Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Is it possible to have the bridge too far forward on the X-brace? In other words, is there a limit to how close to the x intersection you'd want the bridge (assuming your bridge pins won't be piercing the x-brace)?

Thanks guys. Yes. I did go ahead and cut fret slots today and wrecked the tenon on my neck drilling holds for the barrel nuts. So some repair work to do there. I'll glue in a couple of those wood blocks with T-nuts and then close up the box. Very helpful. And really looking forward to reading the bo...

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate the input. You are correct. Humidity isn't an issue here. I have had to wait all summer to glue the top, as humidity is at its highest from July through September. Humidity finally came down and I got the top glued up. Now with Christmas coming, I thought I may want to hol...

Hi All, I have asked my wife and she has agreed to get me "The Books" for Christmas this year. I've built a uke and am most of the way through my first guitar build with two other builds planned within the next year or so. My question is that I just glued the top to the sides, but the back is still ...

Thanks Ross and Wayne. I actually have the evaporative cooler, but rarely use it for some reason. I learned the hard way about the bending iron when I noticed some threads on my shorts had melted after using it one time. You are right about the braces being too long. I cut them all long and rough sh...

It’s been a while. Thought I’d post update photos for anyone interested. Sides bent with neck and tail block glued. Top and back are braced with baces rough shaped. Waiting for the Humidity to drop more before closing up the box. Thanks to all of you for your support and knowledge. I just asked my w...

I revisited this blackest of black arts today. I rubbed some chicken bones together and did a little dance. Burned some incense and put on my finest head-dress. 3 hours later I got one side pretty close to the right shape. I did start to get a bit of technique figured out and found the last 30 minut...

I bought a non-Jet after market belt that isn't a perfect circle. One side is a little smaller than the other, making it a very slight cone shape. No matter how I adjust the tracking, I get drift.

Thanks again.

For joining/gluing the back, I am using a flat surface and wedges with a caul on the seam to keep it from buckling.

Will go back to work on the sides soon and post pictures of my progress.

Thanks again!

Thanks Martin. I used a Stanley No. 7 to joint (both sides at the same time) and tried touching up with sandpaper but didn't try a full length swipe with sandpaper on a long, flat surface. Just touching up the high spots. The sides are about 2.16mm. I did get them to bend, they just didn't stay that...

Yes. You guys have been really great about sharing information. I've been reading through the entire Instrument Builder's Forum bit by bit. (On page 31 now) The jointing went poorly in that I just couldn't get the tiniest gap to go away when candle-lighting. I had two backs that I was working on and...

Thanks again for all the input. Jointed and joined back plate and attempted to bend sides yesterday. Neither went terribly well.

Thanks for all the input! Will keep a hydrometer in the shop and shoot for 40-ish for gluing up bracing. Any other glue jobs where I would want to be attentive of RH, or just the bracing?

Hi All, I'm just getting underway on my first guitar build (I am wrapping up a uke build that was my first instrument). I live in the desert where average humidity is in the low 40's in the winter then gradually dips lower through the spring and bottoms out in the mid-teens in summer then gradually ...

Thanks for the input all. I am hoping to get an instrument that isn't absolute garbage. Will hopefully upgrade to OK, then to nice, then at some point, good. Aiming high. I have the Cumpiano book and have read it a few times, but have followed very little of it. I'll have to check out the Kindkead b...

Hi, I have been a lurker for a few months. I just wanted to post to introduce myself and for lack of anything to really contribute, figured I'd post a few pictures of my first build. My name is Matt, I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I've been a guitar player for about 28 years and a hack wood worker for ...