How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a steel-string-style tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.

~~The tie block on the bridge~~ will need to be ~~replaced with one with more~~ holes. ~~The old one~~ can be ~~removed with a chisel~~, ~~or ideally with a router mounted on a jig. Remove wood until~~ the ~~bottoms~~ of the ~~old string holes disappear. Make~~ the ~~new~~ tie block ~~with extra material on~~ the ~~bottom~~, ~~drill the holes, then remove the extra~~ wood ~~until there is only a very thin wall between the string holes and the bottom~~. This ~~wall~~ will ~~keep glue from getting~~ into ~~the string holes. Then glue the new tie block onto the bridge. It's important that the two faces to be glued are both perfectly flat, which is why a router is better than a chisel. To clamp~~ it ~~down from the inside of the guitar body, use 2 or 3 cam clamps. To clamp it down from the back of the guitar, first insert a temporary inner post or two~~ that ~~connects~~ the ~~front and back of the guitar body, being careful to avoid the interior bracing. Once it's glued on, reinforce it with short wood dowels. Drill 2 or 3~~ holes ~~between the strings not quite all the way through the guitar top and glue in the dowel~~.

There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.

Because both the nut and the tie block will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has total control over the string spacing.

Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has total control over the string spacing.

===Nut width===

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 Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a steel-string-style tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.
-The tie block on the bridge will need to be replaced with one with more holes. The old one can be removed with a chisel, or ideally with a router mounted on a jig. Remove wood until the bottoms of the old string holes disappear. Make the new tie block with extra material on the bottom, drill the holes, then remove the extra wood until there is only a very thin wall between the string holes and the bottom. This wall will keep glue from getting into the string holes. Then glue the new tie block onto the bridge. It's important that the two faces to be glued are both perfectly flat, which is why a router is better than a chisel. To clamp it down from the inside of the guitar body, use 2 or 3 cam clamps. To clamp it down from the back of the guitar, first insert a temporary inner post or two that connects the front and back of the guitar body, being careful to avoid the interior bracing. Once it's glued on, reinforce it with short wood dowels. Drill 2 or 3 holes between the strings not quite all the way through the guitar top and glue in the dowel.
+There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.
-Because both the nut and the tie block will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has total control over the string spacing.
+Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has total control over the string spacing.
 ===Nut width===