Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I would like to pick your collective brains. I have a number of spruce sets of different varieties which I have acquired over the years. Some came from Martin and others through a forum group buy. Could you please advise which sets would best suit Classic Guitars and which sets suit Steel String, or...

Hi Admin's,

I'm still lurking around from Daylesford, Vic and am currently attempting to build a 12 string acoustic guitar.

There are some interesting comments from Alan Carruth and Trevor Gore in this post:
http://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/v ... 1&t=114651

I have recently commenced a 12 String guitar build and during recent discussions with Bob, he suggested using 6 large bridge pins (2 string per pin) as opposed to 12 pins with a string to each. The rationale being that it is easier to align six pin holes. He previously used extra large bridge pins t...

My daughter wants a small bodied classic/nylon stringed guitar, probably the size of a parlour or travel guitar size. I can't find any plans on-line. Does anyone know of available plans, or do I need to get plans for a small bodied acoustic guitar and then modify the internal bracing to suit nylon s...

After reading the reply's I'm also going to get the machinery house unit.

I've been looking at one of these units for my assembly workshop and was hoping for a quite sounding unit. Any one have experience.

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/R850

I have 5 of these in my workshop, one in each of the dirty work rooms How often do you have to change the filters? Or can they be cleaned and re used? Two replacement filters available, around $85 each time.-Ross I have been looking at the one of these units lately and wondered how much noise it ma...

I am wondering about re-fitting the pick-up to my daughters violin, which I have been restoring for some time. Can someone tell me what the silver strip is on the pick up strip...should it be positioned facing the bridge or body? Also, you will notice it has slipped on the black strip, can it be rem...

The bracing for the top Graham is the standard X-bracing, with the exception that the lower bout has a fine lattice bracing which I have borrowed from Bob Connor's design.

This 00 size acoustic guitar has been made as a gift to my eldest son in celebration of his 40th birthday. The back and sides are Gidgee, supplied by Jeremy Fullerton. (I’m told the tree came from near Bourke in northwest NSW.) The top is Bearclaw Sitka Spruce supplied by Tim Spittle. The fretboard,...

Photos coming soon...I promise Martin! Hoping to get a small sound/video clip with my son next week. Patience is a virtue!

I've just finished a OO Florentine cutaway with Gidgee and the finished guitar produced the best sounding instrument so far...very clear and bright. I was so impressed with the results I've just purchased another Gidgee set from Pete.

After contacting Ken less than a month ago I now have my Performax 10/20 Drum sander re assembled and running again. Ken matched his replacement parts to my spindle thread and machined new parts. Ken's generosity in making these parts to assist fellow luthiers keep their sanders going longer is grea...

My 10-20 Performax Drum Sander died a few weeks ago with the same problem. Unfortunately emails to 'timbuck' in the UK are un-answered, so I'll need to talk to an engineering firm in Ballarat to see if I can get a reasonably priced repair.

Thanks for that simple explanation Mark. I made a new sanding stick today, as suggested, and it worked a treat.

I am currently making an acoustic guitar and decided to build a 25' radius top which I've completed. I am now trying to contour the sides of the body to match the top. The consensus seems to suggest shaping the sides of the body with a 25' radius dish using sandpaper, but to flatten the sides and ne...

Hi Jeremy, I also made a mistake like this when drilling holes for Mandolin Tuners. Luckily I have a lathe, so I turned plugs to fit my stepped holes. I'd already stepped the holes to accept bushings. I used scraps of timber the same as the headpiece and prior to 'turning' I laminated the same facep...

Forget the blackwood...I want to see the Huon & King Billy boat!

Superb job Alan, Really like the back and sides timber.

I successfully cut the CF Rod with a hacksaw today...much easier than I envisaged. Can I use arildite to glue the truss rod into the neck blank?

Thank you for your feedback, will use a hacksaw blade.

I've seen posts indicating you shouldn't use saws to cut Carbon Fibre Truss Ross as it will damage blades, so how is it cut?

Excellent work Alan.

Thank you to all for your kind remarks and words of encouragement.