The answer is almost certainly "Yes"...... If you really want to.
My personal belief is that if I can build a guitar, then ANYONE can build a guitar. All my woodworking knowledge and ability is self-taught - no shop class in school, no carpentry with Dad. I don't detect any special, overwhelming talent for guitarbuilding, just basic physical skills, adequate hand-eye coordination, and perseverance. I study what I want to do, develop a mental plan of action, and then do it. If I make a mistake (and I do) I fix it - that's how you learn, right?
I would recommend doing as I did, however: start with something simple. The first instrument I built was a cheap mountain dulcimer kit. When I was done, it actually worked. From there I graduated into dulcimers from scratch, and then acoustic guitars. I will admit to taking a 'guitarbuilding class' for one semester from a local builder. He was primarily a violinmaker, and all the other students were making violins. I learned how to set up a plane and plane mahogany, as well as a little about the use of hide glue... and a lot about building violins. At the end of the semester I had a glued-up back and bent sides - the bending was pretty much done unsupervised. The rest of the guitar was completed by myself, and worked quite nicely. I will say that a well run class specifically aimed at guitarmaking run by someone with good credentials would be very helpful - ask to see a guitar they've built.
I do recommend finding a local builder (and you will be surprised to find there will almost certainly be one) that you can watch and pester with questions. All the makers I've met have been extremely helpful.
I also recommend reading everything you can find on the subject - and there's lots of stuff to read, nowadays. However, this is just what worked for me.
(Addendum: I now perceive one required quality... perseverance. If you can't determine to stick to it, you probably won't finish. My experience, however, is that it's such an absorbing and fascinating process you'll have no problem)
Need more encouragement?? Check out Kathy Matsushita's great home page!!
Please let me know if you need further persuasion.
Send Email to drfuzz@aol.com.
(Note: If you send Email and recieve no reply, please try again.... and excuse my occasional mental lapse)
Dr. Fuzz - Rev. June 1998
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