Guitar building
Anyone working in a creative and constructive profession knows the feeling of a deep connection to their works. Each guitar tells its own story from the very beginning. My instruments are individually crafted and each carries a piece of soul within.
Watch your thoughts! They are the initiation of your actions.Chinese wise proverb
Planning
Before a guitar can be built, many decisions must be made and plans drawn.
Most of the time, I build guitars to order. In a relaxed conversation, I listen to what kind of music the person plays, what preferences they have, and of course, how they play the guitar. Based on the information I receive, I plan the guitar together with the musician.
The more unusual the requests become, the longer this process takes. Once all the details are finally settled, the client chooses the wood.
This is the beginning of every guitar …
Fantasy is more important than knowledge for knowledge is limited and fantasy surrounds the entire world.Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
Building phase 1
In the first half of the construction time, there is little to see from a distance, but a lot to observe in the details. I begin by building the individual components.
I often start by assembling the top. Then I plane it to the correct thickness, insert the rosette, glue the sound hole lining, the braces, and the struts, and work all of them out. I also craft the other main components (side rings, back, and neck) piece by piece.
Then …
Doing it” is the only way to prove a skill.Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830 – 1916)
Building phase 2
… then I assemble all the components, and suddenly a guitar begins to take shape. However, it’s still not finished, and many more steps are still required.
I insert all the edges and decorative strips, clean the body, prepare the fretboard, and glue it on. After fretting, the guitar is sanded and polished once again to the finest detail. When the bridge is also finished, I tape off all areas that will not be painted. Finally, the guitar is ready for varnishing. A proper shellac polish takes about three weeks.
Once that’s done, I carefully work on the frets to ensure the guitar is perfectly playable. Then I glue the bridge on and install the tuning machines.
Finally, there are two very important details left, which must be fitted with utmost precision. These are the nut and the bridge saddle, which are usually made of bone.
These final touches determine whether the guitar will sound excellent or just good …
Perseverance will be rewarded sooner or later … but, mostly later.Wilhelm Busch (1832 – 1908)
