Hobbies

How hard could it be to build a guitar? Very, it seems...

Over the last year (as time permitted around work and studies) I've endeavoured to build a classical guitar from scratch. When I started I had basic wood work skills and my father-in-law's tool collection. I now am painfully aware that neither was sufficient for the job - my skills far to limited and the tools not the right type. However, as my skills have increased and my own tool collection has filled out, I have found endless joy in this project; a project that has challenged me to teach myself and overcome great technical challenges. If a real luthier saw some of the mistakes I made I am sure they would laugh out loud, but hey, I've had fun and learnt a lot.

The best thing about this type of project is the range of skills one can earn. I was provided with some brilliant pieces of mahogany, rosewood and spruce from Gilet Guitars, who gave me good advice and allowed me to peruse their stock to find the pieces that I most preferred for my guitar. Working with these three very different timbers has been a great way to learn the basic skills with hand tools, and most importantly, the value of a well sharpened blade.

I shall provide more pictures as the guitar takes shape...