Acoustic Guitar Construction

Let me start by apologizing for what will likely be a long post and a lack of proper terminology. First guitar build has been on the shelf for 9 most due to not knowing how to correct a very loose divetail joint. I had read everything I could find and watched several videos but they don't address when things go wrong. The dovetail joint on my kit was loose to start with and dropped down with the neck even with the top. The best info I've found is on neck resets but they mostly focus on removing the neck, etc.

I have a Martin D18 kit from blues creek and am using Bill Cory's kit building book as a guide. Got help along the way from forums and am glad to see Ken has set this one up and am hoping someone can point me to some good information so I can move past this step. My number one concern is playability from this first build.

I picked up some mahogany veneer to use for shims, didn't glue them down, picked up some chalk and hesitantly started to slightly chisel some relief cuts at the cheeks, at least that's what I think I was doing. It didn't magically come together so I went to a local Luther whose built hundreds and asked for some tips. He showed me a few things and made much deeper cuts than I did and said keep at it and it should come together. He's probably right, although I didn't see much improvement.

I'm sure the geometry of the body is far from perfect, I've already resigned myself to just go for it and see how it ends up. Worst case I buy another neck I guess. I didn't come across KMG until after I started my build or I probably would have gone a different way, but do appreciate the wealth of info, I just need the "how to fix your mistake" page.

Thanks, Dave

It will be impossible to find a cure without pictures -- can you provide a few? Also I will be asking some maybe many questions and needing some required measurements -- I find that "keep on whittling at it" comment very unprofessional, take cautions with that guy/gal.

The advice I recieved was to keep making relief cuts and keep at it until achieving a good fit. That's the reason why this project was shelved, I wanted to be sure I understood what I was doing and didn't want to "keep whittling at it". If this forum is for professionals and not novices than I apologize for posting here.

I'm attaching a few pics I already had, these are without the shims in place which I haven't glued in place because I want to be sure where & why. Any help at all would be great, if anyone can point me to some better information that would also be helpful.
Thanks, Dave

As stated above in the forum rules:

The purpose of this forum site is to provide a means for acoustic guitar makers at all skill levels to forward information, share experience and ask questions if project obstacles are encountered. We ask that egos be left at the door – the highest levels of courtesy and respect are to be shown to all.

To get started you have to read and understand (we can help with the understanding) this stuff:

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/neckangle.html

There are three articles --- we can all get on the same page (common ground) so the terminology and glossary makes sense.

Your situation is not good but correctable.

Dave - you have come to the right place, dude! :-)

We are all about helping one another, and most of us have made mistakes early on that were fixable, got fixed, and made a good instrument in the end, as well as adding to our store of knowledge.

Ken Cierp will not steer you wrong, and there are others here as well with a lot of experience.

So be of good cheer!

I've gone back and re-read these, I wish I had found these before I started instead of learning the hard way through each step in the process. I know there are issues with the body construction, just the fact that closing the top at the upper bout/neck block required more pressure that expected. If I ever build another I'm going with a flat top.

I just brought the guitar down off the shelf and took a few more pics, these are with the shims in & fretboard taped down, it reminded why I put this away to begin with. It ended up getting worse after tips from the local guy. Anyway, if you still think this is correctable (take a look at the curve where the heel meets) I'd greatly appreciate the help.

Dave