The pre-planning, pre-start up pre-post
December 11th, 2007 by MickeMPosted in MickeM builds a guitar
17 Comments »
Might as well get this blog post started already, even though I don’t have the plan a hundred percent set, I lack some tools and I haven’t got all the wood I need. Never the less, the past months or half year or so it has formed in my head a plan to build my own guitar and I’ve slowly got started buying plenty of tools that I need and a couple pieces of Mahogany and Maple for the body and neck. Any day now I’m going to a company that sells veneer wood where I’m picking up my fingerboard.
About that, I’ve been debating with myself whether I should get Rosewood or something else, after having some trouble finiding Rosewood and trying to find out why that is I’ve learned that it’s endangered. I found that Santos Palisander has almost the same acoustic qualities as Rosewood and Ebony so why not? I will give it a try if it’s got a nice finish, if not I will put care for nature aside and get myself a piece of Rosewood instead 
Before I can start building I will also have to finish my workshop, it’s coming along quite fine with the bench and all, very sturdy, I’m also making an “island” on wheels that I can move around in the shop and I’ll make room for all the tools on the walls there before I’m good to go.My prior knowledge about carpentry is rather ok so I belive that part will be no hinder in regards to building this guitar. It’s just to think before doing and doing things accurate and carefully, which of course is no guarantee that things won’t go wrong, but one of my strengths is that if something goes wrong I’ve learned over the years how to take it from there and make the best of it instead of crying and giving up. I’ve only got one simple rule that I follow in everything that I do. When something goes wrong I call it a day, because from that moment on mistakes are bound to happen. If I trip on a cord first thing in the morning that’s a short day. Often a mistake comes from being tired or not being focused and by continuing the tiredness won’t go away and your concentration won’t get better.
What am I building?In short, it’s going to be a PRS inspired piece of guitar, mahogany body, maple top and Mmahigany neck, a Les Paul kind of bridge and tailpiece (tune-o-matic), two hum buckers, 25 inch scale and 22 frets.
Why am I building instead of buying? First off I think carpentring is fun and mind relaxing. Second I belive I can build a guitar that’s so much better that one I could buy in the stores, at least up to a certain price range. Only hoping that will be closer to 2000 Euro rather than 100 
The guitar will have a rounded horn for smooth access to higher frets and I will glue the neck, here a tricky piece where the neck will have to be tilted backwards since the maple top will be carved and I will extend the neck quite a bit into the body if I find it doable since I belive that could help sustain and give a very sturdy neck joint.The plan is 90% set, well see how it ends up.
I’m sure it will be fun and I’m looking forward to start! And in the future when I really have something valid to talk about - I will keep it shorter
December 11th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Sounds awesome, this is going to be a wicked cool guitar!!
December 11th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Very cool, I like what you say about mistakes and calling it a day, I think I need to do that more often :p Good luck to you, I’ll be watching and taking notes for when I build mine.
December 12th, 2007 at 12:03 am
cool! Remember..measure twice..cut once!
December 12th, 2007 at 10:11 am
This sounds very cool indeed…
December 12th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Good Luck to you, I look forward to following your adventure. I could never do this as if I look at a piece of wood with thoughts of cutting it a big ole splinter jumps out and jabs me, lol!
December 13th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
well, that’s a really cool idea. I´m defiantly exited of your plan to build your own “custom” guitar. I´looking forward for more information about how u´re doing
good luck!
December 13th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
awsome hope it turns out awsome
ive always wanted to make one and it wouldnt be a probly since my dad loves carpentry
December 14th, 2007 at 9:31 am
After spending 2 years replacing a deck on my ski boat, I can give you some advice. You don’t want to waste time, so don’t worry about putting things in places where you will find them later. Screws, whatever, just toss them anywhere, no problem. Also, drinks, don’t worry, you won’t knock them over. Go ahead an leave them on places that will be damaged by moisture. And sharp tools. Just rip at it with full force, don’t worry about slipping and slicing or driving a sharp tool though your hand, worrying about stuff like that is for wienies. Oh, face masks, protective gloves, you don’t need them, not worth the trouble of finding where ever the heck you put them anyway.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Lol, that’s some good advice
December 15th, 2007 at 8:34 am
The first guitar will be your Waterloo.I have build a few guitars and repair a lot too,but
your skills will only get better by doing.Remeber me when you start fretting and leveling.And glueing the neck at your first guitar ,oh my god.
January 2nd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
fkalich had some great advice I will probably take you up on all of them
Guido, feel free to give me advice. What worries me the most is that I get the scale length incorrect as joining the neck with the body.
January 11th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Thats cool ;D I made me a custom guitar bout a year ago it sounds great i record all my music with it at myspace
January 19th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Keep walking!
I’m also want to build a PRS looking guitar, but I do not have any plans. Where did you find them?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Sounds sweet, id like to do this sometime
January 25th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
that sounds great !!!! congratulations for your future guitar
January 28th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Janko, I don’t have any plans for it. I will just be very thoroughly and work from how a PRS look like. I will take some measures from photos but I’m not aiming for an exact PRS copy.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hi Micke,
Having built my own guitar, I would advise you to start with a less difficult project as the one you are planning (but it’s up to you).
I would rather advise you to start with a bolted neck (which in terms of sustain won’t make a huge difference with a glued one if well fitted) and a flat top table.
Trust, me, for your first guitar, you will still have a nice challenge on building the neck and dressing the frets correctly
As far as the drilling and milling are concerned, I would suggest to do the neck pocket, pickup cavity and electronic cavity first and end with the drilling of the bridge posts holes after you made the neck.
Therefore, when you bolt the neck in place, you will be able to adjust precisely the placement of your bridge thanks to the scale you chose.
Otherwise, if you drill your bridge holes before fitting the neck, when you’ll adjust the neck into the neck pocket, you might lose a few inches and then endup with a bad bridge location (hope I was clear on my explainations :-s)
Apart, from that, have a nice time building your guitar, It’s really fun and rewarding when you get to play with it at the end