Do you use a building guide?

[Kevin in California]

What I'm thinking is, as I get older and I try to rely on my memory to get the steps to making the guitar in order, I find that sometimes I get some of the processes out of order, or at least out of the best order to have things come out correctly. Also because I build sporatically, an hour here, a half hour there, sometimes I forget where I left off and neglect to recheck things.
So what I'm going to do is sit down and write a guide with a check off list to use so I don't forget to make sure my neck end is totally flat before I rout for the bindings, etc, etc, etc.

Is anyone else doing this? Using a guide that you either made up yourself your that someone else made? When I started out, using Bill Cory's book it helped, but that was building from a kit. Maybe I need to go back to the book!!!!

What say you?

Kevin

[Dave Bagwill]

I have my students follow the KMG online manual; and by doing that it helps keep MY memory focused on the steps. :-) Of course I'm middle-aged, if life expectancy is 130.

[Woodyok]

I used Bill Cory's Building Martin guitars for my first, and I still use it as a guide, with some changes from Ken cierp and Dave Bagwell. Sorry Dave couldn't give you top billing.

[Dave Bagwill]

Story of my life, Woody. :-) No problemo!

[Tim Benware]

I have a two page checklist I use and would be glad to share it as long as you provide insight into some of the things you feel maybe missing. It is not totally complete and assumes some steps up front like running thick plates through the Wagner Safe-T-Planer before thickness on the drum sander. I find it useful because I have had up to 4 guitars in different stages at once. Provide an email if interested as it is in MS Word doc form.

[John Parchem]

I should start using one, but I have to admit that I do not and I have done thing out of the optimal order.

[ken cierp]

Since precedence and sequencing play a huge role in both the final appearance and more importantly the playability of the guitar I certainly would subscribe to the idea of establishing a set build routine. Even today I see videos and text that would lead you to believe that you roughly assemble the parts planning on repairing your work as the final stage of the process – that is simply the wrong approach. Knowing the goal of each individual step and its relationship to the next steps is key – the most complex, precision products are processed in this way.