frets (number of frets and size of fret wire) o Neck depth at body and nut o Neck radius (simple or compound) o Fingerboard radius (simple or compound) o Body shape, thickness, and contouring o Neck-to-body joint (bolt-on, set-in, neck-through) o Neck angle and bridge height o Head angle and shape o Pickups and controls (numbers and style) o Bridge style (fixed, fixed-tremolo, floating-tremolo) o Nut style (width, string spacing, material, locking nut) o Truss rod (type and adjustment position) o Binding o Inlays (size, shape, and material) o Tuning machines (type: 3-3 or 6 in-line, color, manufacturer) o Electronics mounting style (rear, front pickguard, shielding) o Hardware (knobs, cover plates, potentiometers, switches, wires, pickups, etc.) o Finish (stain, see-through or opaque, colors) All of these factors effect the construction of the guitar. You should have thought out all these items before you begin your project, and understand the implications of each style. Proper planning will save you time and effort and probably prevent errors that could ruin the project. B. Can I say I built it from scratch? The following is an editorial response, your opinions may vary: I've heard many arguments on this subject & I think they are a waste of time. Many people will say that if you purchase preformed parts like necks and bodies, that you are only "putting it together", not building it from scratch. Ok, maybe in a perfect world that is true. But that essentially is what all manufacturers are doing. Are you going to say that they are not guitar builders? They use prebuilt parts from other companies, too. Pickups, tremolos, tuning machines, etc., are built by other companies and then used by the guitar manufacturers. Some very respectable builders like Taylor and Carvin use computerized CNC machines that cut their necks and bodies to tolerances of a thousandth of an inch. That can hardly be called handmade, but I really don't see a difference between that and the guy who buys a neck from Warmoth (which Carvin does, by the way). If you really want say you built it completely from scratch, then you better grow the trees, mine the ore for the parts, forge the tools, cut the wood, carve the shape, wind the pickups, mold the plastic, machine the hardware, and chemically mix the paints (you get the picture). Building a guitar using other parts is a respectable hobby and business. Just do what you see fit for your own needs. If you prefer to design the body shape and cut it, great. If you'd rather buy a body and concentrate on wiring, that's great too. Just enjoy the project and respect others that also build guitars. And, yes, say you built it from scratch. My apologies for the rather sarcastic tone... // End of Section V //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// VI. The Body A. What size should I make the body? The size of the body should be large enough to hold all the hardware and electronics and also small enough so as to not be too heavy. The thickness of the body has to be enough to accommodate the hardware and electronics, also. A thickness of 1 3/4" is common for many guitars, but you can go smaller or larger if you so desire. The length of the body blank can be up to 20" and the width about 13-14". This will allow you sufficient material to cut just about any body shape. Use larger or smaller sizes if your needs dictate. Another factor is the weight of the wood. A very heavy maple may become a burden during those long three hour sets. B. What shape should I make the body? The shape of the body should be able to support all the electronics and hardware components. It should also be visually appealing. Many variations of body styles have been tried throughout the years, with the standard being a Fender style or Gibson style. Other body shapes take variations on those two. The more "unusual" body styles, although interesting at times, generally do not appeal to the wider audiences. However, since this is your guitar, you can use any style that meets the minimum needs and appeals to you. If you are really ambitious, and/or a woodworking pro, try carving designs directly into the body. This would make your instrument truly unique. // End of Section VI //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// VII. The Neck A. What is scale length and what does it mean? Scale length is defined as the "length of the string". This is measured as the distance between two points: one at the bridge and one at the nut. The points where the strings contact the nut and the bridge define the scale length of the guitar. A longer scale will, to a point, give more sustain. The reason for this is that the tighter a string is stretched, the longer it will sustain, and for a string of any given thickness, the string at the longer scale will have to be tensioned higher than the string at the shorter scale to reach the same pitch. However, a longer scale will make the fret distances longer and make it more difficult to reach the frets. Most guitar scale lengths are between 24 and 26 inches, with the most common being 24 3/4 in. (Les Paul style) and 25 1/2 in. (Fender style). B. How do I determine fret spacing? Fret spacing is determined by the "18 rule" (actually, it is more like 17.817). The fret spacing is in calculated as follows: The distance to the first fret from the nut is calculated by dividing the total scale length by 17.817. For a 25 1/2 in. scale... 25.5 / 17.817 = 1.431273 (or 1.431) That result is then subtracted from the total scale length... 25.5 - 1.431 = 24.069 That result is divided by 17.817 to get the distance from the first fret to the second... 24.069 / 17.817 = 1.351 and so on. Refer to Appendix D for pre-calculated fret distances for some common scale lengths. C. What kind of frets should I use? Fret wire is available in three shapes: rounded, squared, and triangular. The most popular shape is rounded, or "bead". Fret wire is also measured in three ways: 1) The height of the wire, 2) the width of the bead, and 3) the height of the bead. Therefore, you can choose from fret wire that is "wide and medium", or "wide and low", or "narrow and tall" and so on. I think you get the picture. Let's compare fret wire by height... ** TALL ** Tall fretwire, although not commonly used, has some advantages: o Easier for string bends since finger tip has less contact with fingerboard o More sustain due to greater mass and because string is not damped by fingerboard contact o Faster hammer-on and pull-off techniques, similar to scalloped fingerboards, but not as radical o Long life and able withstand more fret dressings between refrets ...and some disadvantages: o Poor intonation could result from pressing too hard o Neck may feel "thicker" or rough when sliding your hand along the fretboard ** MEDIUM ** Medium fretwire is the standard size, regardless of the width of the bead. The familiar "Jumbo" fret refers to the width of the bead not the heighth. Some of the advantages of medium fret wire are: o More accurate intonation (with an accurate "touch") o Barre chords and slides are relatively easy o Tone is "softer" ...some disadvantages: o Careful fret work is required to ensure the height is not lost during dressing o Wears out sooner o Less dressing between refrets. ** LOW ** Low fret wire is not commonly found on commercial instruments and is not recommended. ** WIDTH ** The fret width, regardless of heighth, effects the playability and tone. Wide frets (Jumbo) offer more sustain than narrow frets, but must be dressed more accurately to achieve proper intonation. Narrow frets have a unique sustain quality due to the smaller string/fret contact point, and offer more accurate intonation. The triangular fretwire has not achieved widespread acceptance and is not recommended unless you wish to experiment. It does offer the most accurate intonation, however. You will have to decide on the size and shape of the frets you use after some experimentation. The safest bet is a medium/Jumbo fret, but your mileage may vary. D. What type of nut should I use? The first decision in choosing a nut is decide if you will use what I refer to as a "natural" nut. A natural nut is one that is not mechanical, such as a locking nut or a "roller" nut, for example. A natural nut can be made of any material, such as: o Bone Currently the material of choice in high quality instruments. It is very hard and offers superior tone, polishes well, and allows precise slot filing. o Corion A new material with comparable hardness and appearance of bone. Offers excellent tone and also polishes well. o Micarta Micarta is a synthetic ivory/bone substitute. Ivory in color and softer than bone, it files and sands very easily. o Graphite A self-lubricating material excellent for non-locking tremolo systems. o Mother-Of-Pearl Very dense and known for tonal brilliance and beauty. o TUSQ TUSQ is a man made ivory substitute aimed at acoustic and vintage guitars. I see no reason it can't be used on electrics. TUSQ has improved sustain and clarity. Any one of the above materials would work well for a natural nut. Your choice of material and nut style will depend, to a degree, on the bridge and tuners you select. It is possible to use locking tuners and a natural nut in place of a locking nut. The choice is yours. E. What type of tuners should I use? Essentially, the choice of tuners depend on several factors: budget, appearance, bridge/tremolo choice, and headstock construction. There are many excellent tuner manufacturers that provide a wide range of tuner styles. They usually come in chrome, black, or gold. There are special tuners for inline headstock installation, and there are also locking tuners for use with floating tremolo systems (in place of the locking nut). Choose the tuner that best fits your needs and meets your budget. As always, shop around and compare. F. What types of neck joints are there? The three most common neck joints are: bolt-on, set-in, and neck-thru. Bolt-on neck joints are extremely common and used very successfully in commercial electric instruments. The neck is attached to the body with a series of screws or nut/bolt combinations. A metal neck plate is usually mounted on the back of the body to support the screws or bolts. A set-in neck is where a flat neck heel is glued to the body front and the overhanging fretboard is glued to the body surface. Set-in necks are most common in acoustic guitars and are used in some electrics. A neck-thru is where the neck wood is extended into and through the body. The body is divided into two sides, which are laminated on either side of the extended neck wood. After the laminations are secure, the body is carved into shape. Neck-thru construction often gives the best access to the upper fretboard range. Neck-thru construction is often used in high-end guitars. // End of Section VII //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// VIII. The Electronics A. What are the capacitors doing? Capacitors are often added to control circuitry to affect the tone of the guitar. A capacitor is used to "roll-off" or reduce the high (treble) frequencies. Most single coil pickups use a 0.05uf capacitor, while humbuckers use a 0.02uf capacitor. The usual value is 0.02uf. The capacitors are usually soldered on the potentiometer to form a tone circuit, and can also be used with resistors to change to effective resistance of the control potentiometer. Volumes could be written on this subject so refer to the books in Appendix E for more information. B. How do I shield cavities to prevent that humming sound? You can shield the cavities by either using conductive paint (the preferred method) or foil or metal inside the cavities. Since conductive paint is easier and very effective, use that method for the cavities. Foil can be used to shield the underside of the pick guards or cavity covers. Also, using shielded wiring will also help to reduce the hum. Completely paint the inside of the cavities (2 coats) and make sure to include the recessed areas for the coverplates. Let some paint get into the screw holes. Use foil tape or paint to cover the underside of the plastic cavity cover so that it contacts the screw holes and recessed areas. Make sure that a ground wire reaches the shielded areas, and use a multimeter to check the continuity to ground. Also, be sure to connect a ground wire to the tremolo claw. C. How do I remove that annoying scraping sound in the potentiometers? Use a contact cleaner spray (also known as tuner cleaner) to clean the potentiometers. Get the sprays from any radio/TV repair shop or electronics store. If possible, spray the cleaner directly into the hole in the potentiometer casing using the plastic hose that comes with the spray. If that is not possible, you can spray into the shaft opening and let the fluid work its way into the pot. A couple of sprayings should clean the carbon build up and remove the noise. These products are petrolleum and/or alcohol based and will evaporate fairly quickly. Some even have a silicon additive for lubrication. The additive remains after the chemical has evaporated. // End of Section VIII //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// IX. Pre-Assembly A. B. // End of Section IX //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// X. The Finish A. How do I stain a guitar? Staining the guitar is a complex issue. Refer to the books and videos in the Appendix for more information on staining. B. What kind of paint should I use for colors? You can use an acrylic automotive lacquer or a nitrocellulose lacquer. Check your local automotive or furniture paint shops or the parts suppliers in the Appendix for colors and availability. NOTE: Do NOT mix the two types of lacquer on a single paint job. C. What is a sample finishing schedule? The following is a sample finishing schedule taken for Stewart-MacDonald's catalog. This is only one sample and there may be many other ways of doing the finish. Research this subject as you see fit. This schedule is for nitrocellulose lacquer and should not be used with other finishing media. (Note: do NOT use acrylic lacquers with nitrocellulose lacquers) WOOD PREPARATION Sand surface down to #220 or #320 grit smoothness. | ______________________|_________________ | | POROUS WOOD NON-POROUS WOOD (Rosewood, Mahogany, Ash, (Maple, Spruce, Basswood, Walnut, paduak) Alder, Poplar, Ebony) | | | | STAIN (OPTIONAL) STAIN (OPTIONAL) (Water based anilines, (Water based anilines, color-tone stains) color-tone stains) | | | | WASH COAT (OPTIONAL) | (Lacquer, sanding sealer, | or shellac) | | | | | PASTE WOOD FILLER | (Natural for light woods, | medium brown for dark woods) | |________________________________________| | | SEALER/PRIMER (OPTIONAL) | (Lacquer, sanding sealer, or or shellac) | |________________________________________| | COLOR COATS (OPTIONAL) (Tinted clear lacquer, shaded lacquers, opaque lacquers, 6 coats) | | WET SAND #320 grit | | COLOR COATS (Tinted clear lacquer, shaded lacquers, opaque lacquers, 3 coats) | | WET SAND #400 grit | | COLOR COATS (Tinted clear lacquer, shaded lacquers, opaque lacquers, 3 coats) | | WET SAND #600 grit | | CLEAR COATS (Clear lacquer, 4-10 coats) | | WET SAND #1000 grit | | POLISH WITH SOFT CLOTH AND POLISHING COMPOUND (Use circular motion) | | POLISH WITH WAX POLISH NOTE: This is only one possibility of many. Your results may vary. Refer to one of the books in the Appendix for more information on finishes, such as sunbursts, etc. // End of Section X //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ============================== = PART 3 - THE FINAL STEPS = ============================== XI. Assembly A. B. // End of Section XI //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// XII. Setup A. How do I adjust intonation? This is a somewhat magical and mystical process. Keep in mind that the nature of the guitar is such that perfect intonation along the entire fretboard is all but impossible to achieve. It is a compromise of sorts. Proper intonation is achieved by adjusting the length of the string and checking the tuning at different frets. This is called "string length compensation". Adjustable bridge saddles make this possible without too much difficulty (except on Floyd Rose tremolos, where a special tool makes the job much simpler) Here is one way to adjust the intonation: o Tune the string to pitch using normal methods, o Check the tuning at the 12th fret, o If the string is sharp, move the saddle back, if the string is flat, move the saddle forward, o Retune to pitch and check the tuning at the 12th fret, o Repeat until the tuning at the 12th fret is identical to the open tuning B. How should I vertically adjust my bridge saddles? Aside from adjusting the bridge saddles forward or backward to adjust for intonation, you should also adjust them vertically to allow for a lower playing action. Most modern day guitars have a curved radius fingerboard. Some common radii are 10", 12", and 15". Other, more expensive fingerboards, have a compound radius which is about 10" at the nut, and flattens to 15" at the 22nd or 24th fret. Let's assume you have a fixed radius. If your bridge saddles have vertical adjustment capabilities, you want their height to approximate the fingerboard radius. Some tremolos, like Floyd Rose, have different saddle heights to accommodate this feature. Other tremolos, such as many by Fender, have a pair of hex-screws you can turn to raise or lower each saddle. Fixed bridges have a pair a screws at each end of the bridge that are used to tilt the bridge. There isn't as much flexibility in this method, but is should be possible to get some adjustment. The idea is to position the bridge height to match the fingerboard radius. The height will increase for the E, A, and D (bass) strings, and then decrease for the G, B, and E (treble) strings. But that's not all... Since the bass strings are much thicker than the treble strings, you cannot set both E strings to the same height. You must raise the bass strings a little to compensate for their thickness, or buzzing will occur. You need to experiment with the overall bridge height and the saddle height the get the lowest possible action. Fingerboard straightness and fret height also comes into play. If the fingerboard and frets are properly setup, you should be able to adjust the saddles to achieve a low playing action with no buzzing. Experiment to see how it works. // End of Section XII //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// XIII. Maintenance A. How often should I replace my strings? String wear will vary depending on the strings themselves, the amount of playing, and the type of playing. If you play every day, or if you play hard and sweat a lot (like during a performance), your strings will wear more quickly. The easiest way to slow down the process is to have clean hands when you start to play and thoroughly wipe the strings clean after each session. Actually, you should wipe down the body and neck after every session whether it is a performance or not. The oils from your body will build up cloud the appearance of the guitar and dull the strings. The loss of brightness is, however, inevitable. You can slow the process, but eventually, the strings will sound dull and lifeless. If you play every day, but only for yourself, replace the strings every 3-4 weeks or when you feel they have lost their brilliance past what you can stand. If you are performing for an audience, put new strings on before each show. Remember to stretch them out thoroughly so they stay in tune!! There's nothing quite as pleasant to the ears as a fresh set of strings. B. When I should I reset my intonation? Once the intonation has been *properly* set you shouldn't have to set it again. However, if you decide to mess around with the bridge, you have to be careful that you return it to the properly set position. You *should* reset the intonation whenever you switch string sizes (light, extra-light, medium, etc). Another possibility, if you play a lot and your guitar gets a good workout, about once a year should also do the trick. // End of Section XII //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ============================== = Part 4 - Tips and Tricks = ============================== This section is for tips and tricks from readers who have encountered some aspect of guitar building they wish to share. A. Pre-drill humbucker corners before routing. [Contributed by: wyza@aol.com] If you are using routing template like the ones from Stewart-MacDonald, it is helpful to drill the rounded corners of the template before routing the cavity into the body. These corners are 1/4 inch diameter and you can use a 1/4 inch drill bit to get a smooth edge. Just position the bit to drill the individual corner and you'll geta very smooth edge that would much more difficult with the standard router bits. Also, you can use larger bits to remove some wood before routing the remaining cavity. Just watch your depth. B. Routing [Contribution by: miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa)] The best way to use a router is to get/make a clear plastic template, and use the kind of bits that can be guided around the hole in this template. I use a 'bearing bit' from Stewart-MacDonalds and it worked great, ***once I learned how to do it***! 1. Make sure the bearing is turning freely - my first one was stuck and nearly started a fire. 2. Be sure you adjust the height of the bit to cut clear thru the surface of the wood. Yes, this means it looks like the bit may cut the template... in practice, it doesn't. If you set the bit too far into the wood you 'undermine' the surface of the wood and things get hot and tough to do. I set the line between my bearing and the cutting edge about halfway thru the template. 3. ***DO NOT*** plan on making your first cut all the way around the perimiter of the template! If you make a long bit-width cut like this, the track becomes clogged with wood, the bit gets hot, and is hard to move. Instead, start in the middle of the area to be removed, and move around in a little circle. Make short passes along the edge and then swing back to widen the removed area. This has two advantages: it lets the wood chips get blown out, and the bearing is not riding the edge all the time and so does not get as hot. C. Bridge Location (for a fixed bridge) [Contribution by: miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa)] If possible, construct the guitar to the point of having the neck and tailpiece bolted on before positioning the bridge. Make yourself a pencil mark in the measured position where the bridge should be. Adjust all intonation saddles to center. Then string it up, and set the intonation as close as possible by sliding the bridge back and forth. Once you have it as good as you can get it, mark the position and install the bridge there. (It may even end up at a slant. This is ok, if its what the guitar needs.) Note: If you are using a Strat or Tele bridge, usually measuring is good enough. Go measure a real one and put your bridge in the same place. D. Bridge pickup location [Contribution by: miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa)] If you are using Strat parts, borrow a standard Strat pickguard and use it to trace the pickup locations onto your guitar body. If you are using humbuckers, wait until after your bridge is installed, and then locate the pickup a certain distance from the bridge, based on measuring guitars whose sound you like. For example, from the intonation center of the bridge to the closest edge of the pickup frame is about 5/8" on an SG, about 3/4" on a Les Paul Custom, about 9/16" on a Les Paul Standard, and over 1" on an Epiphone Flying V I've measured. This has an effect on the sound your bridge pickup gives! E. Centerline [Contribution by: miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa)] Always work off of a pencil line down the center of your guitar body. Center pickups, bridges, neck routings, etc. along this line. A good way to line up your neck is to tape a piece of string to the top of the neck so it crosses the center where the nut will be. Run the string down to the centerline by where the tailpiece will be. By lining up this string down the position dots on the neck, you can tell when the neck is lined up with your centerline. I do this to locate the neck route and also when marking the screw holes in the neck. F. Sandpaper [Contribution by: miker@primenet.com (Mike Rejsa)] Sanding goes *lots* faster when you use lots of grades. Start with coarse, sand a few minutes, and move on down a step at a time until you are using the finest paper. Be careful when using belt sanders - they remove a lot of guitar very quickly! ==================================== = Part 5 - Pitfalls and Problems = ==================================== This section is for pitfalls and problems from readers who have encountered some pitfalls of guitar building they wish to share. Maybe reading these will help you avoid the same problems. A. Bandsaw too small. [Contributed by: wyza@aol.com] When I first started out, I had no tools to speak of, so I bought a Sears special 10 in. bandsaw. Seemed like it would do the job, and the price was right. Here's what happened to me: At first everything was ok, until I bought some Eastern Hard Maple. This wood was just a little too hard for the small bandsaw. The blade kept binding and catching in the channel, and I spent half my time prying the wood apart and getting the blade free. I broke several blades and had very poor cuts. Also, this size bandsaw has a small tray table on which to lay the wood. Well, my blank was 13" wide and 20" long and was an 8 quarter piece. This is one heavy chunk of wood. I used the tray to support the wood while I cut. After struggling with the blades I finally cut the shape completely out. Then I stood the wood up on its side to view the profile and guess what? It leaned to the side. The wood was so heavy and the tray table was too weak to support it properly. None of my cuts were square since the table leaned down under the weight of the wood blank. I spent the next 2 hours trying to sand it square with a belt sander. I have since used some small pieces of 2x4 cut to fit under the tray to add support while cutting. It helps, but it's still not ideal. B. Drill press too small. [Contributed by: wyza@aol.com] I had a similar problem with a Sears 8 inch drill press. It simply wasn't powerful enough to make good clean holes through such hard wood. The bit often got jammed in the wood. Also, the distance from the center of the bit to the edge of the support post was too short to reach some of the inner holes of the body. For example, the bit wouldn't reach the holes necessary for the bridge pickup cover. I had to freehand two of them. C. Trouble with painting area. [Contributed by: wyza@aol.com] I discovered one problem with my work area right away when finishing my first guitar. Like many, I used my garage to build my guitars. Well, you can imagine the dust and debris that flys around after sawing, sanding, and routing all day. Even after waiting for the dust to settle, there's the problem of ventilation and the smell. Also, if you have a freshly painted guitar in the garage, where are you going to work on the next one? I had to stop building for weeks while this guitar cured. I have since farmed out the painting process to a friend so I can just build. ============================================================ == APPENDICES == ============================================================ Appendix A. Wood Suppliers The following is a list of wood suppliers: EXOTIC WOODS COMPANY, INC. PO Box 532 Sicklerville, NJ 08081 800.443.9296 609.728.5555 609.728.6262 (fax) COMMENTS: Wide selection of fingerboards, backs, sides, neck blanks. Carries many exotic woods. See also LUTHIER'S MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL, INC. in Appendix B. PACIFIC RIM TONEWOODS 420 16th St. Bellingham, WA 98225 206.826.6101 206.826.6046 (fax) COMMENTS : Minimum order is $200 exclusive of shipping. See also STEWART-MACDONALD in Appendix B. SUNDANCE TONEWOODS 341 W. Broadway, Suite 329 San Diego, CA 92101-3882 619.726.0610 See also WARMOTH in Appendix B. Appendix B. Parts Suppliers The following is a list of guitar parts suppliers: ALL-PARTS PO Box 1318 Katy, TX 77492 800.327.8942 713.391.0637 713.391.7922 (fax) COMMENTS: ART SPECIALTIES INTERNATIONAL, INC PO Box 215 Depew, NY 14043 800.724.1002 716.684.3695 COMMENTS: Supplier of Corion. CHANDLER INDUSTRIES 5901 9th St. San Francisco, CA 94107 xxx.xxx.xxxx COMMENTS: THE LUTHIERIE 2449 W. Saugerties Rd. Saugerties, NY 12477 xxx.xxx.xxxx COMMENTS: LUTHIER'S MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL, INC Box 774 412 Moore Lane Healdsburg, CA 95448 800.477.4437 707.433.1823 707.433.8802 (fax) COMMENTS: MUSICIAN'S FRIEND DISCOUNT CATALOG Box 4520 Medford, OR 97501 800.776.5137 Catalog : $4.00. Once you order and get on the mailing list, the catalogs will come for free. COMMENTS: Good service. You can get tremolos, pickups, strings, tuners, and a few novelty tools, but that's about it for builders. STEWART-MACDONALD GUITAR SHOP SUPPLY 21 N. Shafer St. Box 900 Athens, OH 45701 800.848.2273 (US and Canada) 614.592.3021 614.593.7922 (fax) Hours: 9-7 weekdays, U.S. eastern time Catalog : They send you a catalog with every order. If you order a lot, you'll have so many you can't keep track of them. COMMENTS: Excellent service, great prices, excellent quality parts and tools. Carries every replacement part and tool, plus books and videos, and replacement bodies and necks. WARMOTH GUITAR PRODUCTS 6424 112th St. E. Puyallup, WA 98373 206.845.0403 206.848.2415 (fax) Catalog : $2.00 COMMENTS: Good quality, higher prices, smaller selection of parts, fewer tools. Specializes in ready-to-finish/assemble bodies and necks. WD MUSIC PRODUCTS 261-D Suburban Ave. Deer Park, NY 11719 813.337.7575 813.337.4585 (fax) COMMENTS: WOODWORKER'S DREAM Box 329 10 W. North St. Nazareth, PA 18064 xxx.xxx.xxxx COMMENTS: WOOD 'N' GUITARS PO Box 328 Honesdale, PA 18431 717.253.1620 717.253.4941 (fax) COMMENTS: Replacement bodies and body blanks. Appendix C. Tools And Materials There are many common and specialized tools used in the craft of guitar building. They range from the simplest files to computerized CNC machines which do all the work for you. The list that follows includes some of the tools, and some of their uses, for guitar builders. It is in no particular order. You can select from the list as you see fit for your specific project. The cost of each tool will vary depending on the retailer from where it is purchased. TOOL USE (** BASIC TOOLS **) Straight edge, 18 in. Checking fingerboard straightness Steel ruler Measuring fret spacing Pencils Marking wood layouts and measurements Square Squaring lines on drawings, wood, & parts Clamps (various) Holding laminations Spokeshaves Shaping neck Wood rasps Shaping neck and body contours Chisels Removing excess wood from cavities Files (various) Shaping wood, bevelling frets, detail filing Coping saw Various cutting jobs Hack saw Various cutting jobs Dovetail saw Cutting fret slots Screwdrivers Mounting harware Pliers Bending fret wire, holding parts, tightening bolts Socket set Mounting hardware Masking tape Covering parts during finish Double stick tape Holding router templates Titebond glue Laminating wood, installing inlays Lacquers (colored, clear) Painting, finishing Stains Staining, finishing Soldering iron (+ supplies) Installing electronics (** POWER TOOLS **) Band Saw (10 in. minimum) Cutting body and neck shapes Drill, drill press (+bits) Drilling screw holes, removing wood Router (+bits) Cutting cavities Detail sander Sanding difficult areas Hand sander Basic sanding jobs Small belt sander Larger sanding jobs Sand paper (see grits below) 60, 80, 120, 150, 220 Rough to final sanding 320, 400, 600, 100 (wet/dry) Finish sanding Dremel moto-tool (+bits) Inlay routing, detail routing, polishing (** SPECIAL TOOLS **) Fretboard radius sanding blocks Sanding the fretboard to a specific radius Fret file Reshaping frets Fret nippers Cutting fret wire Fret puller Pulling frets Fret hammer Installing frets Fret planes (w/paper) Leveling fingerboard, frets Fret slotting saw Cutting fret slots Fret dressing file Crowning and shaping frets Router templates Accurate cavity routing Pickup, tremolo, Electronics cavity Precision nut files (set) Filing string slots in nut Appendix D. Fret Spacing Tables Here are the fret locations for a 25 1/2 in. scale guitar: Fret Interval To Bridge 1 1.431 - 2 1.351 - 3 1.275 - 4 1.203 - 5 1.136 - 6 1.072 - 7 1.012 - 8 0.955 - 9 0.901 - 10 0.851 - 11 0.803 - 12 0.758 12.750 13 0.715 12.034 14 0.675 11.359 15 0.637 10.721 16 0.602 10.119 17 0.567 9.552 18 0.536 9.015 19 0.506 8.509 20 0.478 8.031 21 0.451 7.581 22 0.425 7.156 23 0.402 6.754 24 0.379 6.375 Here are the fret locations for a 24 3/4 in. scale guitar: Fret Interval To Bridge 1 1.389 - 2 1.311 - 3 1.237 - 4 1.168 - 5 1.102 - 6 1.040 - 7 0.982 - 8 0.927 - 9 0.875 - 10 0.826 - 11 0.779 - 12 0.736 12.375 13 0.694 11.680 14 0.655 11.024 15 0.618 10.406 16 0.584 9.821 17 0.551 9.271 18 0.520 8.750 19 0.491 8.295 20 0.463 7.796 21 0.437 7.385 22 0.413 6.945 23 0.389 6.555 24 0.368 6.187 Appendix E. Books On Guitar Building There are numerous books that cover all the aspects of guitar building. The list below contains some of the more popular books. Most are available from Stewart-MacDonald's Guitar Shop Supply, and the prices shown are from their catalog, unless otherwise listed. *** Construction: *** BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC GUITAR by Bill Foley "Written to help you assemble guitars from prefinished parts. Includes helpful suggestions for choosing pickups, tips on Khaler and Floyd Rose tremolo installations, wiring diagrams, fret and string nut preparation, intonation adjustment and general set-up techniques." [99 pages, soft cover, $19.95] COMMENTS: CONSTRUCTING A SOLID BODY GUITAR by Roger H. Siminoff "Instructions for making and finishing the wooden parts of an electric guitar with a bolt-on neck are extensively illustrated. Includes full sized working drawings with a special full-color illustrated section on staining and finishing. Covers everything from raw wood selection to final hardware installation and wiring." [60 pages, soft cover, $16.95] COMMENTS: Good step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Easy to follow and read. CUSTOMIZING YOUR ELECTRIC GUITAR by Adrian Legg "Covers basic set-up (action, nut and intonation adjustment) and fret dressing. Explore Gibson and fender pickups and wiring arrangements, custom coil tapping, phase reversal, series/parallel and stereo wiring, active (on-board) electronics, shielding and switching. Numerous wiring diagrams and photos included." [64 pages, soft cover, $10.95] COMMENTS: MAKE YOUR OWN ELECTRIC GUITAR by Melvin Hiscock "Instructions on using hand and power tools, with basic woodworking skills to create custom solid body guitars. Construction and jig-making for glue-in, bolt-on, and straight-thru necks are discussed and illustrated, with all the steps from wood selection to lacquering to custom wiring." [160 pages, soft cover, $16.95] COMMENTS: Very thorough book with 3 examples: A telecaster-type, a Gibson type, and a bass guitar (neck through). MAKING AN ARCH TOP GUITAR by Robert Benedetto "The definitive book and constructing an acoustic arch top guitar. Wood selection, tap tuning, bracing finishing, marketing." [280 pages, 8.5 x 11 in. format, $39.95] COMMENTS: Order with check or money order payable to Robert Benedetto, from Robert Benedetto RR 1 Box 1347 E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301 Phone: 717.223.0883 Tax: PA residents add 6% sales tax Shipping: $5.00 USA, $8.50 Canada, $20.00 Overseas *** Repair/Setup: *** COMPLETE GUITAR REPAIR by Hideo Kamimoto "A useful and popular illustrated guide to the repair, adjustment, and maintenance of acoustic and electric guitars. Explains refretting, neck and truss rod adjustment, bridge re-gluing, crack repairs, refinishing and more. A helpful series of fret scale charts in included." [160 pages, soft cover], $16.95] COMMENTS: DO-IT-YOURSELF GUITAR REPAIR by Pieter Fillet "A compact book written for the musician or dealer who requires basic practical instruction on guitar setup and adjustment procedures. Features over 170 photographs and diagrams with concise explanations of shop procedures to make a guitar play accurately. Covers the fundamentals of fret, neck, string action, nut and bridge adjustments, and provides helpful tips on buying a guitar." [63 pages, soft cover, $4.95] COMMENTS ELECTRIC GUITAR SETUPS by Hideo Kamimoto "A guide to essential set-up work, focusing on action, pickups, intonation adjustment for guitars and basses. Includes set-up tips for Fender, Gibson, and other models; fret leveling, tuning methods, locking tremolo tips, and an extensive look at bridge design." [84 pages, soft cover, $16.95] COMMENTS: GUITAR PLAYER REPAIR GUIDE by Dan Erlewine "The most complete and thorough manual on guitar repairs and adjustments. Includes: Evaluating the instrument, truss- rod, action, and intonation adjustment, electric and acoustic bridge saddles, nut replacement, fret dressing and replacement, installing tuners and tremolos, finishing & touch-ups, fixing cracks, braces, peg heads,and bridges, neck resetting, guitar electronics, replacing and repairing pickups, switches, pots, and wiring." [309 pages, soft cover, $22.95] COMMENTS: Superb in quality, content, and readability. *** Technology: *** MANUAL OF GUITAR TECHNOLOGY by Franz Jahnel "The result of a lifetime of study with European masters, with a large 229 page format and a price aimed squarely at the serious builders. Extremely detailed scientific information on acoustic principles in traditional guitar making, including chemical properties of finishing materials, string making, formulas for vibration and scale properties, a 24 page technical chart of over 300 wood species, construction plans for classical guitars, steel string and carved top jazz guitars and more." [229 pages, tbdcover, $139.50] COMMENTS: A techno's dream book. *** Wood/Wood Finishing: *** (The following are available from Stewart-MacDonald's Guitar Shop Supply) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WOOD by Aidan Walker "A directory of more than 150 of the world's most popular and beautiful timbers. Samples of each species are shown in color, with information on geographical distribution, physical properties (including density, stiffness, workability, and bending strength) and uses. Filled with beautiful color photography and wood lore." [192 pages, hard cover, $29.95] COMMENTS: THE WOOD FINISHING BOOK by Michael Dresdner "A design engineer at Martin Guitars and a contributor to Fine Woodworking magazine, Dresdner also has over 20 years of experience in finishing trades. He offers practical solutions to wood finishing problems, and reveals what's actually inside brand name finish formulations. Preparation, coloring, application, and finish repairs are also discussed." [213 pages, soft cover, $24.95] COMMENTS: UNDERSTANDING WOOD FINISHING by Bob Flexner "Exceptionally well organized and illustrated, this book will help you solve most finishing problems. Based on an extensive knowledge of the chemistry of finishing materials, it features comprehensive coverage of traditional finishes and touch-ups, and new water-based finishes too. Highly recommended." [310 pages, hard cover, $27.95] COMMENTS: UNDERSTANDING WOOD by Bruce Hoadley "A wealth of scientific knowledge about wood, written for the individual woodworker. Essential for the serious luthier. Explain species identification and characteristics; the effects of moisture; drying your own wood; strength properties; effects of machining, joining, bending, and finishing; lumber grading; processing and terminology." [256 pages, hard cover, $31.95] COMMENTS: WOOD FINISHER'S HANDBOOK by Sam Allen "A guide to the preparation and finishing of new wood, and the repair of previously finished wood surfaces. Over 150 photographs and drawings demonstrate modern and traditional techniques. Allen explains the use of finishing tools (brushes, spray equipment, papers and scrapers), staining and filling, topcoats, colors, rubbing and antiquing." [160 pages, soft cover, $12.95] COMMENTS: WOOD FINISHING WITH GEORGE FRANK by George Frank "A step-by-step guide covering every aspect of wood finishing, from stains, dyes and chemical treatments and waxes, varnishes, and oils. Over 80 color photos illustrate the effects of various finishing media and techniques. An extensive section on french polishing is featured." [144 pages, soft cover, $14.95] COMMENTS: Appendix F. Videos On Guitar Building DAN ERLEWINE'S VIDEO GUITAR REPAIR COURSE (8 volumes) (See Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply) 1. Bread and Butter Jobs - Set-ups, part installation & customerservice 2. Yard Sale Specials - 3. Bellyaches - Correcting problems with acoustic tops and bridges 4. Broken Pegheads 5. Cracking Up - Fixing crack and punctures 6. Acoustic Net Resets 7. Guitar Maintenance and Setup - Basic inspection, set-up and cleaning. 8. Don't Fret - Complete professional fretting methods. Each video is $49.95, all 8 is $349.00. MAKING A SOLID BODY GUITAR with Dan Erlewine "Complete details for each step of the project. Plans, layouts, and materials. Squaring up the wood, constructing the neck and body, Shaping and sanding, pre-fitting the hardware, final sanding and finishing, final assembly. [2 hours, $49.95]] (See Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply) SPRAY FINISHING BASICS with Dan Erlewine "Wood preparation, sanding & scraping techniques, grain filling, spray techniques, sealer coats, spray guns, air brushes, sanding, rubbing, and polishing and more..." [90 minutes, $39.95] (See Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply) SPRAY FINISHING WITH COLORS with Dan Erlewine "Lacquer colorants, mixing anilines, choosing a stain, wiping versus spraying, sunburst finishes, transparent color finishes, and much more..." [105 minutes, $39.95} (See Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply) TREMOLO INSTALLATIONS with Dan Erlewine "Intensive, fast paced 90 minute video guides you through the placement, routing, and installation of today's most popular whammies. You'll learn how to use templates for cleaner results and you'll see dozens of trick to make the job easy. Includes: retrofitting a Floyd Rose, installing a Floyd Rose on a non-tremolo guitar, installing a locking nut, installing a Khaler and Ibanez tremolo, recessing the tremolo, tips for adjustment and maintenance." [90 minutes, $39.95] (See Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply) Appendix G. Organizations The following are organizations dedicated to guitar building and repairing: ASSOCIATION OF STRINGED INSTRUMENT ARTISANS (ASIA) 14 S. Broad St. Nazareth, PA 18064 GUILD OF AMERICAN LUTHIERS (GAL) 8222 S. Park. Ave. Tacoma, WA 98408 Appendix H. Schools AMERICAN SCHOOL OF LUTHERIE 420 Moore Lane Healdsburg, CA 95448 707.433.7384 COMMENTS: A one week course, $1000 per person. APPRENTICE SHOP PO Box 267 Spring Hill, TN 37174 BRYAN GALLUP'S GUITAR HOSPITAL 10495 Northland Dr. Big Rapids, MI 49307 RED WING AREA VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE Pioneer Rd. at Hwy. 58 Red Wing, MN 55066 RENTON VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE 3000 NE 4th ST. Renton, WA 98056 ROBERTO-VENN SCHOOL OF LUTHIER 4011 S. 16th St. Pheonix, AZ 85040 Appendix I. Sample Cost of A Guitar Below is a sample cost list for a simple guitar. Remember, this does not include any tools, glues, sandpaper, or finishing materials! In many cases, the lower priced items are chosen, for example, a rosewood fingerboard instead of ebony. The prices are from Stewart-MacDonald's Guitar Shop Supply catalog. Your prices may vary. Item/Part Cost (US $) ====================== ======================== Body wood 57.50 *shop around (Alder) Neck Wood 64.20 *can make two (maple 2x5x30 inches) 1-piece necks Fret wire (6 feet of Jumbo wire) 10.26 Nut (graph-tech) 4.48 Fingerboard (rosewood, 12 in radius) 17.48 Trussrod 10.99 Trussrod cover 1.54 Trussrod cover screws 0.54 Side dot material 2.97 Pearl inlays (6mm dia) 4.20 Schaller bridge pickup 34.95 Schaller neck pickup 34.95 Pickup mounting rings (2) 6.50 (w/screws and springs) Control pots (4) 12.88 Pickup selector switch (5-way) 7.88 Capacitors 3.60 Circuit wire (2 feet) 0.31 Control knobs (4) 7.32 Strap locks 9.70 Neck plate (w/screws) 4.86 Jack plate (w/screws) 6.32 Output jack, mono 1.99 Electronics cavity cover plate 8.95 Tremolo cover plate 2.64 Cover plate screws (10) 2.30 Strat tremolo/bridge 39.79 Sperzel Locking tuners (6 inline blk) 63.90 GHS Boomers 4.89 ----------------------- TOTAL $427.89 Assuming the neck blank is cut and laminated to make one neck, not two. This price is not too bad when you don't count tools etc. Also, figure in for sandpaper and paint, which is fairly small. THE END ------------------------------------------ GUITAR BUILDERS FAQ Part I, Electric Guitars Version 1.4 10 July 1995 Copyright (c) 1995 Bill Wyza All Rights Reserved ------------------------------------------