My first attempt at guitar building

Richard Rorie · Post by **Richard Rorie** » 5 Jul 2012 2:01 pm

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

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 5 Jul 2012 5:15 pm

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!

Greg

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 5 Jul 2012 5:27 pm

What was the final expense for your 1st, and usually costliest build, Richard?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Jul 2012 7:41 pm

Pretty!!

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 6 Jul 2012 12:33 am

Very nice, Richard! I like how the binding contrasts with the wood color.

Richard Rorie · Post by **Richard Rorie** » 6 Jul 2012 2:51 am

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 · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 6 Jul 2012 3:55 am

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 · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 6 Jul 2012 6:20 am

nice!!! congrats

Richard Rorie · Post by **Richard Rorie** » 6 Jul 2012 7:16 am

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.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 6 Jul 2012 7:19 am

How about a few more pix (back, etc.)? After all, we are all voyeurs at heart, aren't we?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 6 Jul 2012 8:12 am

really nice!
the tele cover looks good too.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 6 Jul 2012 9:06 am

Nice job Richard!

Gregg McKenna · Post by **Gregg McKenna** » 6 Jul 2012 10:03 am

That is beautiful.

The Steel Guitar Forum

My first attempt at guitar building

My first attempt at guitar building

Nice..., congrats!

Re: Nice..., congrats!