(Part 3) Best products from r/luthier

Not at all. While it's not impossible to use a cheap soldering iron and get a good job done, it will save you a TON of hassel by getting a good one. RadioShack irons are more trouble than 2x what they're worth. My soldering jobs have been a pleasure to do since I upgraded, and I solder often so that's important to me. I use the Weller WESD51, and it's an absolute joy to use. If your on a bit more of a budget, my friend is a professional luthier and he's never complained about the WLC100, which is also from Weller.


Do it. It's worth it.

You shouldn't need a mallet for something as thin as a soundboard, Stanley makes an inexpensive sharpening kit for chisels that comes with a honing guide to make it super easy:

http://amzn.com/B000KFTDSK

If you already have the soundboard roughed out and attached, a sharp card scraper or a sharp chisel is the easiest way to go. If you haven't roughed out the soundboard yet, a good coping saw or keyhole saw will work great. Lee Valley has some inexpensive saws, that are much better then what you can pick up at the hardware store.

I’m running pretty much the same rig. Got a 26 Gallon Quiet Compressor (Kobalt) and a set of harbor freight guns. I’m spraying inside my shop using this spray tent. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011L3DVVO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_0-ITBb7967E6B). I also run a JET air filtration system in the shop before and during spraying. It does a great job of keeping the dust down.

Great job on the flake too. Flake is pretty hard to get it to go straight to the buffer. I usually put enough to bury the flake then level sand with 600, spray a top coat, then can take it right to the buffer. I did a purple flake bass recently with a metallic purple base. Came out really nice.

I do what rrawlings1 described. But make sure to get your hardware (or dimensions of your hardware) before anything to incorporate that into your drawing. For example, the footprint of the tuners is pretty critical when you're laying out your headstock.

And I use a roll of blank easel paper instead of drafting paper (I'm assuming he's referring to drafting paper with a 1" grid printed on it). Sometimes I'll move the center line and realign everything if the body shape is good but seems a little unbalanced. Either way has its advantages and disadvantages.

But yeah, 1:1 drawing, then I trace that drawing to preserve the original. Then I double stick tape the tracings onto MDF or higher-quality plywood and trace the lines with a razor blade or X-acto knife to score the lines onto the template material. Then I'll cut out the templates with a band saw/belt sander/spindle sander/router and cut the actual guitar off of those.

It takes a lot longer to make templates, especially for the body cavity routs, but once you have them, it's really easy to make more of the same guitar.

I can't recommend this belt/spindle sander combo enough for the entire build process. Between that, a band saw (or nice jigsaw), a hand router that you can mount under a work bench, a cordless drill, and various bits/sandpaper/hand tools, you can make an entire guitar with relative ease.

I have the 9" Ryobi bandsaw, I'd actually argue that it's pretty useful! I bought it to cut out bodies, etc., and I picked the small saw because I have a small workshop (I mostly use hand tools). All in all I think it's a great alternative to a jigsaw.

For what it is, I think the saw does a great job. I've been able to cut out a body (1 1/2" thick maple and mahogany), and also do nice long straight cuts on mahogany and maple neck blanks. I also made a simple guide and successfully resawed some 3 1/2" wide hard maple, but that's the absolute largest it can do.

One thing I think really matters is a high quality blade and a careful setup of the bearings. I got this blade, it can't do super tight curves but does straight lines and gentle curves really well.
https://www.amazon.com/Morse-ZCZC06-4-Inch-Working-Bandsaw/dp/B000EHL04Y

Anything will work.


I assume you need something for more major repairs and something for touch ups and polishing.


You should check out the Spyderco triangle ceramic stones for $10. The medium is probably more than enough but you could go for the fine. Great finishing and touch up tools.

For more major repairs any coarse stone will do.

• Some diamond set of hand files
  
  
• Norton stone
  

Loads of tools in their catalog can be found cheaper if you just take the time to look. Just as many can be easily made but sometimes you have to weigh out what your time is worth to do so. Philadelphia Luthier has a lot of solid tools a better prices. Their fret pullers are the bomb and almost half the price.

This one always got me. The No-Chip Countersink tool at $36 plus shipping. https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Tuner_Installation/No_Chip_Countersink.html

Its an useful tool but you can get the same thing from Amazon for $9 w free shipping. https://www.amazon.com/Dedeco-13110-Carbide-Double-Cut-degree/dp/B00NWHRDB2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537479617&sr=8-6&keywords=SK-6+Double+Cut

Another is the fret beveling tool. $75 for a five dollar bastard file and a five dollar block of nylon.

My experience with those has also been pretty bad. Even with the special driver and using a drill press to set them, the top edge always snaps off making it completely useless. I have had pretty good luck with the expansion version of those intended for plastics. Like this. I like to set them with a bit of threaded rod chucked up in the drill press. I also typically add a bit of superglue just to make sure it won't spin.

Highly recommend the Mohawk Finisher's Choice clear lacquer. Goes on super nice.

Make sure you let your friend's artwork dries really, really thoroughly and apply a few solid layers of de-waxed shellac over it before the lacquer coat (I like the Bulls-Eye SealCoat stuff). If you don't, you risk the paints interacting badly. It might also be good to lay down a coat of shellac before your friend paints to stop their work soaking into the wood.

I'd suggest letting the art dry for at least 2 weeks. Apply a thin layer of the shellac with a soft brush. Let it dry for a few hours. Apply another coat, but french polish this one (so it's super smooth). Let it dry overnight then apply a third coat (also french polish). Let it dry for 24 hours then gently sand it flat with 320 grit. Then wipe it down with a lightly damp cloth (not with denature alcohol, use water), wait 10 mins, then apply another layer with a french polish technique.

After that's dried for 24 hours, start spraying lacquer! This will mean there's a solid, even layer to lay the lacquer down, and several layers between the lacquer and the art.

Here's the Renaissance Lute building course I was thinking of. He also sells one for building a Baroque Lute. Here's an interesting article on Medieval Lute building methods with photos. And here is a comprehensive book on Historical Lute Construction.

From what I've heard, you might want to practice building a few simpler instruments first before attempting a lute. A ukulele or mandolin, a couple guitars, and then a baroque guitar with inlays and fancy rose etc. should give you enough knowledge and skill to attempt it. There are courses available and plenty of info on guitar construction, and many of the principles will be the same. Note that guitar construction is MUCH heavier than renaissance lute construction. A lute soundboard varies in thickness from 1mm - 0.7mm in some places, and they're expected to form an S curve near the bridge when strings are tensioned. Also, string tension is barely half that of a classical guitar. European renaissance and baroque lutes are quite fragile compared to a modern guitar or oud, and feel almost like paper mache at first. They were designed to be as resonant as possible to get the most out of low (gut) string tension. As a side note regarding playing technique, if you're a guitarist with basic classical skills, you'll have to learn a very different way of playing using the 'thumb-under' technique i.e. single note runs are fingered thumb index (p i p i - with the thumb passing under/behind the index due to hand angle) rather than alternating middle index (m i m i) etc. Here's a great older video of Paul O'Dette talking about the lute. Great example of thumb under technique at 1:38.

Edit: Here's a classic instruction book on lute playing. It covers a bit of everything, including 3 forms of tablature.

Here's a fantastic source for historical lute tablature, mostly in French style (letters for frets instead of numbers).

This is the perfect way to fix this! I have done in hundreds of times. The only thing I do different is re-hydrate the entire body to avoid cracking a seam somewhere else. I use one of the hanging closet bags your grandmother had (http://www.amazon.com/Household-Essentials-Hanging-Wardrobe-Garment/dp/B0044SFUAE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451140907&sr=8-2&keywords=hanging+closet+bag) and place a small plastic pan of hot water in the bottom. I change out the water every few hours until the crack closes. Sometimes it’s a few hours sometimes it will take days. Then finish up the crack like MothRatten says. Cleats on the inside are good bet. Small spruce rectangles with the grain running opposite the direction of the top.
Good Luck!

Ernie ball makes a great toolkit that I keep with my gigging stuff. All the allen wrenches, screwdriver bits, scales you could need and even a pegwinder. It might be a little more expensive than buying the tools individually, but it's one of the best and most useful gifts I've ever recieved. Here's a link

If you're interested in jazz guitar get Robert Benedetto's Making an Archtop guitar. I think that's one of the best written guitar making books out there. On sound/tone I'd recommend reading articles by Dana Bourgeois at http://www.pantheonguitars.com/ (under tonewoods and voicing). For techniques I definitely recommend reading through Frank Ford's articles at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html#Luthier

???

It’s pretty common. I’ve made belt buckles out of it.

Simple amazon search:

EPOXY RESIN CRYSTAL CLEAR 16 oz Kit. FOR SUPER GLOSS COATING AND TABLETOPS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWT156B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DguHzbHFXJ16E

On violins and cellos we use clear contact paper to protect high wear areas. The adhesive is easily removable with a bit of naptha if needed. Some cellists also have a cloth that hangs from the neck to protect and pad the area that contacts their chest.

Con-Tact Brand Clear Covering Self-Adhesive Semi-Transparent Privacy Film and Liner, 18'' x 20', Clear Matte https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R8AWBJI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IoBoDbAPGZH1S

https://www.google.com/search?q=cello+bib&oq=cello+bib&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.2518j0j9&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Haha, fair enough. Worst case scenario you get it down to bare wood hate it and you can paint it something else. Hopefully you like it. You never know what to expect on those.

with the heatgun, dont do it till the paint comes off on its own as that will for sure burn the wood. Just pick an area maybe 1/4 to 1/8 of the face of the guitar, and heat it, keeping the heat gun in motion. As the paint gets soft, scrape it off with a putty knife. Once its mostly off, it will be easier to sand the oddball remnants off, probably with 180 grit or so using a hand sanding block. Then hit it with 220, 300, and maybe up to 600 if youre just going to oil it.

Also, for the love of all that is toany, get a respirator. You can get a decent one for $25 on amazon, I use this and it works quite well.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Low-Maintenance-Half-Mask-Respirator-Assembly/dp/B00004Z4EB/. Also do this outside.

All in all, If the paint isnt scraping off easily it needs more heat, but always err on the side of farther/more motion than less, and dial in the distance slowly so you dont burn the wood.

Good luck man!

i used this on recommendation from some people over at tdpri. i absolutely love the way it feels, and i put it on all of my satin-necked guitars. it's actually nicer than regular poly, IMO. here are some pics i took just now. (not the greatest, apologies.)

Recommended Books:
Electric Guitar and Bass Design: The guitar or bass of your dreams, from the first draft to the complete plan https://www.amazon.com/dp/3000296425/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_HT7nDb2JCC3CP

Electric Guitar Making & Marketing: How to build and market high-end instruments, from your workshop's setup to the complete business plan https://www.amazon.com/dp/1514353083/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_ZS7nDbZQR4RFH

Make Your Own Electric Guitar https://www.amazon.com/dp/0953104907/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_mV7nDb4C88PQ7

Build Your Own Electric Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plansby Oakham, Martin
(This one is hard to find)