-
Book Recommendations?
I’ve been looking at picking up some books and thought about starting with “Left Brain Lutherie”, but now I’m wondering if it’s still as relevant in the face of “Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build”.
“Mastering the sound of the acoustic guitar” and “The Responsive Guitar” are also on my short list but I wasn’t thinking I’d start there.
Since I can’t afford all of these at once any thoughts or guidance on where to start is greatly appreciated.
-
10 Replies
-
I would put the Somogyi book at the top of the list. I have all you have mentioned. The Gore/Gillet books are geared towards math (a whole lot of math) and are instructions for Falcate bracing. One of my favorites it Bob Benedetto’s book on Archtop building. You can learn a lot about construction tooling jigs, it all carries over to flat tops.
-
Thank you! I should have already had the Somogyi book, but me and Stewmac had a “disagreement” earlier this year. I never even thought about the Benedetto book! Very helpful, thanks again.
-
-
The Gore books are a pretty practical building guide for any sort of guitar as well. The methods are fairly low tech. It’s a good reference.
-
I do agree, I got though about 2 thirds of the first book before the math drove me crazy. I think I should have read the 2nd book instead. I did thumb through it and yes, some great building advice in there.
-
Guiliano’s method is a lot easier to understand than Gore’s, I am not smart enough to do the math for Gore.
-
I would agree that Giuliano’s but distils the essence of the Gore approach in an easier to understand and more practical-based format.
-
-
-
-
R.M. Mottola: Building the Steel String Acoustic Guitar Paperback – October 20, 2021, is a very good book that covers almost every aspect of guitar building. It’s much more modern and applicable than Cumpianio’s book and it focuses on Steel String guitars. There are other methods of work besides the ones Mottola describes but this book is extremely thorough, 512 pages. Many bonuses in the book, including templates and links to calculators. Even a guitar design tool that plots your design as you enter the parameters (see links).<div>
https://a.co/d/5xFuxSM <—- amazon link to book
The “G” Thang Acoustic Guitar Design Tool (liutaiomottola.com) –> link to design tool
Building the Steel String Acoustic Guitar – Online Annex (liutaiomottola.com)–> more
I would suggest pulling the trigger on Nicoletti’s <b style=”background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;”>Mastering the sound of the acoustic guitar. It’s also a very good book. Information in the book can be applied even if you don’t want to do analysis. Cheaper tahan amazon with StewMax…
I break out this one fairly regularly; Erlewine: <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color);”>Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step.
</div>
a.co
Building the Steel String Acoustic Guitar: Mottola, R.M.: 9781734125610: Amazon.com: Books
Building the Steel String Acoustic Guitar [Mottola, R.M.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Building the Steel String Acoustic Guitar
-
Mottola’s book is comprehensive but the method is really idiosyncratic and aimed at beginners…I dno’t find it to be all that good a reference for general building. Just my opinion.
-
Thats fair enough and I agree, its aimed at beginners (as I consider myself one). His website does have several advanced calculators and tools.
-
yeah he’s great in general and the book has a lot of info.
I’m just always looking for a book where I’m trying to answer a general guitar building question and it pretty much isn’t that book. His bending method is interesting though.
-
-
-
Log in to reply.