Classical Guitar Making: A Modern Approach to Traditional Design
Search in google:
What a thrill for any musician: playing a fine-sounding instrument that he or she has lovingly crafted from scratch. With this richly illustrated manual, well-known luthier and guitarist John Bogdanovich shows exactly how to build that first, beautiful guitar, using traditional, time-tested methods. All that’s required are basic woodworking techniques and a minimally equipped shop. Bogdanovich discusses the anatomy of the guitar, sound, choosing an instrument, selecting woods, templates and molds, and preparation. In more than 300 pages of text, he painstakingly lays out the details of construction, from assembling the neck and sides to installing the fingerboard and bridge. Library Journal Learn how to create your own classical guitar (not an inexpensive undertaking) with this highly specialized first book by luthier and guitarist Bogdanovich, who makes his love for the instrument clear. He dissects and explains the classical guitar, discusses the types of materials evaluated for sound quality, and lists required tools. However, there are some organizational flaws, e.g., the illustrations and text are not aligned. Further, the instructions, while detailed, are complex; the terminology is not defined; and advanced understanding of woodworking technique is assumed. This book is not for the faint of heart or the underfunded. But with its help and enough money and determination, you can, indeed, make your own guitar. Recommended for large collections or where there is demand.
Acknowledgments viiiForeword James Krenov ixForeword Jeffrey Van xPreface 1Introduction 3PreparationThe Guitar 7Anatomy of the Guitar 8Sound 12Choosing to Build or Buy 14The Wood 17Types of Wood 18Moisture Content 20Cuts, Grain, and Selection 21The Shop 25What You Need in Your Shop 26Jigs You Will Need to Make 31Hand Tools 34Vises and Clamps 37Bench Tools to Make 38Specialty Items 40Humidity Control 43Templates and Molds 45The Plantilla 46A Transparent Template 48Side Mold 50Lining Mold 53The Solera 56Headpiece Template and Drilling Jig 67Back Workboard 72Layout and Planning 75Choosing the Color and Design Scheme 76Materials and Parts 79Plans and Layout 84ConstructionThe Neck 91The Neck Blank 92The Headpiece 104The Heel 109The Sides 119Bending and Laminating the Sides 120Linings 126Assembling the Neck and Sides 131The Details 139Bindings, Purflings, Back and Butt Strips 140The Wheat Motif 148The Top 161Selecting a Top 162Jointing and Thicknessing 164The Rosette 168Bracing and Patches 181The Back 195Jointing and Thicknessing 196Bracing 201Assembling the Body 211Before Gluing on the Top 212Gluing the Top 218Preparing to Glue on the Back 219Bindings and Purflings 225Heel Cap and Butt Strip 234The Fingerboard 237Making and Installing the Fingerboard 238Before Fretting 245Fretting 246Shaping the Neck 252Final TouchesFinishing 259Understanding Finish 260Final Touches and Prepping for Finishing 262French Polishing 266Lacquering 269The Bridge 275Bridge Design 276Building the Bridge 277Installing the Bridge 284The Setup 289The Nut, Saddle, and Tuning Machines 290Strings and Final Setup 294Care of Your Guitar 297The Gallery 298Bibliography 302Metric Equivalents 303Index 304
