Building a gypsy guitar

Dookychase

If anyone here has built one, could you pm me? I'd like to ask a few questions by phone if possible.

Thanks

Bones

Quite a few builders on the forum willing to share info go ahead and post ur questions.

Dookychase

Here goes, on the top of the guitar it is curved from the bass side to the treble side.  I also appears to curve from the  neck block to the tail block.  Is this caused by gluing the curved braces or something else. Hope this makes sense.

I saw a picture on Shelly Park's website where she is gluing braces on a mold with inverted braces forcing the top/back into the dome shape. I was wondering if that is all that's done to the top/back.

Thanks

bbwood_98

Honestly I would wait for one of the luthiers to respond. However, Grabbing a copy of the Selmer Book; or one of the build books (from Collins/whomever) would be a good idea. Typically the true selmers (and selmer era french manouche style guitars) had a Neapolitan mandolin style bend behind the bridge. Most but certainly not all modern reworks have a domed top. Both top and the braces must (again, typically) be shaped to the dome before assembly in order to maintain stability later.

Please - some luthier step in and correct my statements!!!

Dookychase

I made a clamping mold from the shape of the braces copied from the plans I bought by Michael Collins.  I didn't want to try using the pliage(?) method.  Another question: are the top edges of the bent sides left straight(no taper) from the neck block to the tail block and just a taper for the back of the guitar?

Buco

Maybe it doesn't directly answer your questions since you're going for domed top but there's tons of great info here:

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/6010/byo-the-pliage

bbwood_98

I'd suggest you DM either @Craig Bumgarner or @Bob Holo for full on professional advice. These two gentlemen are both amazing builders and nice guys. They will have more specific ideas for sure!

Bones

Yes the top surface of the bent sides is typically straight.

Keep us posted on how it goes. Post pics too if you have time.

Dookychase

Thanks everybody.  I read through the pliage thread started by Craig Bumgarner, a lot of info.

This will be a first for me so it will be slow going. Will keep yall posted.

psychebilly

I asked a local luthier, who was great at building acoustics (in the Taylor/Martin style) to build me a gypsy/Macaferri-style guitar. He really took on the challenge, building custom-made fixtures and jigs. I got the Michael Collins plans, and gave them to him, and in the end, he ended up calling Michael to go through the details, which BTW, was a little different from his book.

If you'd like, I can provide you his contact info, if you think it would be beneficial...

Dookychase

Hey psychebilly that would be great.  When I get to a sticking point I could call him.  I don't have Michael Collins book but I bought his dvd set several years ago.  Then my wife fell sick with dementia and I gave up on wood working for a while. She been sick for 10 years and she's in a nursing home now. Only 64 years old.

Anyway when I tried to play the dvds, they'll play for a few minutes then locks up.  I tried different players and still the same.  I spoke to Michael Horowitz and he told me he never had problems with the sets he's sold, so I might buy them again.

Thanks