Category Archives: Videos

All, Guitar Making, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Neck Carving and Fitting | Guitar #116

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I am finalizing my neck carve and neck fit on a florentine cutaway. I talk about the various tools I use for neck carving, how to blend the aesthetic elements at the cutaway (for example, the heelcap, the fretboard binding etc..), and ultimately how to attach the neck to the body.

🔴 Subscribe for weekly guitar making tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/EricSchaeferGuitars?sub_confirmation=1

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴Check out the online course: Tru Oil Finishing: A Method for Acoustic Guitar: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/tru-oil-finishing-method-acoustic-guitar/

All, Design, Guitar Making, Uncategorized, Videos

Reducing Neck Weight, Tonewood Selection, and Rosette Making on Guitar #119

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I talk about some of the decisions regarding tonewood and neckwood selection for the new Orchestra Model guitar that I am building for Doug. I also talk about the style of rosette I will use and about some changes to the internal structure of the sides and neck/end blocks.

🔴 Subscribe for weekly guitar making tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/EricSchaeferGuitars?sub_confirmation=1

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴Check out the online course: Tru Oil Finishing: A Method for Acoustic Guitar: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/tru-oil-finishing-method-acoustic-guitar/

All, Guitar Making, Jigs, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Binding Channel Cutting Demonstration at Advanced Binding/Purfling Workshop

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I talk about binding and purfling channels and the binding tower jig and demonstrate techniques for cutting channels on a florentine cutaway soundbox.

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Design, Finishing, Guitar Making, Jigs, Q & A, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Q&A | Building Jigs and Forms, Fretboard Polish, Rosette Cutters

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!

Questions/Topics:

– tonewood suppliers

– Electric Guitar neck angles

– Rosette cutting jigs

– What material to use for molds forms and jigs

– What do you use to oil or polish up the fretboard?

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Design, Guitar Making, Jigs, Q & A, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Q&A | Buying or Building Side Benders, Where did EVO Gold Fretwire Go, and More!

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!

Questions/Topics:

– Fixing cracked sides

– Sharpening plane blades and chisels

– Buying or building a side bending machine?

– Using cactus juice to harden wood

– Bending tips for Wenge

– How much nut relief to use on a bass guitar

– Is EVO gold fretwire discontinued?

– Unboxing videos are stupid

– How much I charge for my guitars

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Design, Guitar Making, Guitar Repair, Jigs, Q & A, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Q&A | Side Bending Tips, Joining Bookmatched Pairs, Controlling Shop Humidity and More!

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!

Questions/Topics:

– Introducing my new “Florentine Cutaway and Advanced Binding/Purfling Methods” Workshop! (https://ericschaeferguitars.com/florentine-cutaway-and-advanced-binding-purfling-methods-workshop-build-options/)

– I have Wenge for sale! email me at eric@ericschaeferguitars.com

– Where to find prefab materials like bent sides and slotted fretboards

– side bending tips to avoid splits or scorching

– recommended thicknesses for bending sides

– alternate jigs to joining boards – How to control humidity in your shop

– How to control humidity in your guitar showroom

– Removing frets without a soldering iron

– Finding parts for building a side bender – Using fiberglass arrows as gobars

– Question of the week: Is there a specific tonewood that blows your socks off!?

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Finishing, Guitar Making, Guitar Repair, Q & A, Tools, Uncategorized, Videos

Q&A | Fixing Finish Runs, Installing Mylar Pickguards, Making Cutaways and More!

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!

Questions/Topics:

– What is the best way to fix a finish drip?

– How to install a clear mylar pickguard without bubbles

– The most expensive lutherie tool yet!

– Go bar rods from home depot

– Building a cutaway as a first guitar

– Radial offset rosettes

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Design, Guitar Making, Jigs, Q & A, Uncategorized, Videos

QA | Refretting with Larger Fretwire, Buying Go Bars, Wild Grain and more!

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!

Questions/Topics:

– Should you use Carbon Fiber Rods and a Truss Rod?

– Making your own bulk binding strips

– wild grain versus homogenous grain

– Buying go bars

– Changing fretwire size when refretting

– Where to buy a gramil?

– Issues with small soundholes

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for a 9 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Design, Guitar Making, Uncategorized, Videos

The Most Important Gram of Wood in a Guitar

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, we talk about the function of the X-brace cap and how it restores structure to a critical part of the bracing pattern. Then I demonstrate a simple method for attaching the cap with tape.


🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for an 9 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/

All, Guitar Making, Uncategorized, Videos

Rosette Making and Brace Carving on Guitar #116

I’m working again on Guitar #116, the all maple, 13 fret cutaway Parlor model. In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I install the Abalone into the rosette channel, and I carve the soundboard braces, discussing carving technique along the way.

🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com

🔴 Register for a 9 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/

🔴 Check out the online course “Building an OM Acoustic”: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/

🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/the-radial-rosette-maker-kit/