Gibson L-00 blueprint

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tony delci
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Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hello folks I'm new here.
I'm gonna be startin' a build on the Gibson L-00 and I want to build my own mold. Where would I find an accurate blueprint for layout? I did find the Grellier drawing but I don't really want to do all the metric conversions, anyone got any ideas? Any info or ideas would be helpful>
thank you. tony d
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Bryan Bear
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Bryan Bear »

I made one from those plans. It really isn't that big of a deal to convert the measurements. Though, to be honest, I ended up just measuring everything but the scale length in metric because it's easier to use (no fractions to fuss with).
PMoMC

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

hello bryan,
it does look like a well drawn blueprint, what I want to do is build a mold first. if it's easier to use the metric system that would be okay with me. how did your first L-00 turn out? would love to see a photo!!
thanks bryan
Tim Allen
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Tim Allen »

I like the Grellier 00 plans and am currently building a guitar from them. I have changed the bracing a bit. We'll see how that works. I agree that 'changing the metric to inches isn't much work.

However, if you want to build a Gibson L-00, I would suggest you buy plans for that particular instrument. Check out the Guild of American Luthiers "Plan #55 Circa 1937 Gibson L-00 Guitar Drawn by Kerry Char. One sheet 24" x 48." It's available at http://www.luth.org/plans/instrument_plans.html. I have that plan as well and it is very detailed and well thought out. In color, even. At $26 plus shipping, they are costlier than most plans. In my personal opinion, even expensive plans are cheap compared risking the possibility of spending many hours, and using materials that cost much more than plans, to produce a guitar that isn't designed well.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Tim,
That's very good info and advice, and you are correct when you say expensive plans are cheap compared to the time spent on poor plans and expensive materials. Let me know how your L-00 build is coming along, this will be my first acoustic build and I'm trying to keep it simple. I am going to buy the build kit from Blues Creek for my first project, it doesn't look like too difficult of a first build but I'm sure it's challenging. Thank You for the reply.
tony delci
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Bryan Bear
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Bryan Bear »

Since this is your first I will mention a few things that you may already know. Forgive me if you already know this.

You should not use the drawings from any plan to shape or scale your parts. Use the dimensions listed instead of relying on the drawings. The one exception to that I would add is that it is okay to use the drawing to make your body outline.

There is more to making an acoustic guitar than just following the plan or blueprint. The geometry is a bit more complicated than a drawing alone will convey. You need to have a system to achieve proper neck angle, string height, top and back dome. . . all of these things effect each other. There are many, many systems that will work, you just have to understand the one you are using and try not to mix methods until you have an understanding of how everything effects everything else. Do you have any books or videos that outline a proven assembly method?

I would say you are fine to use the plan to make your mold. However, I don't know how true to shape it really is so if you are a stickler you may need to do some more research.

I don't think I have any pictures handy of the one I made from the plans. I added a cutaway, other than that I pretty much followed the the plan. If I were to do it again, I would modify the bracing. Since that guitar, my approach to bracing has evolved. That is not to say there is anything wrong with the bracing in the plan and I'm certainly not saying mine is better. I do think the bracing on the plan could be made a bit lighter though.
PMoMC

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Bryan,
Will definitely need to do some checking when my kit arrives, I'm trying to avoid having to buy the mold and it would be a good learning project to 'get my feet wet ' so to speak. I am about 2 months away from starting my build, so I am trying to be a bit more prepared and think of any ways I could accomplish that. A good part of what I'm doing now is research and it looks like there is a lot out there to sift through!! I will be back soon, as I have many more issues to address, thanx to those of you that have responded and I look forward to more correspondence.
thank you, tony d
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Bryan Bear
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Bryan Bear »

There is a world of info to read through and it will all start to make sense and click the more you read. The library here is a good place to start. If you haven't already, go to the stew mac site. They should have their kit instructions available to read for free. That can really help you think of processes and questions you don't know to ask yet.
PMoMC

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Brian,
While I was viewing a video by j. hall, I did notice that he does provide a half template for the build. So I can layout a full template for the L-00 mold, I don't think he mentions it but I did see it drawn on cardboard protecting the spruce top. So there is much to learn from observation in itself. In the meantime I will gather tools needed for each step of the build, good amount of reading too, back in the 80's I had this dream of guitar building and I purchased the Cumpiano /Natelson book! It sure is good reading now, we'll talk more.
thanks Brian.
Freeman Keller
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Freeman Keller »

A current publication my the Guild of American Luthiers entitled "Flattop Guitars" has an article about a 1937ish L-00. It was reprinted from the AL #91, 2007. It details some of the idiosyncrasies of that particular guitar. The guitar in the article is the basis for the GAL plans #37 which Tim mentions.

If you want to build a historically correct guitar you might want this article and plans.
Alan Mapes
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Alan Mapes »

I downloaded a plan from Georgia Luthier Supply - you just have to find a print place that can do large paper prints from the files. I think it was around $16. Be aware that it’s drawn on a rather modern L-00. The neck is much less thick than the 1930’s neck on my Gibson L-30 that I want to duplicate.

Cheers, Alan
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Alan,
thanks for the info, so did you build an L-00 Gibson yourself? seems to be a popular build, and it is 1 cool vintage guitar. td
Alan Mapes
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Alan Mapes »

My build is in the process. I have the body done, using some 20+ year old Sitka spruce for the top and black cherry for the back and sides. My luthier/instructor friend (who supplies the wood parts) made me a neck blank according to the plans, but I’m asking him to make me another, thicker blank. I want to duplicate the neck on my 1930’s L-30 archtop. It’s an old style V neck - so comfortable to play with my size G hands (gorilla).

For the neck, we are using cherry with a maple center strip. I hope to have it strung up by Spring.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Alan,
Hope your build is going good, any chance of seeing some pictures? The choice of 20 yr old sitka will make for a great sounding top, especially with the maturity of the material. I should have my build kit before the end of the year, I tried to choose a 'simpler' build for my first attempt. I appreciate you sharing information and sources for info, will be very helpful. Look forward to talkin' some more and I'd like to see the progression on your build too.
it's all about the learning rite now, thanks, tony d
Alan Mapes
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Alan Mapes »

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BRd1tWCF9bNuXUn18

I’ve posted some photos of the L-00 body in the link above. Let me know if it works. The top, as I mentioned earlier, is some 20+ year old Sitka spruce, the back and sides are black cherry, braces are Adirondack spruce. I want to keep the look simple, so used ivoroid binding and will have plain pearl dots in the fingerboard.

The fingerboard is black locust that I will stain with black walnut husk. I’m using 25” for the scale, like my 1930’s L-30 archtop. I hope to use locust for the bridge, as well, if I can manage to make one myself. The neck will be cherry with a maple strip in the center.

Let me know how you are progressing, Tony.
tony delci
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by tony delci »

Hi Alan,
looks to me like your build is coming along really fine, your 20 yr old top is going to looking good the grain is quite nice. the cherry wood back and sides are going to look great however you choose to finish. is cherry difficult to bend? think i'll look into the sound properties of cherry wood. thanks for sharing the photos Alan will be in touch. tony d
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Bryan Bear
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Bryan Bear »

I'm not Alan but, I have only bent one pair of cherry sides but I would say it was easy to bend. I did find that I got a little scorching so I had to be careful. I should have thought of that before I started given cherry's propensity to burn with power tool use. In my case, it was nothing that couldn't be sanded out but it is worth mentioning.
PMoMC

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.
Alan Mapes
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Re: Gibson L-00 blueprint

Post by Alan Mapes »

Good point, Bryan. My mentor, Bill Sterling, was careful not to overheat the wood as we did the bending - he knew about the scorching problem. The bending worked well, though - cherry seems quite easy to bend. It turns out this spruce came from Haida Gwaii; a couple of natives have the ability to salvage downed trees there. It makes a good story....
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