Gibson L-5 plans
- Thread starter Mor Paul
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StewMac if anyone... and consider a large outlay for tooling. You'll need to CARVE the top inside and out to about 1/8 uniform thickness.
Max... thats a rather far reaching project, easily could take several years to complete, as you learn the skills you'll need.
I admire your enthusiasm.... I dont think Taylor and Collings and Loar got their first instrument off the ground on such a grand scale.
I dont wanna shoot ya down, but just know... you're gonna outlay some serious cash to get that puppy going.
Max... thats a rather far reaching project, easily could take several years to complete, as you learn the skills you'll need.
I admire your enthusiasm.... I dont think Taylor and Collings and Loar got their first instrument off the ground on such a grand scale.
I dont wanna shoot ya down, but just know... you're gonna outlay some serious cash to get that puppy going.
Nando Vallart
Epic Member
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Max, this guitar would be bigger than you :sad1:
Couldn't find the plans on Stewmac nor LMII, perhaps google search, but think you'd better get a Benedetto plans and change things a little...
Couldn't find the plans on Stewmac nor LMII, perhaps google search, but think you'd better get a Benedetto plans and change things a little...
Cagey
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I looked into making an acoustic at one time. Tools are unusual and expensive. Then, clamps alone will set you back a pile. They're not terribly expensive individually, but you need a million of them. Woodbending is an art, and also requires some special setups/tools/clamps. All in all, not a trivial or inexpensive task, or one to be taken up on a whim. If you were going to make a bunch of them, it would be easier to justify because you could amortize the cost of everything you'd need over a number of instruments.
bbl4ck
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Here is one that is real close. The D'Angelico New Yorker...
Plus the price is right at $30 for the plans. It is available at the Guild of American Luthiers site:
http://www.luth.org/plans/archtop.htm
Plus the price is right at $30 for the plans. It is available at the Guild of American Luthiers site:
http://www.luth.org/plans/archtop.htm
O
OzziePete
Guest
Wow, Max, that is a big project to take on.
I also echo what =CB= has said, it's usually the project that experienced builders take on & can take a long time to complete. But that said, I support your enthusiasm for the project & I am sure that whether it gets done to your satisfaction or not, you will learn a lot about guitars in the process.
Your opportunity to work with a violin builder and use their experience, tools etc. is great, because as anyone who has researched the history about the L-5 will tell you, Loar got a lot of the ideas about the archtop guitar from violins and cellos. Both you and the violin maker will learn a lot from this work, so it's great you can be an apprentice of sorts. Maybe after that, if it all turns out OK working with them, they may consider taking you under their wings and doing more projects, or even formalising an apprenticeship?
I must say that it is a huge opprotunity for you, Max, and I wish you al the best in the work. :icon_thumright:
In their day (1950s), a D'Angelico was more favoured over the electrified L-5. There was a repair 'documentary' that was on one of the other guitar forums (TDPRI?) that had a repair job on a D'Angelico stepped out, and done by one of New York's master luthiers. The luthier now was in semi retirement in Italy, but came back to the USA occassionally to see family and do a little repair work. On that occassion he let a friend photo the work as he did it and repaired/restored a D'Angelico that had seen better days. The surprising thing about that was the lack of bracing involved for such a huge sounding guitar - which suggests that wood selection was critical.
Gibson still make the L-5 in electrified form, and also re-issue a 1934 acoustic version too. So there would be plans around somewhere.
I also echo what =CB= has said, it's usually the project that experienced builders take on & can take a long time to complete. But that said, I support your enthusiasm for the project & I am sure that whether it gets done to your satisfaction or not, you will learn a lot about guitars in the process.
Your opportunity to work with a violin builder and use their experience, tools etc. is great, because as anyone who has researched the history about the L-5 will tell you, Loar got a lot of the ideas about the archtop guitar from violins and cellos. Both you and the violin maker will learn a lot from this work, so it's great you can be an apprentice of sorts. Maybe after that, if it all turns out OK working with them, they may consider taking you under their wings and doing more projects, or even formalising an apprenticeship?
I must say that it is a huge opprotunity for you, Max, and I wish you al the best in the work. :icon_thumright:
In their day (1950s), a D'Angelico was more favoured over the electrified L-5. There was a repair 'documentary' that was on one of the other guitar forums (TDPRI?) that had a repair job on a D'Angelico stepped out, and done by one of New York's master luthiers. The luthier now was in semi retirement in Italy, but came back to the USA occassionally to see family and do a little repair work. On that occassion he let a friend photo the work as he did it and repaired/restored a D'Angelico that had seen better days. The surprising thing about that was the lack of bracing involved for such a huge sounding guitar - which suggests that wood selection was critical.
Gibson still make the L-5 in electrified form, and also re-issue a 1934 acoustic version too. So there would be plans around somewhere.
Patrick from Davis
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I would recommend Benedetto's Book. I got it just to read for fun. It has that general shaped guitar plans in it, and a lot of information. There is a lot to it, but I have seen classes that people take and finish them in not too long of a time. Obviously it won't have all of the whistles and bells, like seven line bound necks with abalone as the middle line, but it is not unreasonable with help. Honestly, the Benedetto book has lots of details that would be very helpful to make one properly, even with the Violin Makers help.
Patrick
Patrick
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