Build Your Own

Bohemian

Anyone jhere taken the plunge and built their own Sel/Mac style guitar?

Now that decent plans are available, I would think that with some experience and a shop, a credible instrument could be made.
I am considering just that.

Here is the plan ( which will probably change in the near future as plans
are wont to do):
Buy a Gitane to play now,
Get the hardware and plans. I already have all the wood and lots of it.
Build a guitar over the next couple months.

I would prefer to build a D hole Grande Bouche..the plans are for the petit bouche but with the help of the Charle book the bracing could be modified

I am considering buying the 500 for 2 reasons, cheap and a 1 7/8 nut.
I would consider the DG-300 JJ if it had a 1 7/8 ths nut but I belive it's
1 3/4..and I am not certain I want an oval hole to keep so would end up selling it at a loss..though might keep it. SO you see plans anre made to be altered.

Is or has anyone else built their own? What are your experiences.
SUpposedly there is a book coming out on building sometime this year.

And any advice with respect to buying the 500 or the 300

Also I am not certain I can deal with the long scale instruments. I note that De Voi builds both a D and an oval in the short scale.. and in long scale

I have a friend that built 2 short ( 25.4 in) scale D holes and sold one through ELderly to someone in Oregon..

Anything is possible... as has been said,
"what one man can do another can do"

Bohemian

Got 2 sets of plans, one from a builder in Michigan, One from England via a builder in Canada and ordered the 2 plan sets from Stew Mac. Should be interesting to compare the three.

I have several very old sets of backs and sides.. 4 east Indian Laurel,
4 East Indian Rosewood, One set of mediterranean Cypress and several old planks of Honduras Rosewood, Padauk, Honduras Mahogany, Bolivian Rosewood, some killer cocobola,quilted maple ( large enough for one piece backs) western big leaf maple and plenty more. Lots of old top wood and neck wood..

So that brings it down to hardware. I'll order after I get all the plans and redraw them into one set extracting elements from all 3 as well as the Charles book to get it as close to the original as I can.

Should be an interesting summer's project.

Craig Bumgarner

I've built guitars before and it is by no means impossible. I started to build an oval hole Selmer style as per the Francois Charle plans, but was interupted for a year by Hurricane Isabell and have since decided I'll spend what litte free time I have playing, at least for the time being.

There are D hole plans out there as well, but it looks like you have figured that out.

The Charle book is great isn't it! But not real detailed on construction. Michael Collins has been writing a book, but since lightning struck last fall at DFNE last fall, he is busy with orders and it may be a while before he completes the book. I've been on his waiting list for it since last summer. I hope he finishes it, but understand that buiding guitars might take precedent over talking about it.

The most challenging part of building these guitars is, I believe, the laminated backs and sides, though these aren't essential as is evidenced by great guitars by Michael Dunn, Dell 'Arte and others, but laminated is the "style". Second toughest is the bent top. All of these parts need special jigs which you will have to make. The rest is pretty standard stuff and can be addressed with hand tools.

The D hole guitar, ala the Gitane 500 and the Oval hole ala the 300 are very different guitars in my estimation. Saying which one might be better for you is like apples and oranges.

Well, good luck with the project. Keep us informed. You might consider a construction log website with pictures and all. I'm sure there would be alot of interest.

Craig

Bohemian

I sent an (unanswered) e mail to Collins about his book. And yes I understand priorities, I have been writing a book about my woodworking/painting techniques for 6 years.

The originals were "cranked" tops but that has not been done in years in favor of doming.. common in Spanish classicals and flamencos. So the technbique is out there..

I have side benders and other jigs built over the years..and luckily a full on wood working shop. Last project was a 1927 Regal pattern resonator guitar...and gave all the jigs and molds for a Santos Hernandez Flamenco, Concert ukes and cavaquinhos all set to go..

I must say my favorite builder is Michael Dunn. A bit of the tradition but not too shy to interject himself into his work.

The Gypsy JAzz guitar scene and Flamenco are not too distant in evolution, in playing and making. Small niches with the tradtionalists and the evolutionists, makes for a fun world.

I am also setting up to make a full- on archtop so actually have a couple years projects aside from 2 years backed up on my work.

I'll get all the plans then draw out my own so I can better understand what is at hand..then make decisions on 12 , 13 or 14 fret and oval or
D or one of the many other interesting variants..

Oh I forgot, I just drew up plans for a cajun accordion after dissecting a few.. that's also on the shelf

Collinsguitar

Hello everyone,
I just thought I would chime in with a little update on the book.
I have one small chapter left to write, and I have the section on the neck construction to re-vamp and make easy to use. I am estimating the final page count to be around 300 pages. The book has basically been typset by Wayne Nakamura (my patient partner in this thing). His photos are superb and his layout and diagrams are very well done. There is a chapter detailing the design aspect of Selmer #678 with some cool photos of the guitar at angles you normally don't find on websites and other books. This gives you a unique perspective of the whole guitar which will help us all to understand these guitars in a more perfect way.
I will also be making a set of plans of this instrument available to those who are interested in another set of plans which are different than those currently available.
I also will offer back and side sets laminated to shape to anyone that may be interested in building a guitar but doesn't want to go crazy making a bunch of forms that he/she may never use again.
Finally, I will also offer complete soundboards (Cranked top, braced, rosette installed).
I have been very busy getting guitars out of the shop, so my apologys to Bohemian for not returning the email. If anyone ahs any questions regarding this post feel free to contact me at <!-- e --><a href="mailto:info@collinsguitar.com">info@collinsguitar.com</a><!-- e -->
Michael Collins

Ando

Michael (and Wayne)

Just a word of thanks for putting the construction book together. It sounds terrific.

Cheers,
Ando

Bob Holo

That's good to hear.

I now have all the wood and accessories and tools necessary to do the job, and I have been working with a few local luthiers to understand some of the techniques.

The most pleasant part of this so far has been meeting some of the great people at Gilmer Woods here in Portland and developing a taste for pre-war Stanley hand planes. There is something beautiful about finding, truing, honing and using a really fine old hand plane - they just float - and the sound and feel of the shearing wood is an unsurpassed tonic. After a hard day at the office, I occasionally just go home and make curls till I work up a sweat and then all is right with the world. It's hard to explain - but it's true.

-Bob

Josh Hegg

Bob,

I know exactly what you mean. Also there is something zen like when cutting cross grain with a finely sharpened gouge.


Josh

SoulShade

Collinsguitar, I look forward to seeing the book!

Bob Holo

Yep, I also am eagerly awaiting it. Michael went dead on me - no sign of the book. Maybe he has a lot of guitar orders. Good for him.

Tonight I made and installed my rosette - it looks good - made a tiny little blurb with the router making a second pass to clean up fuzz... I thought ... "Gee - that cut went perfectly, I should shut off the router and take a look.

Then the devil on my other shoulder said... nah boy... take another pass to clean up the edges of the cut. Doh ! .... (sh**)

Ah well - it's a nit... so tiny that you have to get your face up to the soundhole and look for it. It looks beautiful; those little oblong soundholes are so tasteful compared to the standard big round hole. However, I'd really like to see how Michael does his rosettes because my jig is big - heavy - a little complex... there must be a simpler way to do those oval rosettes.

bill raymond

I've built a "grande bouche" model with resonator based on well, my imagination--before plans were available. I'm in the process of building another. Anyone interested in construction should check out the Musical Instrument Makers Forum www.mimf.com. If you register as a member (it's free) you will have access to the library of archived discussions which contains a bit of information about construction of Selmer-style guitars.

BTW, the tops weren't really "cranked" as the sides weren't trimmed for a "fall off" below the bridge. Rather, the tops were bent, then glued to arched lateral braces which flattened the bend at the edge of the soundboard, producing a kind of a dome where there is a gentle bend just behind the bridge.