Steve's Guitar Making Part 1 - Materials

Beginning of the building a steel string series

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• guitar
• building
• making
• lutherie

[HutchisonGuitars]

Steve, that looks like a McPherson guitar you have hanging on the wall behind you. Do you make your bracing on the inside like McPherson's? I took a tour at their factory in Sparta, Wisconsin last summer and John Mayes works there.

[bobloblaw1701]

That guitar was a grand experiment (that turned out rather well). There are some more details on it on my old guitar web site. Do a goolge search for "steve dickie guitars" and check out the gallery for pics.

[buhulutz]

Steve ..please tell me the sizes of the sound board and the sizes of the sides....THANK YOU

[bobloblaw1701]

The thickness of guitar plates is an age old discussion full of differing opinions, methods and theorys. If you're using spruce for the soundboard, try 0.125". Backs are thinner such as 0.100". Sides are thinner still at around 0.085". I'm talking steel string guitars here, tops and backs are around 0.020 thinner for a classical.

Having said all that, lots of builders out there would have a different opinion. My suggestion is always to try it and refine.

Steve

[fjsm33]

Thanks for posting these videos Steve. I've been thinking a great deal about a career building guitars recently and have been looking for a course, but in Central Scotland they're not easy to find! these vids could be my first step!

[bobloblaw1701]

Thanks. A great book is "Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology". It was certainly my primary reference for my first few guitars.

[laripsspiral]

This kind of vids are what makes youtube great!

Thank you!

[blowitaly2]

thanks steve!you are great and your video is so helpful!!i'm from italy and im entering (also thanks to you!)into this magic universe of guitar building

greetings from italy!

[1996PhYcOmExIcAn]

omm how much it costed u all togher

[miserablerottensmurf]

Great video steve. You should be a teacher. I have never learned so much in such a short space of time. I actually feel quite confident I could build an acoustic now If I had access to a shop. I Think I will. Canadian Guitars are the best btw. Cheers

[Bertziethegreat]

Where do you buy your woods?

[GameLevelEditor]

This trade appeals to me. I been a moldmaker since I was 20 and did some odd carpentry jobs till now in my 40s. As a second career I was just thinking of repair work mostly involving setup, fret work, misc electronics. Making a guitar now that is much more involving! Job satisfaction over money is more appealing in the balance of things for me anyhow. It all works out.

[tracorslow]

Hey Steve, thanks a tonne, I may think about this as a hobbie, pretty detailed!

[oochicooch]

Hi Steve, just watched all your videos and thought they were great. Such detail. Please can you tell me if the neck is simply bolted on or is it glued as well ? Also how do you shape and polish the bone for the nut. Also how do you determine the string spacings. I have not yet started to build a guitar but as a keen woodworker your clear and precise instructions have led me to believe that i can do it. Thankyou for taking the time to pass on your knowledge to so many people around the world.

[richard025749]

Very Patient man. Very nice to share all his knowledege for the making of such a beautiful instrument. Thank you for sharing.

[united4life7]

He sounds like Elmo.

[CooleyCoolenson]

i wouldnt say the top choice, but definitely the most common

[Wallrunner1992]

Rosewood is standard, Ebony is also a popular choice.