Acoustic Guitar Construction

Hi all,

am getting ahead of myself i know but I'm considering my next project. I am likely to stick with the l-00/ nick lucas shape with short scale but i want to do a 12 fret neck joint and all mahogany or mahogany/cedar.

So for the change i move the soundhole and the bridge I think, so what should i do about the x brace? does it simply shift down with the same angle?

Any ideas? Would it be deemed cheecky to get in touch with some makers of 12 fret l-00's and ask what they do or is that sort of info kept to one's self?

cheers all.

Scratch built?

kind of, ideally i would make another of your kits but with 100 dollars odd shipping, plus 22 percent tax coming into the uk it's a pretty pricey option.

I met a young luthier at the suppliers who will teach for a very reasonable hourly rate so my plan was to get wood and work with him at his workshop to do the work that would be already done in a kit like yours. Figured i'd learn a lot and working in a real workshop would be brilliant!

I may try to buy a neck and neck block though, but it looks like it's have to come from the states, do you sell necks and blocks Ken?

I would suggest that you use at least proven plan/drawing for your first scratch built project with or without a mentor. The 12th and 13th fret models have all sorts of brace configuration I believe even simple ladder bracing -- these guitar were not made to last and in fact the collectibility is more becasue they are still on earth as a guitar, rather than how they sound.

Yes we have neck packages.

Another possibility would be the martin 12 fret oo stensil you sent me. I'm slightly confused as it says you can use short or long scale but surely that necessitates a different bridge and bridge plate placement if not soundhole too?

You simply shift entire brace pattern and sound hole center 1/4" --- I think that one is normally short scale so for long scale move the pattern toward the tail block.

Ken, are you saying you think the 12 fret versions are more delicate?

I've been in touch with a luthier who makes 12 fret versions and is also a gibson expert who says all the bracing simply shifts down by about the distance between 12 and 14th fret, approx 1 1/2 inches. Comparing the 00-12 and the l-00, this makes sense as the top bout in the 00-12 is pretty empty.

I'm really keen to make the 12 fret version if I can get a plan together.