Guitar Making

After playing guitar for 10 over years, I began to inquire into the making of guitars.
After reading about guitar making from several websites and bought a few books about guitar making, I have decide to try it out myself.
The books which I bought include:
- William Cumpiano - Guitarmaking: Tradition And Technology
- John S. Bogdanovich - Classical Guitar Making: A Modern Approach to Traditional Design
They can be found from Amazon


There is a good forum on Delcamp, where the luthiers shares their valuable experience.
I have learned alot from that forum and found another friend EJ in Singapore also interested in guitar building.
He is way more advanced than me in guitar making; on his way to finish his first master piece.
His guitar making process can be found at the following website:
Photo album 1
Photo album 2


Some of the good guitar making site include:
-William Cumpiano's informative newsletters
-David Schramm's online apprentice


By chance, I found the luthier supply website Luthiers Mercentile International (LMII).
I browsed through their catalogues of material and the good thing about them is that they have a kit set for guitar making at a discounted rate
What is even better is that, the kit set can be customised.
Finally after some customisation, I ordered the kit set from them.
Not only do they supply the raw materials, they also do some processing.
I also ordered some of the wood processing service offered by LMII, partly because I don't have the right equipment / tool to do the job (e.g. side bending) and I don't have the necessary experience.
These includes the more tedious processes like bending the side wood, inlaying the rosette and carving the neck etc...
Now all that is left to do, is to assemble the parts of the guitar.

(Shipping was about USD 80 to Singapore, which was affordable.
However do note that any Internet purchase above SGD200 is subjected to GST.
So if you want to get any kit set better get it before the GST hike in July.)


The package arrived in January.
Mine took slightly longer than usual because it was Christmas period when I confirmed the order for the package.
LMII's packaging is very meticulus; every thing is well-bubbled wrapped to protect the materials.
I must say their service is 1st class: polite and efficient; salute to them for their service


Here is some pictures of the packaging:


The complete materials. (Note that I have started to saw some struts)


The materials include:
- Top board: AAA grade Englemann Spruce
- Back and Side: 1st grade East Indian Rosewood.
- Neck: Pre-carved Spanish Cedar with Indian Rosewood veneer
- Bridge: Pre-made Indian Rosewood bridge with compensation
- Binding: Maple binding (pre bent)
- Fingerboard: Pre-slotted Ebony
- Rosette: Pre made rosette
- Tuner: Schaller tuner machine with ebony buttons
- Kerfing: Standard Cedar kerfing
- Brace wood: Englemann Spruce.


Here is the close up of the Schaller tuner machine:

This is a lyre type of tuner machine.
I had originally wanted a Hauser type of tuner machine, but they were out of stock.
Not wanting to wait for the back order I chose this instead.
The main feature about this tuner, which I like, is the black ebony buttons.
They look nice eh?