Making Master Guitars [Hardcover]

Roy Courtnall (Author), Adrian Lucas (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 1993

Making Master Guitars is a craftsman's handbook about the exciting and challenging pursuit of making classical guitars—a craft that the author reveals to be surprisingly accessible by following his instructions. The book is unique in that it includes nine separate detailed plans of instruments constructed by internationally famous guitar-makers. The author has had the rare opportunity of examining these instruments in detail, and has made many replicas of each one. It is presented in three parts: "The Master Makers and Their Guitars," "Workshop, Tools, and Materials," and "Guitar Construction—The Spanish Method."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roy Courtnall is a largely self-taught producer of lutes and guitars and also runs several Adult Education classes in guitar and lute making. 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Robert Hale (October 29, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0709048092
• ISBN-13: 978-0709048091
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #365,247 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest book on classical guitar, October 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Master Guitars (Hardcover)

Great book that has measured drawings of many master guitars. Unlike steel string guitars, where a few models dominate, and look different, say Gibson vs. dreadnaught martin, classical guitars look externally quite similar, while varying a lot internally, and otherwise. Many of the great artists of the steel string guitar play factory models, for a variety of reasons. Top classical guitarists largely play models that originated in small shops with one or a few craftsmen. For these reasons anyone who wants to make a study of building classical guitars will find this eclectic group of guitars very important.

However, one should consider:

The building instructions are 1) European in orientation, few jigs, open assembly and so forth, actually the best place for any guitarmaker to start, but not how most here do; 2) Weak in places, because the writer is not an expert guitar builder himself, though overall very helpful, and a useful reference.

The flip side of a great book on classic designs is that it isn't a good book on current designs. Guitar making theory has advanced somewhat (though one doubts the new instruments are better, they are nonetheless preferred by many anyway). Tone vs. durability or volume for instance. There has been a huge amount of new detail added to modern classicals, for instance work on intonation, volume, wolf notes, fingerboard playability, longevity, and so forth. this stuff isn't here, but on the other hand, it's plastered over the internet.

If you have seen the violin book, this one isn't the same. The violin book was partnered with a greatish builder. Deals a lot with modern practice (though being violins, that isn't that different anyway), and the violin book doesn't have lots of useful measured drawings (any in fact), because you can get patterns of the ouline parts for strads etc...

With whatever reservations, this is the greatest book on the classical guitar, and very reasonably priced, it used to sell for 100.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book. It has really helped me make good guitars., March 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Master Guitars (Hardcover)

This is the clearest, and most well-explained text I have found on guitar making. Everything is explained in great detail, and is therefore easy to follow. Courtnalls new book, THE ART OF VIOLIN MAKING, is similarly exellent on violin making, and has a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE book on guitar making, June 26, 2001

By 

john zeebol (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Master Guitars (Hardcover)

Having read all the other books on guitar making, I was amazed to find this one, Making mAster Guitars, so clear, detailed, yet logical and easy to follow. For the first time I felt able to tackle making my own guitar, and the results were pleasing. It would have been nice to have some colour pictures of the historial rosettes, etc., but even so, I advise any aspiring guitar makers to get this one.

I want to try making a violin next, and I will certainly be buying The Art of Violin Making, by the same author.