ATL-1QB Thinline T, First Build

[A.D.]

Hi Everyone,
Probably a little premature starting a build diary but I have a couple of questions. I ve got a few months until the kit will arrive and I ve ordered some samples of maple veneer to do some trials on. I ve seen advice to make sure that your test samples are sanded to the same level that your guitar will be and so does anyone know what this would be for the maple veneer? I ve read many times not to sand the veneer if you avoid it!

Also, can anyone recommend any good books on guitar building? I ve seen recommendations for Make Your Own Guitar by Melvyn Hiscock but the price on Amazon is £40 and I was hoping for something a little cheaper!

[Simon Barden]

The normal state the veneer comes in (from the sample packs I've had) is the same level of smoothness that gets put on the kits. So I'd just go ahead and stain what comes.

The Melvyn Hiscox book is good, and I haven't seen anything else being recommended. But with YouTube (well selected viewing of), and the resources on luthier-based websites like StewartMacdonald, there's normally more than enough information available these days without buying a book. There are also several ways of going about most things, so having just one book can be more straightforward (as you don't have to decide what method to use), but in other ways, more limiting, as there may be an easier or quicker way to do things (or one more suited to the tools available).

Several people here have made their own electric guitars completely from scratch using just shared/gained knowledge and web resources.

To make one reasonably quickly from scratch, then knowing how to use a router is essential, though again, it can all be done with hand tools, but obviously tales a lot longer!

[A.D.]

Thanks Simon,

Samples arriving tomorrow so I am going to get started then. I ll leave the books for the time being, it very quickly becomes all consuming doesn't it, I ve spent most evenings over the last week or so reading the forum or watching videos online.

Don't know if it has been suggested before but a book/ebook of the forum, made up of some build diaries and guitars of the month would make great reading and might drum up a bit more business for Pitbull too. Just a thought.

[Simon Barden]

There is the full PBG guide, which is rather hard to find if you don't know where to look.

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-co...s%20Manual.pdf

It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than nothing.

And don't be afraid to ask questions. In this forum, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

[Fretworn]

For kit building I would recommend Will Kelly’s book. There are things in there that some here wouldn’t recommend, but it is based around building kits, rather than scratch building like the Hiscox book, it is a bit more useful in my opinion.

https://www.amazon.com/Build-Electri.../dp/B01HN72IIE

[A.D.]

Thanks Fretworn, I ll check that out