An OM 6-String Acoustic Guitar Build

359 Pages·2013·38.6 MB·English

Mokkou.JP Acoustic Guitar Build
An OM 6-String Acoustic Guitar Build
Alex Reid
acousticblog.mokkou.jp
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. The First Plates
3. Glueing Up the Top Plate
4. Thicknessing Top Plate and Installing Sound Board Rosette
5. Laying Out the X-Bracing
6. Making a Radius Dish
7. Gluing the X-braces Part 1
8. Gluing the X-braces Part 2
9. Gluing the Back Plate
10. Bracing the Back Plate Part 1
11. Bracing the Back Plate Part 2
12. Side Bender
13. Side Bending
14. Gluing the Sides
15. Fitting the Back
16. Fitting and Gluing the Top
17. Gluing the Back to the Body
18. Making and Gluing the End Graft
19. Bindings and Purflings
20. Back Bindings
21. Top Purflings and Bindings
22. The Neck
23. Headstock Veneer
24. Shaping the Neck Part 1
25. Shaping the Neck Part 2
26. Dovetail Tenon Joint and Jig
27. Dovetail Mortise Joint and Jig
28. Truss Rod, Heel Cap and Neck Glue-Up
29. The Fretboard
30. Martin Style Pyramid Bridge
31. Bone Nut and Pyramid Bridge Installation
32. Fretting
33. Side Position Dots
34. Saddle Slot and Bridge Height Adjustment
35. Finishing
36. French Polishing with Shellac
37. String Setup
38. Completion Pictures
39. Summary
40. Plans
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List of Tools
titebond 3 glue
rasp
hide glue
bench chisels
masking tape - low tack
squares
pin nails
Incra sliding rule
heat blanket or hot iron for bending
miter gauge
bending jig
straight edge rule
gentleman's crosscut miter saw
wire cutters
miter box
fret files
brass hammer
leveling file
bench planes
straight edge level
spokeshave
Veritas striking knife
dremel tool with Dremel stand
circle cutting jig for Dremel tool (rosette cutter) fret rule
neck support block (very useful) tapered reamers
router bits and bearings for binding and purfling wax paper
double sided tape
variety of profile sanding blocks - round, curved, straight, etc.
12mm dowels for go-bar and inside body supports.
Spool Clamps. C-clamps, F-clamps, fast action, clothes peg type pinchers
Materials
side and back plate set for OM guitar bindings
top plate set for soundboard rosette
mahogany for neck fret wire
2 end blocks for body truss rod
spruce for braces tuners
kerfed linings nut and saddle
ebony fingerboard pegs
ebony bridge set of strings
purflings
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Introduction
To begin I want to tell you I am not a guitar maker. That may sound odd considering I am
selling this book telling you how to make an acoustic guitar. The fact is though I am a
woodworker and I have plenty of experience making things out of wood. Making jigs, setting
up for test cuts, tool care and preparation and wood selection are all standard practice for me.
My passion for woodworking, music and guitar are essentially what led me here. And I am
confident you will gain a considerable amount of knowledge applying what I have learned and
written about in this book.
This I my first time to build an acoustic stringed instrument. For this I used several books
for reference, Youtube videos and online forums like Musical Instrument Makers forum. I am
using the plans included in a guitar makers book I purchased and a free set I downloaded. Both
sets are based on a Martin OM model. I also made small changes here and there as I read and
gained more knowledge.
There are several good kits available through stores like Stewart MacDonald and Luthiers
Mercantile International The kits are high quality and can make many of the steps much
simpler but I wanted to make one from scratch building all the templates, jigs and using
traditional timber species for a steel stringed guitar.
For this build I am using Sitka spruce, Indian rosewood, Honduras mahogany and African
ebony. This combination of timbers will make quite a traditional sounding 6-string acoustic.
On one last note before jumping in. I would like to add that if there is one thing you can do
to help you make a fine instrument, be prepared. That is to say that before you make the real
cut do a test cut and make sure your setup is correct. And spend the extra time to make a
jig that will allow you to get that cut right. Even if making the jig is going to take 10 times the
time it will take you to make the cut. I have spent long hours making jigs that when the time
came it only took a mere minute to do. It was always time well spent as an investment.
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The first plates
Here I lay out the plans and inspect the dimensions, etc.
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The plans cut out and folded in half with number 1 plate template made from 6mm ply.
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Screw the template to a rough cut of ply mark your center line clearly from top to bottom and
route the edge clean. Make sure you mark a cross point midway in your center line for lining up
when you flip over and do the same on the opposite side.
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Cross point midway in your center line.
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Remove the half plate and there you have your top and back plate template. These two
templates (half plate and full plate) will also be used for making your side bending jig and the
body mold.
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Check for accuracy.
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