Building a guitar from a table, f-hole question, help please!

[samincolour]

Hey everyone!

Any help would be hugely appreciated on this, I've built guitars before but just stuck with mahogany because I like the tone, but I fancy doing something different with this one, a) just for something to do to kill some time until the next tour, and b) just to see what it'll sound like.

So, here's what I want to do:

EITHER a 6 or a 7 string, but most like be a 6, I don't think I'm ready to step up to a 7 string just yet and I don't want to build one just to build one, if that makes sense.

I want to make it out of a table, to basically prove it can be done. I have a friend who empties houses after people have died (a bit grim I know) and he often calls to ask if we need anything for our practice room, like tables and cabinets etc, so I can get virtually any wood for free, so I'll only have to buy pickups and strings, as I have tons of hardware already at my house.

I want to cut an f-hole into it, but I want to have it right the way through the body (like the handle on the Jem, but an f-hole), maybe even have two cut in.

So my questions are:

1. Is it possible to make a decent sounding guitar from, say, oak?

2. Is my f-hole idea workable? I'd gather it would lose some sustain but other than that would it have an effect on the tone?

As always, thanks for ANY help in advance!

Sam

 

[Totem_37]

Here's my opinion's on those questions
1) Anything is possible. Keep in mind oak is SUPER heavy and you could end up with a guitar that is too heavy to strap on. Also, depending on the piece of timbre you use, it might not be dried out/aged enough to be stable enough to build a guitar out of. However if you can get your hands on some antique furniture, this may not be an issue. Keep in mind you will need to buy other odds and ends for your guitar that you probably don't have laying around (truss rod, fretwire, all the tools necessary to install everything precisely) which are not free.
2)It would have a minor effect on the tone, but it would help keep the instrument lighter which is a good idea if you're trying to make something out of oak.

My $0.02

 

[samincolour]

Here's my opinion's on those questions
1) Anything is possible. Keep in mind oak is SUPER heavy and you could end up with a guitar that is too heavy to strap on. Also, depending on the piece of timbre you use, it might not be dried out/aged enough to be stable enough to build a guitar out of. However if you can get your hands on some antique furniture, this may not be an issue. Keep in mind you will need to buy other odds and ends for your guitar that you probably don't have laying around (truss rod, fretwire, all the tools necessary to install everything precisely) which are not free.
2)It would have a minor effect on the tone, but it would help keep the instrument lighter which is a good idea if you're trying to make something out of oak.

My $0.02

Thanks dude! I thought about the oak being heavy issue, I was wondering more about what it's like as a tonewood, what characteristics does it have? (On saying that, I suppose it's like any wood, depends how aged it is etc...)

In regards to tools, I have the tools, fret wire etc, the only things I don't have are truss rods, pickups and strings, which I can pick up from our local music store, a five minute bus journey into the city centre

 

[idunno]

DO it. Oak is hard to work with , Ive used it as a neck wood. You can make a guitar out of anything!

F hole: Make a template out of either MDF. Plexiglass or plywood the shape you want and route that bitch in there! top follower for top, than flip it over and use a bottom follower to finish. Post pictures!!

 

[BlackMastodon]

Sounds very interesting. As for tone purposes, as I always say, if it's an electric it won't have as much of an effect as your pickups will. With that being said, I assume it would be similar to hard maple, possibly a bit brighter. Anyone correct me on this?

 

[CD1221]

Some british guy once made a guitar out of a fireplace. It seemed to work ok for him....



My brother has built a guitar out of an old kitchen benchtop. No idea what it was, just a solid slab of timber. It sounded like....a guitar.


Go for it.

 

[kslespaul]

The first guitar that I ever built was made out of oak. It actually sounded half decent, sorta like maple but with a little more bass. My advice is go for it, sounds like a fun project

 

[SirMyghin]

Make sure your tools are up to snuff, as many have said, oak is very hard to work.

 

[samincolour]

Thanks for everyones help and comments! I think I'll go with the one f-hole instead of two, only have the bridge pickup installed (I hardly use the neck pup), one volume knob, ALL white hardware. Just need the wood and I'll get cracking this week!

Thanks again!

 

[Jontain]

You can make a guitar out of anything!

Speaks the truth, you want proof?:-

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/luthiery-modifications-customizations/134755-heavy-flyin-v.html

In other words go for it man

 

[anthonyferguson]

I'd be patient with the f-hole, and don't make it too small. You could end up finding it difficult to keep it to the shape want otherwise. If it were me I would make it nice and big, and not go too ambitious on the curves, and cut it with a coping saw, maybe chiseling out some of the rough to begin with, inside the lines of course. Otherwise, oak will be fine, I'm sure. Just make sure, if you're making the neck, you find a piece that is quartersawn. The easiest way to identify quarter sawn oak is if it has these grain patterns:

 

[samincolour]

Thanks a lot guys

Thinking about the neck, I'm not too great at making necks so I might just buy one with a paddle headstock and cut out a design... Maybe an f-hole in the headstock too?! Haha. I don't know. But I'll probably buy a pre made neck.

Thanks for the help, tips and links everyone!