Clueless guitar build: Spruce/oak ladder braced 12 string.
Jun 18, 2014 16:49:33 GMT
scotch likes this
Post by alexkirtley on Jun 18, 2014 16:49:33 GMT
I have never built a guitar before (Well, not really) I've been learning a lot about guitar building and I am hoping to do my first.
I am going to do a ladder braced 12 string, very similar to the ones made by Oscar Schmidt(Stella), Fraulini etc.
I've wanted a Stella 12 string for ages, and since I cant afford one, I thought 'why not make one'
This'll take a while (considering I have few more tools than a dremel) but I have a firm idea, I'll try and write up some specs...
Lower bout: 16"
Upper bout: 12.5"
Body depth: 4.5"
Back/sides: white Oak (salvaged from good quality skirting boards)
Top: Sitka Spruce
Neck: Oak
Scale: 26.5"
nut width: 1 7/8"
Bridge: floating (using a tailpiece)
Bridge/fretboard material: undecided, preferably ebony
Neck type: bolt on, 12 fret to body
Bracing: ladder
Like I said, this will take a while, If I ever get around to doing it at all and it will be a great learning experience with many mistakes along the way...probably
Now, being a teenager who is broke most of the time because I like buying guitars I don't have money to spend on tools and parts so I am making the most of what I can get, either from things lying around or salvaged from other things.
I made a rough paper template of what the guitar body will look like
Here is the start of the neck being glued (thankfully my dad has a collection of clamps so I could do this, I really need to buy some), the neck consists of 5 peices of oak which were blanks from skirting boards because we recently re-built a house, this included all oak skirting boards and door frames everywhere so there was quite alot of excess oak which was just going to be put in the burner, I am trying to make better use of it:
this block was then sent to a wood merchants who cut it to a blank.
I then did a bit more shaping with a jig saw.
I am going to do a ladder braced 12 string, very similar to the ones made by Oscar Schmidt(Stella), Fraulini etc.
I've wanted a Stella 12 string for ages, and since I cant afford one, I thought 'why not make one'
This'll take a while (considering I have few more tools than a dremel) but I have a firm idea, I'll try and write up some specs...
Lower bout: 16"
Upper bout: 12.5"
Body depth: 4.5"
Back/sides: white Oak (salvaged from good quality skirting boards)
Top: Sitka Spruce
Neck: Oak
Scale: 26.5"
nut width: 1 7/8"
Bridge: floating (using a tailpiece)
Bridge/fretboard material: undecided, preferably ebony
Neck type: bolt on, 12 fret to body
Bracing: ladder
Like I said, this will take a while, If I ever get around to doing it at all and it will be a great learning experience with many mistakes along the way...probably
Now, being a teenager who is broke most of the time because I like buying guitars I don't have money to spend on tools and parts so I am making the most of what I can get, either from things lying around or salvaged from other things.
I made a rough paper template of what the guitar body will look like
Here is the start of the neck being glued (thankfully my dad has a collection of clamps so I could do this, I really need to buy some), the neck consists of 5 peices of oak which were blanks from skirting boards because we recently re-built a house, this included all oak skirting boards and door frames everywhere so there was quite alot of excess oak which was just going to be put in the burner, I am trying to make better use of it:
this block was then sent to a wood merchants who cut it to a blank.
I then did a bit more shaping with a jig saw.
Jo whoever he is.
