Highly recommonded film on how to make a steel string guitar

cutrofiano

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edit: Sorry: Should have been posted under acoustics...

Enjoyable from the first to the very last second:



Moritz
 
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Antney

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This video is first rate. It gave me a new appreciation to what went into building my guitar. I would imagine production models must go through the same process, albeit not by the same hands.

One thing that struck me...neither he nor his apprentice wore masks. I can only imagine what their lungs would look like after 20 years of fine sanding. Perhaps no masks for the optics and audio. Perhaps not...

Either way thanks for posting
 

davismanLV

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Well, golly gee!! Thanks for posting this. Wasn't how I was planning to spend my time this morning but WELL WORTH IT!! Those guitars are beautiful. Spend some time and watch, folks. What a journey!! :encouragement:
 

bdeclee

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This video is first rate. It gave me a new appreciation to what went into building my guitar. I would imagine production models must go through the same process, albeit not by the same hands.

One thing that struck me...neither he nor his apprentice wore masks. I can only imagine what their lungs would look like after 20 years of fine sanding. Perhaps no masks for the optics and audio. Perhaps not...

Either way thanks for posting


My husband Chris Wood is a luthier and he does not wear a mask. Now magnifiers... that's another thing. :) Here are a few photos of one of his builds. :)





 

GuildFS4612CE

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I have met some top luthiers/repair people who have, after many years, developed allergies due to the lengthy exposure to the materials dust and solvents used...and can no longer work on instruments...please, ask Chris to take some precautions.

And good to see you back here!
 

Jim

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I am surprised that a custom built guitar has laminated sides. Make me feel better about my old Aria and Odessa dreads from the 1970s that are all laminate but are lightly built and sound wonderful...

Jim
 

kostask

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There are some excellent guitars that have laminated sides (and sometimes backs). There is nothing wrong with laminated sides, as they don NOT have any discernable tonal effect. On the other hand, they are much stronger than solid wood sides, and resist impacts far better.

I did note some things that would be of general interest that were brought up in other threads:

1. Note the use of a bolted on mortise and tenon neck joint. Some brought this up as an issue with the new Oxnard guitars. A world class luthier (and make no mistake, Michael Greefield is world class) is using the same. He is using the wood plate to cover the bolts as well.

2. I think that his nuts and saddles are really wide (front to back). I wonder why this is.

3. He has guitars with arm bevels, and some without. This is obviously an owner choice. I would like to know what the breakdown is between the "with arm bevel" and "without arm bevel"/

4. There is a lot of cyanoacrylate glue being used, and the use of epoxy for the attaching of the fretboard to the neck is surprising. Surprising in that it probably makes removal of the fretboard impossible, should there be a problem with the truss rod breaking or needing replacement (stripped threads, coming loose from the tail end, etc.)
 

adorshki

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1. Note the use of a bolted on mortise and tenon neck joint. Some brought this up as an issue with the new Oxnard guitars.
I got a preponderance of opinion that it was Cordoba's response to the question of whether it was actually being used that was the primary concern, rather than the technique itself. They created a credibility gap for themselves.
I think TXbumper who originally raised the issue mentioned that that was also a bigger concern to him, than the fact that he could tell the difference in tone, himself.
I've lost a little confidence in Cordoba over it myself, when added to a couple of other service issues a couple of members have mentioned but chosen not to air here in detail.
Still, I see no reason to have an issue with a bolt-on neck if it sounded good to me.

2. I think that his nuts and saddles are really wide (front to back). I wonder why this is.
I saw it mentioned a while back that thicker saddles give better intonation, especially in the A/E application.
No idea about the nut.
 

kostask

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I got a preponderance of opinion that it was Cordoba's response to the question of whether it was actually being used that was the primary concern, rather than the technique itself. They created a credibility gap for themselves.
I think TXbumper who originally raised the issue mentioned that that was also a bigger concern to him, than the fact that he could tell the difference in tone, himself.
I've lost a little confidence in Cordoba over it myself, when added to a couple of other service issues a couple of members have mentioned but chosen not to air here in detail.
Still, I see no reason to have an issue with a bolt-on neck if it sounded good to me.


I saw it mentioned a while back that thicker saddles give better intonation, especially in the A/E application.
No idea about the nut.

It does that for sure, but considering the care that he took to position the bridge in the proper location, it is a little bit surprising. If the bridge is in the right location, a thinner saddle could be used, with the added benefit of reducing of the saddle weight. It could also be that he wants the saddle weight to be where it is for tonal reasons. Just seemed odd to me.
 
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