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First build with my own body shape and design

hello looths - i'm building my first guitar. generally following (and enjoying) the gore/gilet books. after 3 tries, i've yet to get a crack free bend around the nose of a venetian cutaway with a mahogany side. i made a version of the fox bender - using clamps on hand for the waist and cutaway, and a pid temp controller (verified accuracy), and am using a stew mac blanket and three straps. the recipe for my last attempt was: sapelle (fo…

Hi everyone, I’m working on a thinline style (semi hollow flat top) and had a question about the chambering. I’m planning on only one F-hole on the top side, but wanted to get as much air movement as I could. Will cutting the chamber behind the bridge cause me problems, like in the pic? Do I need the center block to go all the way back to the strap pin? I feel like I should be fine with a decent glue up. Thanks!

I'm nearing the end of my first build. I have about 1 mm gap above the top at the end of the fingerboard extension. I've read and seen some guidance to clamp that down while gluing the extension. Others seem to build in a wedge-shaped shim - although it seems that is mostly done with neck resets and not new builds. A straight edge on the frets is just slightly above the top of the bridge so I think my neck angle is good. What are your t…

A client has asked me to build an acoustic guitar using crelicam ebony for the back and sides that he is getting form Stewmac. I have heard it's challenging to bend, and this will be an OM so the waist is pretty tight. Any thoughts or suggestions for bending these sides? I use a homemade bending machine modelled after LMI's latest design (may they rest in peace) and I have had good success bending rosewood, walnut, mahogany, and pau fer…

Here's my latest build. Carpathian spruce and mahogany dreadnought 😁😁

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Initial frequency analysis of this D28 copy (done with a temporary 35g bolt-on bridge and the back plate taped on) is VERY LOW. Main air resonance 83.5hz and top monopole 156.6. It's standard Martin scalloped X-bracing with a torrefied Adirondack top. Since I can still easily access the bracing, I'm thinking of going in and laminating wood on top of the X brace to stiffen it. Other options would be a very light bridge, though I'm not…

I’m working on a 1920’s Regal with an ebonized fingerboard. I’ve seen these referred to as “ebonized pearwood,” but all I know is it’s worn through to a light wood, definitely much softer and grainier than maple. I want to keep the finger wear through the ebonizing, but build up a little layer of protection. Boiled linseed oil seems ideal for this. However, I’ve heard boiled linseed oil doesn’t react well with tannins. Tannins may be pa…

Hey there fellow Looths! I'm still learning and just starting my luthier journey, but I'm serious about it and want to design and build my own workshop. I have space for a 4mx4m (13x13ft) workshop. I know it's kinda tiny but I think it can do the trick since I want to work analog/by hand for most of the tasks. I plan to buy a drill press and a band saw. That's all for 'the big machinery'. I'm just curious if people have tips or 'things to…

There are two new sub forums in New Builds and Repair and Restoration called “share your content”. Got a new youtube video ? Share it there. Got a new Instagram Reel ? Share it there. Did you just cut a killer new miter and just want to share it ? Share it there. Anything you want to share that doesn’t involve a question, share it there. Speaking of which, I should probably share this there.

There are two new sub forums in New Builds and Repair and Restoration called "share your content". Got a new youtube video ? Share it there. Got a new Instagram Reel ? Share it there. Did you just cut a killer new miter and just want to share it ? Share it there. Anything you want to share that doesn't involve a question, share it there. Speaking of which, I should probably share this there.

Hi -- I'm building a Thinline Tele and accidentally over-planed the mahogany neck blank. It is now 18.7 mm thick on avg and my rosewood fingerboard is 5.95 mm -- for a total of 24.65 mm instead of the recommended 25.4 mm (1 inch). So the total thickness will be thinner by 0.75 mm or so. 1. Am I still within practical tolerance and therefore should just go ahead with the build as normal? 2. Should I try gluing a 0.55 mm maple veneer I hav…

Hi -- I built my first two guitars and finished them with Minwax wipe-on poly. I came to order Rothko & Frost waterslide decals and noticed their website says they won't work on wipe-on poly (or maybe any poly). Anyone have advice on how to add a decal to the headstock in this situation? FYI, the builds are over two years old so the poly is pretty well set. Thanks!

Hi, I just glued the bridge on the dreadnought I'm building and generated some Chladni patterns. I have the monopole at 188 Hz, long dipole at 335 Hz and cross dipole at 378 Hz. I would expect the cross dipole to come at a lower frequency than the long dipole, but they seem to be reversed. Does anyone know why this happens? Pictures attached. Any comments about things you can see on them, good or bad, are welcome :) Thanks! Jorge

Hello, Just heard of this group and decided to join. My name is John Read and I live in Indianapolis, IN, USA. I have been building Martin style acoustic guitars for 5 years and am on scratch build #28. I am also the website administrator for both kitguitarsforum.com and asiartisans.org/guitarmaker.org. Loothgroup looks to be a fantastic, next-generation communication tool and I look forward to joining into the conversations. Here's my c…