# anyone else make their own guitars?



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Hello, just wondering if anyone else makes guitars for themselves to play? I have been making my own guitars (about 20 so far) since I was 15 (I am 35 now). I grew up in a woodworking family business and thats my trade now, I build custom furniture, so it just came naturally.

I also like my factory bought instruments a lot as well but my home made ones mean a lot more to me and IMO sound and play as well as any big name, big $$ guitar. I have a PRS single cut for instance that cost me near $3000 that I would put some of my home made guitars against any day.

I had a recent thread on Harmony Central, detailing the build of my latest guitar, a walnut and ash chambered electric with P90's. The link is here:

http://www.third-st.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1126170&highlight=ajc

Anyone else care to share what you have made? Always interested in seeing other's work and sharing ideas...

Andrew Coholic


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## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

damn that is some fine work ajcoholic, I am amazed. If ever you start making some to order I would be interested in a les paul style....but I know its all about the doo-it-yourself 

OT: here are some awesome sounding speakers I made with shyte tools  

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=63250


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Ever made a bass?


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## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

Ive always been interested in learning how to make my own guitar. There is a course out in British Columbia. In a place called qualcom bay. I was thinking about going out there to take it. The cost of the course is quite damaging though. It ranges from 3500-35,000 ranging from two weeks to a full year. Neways I really like what you have done there ajoholic. NIce work.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Yes I have made two bass's (is that how you spell it plural?) one in the early 90's that was fretless (with a sweet curved ash body, there wasnt a flat line on the thing) and a fretted bass about mid 90's. I am not a bass player but did these two for friends of mine.

Making guitars is a lot of fun - and its a good way to get top notch pickups and hardware and wood for a lot less than the same thing would cost you from a builder or factory custom shop.

AJC


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Only acoustic guitars. Latest one is practically a copy of a Manzer steel-string with a western red cedar top and walnut b/s.


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Yes I have made two bass's (is that how you spell it plural?) one in the early 90's that was fretless (with a sweet curved ash body, there wasnt a flat line on the thing) and a fretted bass about mid 90's. I am not a bass player but did these two for friends of mine.
> 
> Making guitars is a lot of fun - and its a good way to get top notch pickups and hardware and wood for a lot less than the same thing would cost you from a builder or factory custom shop.
> 
> AJC



Do you have any pics?


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Unfortunately not! I was in University at the time (U of T) and made the bass on my reading week during winter break. I brought it back to school for the guy and that was it. I wish I had pics... unfortunately I have pictures of only about 6 of my guitars I built. When I was younger I never took any pics of anything. 


I have built on acoustic, finished it last October. An indian rosewood/spruce top dread from an LMI kit. Really nice guitar although I made a few mistakes it was fun. I would love to make another acoustic some day but no time right now. My work is almost a 7 day a week thing (I am self employed). 

I am always surprised more guys dont try and make guitars - I think a lot of people think its a lot harder than it is.... and shy away from it.

AJC


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Unfortunately not! I was in University at the time (U of T) and made the bass on my reading week during winter break. I brought it back to school for the guy and that was it. I wish I had pics... unfortunately I have pictures of only about 6 of my guitars I built. When I was younger I never took any pics of anything.
> 
> 
> I have built on acoustic, finished it last October. An indian rosewood/spruce top dread from an LMI kit. Really nice guitar although I made a few mistakes it was fun. I would love to make another acoustic some day but no time right now. My work is almost a 7 day a week thing (I am self employed).
> ...


I don't trust myself with tools, and I have very little patience. I do however, have lots of ideas and years of experience from owning several high end basses.
My dad has become a great woodworker in his retirement and actually went to work for a couple of cabinet makers for a little cash. 
My cousin does beautiful work as well, and built a nice classical in high school nearly 20 years ago. 
I've been bugging both for years to start a project for me, but they are too busy as well. The idea of building the neck makes me nervous - truss rods etc...


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

AJC, I was sorry that they unstickied that thread, so I am glad you posted the link so i can check it out again. And IMBACKAGAIN2, are you from Van Island? I live in PA on the west coast!
-Mikey


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## ashot2thehead (Feb 24, 2006)

ive been makingin guitars for 2 years, ive made like 5 now and im workin and a telecaster style one for my friend now...when im done it ill post up some pics in anouther topic, the one i want to make for myself is a semi hollow bodie...but i know its gonna be alot of work and research befor i evin attempt it....but n e way....some beautiful work there ajcoholic


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## Geoff St. Germaine (Mar 3, 2006)

I build basses and guitars. Here's a couple that I finished last year.

8 string bass:









Semi-hollow LP style guitar:









I'm currently working on two more basses and I'm in the planning stages of another guitar. One of the basses is a fretless mate to the 8 string I posted here and the other is a multiscale experiment. The guitar is going to be a lefty LP style guitar as a gift for a friend.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Wow, some very interedting guitars, and that bass board is SO wide... how do you play it - I mean, get yoiur fingers up to the top strings?

What woods are they? Tell us more! 

AJC


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## Geoff St. Germaine (Mar 3, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Wow, some very interedting guitars, and that bass board is SO wide... how do you play it - I mean, get yoiur fingers up to the top strings?


It's not as hard as you might imagine. The neck is very thin (front to back) with a very flat profile, which I find makes it easier to handle.



ajcoholic said:


> What woods are they? Tell us more!
> 
> AJC


The specs of the guitars are:

Bass: 
8 String tuned B to Bb
Curly bubinga top, back and fretboard
White Limba body core
Wenge accents
7-piece wenge/maple neck
Matching wood pickup covers and control cavity
Ziricote knobs with abalone position markers
24 banjo sized frets
889 mm (35") scale
115.5 mm (4.5") string spread at bridge (16.5 mm string spacing) 
70 mm (2.75") at nut
108 mm (4.25") at 24th fret
Two dual action truss rods
Three graphite stiffening rods
Brass nut
Sperzel tuners
ETS bridge
Nordstrand Fat Stack Pickups
Aguilar OBP-3 3-band preamp

Guitar:
Padauk top with wenge pinstripe
Chambered Mahogany body
Curly maple neck
Ebony fretboard
Ziricote top hat knobs
Wenge pickup rings
Padauk pickguard
Grover tuners
TOM bridge
Graphtech Nut
648 mm (25.5") scale
22 Banjo sized frets
Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59 Bridge and Neck pickups
Vol/Tone/Vol/Tone with bridge/both/neck switch

I'm considering rewiring the guitar pickups so that I can do series/parallel with the two coils. Or possibly also so that I could run independent coils as well.


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