Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar : Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plans

Rating:
Summary: The best first guide?
Review: Having done some reading previously, this book was a pleasant discovery. The aforementioned Cumpiano and others certainly get high marks for exploring the intricacies of the craft but always made it seem formidible. This one in contrast isn't quite as complete, but manages to cut the project down to size to a considerable degree.

Some things to like:
* It has all color illustrations, pretty, but also useful for comparing wood and inlay types.
* Since classical and steel strings differ quite a bit in design and methods, it sensibly doesn't try to deliver both in the same book.
* Very well organized in steps from start to finish.
* The best guide to power tools and their use that I've seen.
* Includes detailed 1:1 blueprint style plans for a pleasing OM style instrument. (Much preferable to having to sketch out your own design on graph paper!)

On the minus side, it only gives a basic list of materials suppliers, not many suggestions for other reading or websites, and, if you want to build something other than the OM, you're kind of on your own. ("Guitarmaking" is still a good idea as others have said; also the web, magazines, catalogs...)

Still, it's more than enough for one book and will give you the confidence to actually build your own beautiful instrument with success.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for the experienced woodworker!!
Review: I've had the opportunity to look at quite a few books on the construction of acoustic guitars. If I had to choose one book to build my first acoustic guitar, it would be "Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology" by Campiano/Natelson. However, like any book it has its limitations. I found Jonathan Kinkead's book, "Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar", an **outstanding** compliment to Campiano's book. Kinkead's book is clear, logical, and contains a very generous amount of visually informative high quality photos (vs. Campiano's somewhat low rez b/w photos). When questions arose with one book, I was generally able to find the answer in the other. With only 6 months of serious woodworking experience behind me (building primarily dressers), I was able to use these two books to successfully (and proudly) build two steel string acoustic guitars with a minimal amount of outside assistance.




Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Mr. Kinkead has written an excellent book. Great pictures and, for the most part, clear explanations. A few places leave you scratching your head for awhile. The most serious problem with this book is that he gives no directions on how to make any of the templates or jigs he uses during the various stages of construction, with the exception of the body mold. The plans for the dovetail jig for the neck/body joint would have been extremely helpful.

The weakest area of the book, probably because it's the most complex, is the neck construction.

But for these shortcomings, I would have given the book 5 stars. I would advise buying other books, such as Cumpiano's, to suplement Kinkead's.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book To Make a Start as a Luthier
Review: This is a terrific step by step book with great detail on how to build a OM style acoustic guitar. For many years, I've wanted to get into guitar building and this book has really excited & motivated me to give it a try. Maybe the best part of the book is the full size plans folded into the back cover! Kinkead has written a very comprehensive book. I would suggest to buy the Cumpiano "Guitarmaking" book which is considered by many to be the bible of guitar building. If you have woodworking skills and experience and can make the considerable investment in the nessesary tools, then this book is a great starting point.