/diy/ - Do It Yourself

nobody?

>>14228
How does one get started in guitar building

im a long time musician who has wanted to build guitars for a long time and im wondering what I shoudl do

also Theres an enitre degree program about guitar/violin/mandolin/etc. at my local community college would it be worth my time to take those classes?

Does a neck joint repair reduce the sustain?

i have a takamine acoustic electric that i picked up real cheap when a buddy was moving, he never did anything with it. It sat in his room for years and went through two moves with him. no scratches, works fine with an amp, but i want to do some tune up type stuff to it. where does I start?

: i want to tune up a guitar to make it last forever.

>>142298


You can't tune up a guitar to make it last forever. It takes maintenance.

Put fresh strings on it, tune it up. Play barre chords up and down the entire neck, listen for fluctuations that indicate bad tuning or intonation.

So I got drunk one night about 8 months ago and pulled apart my '89 RG550 and sanded the whole body back with the intention of refinishing it. Its still sitting in pieces and it's depressing me. Any where you can point me in for a full on guitar paint/refinishing guide?

>>142286
I have an acoustic/electric bass and I noticed a little while after I had gotten it that the notes didn't seem right on the neck. Long story short, they're not. I believe it needs a truss rod adjustment. I did the test to see if the harmonic on the 12th fret is the same note as playing it fretted and it's not. Suggestions? I've been thinking about just taking it in to get it repaired as I don't want to completely ruin it.

>>142302
thank you

one more question there is a screw ( hex key type head) inside the body, it goes into the neck of the guitar, he had mentioned something about twisting this. any clues?

>>142329

This is your truss rod, it adjusts the bend of your neck.

Since it's Ac/El, you're only goin g to be able to really adjust that to change intonation. The rest of the guitar is pretty much off-limits.

I hace a cheap Les Paul copy, I bought it set-up, but It's been giving me trouble now, as the action in the higher frets is too high (I think the neck warped). I know that adjusting the bridge height just won't cut it, because it'll give me fret buzz on some points across the neck (due to worn, uneven frets).
How should I set the guitar up, adjusting the truss rod? changing bridge height? adjusting the intonation with the bridge saddles? a combination of all? I've read that string gauge is important when determining the action (unles you're playing slide guitar, which is not my case).
I've read a lot, but it hasn't been enough, and I seem to be running in circles.

>>142295
Would that be Red Rocks Community College? I've heard good things about that program. Sounds like a good place to start for me. Also, read. Check Stewart MacDonald, they're a good place to find books on lutherie. Also, check out my blog (PenderGuitars.blogspot.com), I'm going to post some reviews of a few lutherie related books in the next week or so.
>>142310
Oh dear. What exactly were you planning on finishing it with? Did you want a solid color, or what? I'm afraid I can't give much more advice without seeing the condition of the guitar itself.
>>142327
That's not really what truss rods are for. Intonation is adjusted by moving the adjustable saddles on the bridge around. Take it to a music store, tell them you need it intonated, and ask if you can watch. It's simple stuff.
>>142332
Again, truss rods really shouldn't be used to change the intonation or action. Basically, the strings on your guitar cause your neck to bow forwards. The truss rod, when tightened, forces the neck backwards, compensating for the string pull. If your getting a lot of buzz all up and down the fretboard, check the playing surface with a straight edge to see if it's level. If it's in back bow, loosen the truss rod a bit. Get it?
>>142587
The first thing you should do, when setting up a guitar, is to check the truss rod. This can be done by either laying a straight edge across the frets and checking for gaps, or by fretting the low E string at the first fret, and the body joint fret, so it serves as a straight edge, and check for gaps under the strings. You want some relief in the neck. Once your neck is at the desired straightness, then you can adjust action at the bridge. Lower the bridge, using those little thumb screws, so that the low E is 3/32nds from the 12th fret, and the high e is 2/32nds from it. As for intonation, that's best done with a strobe tuner. Does it sound like it needs to be intonated?

>>142587
Oh wait, you said worn, uneaven frets? Sounds like you might need a fret dress then.
It's really difficult to diagnose problems like this over the internet, might want to take it into the shop. Or, if you happen to live in Portland, OR, I could check it out for much cheaper.

>>142632
I think I love you. Thanks for the heads-up.

On the other hand, I got this guitar like, for pennies. I'm kinda reluctant on taking it to the shop to get it crowned/dressed and set-up, when it will probably cost me as much as the guitar itself. Although I have a special attachment for this guitar, and with a semi decent amp, it sounds killer. I'll probably end up taking it to the shop anyways.

>>142642
If you'd like to do the work yourself, check out my blog. I plan on posting a how to on fretwork sometime soon. I'd spell the process out for you in detail here, but I'm running late for work. Maybe if this thread is still around later, I will.