Matthew's Blog - Getting Started

My name is Matthew and I am currently building a Orchestral Model acoustic guitar. First we started making templates for our instruments out of 1/8" plexi-glass. We made blueprints for our guitars and templates for the body shape, neck, headstock, and the sides.


Then we began making outside molds. These will be used to shape the ribs (sides) of the guitar after we bend them. They are made by stacking and gluing plywood.


Cutting them to shape.




Here we're using a template pinned in place to rout them flush so the ribs will be held to their shape until the the point where the top is glued on.


Now we glue the first cut out to another rough cut piece of plywood and repeat the routing process.


Here the outside mold is tall enough to support the rib structure.


Meanwhile I also made a work board for my guitar. It's used for holding the instrument as I build.




Next I made some cauls to fit inside the the outside mold for my guitar so that I can keep the ribs clamped after shaping them.