Crimson guitars building course

designerseye88

Im sure this has been asked but wanted to see if anyone has been on these guitar building courses. Have always fancied attending one, Probably a week long course. Any thoughts? I don't expect to come out of it and expert but thought it might get me started on building guitars in my spare time. 

downbytheriver

I did the six day one about 3 years ago. I haven’t looked back. Make notes, take pictures. Oh and take your own wood if you can. 

designerseye88

downbytheriver said:

I did the six day one about 3 years ago. I haven’t looked back. Make notes, take pictures. Oh and take your own wood if you can. 

Great, thanks. Is there a limit to what you can make within that week? Do they advise flat tops over carved tops for example? 

crunchman

I did it a couple of years ago, also the 6 day course.

I'd recommend not trying anything too ambitious in one week.  If you start adding carved tops, F holes, or complex inlays, you won't have enough time to finish.

downbytheriver

I agree with  crunchman here - Strat, Tele, Junior - that sort of thing - learn about proper construction - carving, even binding, will take away from the core study. 

fosk

There is a Shuker one which I am tempted by.

davros

What you can build really depends on your existing ability. On my 6 dayer some struggled to finish a strat type. I made this and finished by 1pm on the last day so hit the road. Chambered with an f-hole and a simple bevel carve.

I did a lot of planning beforehand, made all the templates at home and bought all my own parts.

I had built a simple body before but never a neck. Beware it's dangerous though, I've built 5 since the course in a year and a half!!

PolarityMan

Im booked in for october!

vivalacoulter

I’ve been trying to get a friend to book on with me, I think the course would be a great experience.

Vintage-T

downbytheriver said:

 Oh and take your own wood if you can. 

I tried this, but it was the wrong kind of wood and promptly got asked to leave!

PolarityMan

downbytheriver said:

Oh and take your own wood if you can. 

Whats the reason for this btw? Do they not have great stock? I've been taking a look at http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/Blanks.htm but not sure if I should just spring for something or get some advice from the instructors on the course.

Also if buying our own do you need to have the "accurate thicknessing" done already or is that part of the course? 

I'm eyeing up mahogany for a tele shape btw.

davros

They have a decent stock of wood. I would only take your own if there's something special you want like a 5A flame maple top.

They will thickness and square your wood, as long as you don't rock up with a tree trunk.

crunchman

If I went again, I would take my own wood.  The ash they gave me for the body was very heavy.  I did hollow out a chamber before gluing the top on, but it would have been a very heavy guitar without that.

downbytheriver

They had a decent stock of wood when I went but I felt it was expensive and would have preferred a better choice. Mr Dykes will see you alright! 

However, getting it at Crimson is a perfectly valid option. 

sgosden

davros said:

What you can build really depends on your existing ability. On my 6 dayer some struggled to finish a strat type. I made this and finished by 1pm on the last day so hit the road. Chambered with an f-hole and a simple bevel carve.

I did a lot of planning beforehand, made all the templates at home and bought all my own parts.

I had built a simple body before but never a neck. Beware it's dangerous though, I've built 5 since the course in a year and a half!!

More pictures needed. That's awesome looking . 

Grumpyrocker

I'd love to go on one of these courses. Crimson isn't even far from where I live.

But you wouldn't believe how incredibly ham-fisted I am. Not even joking. I'd be lucky to come out of it with a block of wood with some strings nailed to it. 

RaymondLin

I guess this is a course for if you really want to learn to make a guitar rather than have a guitar at the end since for £1k, you can no doubt buy a better guitar than you can build at first attempt. 

PolarityMan

Im hoping it wont be total shit though but like @Grumpyrocker I am inept at DIY type stuff so.....

Offset

There is a 'luthier' who has featured on these pages I'm certain would benefit from attending one of these courses...

davros

Don't forget to budget for materials and parts, and accomodation. They can really add up.

TTony

Grumpyrocker said:

But you wouldn't believe how incredibly ham-fisted I am. 

PolarityMan said:

Im hoping it wont be total shit though but like @Grumpyrocker I am inept at DIY type stuff so.....

Neither of you could possibly be worse at woodworkery DIY than I am was.

Back in those days, if someone gave me a piece of wood and a saw, and told me to make 2 pieces of wood, something would inevitably go wrong.  Generally it would involve naughty words and flying wood, quite often it would involve blood.

My first course (Bailey) taught me that I could make a guitar.  That was pretty incredible.  I re-did the course to learn how to make a guitar (because the first experience was just a blur, despite making copious notes and taking lots of photos).  Since then, I've made more guitars than I remember - starting with Teles, but moving on to some reasonably fancy stuff.  Those same skills have been used around the house on all sorts of woodworkery DIY projects too.

If I can do it ....

RaymondLin said:

I guess this is a course for if you really want to learn to make a guitar rather than have a guitar at the end since for £1k, you can no doubt buy a better guitar than you can build at first attempt. 

I looked at the cost as covering;

• A week away having a really good time with a bunch of like-minded people
• A week spent learning some valuable new skills that I've used over and over
• A  new guitar,  built exactly to my design and spec

Bargain!