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Building a Guitar

This section will eventually be  a complete description of how I build guitars.    Ultimately there will be whole lot of topics, each with its own page.   While most of them are "done" I will continue to expand the descriptions and either add new photos or replace photos that are not as clear as they ought to be. 

There is now  a section called "Step by Step".  Pretty much what it sounds like - I have tried to break down my building process into discrete steps (about 250 of them).  It is about 7 pages long and contains  a descriptive paragraph for each step, (and links to relevant photos).  

      It should be noted right away that I do not by any means suggest that these are the only, or even the best way to do the various tasks I show.  Rather, they are simply the way I do them,  and I have grown comfortable with these methods over the years.  I am constantly thinking about these techniques and am always willing to change.  Every time I go to Jim Olson's I come away with a few ideas. Sometimes I come up with ideas in the shower or while driving.  The main thing is to keep thinking and the ideas will come.   Since they often involve buying a new tool,  or making a new jig, I am generally open to these new (to me) ideas.    Ultimately I am trying to balance tools and jigs, which (hopefully) add accuracy,  with my desire to do this in a hands on fashion. 

     I am always interested in new ideas -- let me know if you think I am doing something really stupid.

Before we begin, CHECK THIS OUT!!!

Some of these sections are long - the section on making necks is 8 pages long right now.  Keep following the links to the next page.

TOPICS

Step by Step - 1

Step by Step - 2 

Step by Step -3

Step by Step -4

Step by Step -5

Step by Step - 6

Step by Step - 7

Making a Mold

Side Bending

Making and installing linings.

Making the top.

Gluing.

Making the Ribs

Making the Back

Assembling the Body

Binding the Body

Making the Neck Blanks

Making the Fingerboard

Assembling  the neck

Final Shaping the neck

Finishing the Neck and Body

Neck Fitting

Bridge Shaping

      Shaping a Pyramid Bridge

Bridge Gluing and Slotting.

This website and all of its content, text and images are copyright ©1997-2012 by Charles A. Hoffman.  All rights reserved.

2219 East Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN. 55404

hoffmanguitars@qwestoffice.net or choffman@hoffmanguitars.com

(612) 338-1079