Guitar Building Plans
Guitar Building Plans | Detailed Guitar building instructions available for acoustic guitar and classical guitar
- Plan Description
- Acoustic Guitar Plans
- 12 String Guitar Plans
- Classical Guitar Plans
- Electric (Coming Soon)
Have you ever wondered how to build a guitar. Well we have the answer as to how you can make your own guitar.
Here at Ultimate Guitar OnLine we have a great variey of Guitar Building Plans available for your use in pursuing your passion so you CAN build your own guitar.
All of our Guitar Building Plans are drawn full scale. All are drawn on my CAD system and are accurate to within 1/1000". There is meticulous detail on all plans and they can be used to make your templates, guitar forms and pinned up on your wall as a guide for building your guitar. All plans include a top, side and butt view of the guitar.
All parts are dimensioned and different parts are all called out. Fret scale is accurate as indicated on the plans and you can make your fret cutting jig from one of these plans. There will also be neck cross-sections given at several locations so you can make neck-shaping templates.
Brace diagrams are carefully laid out in plan and profile to help you fabricate your top plate braces as accurately as possible. All dimensions are give as well if you wish to transfer the dimensions to the wood.
Here is what Richard Sanchez said after receiving our plans:
“The PDF I received states that Ultimate Guitar OnLine plans on publishing an ebook on guitar construction in the near future.
Of the six plans I’ve recently reviewed, your plan is by far the most comprehensive.
Please let me know when your ebook will be available!”
All Guitar Building Plans are available in either pdf format or printed on standard bond white paper. Plans are $13.49 for the pdf version, but you have to print them at a business that has a large format digital printer, like a blueprinting facility.
All guitar building plans can be ordered through our secure server and of course all information will be secure and confidential. Upon ordering you will be given an email for immediate downloading of the plans through a link directly to the ftp server. No special hardware required.
You will have 48 hours to download your digital copies. There are (5) files for each guitar plan all files total about 2.5MB, so download times are very quick, even on a 56K modem. We are sure you will be very pleased with the level of detail and quality of these drawings.
All Guitar Building Plans are clearly dimensioned in both millimeters and inches/fractional inches so you can decide which measure system to choose. If you would prefer to have your plans in decimal inches, drop me an email and I will arrange for that. Just send it to david@ultimate-guitar-online.com and I'll get right back to you.
So if you are interested in how to build a guitar - or how to make your own guitar, pick from one of these finely detailed plans and start building your dream guitar!
I've just published a complete template set that supplements each guitar plan that we sell here.
I would recommend that these plans be reproduced and glue these template layouts over plexiglas or lexan plastic and carefully and accurately cut the templates out for a lifetime luthier's tool.
This template set will include the following templates:
Top Bracing Layout Template: that locates each brace and brace end, eliminating any mis-alignment of baces, sound-hole or reinforcing strips.
Fret Layout Template: All frets laid out and dimensioned ready for you to load into a fret template jig or hand cut on your own.
Headpiece Template: for headpiece contour and accurate tuning machine layouts.
Neck Layout Template: Use this for easily roughing out your neck, heel, and neck joints, plut the foot on the Classical Guitar.
Side Contour Template: This is worth the price of the set alone! This side contour can be cut out and laid directly on your guitar sides and you can automatically cut the correct back arch and taper on your sides without trial and error.
Head on over to the newest member of our family:
Ultimate Guitar Building
Be sure to visit our Plan Shop, which is part of the Ultimate Guitar Building Site. Here you will not only find all the guitar plans, bender plans and jig plans, but we will be posting updates on this site for you download. Free downloads and updates will be available here too.
Addition items to look for at the Plan Shop are Free Downloads for Guitar Building Tools to help you in your guitar making operation. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page in the Free Downloads Section.
These Guitar Building Plans are for a 000 size or otherwise know as a Parlor or Concert Acoustic Guitar. It makes an ideal older child guitar and young teen guitar as the smaller size is easier for them to get a good grasp on the guitar. The tone is not as "fat" as the dreadnought, which is shown on the plan below but it will give a well-balanced sound. This would make a great fingerstyle guitar as well as a flatpick guitar. You can alter the depth slightly to give the treble zones more boost and the de-emphasizing the bass a bit. If you prefer there is a layout for a single cutaway for this guitar too. This plan has a 14 fret neck to the body and 25.4"(645.2mm) scale.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 275mm (10 13/16")
Lower Bout: 361mm (14 7/32")
Body Length: 479mm (18 7/8")
Depth At Heel: 79.3mm (3 1/8")
Depth At Butt: 104.7mm (4 1/8")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order 000 Concert Guitar Plans
The Dreadnought Guitar Building plans are patterned after the Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar popularized by the C.F.Martin company in the 1930's. It is the standard in Bluegrass music, but is used universally in rock, country, folk and much more. It is a big-voiced guitar with a lot of volume potential, depending the the selection of the tonewoods. You can give it warm tones with walnut and maple back and side sets and louder and brighter sounds with Koa and Rosewood. This plan has a 14 fret neck to the body and 25.4"(645.2mm) scale.
Bracing is based on the standard "X" brace pattern with no scalloping. If you decided to scallop the braces, you must "beef-up" the bracing a bit to compensate for diminished strength of the bracing due to the scalloping process. Also try Sitka Spruce or Englemann for the top for a bright more treble tone and one of the cedars for more bass. This a great guitar and the you will be pleased with the detail and directions given on these plans.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 293mm (11 17/32")
Lower Bout: 396mm (15 19/32")
Body Length: 513mm (20 7/32")
Depth At Heel: 95.3mm (3 3/4")
Depth At Butt: 120.7mm (4 3/4")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Dreadnought Guitar Plans
The Grand Auditorium or Grand Concert Guitar Building Plans are patterned after the Martin Grand J Series Acoustic Guitar popularized by the C.F.Martin company or the very popular J200 timeless design from the Gibson Co. Is is one of the largest bodied guitars, that is with the most interior volume of any style guitar and is used universally in rock, country, folk and much more. It is a big-voiced guitar with a lot of volume potential, depending the the selection of the tonewoods. You can give it warm tones with walnut and maple back and side sets and louder and brighter sounds with Koa and Rosewood. This plan has a 14 fret neck to the body and 25.4"(645.2mm) scale.
Bracing is based on the standard "X" brace pattern with no scalloping. If you decided to scallop the braces, you must "beef-up" the bracing a bit to compensate for diminished strength of the bracing due to the scalloping process. Also try Sitka Spruce or Englemann for the top for a bright more treble tone and one of the cedars for more bass. This a great guitar and the you will be pleased with the detail and directions given on these plans.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 308.1mm (12 1/8")
Lower Bout: 406.9mm (16 1/16")
Body Length: 502.5mm (19 25/32")
Depth At Heel: 97.3mm (3 27/32")
Depth At Butt: 122.7mm (4 27/32")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Grand Auditorium Guitar Plans
These Guitar Building Plans are patterned after the Martin Classic 000-28VS Auditorium Guitar. This makes for a tremendous fingerstyle guitar and it is set up for just that. It has a wider than normal neck, following the Martin Specs very closely. String spacing at the bridge is 2-5/16? as well, allowing more room for finger picking. Follows Martin Vintage Appointments: This plans detail the scalloped bracing for the top plate as well as other classic features that Martin introduced with this model.
Also you will enjoy the classic Vee joint neck that joins the headpiece to the neck blank, as well as the classic slotted peghead rather than the standard post tuning machines. Other features include the classic prism bridge and the 12-fret neck that makes this such a unique guitar.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 274.7mm (10 13/16")
Lower Bout: 382.7mm (15 1/16")
Body Length: 512.9mm (20 3/16")
Depth At Heel: 92.8mm (3 21/32")
Depth At Butt: 104.7mm (4 1/8")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order000-28VS Guitar Plans
Martin HD-28VS Dreadnought Vintage Series: These Guitar Building Plans are similar to the Martin Vintage HD-28VS Dreadnought Guitar. This makes for a tremendous fingerstyle or flatpicking guitar and it is set up for just that. It has a wider than normal neck at both the nut and the bridge. String spacing at the bridge is 2-5/16? as well, allowing more room for finger picking. Follows Martin Vintage Features: This plans detail the scalloped bracing for the top plate as well as other classic features that Martin introduced with this model.
Also you will enjoy the classic Vee joint neck that joins the headpiece to the neck blank, as well as the classic slotted peghead rather than the standard post tuning machines. Other features include the classic prism bridge and the 12-fret neck that makes this such a unique guitar. We have also included detailed construction plans for the Martin “Belly Bridge” as well, if you prefer that appearance.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 288mm (11 5/16")
Lower Bout: 395mm (15 9/16")
Body Length: 524mm (11 5/16")
Depth At Heel: 92.8mm (3 21/32")
Depth At Butt: 104.7mm (4 1/8")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order HD-28VS Guitar Plans
Guitar Building Plans for the Gibson J200 or Jumbo Acoustic Guitar – the big daddy. This makes big voiced guitar that will pelt out a big bass tone. If you like the Gibson J200 or the Taylor JM you will love this guitar plan.
Patterned After the Taylor JM: This plans detail the big body, both in depth and width of this classic guitar. All details are here for you to construct your dream J200 or Taylor JM Acoustic Guitar.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 318.6mm (12 19/32")
Lower Bout: 433mm (17 1/32")
Body Length: 532mm (20 15/16")
Depth At Heel: 107.3mm (4 7/32")
Depth At Butt: 132.7mm (5 7/32")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To OrderJumbo J200 Guitar Plans
These Guitar Building Plans are similar to the Gibson J45 Acoustic Guitar. This is the first acoustic guitar that I owned when I bought it from a bluegrass guitarist that was moving up to a Martin D-18. I bought it for $500.00 and it was a 1945 with a moustache bridge to boot. He later tried to buy it back when he relized what he sold me.
I still have that guitar today. It makes a fine flatpicking guitar and you to will love this guitar, when making it from these plans. I’m sure you can make it sound even better than that great granddaddy that is sitting in my music room right now.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 300.9mm (11 27/32")
Lower Bout: 408.5mm (14 3/32")
Body Length: 512.8mm (20 3/16")
Depth At Heel: 98mm (3 27/32")
Depth At Butt: 122.8mm (4 27/32")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To OrderJumbo J200 Guitar Plans
These are books that we have in our guitar library. If you are serious about making a guitar, we suggest that you pick up a few of them for your library too. Just select a book from the drop-down menu below and you will go directly to it.
Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology: by Jonathan Natelson
Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar: by Jonathan Kinkead
A Guitar Maker's Manual by Jim Williams
Art of Tap Tunining How to Build Great Sound into Instruments Book by Roger Simonoff
The Luthier's Handbook: A Guide to Building Great Tone in Acoustic Stringed Instruments by Roger Simonoff
The Grand Auditorium or Grand Concert Guitar Building Plans are patterned after the Martin Grand J Series Acoustic Guitar popularized by the C.F.Martin company, the very popular J200 timeless design from the Gibson Co. and the Taylor Grand Auditorium 12, which is in my opinion, one of the best 12-strings out there.
It is one of the largest bodied guitars, that is with the most interior volume of any style guitar and is used universally in rock, country, folk and much more. It is a big-voiced guitar with a lot of volume potential, depending the the selection of the tonewoods. You can give it warm tones with walnut and maple back and side sets and louder and brighter sounds with Koa and Rosewood. This plan has a 14 fret neck to the body and 25.4"(645.2mm) scale.
Bracing is based on the standard "X" brace pattern with no scalloping. The only 12-string that uses scalloping that I am aware of is the Taylor Leo Kottke model and this utilizes lower tuning to be able to pull it off. Also, try Sitka Spruce or Englemann for the top for a bright more treble tone and one of the cedars for more bass. This a great guitar and the you will be pleased with the detail and directions given on these plans.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 308.1mm (12 1/8")
Lower Bout: 406.9mm (16 1/16")
Body Length: 502.5mm (19 25/32")
Depth At Heel: 97.3mm (3 27/32")
Depth At Butt: 122.7mm (4 27/32")
Scale Length: 645.2mm (25 13/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Lateral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace provide to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 4mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Grand Auditorium
12-String Guitar Building Plans
These Guitar Building plans are for a standard concert sized classical guitar plan. All dimensions and body shape dimensions match the Jose Ramirez Concert model popularized by Andres Segovia, Christopher Parkening and many other classical musicians. The bracing pattern is a modified fan with a curved main just behind the soundhole. Fan braces are modified slightly to place emphasis on the treble notes. This guitar will give you balanced volume and good control over your bass and treble spectrum. Feel free to play with the bracing placements and experiment as you wish.
These guitar building plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 282mm (11 3/32")
Lower Bout: 368.5mm (14 1/2")
Body Length:494.4mm 19 15/32")
Scale Length: 660mm (25 31/32")
Body Depth At Heel:94mm (3 11/16")
Body Depth At Butt: 102mm (4 1/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 2mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Classical Plan 1
Ramirez Fan Brace Model
These Guitar Construction Plans are for a classical guitar that has the same body dimensions as the Ramirez plan above, but with a radically different top bracing pattern. The bracing is based on the Schneider/Kasha pattern and will give a very loud volume to the guitar. Have fun with this one. Also try to experiment with different tonewoods for the back, sides and top. Jose Ramirez lines the sides of some of his classical guitars with a thin veneer of Cyprus to give added volume. Varying the thickness of the top and bottom plates can give a variation in tone as well. Some luthier's claim to get improved sound by making the top plate slightly thicker in the center and thinning it out as you reach to outer edges of the guitar.
These plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (5) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 282mm (11 3/32")
Lower Bout: 368.5mm (14 1/2")
Body Length:494.4mm 19 15/32")
Scale Length: 660mm (25 31/32")
Body Depth At Heel:94mm (3 11/16")
Body Depth At Butt: 102mm (4 1/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 2mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Classical Plan 2
Kasha/Schneider Fan Brace Model
These Guitar Building Plans are for a classical guitar that has the same body dimensions as the Ramirez plan in Plan 1 above, but with the Torres traditional top fan bracing pattern. The bracing is based on the bracing pattern that Torres made popular and is probably the most used bracing pattern used in classical guitar construction. Go ahead and experiment with fan brace modifications, such as using wider and shorter braces or as some luthiers do, make the fan braces more of a pentagon cross-section (pointed on the top, center of the fan brace). Some luthier's claim to get improved sound by making the top plate slightly thicker in the center and thinning it out as you reach to outer edges of the guitar.
These plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 282mm (11 3/32")
Lower Bout: 368.5mm (14 1/2")
Body Length:494.4mm 19 15/32")
Scale Length: 660mm (25 31/32")
Body Depth At Heel:94mm (3 11/16")
Body Depth At Butt: 102mm (4 1/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 2mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Classical Plan 3
Torres Fan Brace Model
These Guitar Building plans are for a standard concert sized classical guitar plan. The bracing pattern is based on the pattern developed by famous French luthier, Robert Bouchet. His guitars have considerable volume and sustain. The tone is considered firm rather than sweet, and they possess unusually good sound balance across the guitar's range.
You may want to experiment a bit with a couple of things. First - the transverse brace that runs directly beneath the guitar saddle. To boost treble or the bass elements of the guitar you can adjust the thickness and/or the height of this brace. Also, on this plan all of the fan braces are of equal cross-section. You can adjust the response of the treble or bass qualties by progressively adjusting the dimensions of these braces from the bass to the treble side of the guitar.</em>
These plans are very detailed, highest quality PDF's and consist of complete dimensioned plans with bracing plans, sections laterally and longitudinally, detailed bracing layouts. There are (4) large sheets ready to be copied at your local digital printing center.
Guitar Dimensions:
Upper Bout: 282mm (11 3/32")
Lower Bout: 368.5mm (14 1/2")
Body Length:494.4mm 19 15/32")
Scale Length: 660mm (25 31/32")
Body Depth At Heel:94mm (3 11/16")
Body Depth At Butt: 102mm (4 1/32")
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Sheet 1 - Guitar Plan: Detailed full sized dimensioned plan showing all top bracing, bracing scallops, bridge detail, purfling layout, neck layout with perfectly scaled fret locations, head and tuning machine layouts. Also there is a very detailed specification describing materials, methods of construction and tools required.
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Sheet 2 - Guitar Sections: Longitudinal and Latteral Section cuts through the guitar showing internal bracing, lining, side bracing, blocks and neck, included complete dimensions.
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Sheet 3 - Guitar Top Bracing Layout: Top and side views of all top braces including dimensions if you need them. The intent is to transfer the brace pro vile to each brace.
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Sheet 4 - Guitar Back Plate and Back Plate Bracing Diagrams: Detailed layout of the back outline, including all bracing and blocks required for complete back construction. The Brace layouts include the 2mm arch for the back, which is required for a durable guitar.
Click To Order Classical Plan 4
Bouchet Fan Brace Model
These are books that we have in our guitar library. If you are serious about making a guitar, we suggest that you pick up a few of them for your library too. Just select a book from the drop-down menu below and you will go directly to it.
Guitar Makers Workshop by Rik Middleton
Guitar making Tradition and Technology by Jonathan Natelson and William Cumpiano
The Art and Craft of Making a Classical Guitar by Manuel Rodriguez
Classical Guitar Making A Modern Approach to Traditional Design by John S. Bogdanovich
Classic Guitar Construction by Irving Sloan
Classic Guitar Making Arthur E. Overholtzer
