Back with LMI

I'm back leaning toward LMI. The Martin kit cost $425, going the LMI route will cost me an extra $90. But in the end I think I will be happier. The primary reason is probably the instructions, since it comes with the O'brien DVD and a full size plan compared to a thin, vague manual from Martin. Having better instructions as a first timer gives me peace of mind, whereas the Martin manual gives me anxiety. Secondary to that though, I think I will learn more. Martin does certain easy steps for me (shape braces, mark bracing locations, etc) and doesn't do other tricker steps like joining the back. I will also have to make my own bridge since I want 2-1/4" spacing. Thirdly, it allows me a more figured AAA bearclaw top, a back/side wood OTHER than East Indian Rosewood, 25.5" scale, and a few other customizations. The Martin kit is really a heck of a deal dollar wise... if only they would upgrade their manual. LMI, on the other hand, simply allows so many options that it is worth the extra cost.

Martin Neck width

Martin confirmed that the jumbo only comes with a dovetail neck, 1-11/16 nut, 2-1/8" bridge. The OM is available with either dovetail or bolt-on, and only with a neck width of 1-3/4", bridge of 2-1/4". Partial bearclaw tops are available, but it isn't a full bearclaw nor highly figured.

Back & forth & back...

About a day after my last post, I was back on the LMI kit for a very good reason. I have decided that I want a wider neck. My Martin DCME has a 1-11/16" nut, 2-1/8" bridge... and I don't like that. So by default I was back with LMI which allows me to change/customize just about everything. The neck/fretboard comes wide enough for this, and I could also make the scale up to 25.5", which to me is preferrable to the Martin 25.34". The LMI kit cost is more... roughly $50-75 all things being equal. And since LMI has soooo many options, its hard for me to NOT tacked on another $50 in a nicer top and Camatillo B/S. In addition to this, there were a few more tools required... so the cost difference is over $100.
However, recently I learned that it might be possible to get an Martin OM kit with 1-3/4" neck width at the nut, 2-1/4" bridge. If this is possible I will probably do it, preference being with a bolt-on neck over the dovetail and jumbo over OM. But due to cost considerations the 1-3/4" nut is all that matters.

Which kit?

I have come full circle on which kit I want. But first, let me give a brief summary on the Big 3:

Stewart-MacDonald: Very limited options, no 14-fret OM. Tuners not included. Instruction manual top notch. Aside from the kits, their stuff is very high. I doubt I will ever buy anything from them.
Martin: Tuners included! Instructions suck. Best bang for buck. Back not joined though.
LMI: Options galore, kit wizard rocks. All things being equal, probably $100 higher than Martin. All those options are amazing, and probably worth it.

That being said, here is my journey over the past 6 weeks.

1) Started with the Martin 000, short scale, Indian Rosewood.
2) Found LMI, got fancy quick with a 000 with Cocobolo B/S.
3) Decided that cocobolo as a first timer (and being very sensitive to poison ivy/oak/sumac) was not good. Decided to go with Camatillo Rosewood instead.
4) The cost was adding up... and the complexity. Leaning toward the Martin Jumbo since Martin is the ONLY one of the big 3 that offers such. Indian Rosewood.
5) Currently thinking Martin OM, standard scale, bolt-on neck. $425. It comes with white plastic bindings and tuners.

I'll set it up like the Fingerstyle 1 OM, 1.75" nut, 2.25" at 12th fret. Ultimately I'd like a long scale 25.7", possibly from LMI in the future. But since this is my first time, I have a lot of tools and other stuff to buy besides the kit... about $650 currently. So that puts the total at about $1100. And that doesn't include the $100-150 I've spent so far on general things like books, a few general purpose clamps, cheap humidity gauge, some 2x4's for my new workbench, cheap laminate router (different project), etc.

If this is successful, the second time around I won't have much of that $650 to spend so I could go a bit fancier with a LMI long scale, camitillo B/S, wood bindings, etc. Who knows, after building one I may have a whole different perspective and decide to build a 10 string or something bizarre... who knows.

a... blog?

While I know what a blog is, I never thought I'd HAVE one. It takes a certain kind of vanity and ego to pour out ones thoughts for other people to read. I never thought I was either... hopefully not. Nevertheless, I have decided to create a blog to chronicle my journey into lutherie (maker of stringed instruments - in my case an acoustic guitar), primarily for my own benefit and other rookie luthiers going through the same stuff I am.
I have been thinking about this for many years, since 1998. But time, money, family, etc. have always discouraged me in a practical sense. And all this may still delay this further. But for now I am wanting to and planning to buy a kit in September '07 and begin building. I have already done a lot of reading and planning, and still have a lot of questions to answer in my own mind. But there is time. Ones brain can only assimilate so much information effectively without putting it to practical use. There is only so much I can learn without experiencing it... that is where true learning takes place.
The planning that I am referring to is three fold: financial, preparing my workshop (which is my basement), and determining what tools I will need to buy, borrow, make or do without. The better prepared I can be prior to starting this, the better.