Learn to Kit Build a Guitar. Learn to Scratch Build a Guitar. Learn EVERYTHING Guitars Here! 2026-04-22T22:38:51-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/app.php/feed 2026-04-22T22:38:51-04:00 2026-04-22T22:38:51-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10297&p=62660#p62660
First off, my EIR bindings with BW purfling did not work out as I cut my binding channel about .020" deep to use them and I had some delamination going on too.
I had some more cut offs of EIR but only enough for 3 bindings. So I decided to use some Sapele binding I'd made many years ago and I thought it would look fine as it's close in color to the mahogany neck and goes well with the EIR back strip and end wedge.

Then I found I was not able to use Mt BWB purflings from Stewmac because they are only 31.5" long and I was about a half inch short even for the top.

So I have some veneers and decided to make my own purfling. 36" long Holly, and black dyed maple, each .020".

I made it up and cut strips on the bandsaw and they worked out good. Took a little prebending on the iron and had a couple break in that process but got 4 good ones and it looks good.

I had started the EIR fretboard so finished that up, bound with strips cut from the board do it looks like it's not bound.

Stewmac 2 way truss rod installed. Mortise and tenon routing for the neck went well. I finished carving the neck
today and got it fit on center to the body. Just some finish sanding to do on it.

Next I'll make the bridge which will be EIR in my standard design. I thought about doing a moustache bridge, solid shape but I just can't bring myself to do it!!!

Then I'll make and install my fretboard screw down system and I'll be close then to prep for spraying!!

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]]> 2026-04-22T12:58:01-04:00 2026-04-22T12:58:01-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10114&p=62659#p62659
https://brown.guitars/about/workshop/cr ... -schedule/

I don’t have a buffing wheel so I use sponge pads on the end of a drill. I use the slower setting on the drill to keep the heat down.

And the golden tip to a mirror finish is to use Menzerna liquid car polish. I start with Medium Cut polish (500) and finish with Super Finish Plus (800). This stuff is WAY better than StewMac ColorTone polish.

I just get it off Amazon.

On my first banjo I used nitro. I don’t care for the way it yellows over time and can crack. For my second banjo
I used shellac. It came out well. But I prefer Brite Tone to either of those.

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]]> 2026-04-22T12:33:41-04:00 2026-04-22T12:33:41-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10337&p=62658#p62658

As I begin this build, I’ve already come up with a bunch of take-aways.

• When I made my mold, rather than cut the plywood layers individually, I put the whole sandwich through the bandsaw at once. The result was far better and the mold needed far less sanding. I just had to take my time feeding the wood into the saw and not get flustered when the blade came off the wheels.
• John Hall’s idea of checking your tailblock and neckblock clamping outside the mold was a very good one. Glues can be an effective lubricant and your perfectly fitted joint will often shift when clamping. It felt really good to have the visual assurance that these joints were spot on. And of course, if you don’t know it already, these are two of the most important glue joints in your guitar.
• This L00 has ribbon reinforcement of the sides. The primary role of the ribbon is to prevent\inhibit any cracks from spreading. Do wooden side braces make any difference? Who knows? There’s always someone who will argue the point that a stiffer side will absorb less of the sound and allow the top to project more. But there are a lot of old guitars with ribbon reinforcement that sound fine
• You’ll notice my fine collection of Harbor Freight clamps on the kerfing - They’ve got a decent spring and at $0.98 a piece are about the third the cost of anything you’ll find labelled “for luthiers.”

It feels great to be in the shop again. I am using a lot of fish glue in this build and find its properties to be really intriguing. It dries hard and thin. I am on the fence about getting into the hide glue game. For now, the fish glue is very convenient and I don’t need the speed of hide glue.

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]]> 2026-04-21T19:55:19-04:00 2026-04-21T19:55:19-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10317&p=62657#p62657 ]]> 2026-04-18T12:13:57-04:00 2026-04-18T12:13:57-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10335&p=62656#p62656
I'm sure the one you built will be a delight.

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]]> 2026-04-18T09:28:16-04:00 2026-04-18T09:28:16-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10337&p=62655#p62655

Acoustic #3. This will be an interesting build - I know just enough to not be dangerous.

The sides have been glued to the neck and tailblock and are now sitting in the mold. I had toyed with the idea of purchasing a custom kit, but then realized I would get just as much enjoyment and learn as much from one of John’s guitars that was in stock. The back and sides are very nice straight grained mahogany - I believe, 100 years old. I am not sure of John’s source.

FWIW, I have a custom dread made from an old mahogany table leaf of about the same vintage. If you are looking for great pieces of mahogany, check out old pieces of furniture.

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]]> 2026-04-17T23:32:36-04:00 2026-04-17T23:32:36-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10335&p=62653#p62653 ]]> 2026-04-17T23:30:54-04:00 2026-04-17T23:30:54-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10333&p=62652#p62652
Anybody who repairs guitars well knows the junk factories bury inside their guitars, and you're way, way, ahead of that game.

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]]> 2026-04-15T16:46:30-04:00 2026-04-15T16:46:30-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10317&p=62651#p62651 See photo, below. I traced the top and cut it out, It's not precise,o but I'm hoping it is precise enough ts let me estimate the positions of the corner blocks fairly well. I set the blocks approximately in position, then held them in place with some pieces of 1/2" square tubing, held down at the ends with screws going into the cut out tracing block. The photo shows the blocks on the four "points" held in position, and the tail block also held in position...approximately. Now what I should be able to do is adjust their locations slightly as I attempt to add the side ribs that go between them. adjusting everything until it matches the way it was originally, or at least "close enough." Maybe.
Once it's all together and glued, I simply glue on the top and bottom plates. line up the neck, and away we go!
Not quite. There is another potential problem. Anybody else taken the back off a guitar? How well did it fit going back on? Yeah, the sides move around slightly when the back comes off. When I unclamp this assembly, it's going to move. No idea how much. I can start with an arbitrary block, gluing them down in sequence, hoping I can get all of them to end up where they should be, or at least "close enough." Another idea; after gluing everything together,but before unclamping, take some thin strips of wood and glue them to the tops of the blocks, triangulating them so the blocks are rigidlly located. Remove the clamps, lift the assembly off the board, and glue the other ends of the blocks and ribs to the back (or front) plate, then remove the triangulating strips.
Does any of that make any sense whatsoever?

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]]> 2026-04-15T14:03:48-04:00 2026-04-15T14:03:48-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10333&p=62650#p62650 Excellent info and commentary on the fir.

I am going to use it on the next guitar which will probably be a Mayan Walnut OM with a redwood top. And Fir braces! We'll call it an experiment.

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]]> 2026-04-15T12:05:51-04:00 2026-04-15T12:05:51-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10333&p=62649#p62649
https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/ ... hp?t=97471

Some of the discussion is over my head but I think you are figuring some of this stuff out yourself. I would not hesitate to try it; I have a couple of D-fir tops in waiting. And Dean Derby, on this forum, has made some guitars entirely of D-fir (not sure of bracing) and may contribute here. Bruce W.

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]]> 2026-04-14T19:53:04-04:00 2026-04-14T19:53:04-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10334&p=62648#p62648 The ground wire typically runs from the treble-side tailpiece bushing (for stop-bar models) or the trapeze tailpiece mount near the strap button. This wire is soldered to the back of one of the control pots (usually the bridge volume or neck volume pot), linking the strings and bridge to the common ground of the output jack. So ya gotta do that and pull the pot end out the f hole so you can solder it to the uninstalled pot.
Now the “ship in a bottle” part. Basically you feed something through the soundboard hole and out the f-hole, attaching to the specific item on the end. Use fish tank airline or surgical tubing. The tubing should be small enough to fit through the pot holes but snug enough to grip the pot shafts. I use a bunch so I can set up and pull most things at the same time. Challenging stuff.

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]]> 2026-04-14T19:33:34-04:00 2026-04-14T19:33:34-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10335&p=62647#p62647 Koa always looks so good as a soundboard and that is a beauty!

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]]> 2026-04-14T17:11:38-04:00 2026-04-14T17:11:38-04:00 https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=10333&p=62646#p62646
Results with what spruce I have left.

Sitka spruce: 3/4" x 3/8" x 20" = 44.5 grams

Douglas Fir: 5/8" x 3/8" x 20" (2 pieces) one at 44.5 gr and one at 42.5 gr.

The reason the fir is cut at 5/8" tall is I cut a 1 3/8" strip in half.

Now I cut a fir strip that matches the spruce in size and the weight on this one is 48.0 gr.

So the fir comes out 3.5 grams heavier. That's not bad. If I use the fir at 5/16" wide I'm betting it will be darn close to the spruce in weight, and it will be more stiff.

Percentage is fir is about 8% heavier.

I think I will use it on the next guitar and see how it works.

I have enough for at least 4 guitars 😁

It will be awhile before the next one gets started.

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