Here is the start of a collection of books on making musical instruments. These books will provide information and techniques on building musical instruments such as guitars and violins.

Book Index Page

Musical Instruments page 1, 2

The Making of Stringed Instruments: A Workshop Guide (by George Buchanan)

Experience the joy of making music in a whole new way--from choosing the wood to playing the last note. More than 500 illustrations and a straightforward text explain every stage of crafting stringed instruments, including detailed plans and instructions for constructing a violin, cello, jazz guitar, mandolin and more.

The Luthier's Handbook (by Roger H. Siminoff (Composer)

An essential item for the instrument builder, The Luthier's Handbook explores the secrets and science behind making good-sounding acoustic stringed instruments. Renowned author Roger H. Siminoff brings to the table more than four decades of luthiery experience and shares the time-tested philosophies, tips and technology of the craft. As the ideal complement to other books on building instruments, this text describes the structural and acoustical attributes of air chambers; what to listen for when tap-tuning; selecting a good piece of wood; placement of the braces and tone bars and how to tune them; how to select the right strings; what to consider in bridge design concepts; and much more. Includes a free String Gauge Calculator for determining the right set of strings.

Musical Instrument Design: Practical Information for Instrument Making (by Bart Hopkin)

(Reviewer)- I'd give this book a "6" if it were an admissible rating. Hopkin loads this book with literally hundreds of both familiar and newly-created instruments that can be made using simple tools. The instructions are step-by-step. The acoustic explanations are interesting and understandable but not required for success. I recommend Hopkin's book to hobbyists, tinkerers, those who have failed at making instruments on their own; music, art, or classroom teachers; musicians; and I think, most importantly, composers. For composers, new vistas of tone color, sound production, and tonalities appear - through acoustic instruments - no need for electronic synthesis or sampling!

Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology : A Complete Reference for the Design & Construction of the Steel-String Folk Guitar & the Classical Guitar (Guitar Reference) (by William R. Cumpiano, Jonathan D. Natelson)

(Reviewer)- I am a guitarmaker based in Canada. I bought this book after my first attempt at making a guitar, and I wish I'd known about before I ever started building! Not only is it encyclopedic in content, but it is very interesting and readable. Even if you never plan to construct an instrument, this book will quickly turn you into a guitar expert. It is a great read, cover-to-cover, with lots of historical information that helped me more fully understand why certain things are done certain ways. I must admit, however, that the neck attachment method described in the book is quite complex, and may prove to be somewhat intimidating for the amateur woodworker. Check Mr. Cumpiano's website for a much easier method of neck attachment, as well as for other updates and clarification of any obscure points in the book. My only complaint about this book is that it refuses to lay open and flat on my workbench!

Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics (by Arthur Benade)

Landmark book by leading expert, hailed for its astonishingly clear, delightfully readable explication of everything acoustical important to music-making. "Comprehensive...rigorous...well-organized ...will surely be the text of choice."—American Scientist. "Recommended for music lovers and audiophiles"—Stereo Review. Over 300 illustrations. Examples, experiments and questions conclude each chapter.

Simple Flutes: A Guide to Flute Making and Playing, or How to Make and Play a Flute of Bamboo, Wood, Clay, Metal, PVC Plastic, or Anything Else (by Mark Shepard)

Simple flutes of bamboo, wood, metal, plastic, or clay can be a joy to play and make. This book gives you the basics of simple flute playing, then offers guidelines for making flutes of your own from a variety of materials. It even includes a handy chart for "where to put the holes." This book is a must for simple flute players and makers!

The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker (by Trevor Robinson)

(Reviewer)- I purchased this volume about two years ago and finally had the chance to make some instruments based upon it. Overall the book is extremely good and it appears to be the only reference of its sort. I enjoy broswing the book and reading Robinson's informative essays on each instrument. It is an enjoyable book even if you never actually make any of the instruments in it.

I have looked for other references, but this seems to be the only one of its kind. Although there is a need for a more detailed construction-oriented manual of this type, I was able to make a quite satisfactory tenor cornamuse and a slightly less satisfactory tenor racket from Robinson's instructions.

If you intend to make instruments I would recommend that you find examples of the instrument you wish to make since there are many details that no description could adequately deal with.

My two major complaints are as follows. First, the instrument dimensions are given in metric units but the grid upon which the drawings are placed is in inches. A consistent use of one system or the other would make the drawings much easier to follow. Second, the drawings are vary highly in their quality. The baroque rackett, for example, is very clean and easy to follow, but the oboe and shawm drawings are of much lower quality.

The best thing would be a second, expanded edition of the book with better drawings.

(As one last note, if you are trying to find the "shell auger" mentioned in the book you will need to search for it from a wood turning catalogue as a "lamp auger")

The Physics of Musical Instruments (by Neville H. Fletcher, Thomas D. Rossing)

While the history of musical instruments is nearly as old as civilization itself, the science of acoustics is quite recent. By understanding the physical basis of how instruments are used to make music, one hopes ultimately to be able to give physical criteria to distinguish a fine instrument from a mediocre one. At that point science may be able to come to the aid of art in improving the design and performance of musical instruments. As yet, many of the subtleties in musical sounds of which instrument makers and musicians are aware and remain beyond the reach of modern acoustic measurements. Indeed, for many musical instruments it is only within the past few years that musical acoustics has achieved even a reasonable understanding of the basic mechanisms determining the tone quality, and in some cases even major features of the sounding mechanism have only recently been unraveled. This book describes the results of such acoustical investigations--intellectual and practical exercises of great fascination. Addressed to readers with a reasonable grasp of physics who are not put off by a little mathematics, this book discusses most of the traditional instruments currently in use in Western music. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to take into account the insights arising from recent research, and to generalize or clarify the presentation in many places. The book should continue to serve as a guide for all who have an interest in music and how it is produces as well as serving as a comprehensive reference for those undertaking research in the field.

Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plans (by Jonathan Kinkead)

Every guitarist dreams of owning a handmade instrument, but for most, the cost is likely to be prohibitive. The alternative - building your own fine guitar - is not as difficult as you might imagine, given some skill, patience, and the expert guidance of a master luthier. Every step of construction is fully covered, from choice, selection, and preparation of woods, to consideration of size, bracing, and tonal qualities. Each step of the building sequence is clearly photographed in color, with variations to the standard design shown to enable you to personalize your instrument as you make it. Briston, England-based Jonathan Kinkead has been building guitars for nearly 30 years. His craft is born out of experience and intuition rather than a strict following of technical detail. The resulting beauty of form and distinctive tone have earned him his reputation as one of the world's most respected independent luthiers.

A Guitar Maker's Manual (by Jim Williams (Composer)

Written by one of Australia's foremost luthiers, this manual is a straightforward, profusely illustrated guide to constructing nylon-string classical and steel-string guitars. Includes a useful section on creating the jigs necessary to make the job easier and more accurate, along with full size template diagrams to assist in cutting out and marking the body shape and soundboard bracing patterns. A Guitar Maker's Manual lists all of the materials needed, where to get them and what problems to look out for during the construction.

Musical Instruments page 1, 2

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