Professional Documents
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CLASSICAL GUITAR
Cover: Double T Classical Guitar by Denny Brown op Photo credit: Jodi Jack, used by permission Dennistoun Brown 2012
Preface
Preface
Construction Notes for a Classical Guitar is a conversion of my notes into detailed building instructions for a 650 mm scale length classical guitar. Like its companion, Construction Notes for a Steel String Guitar, it is based on study under Robert OBrien ,while he directed at the Red Rocks Community College Lutherie Program in Denver, Colorado. The original audience was students in Roberts classes. However, with the release of his Online Classical Guitar Building Course in 2011, the rst version was rewritten for the benet of online students, as well. Greatest credit for this handbook goes to Robert OBrien, who in 2003 founded and, until 2012, directed the Lutherie Program at Red Rocks Community College in Denver, CO. This is primarily a tabulation of his teachings. Other information in Construction Notes for a Classical Guitar comes from a variety of sources. Fellow teaching assistants, Gregoire Fulgham and Mike Peter, were most helpful. Their guidance was towards the right way and, perhaps, more importantly, away from the wrong. Many of their tips are found in this handbook. The rest, which really doesnt seem to leave much, I learned on my own through a combination of technical successes, a few design opportunities, i.e. mistakes, and outside reading. Robert OBrien, to date, has supervised the building of over 500 guitars by students in Colorado, from teenagers to retirees. Several of his students relocated to Colorado specically to take one or more of his courses. Roberts commitment to teaching is known internationally. The DVDs that Robert made for his early students have guided thousands of guitar builders who purchased guitar kits from LMI, Intl. More recently, Roberts Online Classical Guitar Building Course and Online Acoustic Guitar Building Course were released, which display his ability to distill the complexities and mysteries of guitar making into logical steps. Besides his personal and professional commitments, Robert nds the time to host and actively participate in a Google Chat Group on guitar building. Participants hail from the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. You are invited to join his group at www.groups.google.com/group/obrien-forum.
Preface
None of this is to say that Robert has made guitar making easy. It is not, and it probably never will be. However, he has given many people worldwide the condence to take the risk to do what for them had only been a dream. Happy building! Denny Brown Boulder, CO
Introduction
Introduction
While these notes are based on several sources, they distill down to one of many ways to build a classical guitar. Indeed, every luthier has his or her own method to make a guitar. With so many steps, variations quickly develop. Nonetheless, what I have recorded closely follows the current methods used by Robert O'Brien. Experienced builders can use Construction Notes for a Classical Guitar alone as a reference to refresh his or her memory on the steps of building, or to see another way to do things. For the rst-time guitar maker, this handbook alone is probably inadequate as a guide to building a classical guitar. Some things just have to be seen once or twice before they make sense. The materials and dimensions used in this handbook are based on the LMI (Luthiers Mercantile, Intl ) KLCRO kit, used in Roberts classes and in his online course. However, this does not preclude the use of materials from numerous other quality luthier sources. Construction Notes for a Classical Guitar can also be paired with Roberts DVDs and his free YouT ube Luthier Tips du Jour series. Several books and videos are available from other reputable authors. However, all of these resources differ to some degree from this handbook. In the case of Roberts DVDs, certain sections are dated. When there is a disagreement between the DVD and these notes, methods here are most current. For convenience, hyperlinks are provided throughout the text to Luthier Tips du Jour episodes and to each Online Classical Guitar Building Course lesson. The T able of Contents also links to respective sections in the handbook. The best learning experience, of course, is to build your guitar with Robert OBrien in Colorado. For those who cannot, his "Online Classical Guitar Building Course is a remarkably close second best option. It is every bit as detailed as his classes, perhaps more so.
Introduction
You may print this manual. Use it to take notes. Lots of notes. The true discovery of great things in your guitar will happen over 215 pages from here when you rst put on the strings. No sooner. If your guitar is a home run, wouldnt you like to have some clues how it happened? On the other hand, if your guitar doesnt come out the way you wanted, wouldnt you also want to know why? T ake notes. When you are ready to build a steel string guitar, be sure to take a look at Robert OBriens Online Acoustic Guitar Building Course, and the companion handbook, Construction Notes for a Steel String Type to enter text Guitar. Input for Construction Guitar is welcome. Notes for a Classical Write to me at
FlatironFrets@Gmail.com.
A word of caution
Several steps of building a guitar are dangerous, including those using hand tools. It is the readers responsibility to learn how to use and maintain equipment safely and correctly.
Foreword
Denny Browns Construction Notes series for guitar building is the set of books I had planned to write for my students, but somehow I never got around to actually doing it. With a young family and a growing lutherie program, this task never managed to move to the top of my T Do list. o I was thrilled when Denny unexpectedly presented his rst book on the classical guitar to me in December of 2011. I immediately asked to use it in my classroom and hoped he would write a steel string version, too. (He did.) Actually, I think that I was not only thrilled, but relieved that this long overdue project was nally complete. Denny went above and beyond what I had envisioned and created an interactive manual. Students have instant access to my online courses and Luthier Tips du Jour videos just by clicking on the active links throughout the text. Since Denny introduced these texts, my students work has improved signicantly. Students now have a written study guide that allows them to prepare for class ahead of time. In the shop, they have a detailed checklist to minimize mistakes. And as importantly, they have a place to record notes on their progress. As an instructor, these books have made my life easier and helped my students build better guitars. Denny has meticulously captured how I build guitars. He also offers some additional perspective, which is a bonus for the user. These handbooks have become an indispensable part of my teaching and are now required reading for students in my workshop. Using these books will make your guitar-building experience more rewarding and easier than ever, leading to the result you want: a guitar that both looks and sounds beautiful. Robert OBrien Parker, Colorado www.obrienguitars.com
Foreword
Denny Brown discovered ne woodworking in 2007 after retiring from a career as a general surgeon. He found one of the premier woodworking programs in the United States just forty-ve minutes from home. His passion for ne craftsmanship and detail led him to Robert OBriens guitar-making classes. Denny builds both steel string and classical guitars. He is a teaching assistant for OBriens guitar building classes in Denver, Colorado. He is also the author of Construction Notes for a Steel String Guitar. Denny lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and children.
T able of Contents
T able of Contents
Chapter 1: Neck
11
T able of Contents
Attach the Heel Block
............................................................................22 Cut the Veneer Overhang
......................................................................23 Cut the Heel Slots at the 12th Fret
..........................................................25 Veneer the Back of the Peghead
............................................................26 Peghead Shaping and T uner Holes
.........................................................27
Shape the Peghead
Drill the T uner Holes
Cut the T uner Slots
27 28 29
T aper the Neck .......................................................................................32 Seal the Heel Block ................................................................................32 Carve the Peghead Slots ........................................................................32
10
Chapter 1: Neck
Chapter 1: Neck
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: o Sample Lesson Excerpts (free) o The LMI Kit (free) o Controlling Relative Humidity(free)
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: The Scarf Joint See Luthier Tips du Jour: o Neck Blanks o The V Joint o Bandsaws
Layout
Neck wood considerations ap o T the neck blank Hold the neck blank at the node, about 2.5 - 4.5 cm in from the
side and the end of the board, along the left or right side A node is a point where the vibrations of the wood cancel out By holding at the node, the impact on the boards tone when struck is minimized T the board with a knuckle ap Adjust the holding point until a nice ping is heard T it on a concrete oor to listen for cracks ap File these tones away mentally The meaning of the sound will come with experience
11
Chapter 1: Neck
o If any milling is done, be very careful not to get the blank too thin Check the width tolerance using the peghead template (see Shape the Peghead, below) o If there is grain runout towards one face at the end of the board, select that one to be the top face of the peghead o If only one side is square, orient that side down for the band saw cut Mark for cutting the scarf joint o In Roberts videos, he marks the scarf joint in a different fashion than shown here, but the end result is virtually the same o On the side of the blank, mark 125 mm in from the end o Use a protractor and draw a 12-15o line from top left to bottom right Left handers may want to draw the line from the bottom left to top right for an easier position in the band saw T face side of Peghead op Cut Line Neck Piece
Peghead Piece
Cut the line with a band or hand saw o The short piece is the peghead, the long piece is the neck
12
Chapter 1: Neck
o Roll the peghead 180o to join its cut surface to the back at surface of the neck o Check both sides for tight t and adjust This is critical rue the neck surface, if needed, usually just block sanding o T o
Chapter 1: Neck
The nal thickness with veneers will be 22 mm or the actual tuner height Measure the peghead veneer thickness with calipers (usual 4 mm) and subtract o Example: 22 mm (nal thickness) - 4 mm (typical veneer thickness) = o Measure the tuner height if there is any question
this from 22 mm to get the thickness of the peghead before veneers are applied
18 mm (working thickness)
o Mark off a thickness of 18 mm, or the calculated thickness needed, if it is different, on all three sides of the peghead Measure from the back of the peghead o Connect these dots, run the line to the top surface of the neck and mark that point This is the nut reference point Set the peghead piece aside
Scale Layout
Starting at the nut, mark at these locations along the side of the neck o 0 mm = nut/peghead junction o Add 325 mm = 12th fret o Add 5 mm = nut/ngerboard joint o Add 35 mm = heel block
o This should total about 365 mm o Measure the remaining piece of the neck blank
STOP!
o Make sure the heel block measurement was added after the 12th fret
o Cut off the extra piece This is the heel piece Smooth both faces of the cutoff by jointing or planing 14
Chapter 1: Neck
Glue Up
Select a piece or pieces of wood at least 25 mm tall and long enough for the whole neck piece Rip the neck down the center on a table saw o Plane or lightly joint the sawed surfaces Glue up o Apply glue to the layers This will be messy o Alignment is very important so minimal thicknessing is required o Clamp time 120 minutes Scrape off the glue Plane or joint the faces and sides o Hand plane or joint/planer the top and back faces at Use thin cuts on jointer/planer If using a hand plane, make sure the two faces remain parallel o The neck is now wider than the peghead The widths need to be the same Use a jointer or a hand plane Make an equal number of passes on both sides and compare widths with the peghead piece o The laminated wood will be the centerline reference, so keep it in the middle Repeat until the two are the same width Stay square with the top face Cut off the laminate at the scarf joint o A portion of the laminate will protrude at the scarf joint o Cut this off with a saw o Plane ush 15
Chapter 1: Neck
o o o o
16
Chapter 1: Neck
o Remove the neck from the bench and the check the other side of the joint o Clean glue squeeze out o Clamp time 30-45 minutes o Scrape off any excess glue o Plane the joint at along the sides, if needed, but be careful not to narrow the peghead width Use the peghead template to be sure of the t o If the joint is gapped or slipped badly, simply recut the joint, and start over at Clean Up the Scarf Joint
this from 22 mm to get the thickness of the peghead before veneers are applied
18 mm (working thickness)
o Mark off a thickness of 18 mm, or the calculated thickness needed, if it is different, on all three sides of the peghead all the way back to the top of the neck o Measure from the back of the peghead
If planning to veneer the back of the peghead, remember to add that thickness to the veneers stack
17
Chapter 1: Neck
o Square a line across the angle of the peghead to join the lines o Partially remove the excess peghead with a band saw,
Leave a 2-3 mm margin o Finish thicknessing the peghead with a large hand plane Monitor the reference lines and use a dial caliper to measure thickness as you go It is easy to get too thin towards the end of the peghead Check for atness and square Watch the squared line Also, watch the seam of the joint It, too, will be square when the thickness on the left and right are the same If the square line disappears, redraw another one right behind the last one o Finish with a sanding block o The neck angle line needs to be crisp and square
Scale Layout
18
Chapter 1: Neck
If the total length just measured comes up short, skip forward to Neck Thicknessing Setup If these measurements leave you with enough or excess neck, skip forward to Peghead Veneers
If the measured heel block piece is greater than 250 mm, cut it off at the measured line op Mark the heel block piece for orientation L/R/T so the grain matches when the heel is made Smooth both faces of the cutoff by jointing or planing o One or two passes, only, just to make it smooth Set this piece aside and skip to Peghead Veneers
365 mm
If the measured heel block piece is less than 250 mm, cut it off at
Mark the heel block piece for orientation (L/R/T op) so the grain matches when the heel is made Smooth both faces of the cutoff by jointing or planing o One or two passes, only, just to make it smooth Set this piece aside
19
Chapter 1: Neck
This is done by thicknessing the neck, which will move the top angle towards the peghead The nished neck thickness at the nut with the fretboard in place is about 21 mm At the back peghead angle, measure the thickness perpendicular to the neck up to the surface of the peghead If the thickness is 20 mm or more, mark a line at 20 mm measured from the If the thickness is less than 20 mm, move up the neck until the thickness to This will be the junction of the nut with the peghead used in the next step the top of the peghead is 20 mm and mark this point back of the neck
o o
24 mm at the heel
Chapter 1: Neck
Push down on the peghead for the second and third passes Final pass is full length Repeat until desired height is reached at the nut make only full passes until 20 mm is met
If it is still not square at the peghead, mark a square line and true it up with light block plane passes Check the atness of the neck Block sand if needed
o Add 5 mm = nut/ngerboard joint o Add 35 mm = heel block If the neck is still too short o Thickness the neck further
Peghead Veneers
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: Gluing Peghead Veneers Make sure the veneers overhang the neck angle by 6-8 mm when this step is complete
Chapter 1: Neck
Put the neck on its side on a piece of wax paper Use thin applications of glue between veneers Glue up one veneer at a time and let it sit for a minute Bump veneers ush against the bench
Double check the overhang of the veneers past the angle of the neck 6-8 mm
Apply cauls and spring clamps o Check for skating of the veneers o Double check the overhang of the veneers at the neck angle Lightly apply two C-clamps and cauls to avoid skating o Again, check the overhang of the veneers o Flip the neck over and check that the veneers are ush on the one side o Lightly apply the other C-clamps Wait a few minutes for the glue to set up, which should prevent further skating, then tighten the clamps Add cam clamps or spring clamps where the veneer overhangs the nut The heel block can be glued on now, if desired, see Attach the Heel Block 30-60 minute clamp time o This timing usually works for one or two veneers o If using multiple veneers, leave clamped for a few hours, preferably overnight The heel block can be attached in the next step while these clamps are on When the peghead clamps are removed, scrape the glue Band saw the veneers almost ush on both sides, then take them ush with a hand plane
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course:The Heel Block Retrieve the heel stack cut off
22
Chapter 1: Neck
Be sure it is marked for orientation on the sides (L/R/T op) If not already done, joint/plane both faces of the cutoff Divide the heel block into three pieces and mark them in order on the side Cut and stack them in order o The piece originally closest to the neck is the top piece Stack and glue the heel pieces to the end of the neck on the correct side(!) o Do not let blocks slip towards the nut end of the neck Its OK if they slip a little past the end of the neck Use cauls and 4 C-clamps 30-45 minute clamp time Block plane the sides of the heel so that they do not protrude beyond the side plane of the neck, i.e. so the neck will lie on its side square to the table o If there is no protrusion, no planing is needed o Do not plane the neck Remark the scale length on the top of the neck Cut off or power sand the end of the heel block just enough to make it smooth
able saw method o T o Square a line at the peghead angle (the nut) on the sides of the neck, perpendicular to the neck surface, not the peghead surface o Check that the miter gauge is square to the table saw blade, and that the blade is square to the table o Use a at riser board to lift the neck and veneers off of the table saw surface o Set blade height Place a second piece of at wood on the riser board and extend it over the blade Set the blade height just below the riser board (1 mm )
Make a test pass over the blade with the saw running to make sure the board clears Set the test piece aside and place the neck top side down on the riser board 23
Construction Notes for a Classical Guitar o Put the miter gauge past the blade o Put the neck and riser board against the miter gauge o Cut in multiple passes Line up the veneer for a cut urn on the saw and make a pull pass T urn off the blade T Line up, again, and cut Repeat until the nut line is met Do not go past the nut line o Finish trimming off the veneer with a chisel Hand saw method
Chapter 1: Neck
o Method #1 Clamp a block of wood with a straight edge to the peghead Line up the edge with the nut line Hand saw against the block with the saw blade standing perfectly upright Stop when through the outer layer of wood As a clue, the sawdust may change to the color of the veneer Finish trimming off the veneer with a chisel o Method #2 ake a block with a squared end and cut out a rabbet on the lower T corner just high enough to slide over the veneers and reach the nut line Clamp the block to the neck, aligned with the nut Hand saw against the block with the saw blade standing perfectly upright Stop when through the outer layer of wood As a clue, the sawdust may change to the color of the veneer Finish trimming off the veneer with a chisel
24
Chapter 1: Neck
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: Slotting the Heel See Luthier Tips du Jour: Spanish Heel Cut or sand the end (not the bottom) of the heel block square Square a line from the 12th fret line down and across the heel stack Mark the centerline on the end of the heel o Square lines 5.5 mm from each side of this centerline
Tilt the blade just enough to see that an angle is there Put the neck in a miter gauge, left side down Put the heel against the blade and set the height of the blade to the Use a spacer block and adjust the fence to align the neck with the blade Align the neck so the blade will split the line at the top of the blade Remove the block and make the cut If the heel block is small, move the cut out a few mm
(2-4o)
Place miter fence in the guide backwards Flip the neck right side down and position it against the miter gauge Push the neck against the spacer block Remove the block and make the cut
25
Chapter 1: Neck
The seam between the back of the peghead and the neck can be hidden with a layer of veneer o This is an optional step Use a template or measurements from the plans to be sure the veneer is long enough to cover the nished peghead length The prole of the back of the neck at the peghead junction needs to be determined now if veneer is going to be applied o The contour is often a smoothing of the joint into a gentle curve Shape the back of the neck at the junction with the peghead o A spindle sander works well o Do not cut into the back of the peghead Glue up o Do a dry run est o T t the veneer o Apply glue to the neck o Lay the veneer in place and tape the ends to prevent skating o Use a closed cell foam pad as a caul over the veneer o Cover with a thin layer of plywood (1/8) o Clamp the caul with 6-8 C-clamps The wood may start to crack, which is okay
26
Chapter 1: Neck
27
Chapter 1: Neck
o o T cut the peghead shape, use a piece of 4 mm diameter drill bit stock o Mount the bit in the drill press ground to an 8 mm long bevel (home made)
o Set drill speed over 2000 rpm o Position the peghead top face down on a sacrice block o Run the bit around the perimeter of the peghead template ush with the Be sure the template doesnt move for the rst few passes After that, the cut slot will serve as the guide o Clear chips after every cycle template, cutting about 3 mm deep
o Advance depth slowly (3 mm) until all the way through the peghead plate o Go slowly on the last few passes to avoid tear out
Chapter 1: Neck
A few passes will be needed to clear chips Check depth of holes with tuners urn the neck around, secure and repeat T Some of the holes will cross the midline, which is not a problem
o Advance 3 mm each pass o Make nal passes slowly for a crisp cut o Insert the tuners to check for alignment o Remove the template carefully, using a spatula from the nut end, if needed
29
Chapter 1: Neck
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: T Relief on the Heel Block op
2.5-2.7 mm needs to be removed from the top of the heel block to accommodate
the thickness of the top when gluing it down If using a double top, make the top before continuing, so a nal thickness is known (Chapter 5.1: Double T op) o This can be done by hand, with a router or table saw o DO NOT go past the heel slots onto the neck o The cut can be ne tuned to the line with a chisel o Do a test cut when using power tools Router Method - bit o o o o
Use a sizing shim to set the desired depth Do a test cut and insert the shim into the cut to conrm depth Clamp the heel into a vise Make the cuts shy of the heel slots Free hand the router or use a small fence on the neck o Finish with a chisel est o T the height with the shim
T able Saw Method o Use a miter gauge and a riser block o Make a test cut with a piece of wood overhanging the block and set the o Put the neck on the riser block and gradually make cuts from the end of the block staying shy of the heel slots o Finish to the line with a chisel o Smooth out the cut lines with the chisel height of table saw blade to cut 2.5-2.7mm
30
Chapter 1: Neck
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: Shaping the Heel and T apering the Neck
31
Chapter 1: Neck
o This is to account for the 15 radius of the back If the heel is not tall enough, make the bottom at and add a piece of scrap neck wood or decorative wood
At the nut, mark 30 mm to each side of the centerline, a total width of 60mm
At the base of the heel, mark 35 mm to each side of the centerline, a total width Connect the marks lengthwise making tapered lines Band saw the excess off
70mm
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: Sealing the Heel Block Sand the heel block to 180-220 grit o Mask the slots, top and bottom of the heel block o Seal the back and sides with shellac or other sealer o Make a satin nish with wax and steel wool o Remove the masking tape
See Online Classical Guitar Building Course: Carving the Peghead This can be done after the guitar is fully assembled, but it is much easier now Clamp the neck in the bench vise with the peghead overlying the bench
32
Chapter 1: Neck
Put tape on the peghead between the near end of the slots and the nut to use as a marking surface Protect any other areas desired with tape Extend the tuner slot outer margins onto the tape with light pencil Draw the shape for the near edge of the carving: straight, curved, builders choice o A sound hole cutout works well as a curve template Saw cuts o Saw on the lines from the tuner slots back to the near margin selected o Deepen the saw lines, but saw no more than 1/2 the thickness of the peghead within the slots o Make relief cuts in the rosewood to be removed Roughly chisel out to the line, then ne tune, making sharp edges o Japanese rapid cutting les also work well Watch symmetry Clean up o Remove tape o Fine tune with ne les o Use sand paper on a stick Check guitar string path for obstruction o Insert tuners o Use a scrap piece of string and simulate the string path to the tuners o Adjust the slots if the strings are scraping the peghead
Notes:
33
Chapter 1: Neck
34