My first attempt at guitar building

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

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Richard Rorie
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Joined: 2 Jul 2012 4:47 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

My first attempt at guitar building

Post by Richard Rorie »

This is my first guitar - built from a solid mahogany plank with a spalted maple face plate. Built from instructions purchased from Martin Koch.


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Greg Cutshaw
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Post by Greg Cutshaw »

Your first? Amazing and better than many on sale in music stores. Do you have a lot of woodworking experience? I have none but managed to build a solid cherry grandfather clock a few years back. Nice to build something that makes music!


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Ron Whitfield
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Nice..., congrats!

Post by Ron Whitfield »

What was the final expense for your 1st, and usually costliest build, Richard?
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Jim Cohen
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Post by Jim Cohen »

Pretty!!
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Jerry Gleason
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Post by Jerry Gleason »

Very nice, Richard! I like how the binding contrasts with the wood color.
Richard Rorie
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Location: North Carolina, USA

Re: Nice..., congrats!

Post by Richard Rorie »

Ron Whitfield wrote:What was the final expense for your 1st, and usually costliest build, Richard?
I had to buy a few guitar-specific tools: fret saw, nut files, some router bits, etc. I don't count the cost of tools. Materials cost me about $250. Could have been a little less, but I used a juicy-looking piece of Mahogany. The instructions showed gluing together two 3/4" (cheaper) pieces of wood but I used a solid 1-1/2" slab that was over $50 all by itself.
Stephen Abruzzo
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Post by Stephen Abruzzo »

Pretty good for a first try....or 10th. The spalt gives an interesting look to the top.

What kind of pickup do you have in there?

What tuning and what style of music will you be using?
Bill Hatcher
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Post by Bill Hatcher »

nice!!! congrats
Richard Rorie
Posts: 6
Joined: 2 Jul 2012 4:47 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by Richard Rorie »

Stephen Abruzzo wrote:Pretty good for a first try....or 10th. The spalt gives an interesting look to the top.

What kind of pickup do you have in there?

What tuning and what style of music will you be using?

It's got a vintage-type telecaster-type generic pickup in it now. I can change it pretty easily if it doesn't work out.

I'll probably use C6 tuning for some good ole' syrupy country music. I'm a COP (certified old person) and pretty new to steel guitar, so anything played on it right now won't be played very well. :-)
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Jim Cohen
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Post by Jim Cohen »

How about a few more pix (back, etc.)? After all, we are all voyeurs at heart, aren't we? ;)
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chris ivey
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Post by chris ivey »

really nice!
the tele cover looks good too.
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Tom Pettingill
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Post by Tom Pettingill »

Nice job Richard!
Gregg McKenna
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Post by Gregg McKenna »

That is beautiful.
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