An Idea.

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:20 pm

I'm throwing this idea into the wind, Hopefully I'll get an answer...
I wanted to build a guitar in the near future. I know a solid electric would be quicker and easier but I was thinking of making an acoustic version of the 325. What do you think?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:53 pm

Well, I suggest you purchase a book entitled, "Guitarmaking--Tradition and Technology", by Cumpiano and Natelson. Although it's intended as a manual on step-by-step construction of acoustic guitars, it will give you a really excellent idea of what you're getting yourself into, as far as the tools, math, patience, wood, and sheer number of hours involved in constructing your own guitar. I discovered this book recently and recommend it as the best, most professional, readable, and methodical text I've seen in a long time.

In short, it's a pretty exhausting undertaking.

Building a bolt-neck solid body like a Fender would be a more appropriate project if you've never built a guitar from scratch before. Then, you could move onto a set neck, acquire more tools and equipment, and eventually build a hollow bodied electric.

If, by "acoustic version of the 325", you mean a short scale guitar that looks like a 325, but has no electrics, then you're in a whole new realm.

325s are hollow bodies, you know. They are not constructed in the traditional sense, but are routed by hand and machine from a solid billet of maple, a neck is set into the routed body, and a back is glued on.

Because of the thickness of the sides and top, and all the solid glued area around the neck, a 325 is not a great guitar for acoustic-only playing.

However, were you able to construct an acoustic-only 325 clone (using, for instance, the traditional methods outlined in the recommended text above), it would not sound too spectacular, due to the short scale, thick strings, and above all the small volume of air inside the body. Acoustics sound best with trad construction, thin top, bottom, and sides, responsive bracing, and a neck joint that leaves the volume of inside air maximized. A Rick 325 has none of these features.

An electric 325 clone could theoretically be built with a table saw, band saw, router, drill press, a large box of hand woodworking tools and a decent spray rig. But, as Dale Fortune's excellent photo series on constructing a solid bodied electric shows, there's a ton of expertise which is gained by ether apprenticeship, a class in luthiery, or a lot of mistakes made on one's own time.

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:20 pm

You know, The only thing I was stuck on was if there was enough space inside of a hollow 325 (meaning a fatter acoustic style hollow body) to make it a decent sounding instrument. If it sounds just okay, that's fine. If it's a tinny sounding piece of **** I'd rather not start.

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:22 pm

For the record, I have built guitar kits and such. I have all the know how to make a decent instrument. This would be the dive into a scratch build.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 5:28 pm

Absolutely no intent on my part to discourage you; just a sort of friendly come-to-Jesus, reality-check type of thing. And, of course, as always, you have my support and the support of Forum members to help make this sort of project a success and something you'd be proud and satisfied to play.

So, get the book and start planning and sketching!