Tracing a guitar to build your own
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Steve is an apprentice in Dan Erlewine’s shop, and he’s planning to build himself a copy of Dan's 1930s Kalamazoo K-11 . Here's his simple and accurate way to create a body template.
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So nice to see a young man apprenticing with a master - and the love of guitar alive and well in the next generation. Great video!
I second that! I always wanted to be able to learn these things, and now that I am nearing retirement, I am considering it again! I'd love to see the end product.
i like this guy alot, wouldn't mind seeing more of him
He came down to the brown hatter club to see me dance. I saw MUCH more of him.
I cant stop picturing Dan talking while Steve calmly stands up and smashes the guitar on the floor.
What? Why?
I really want to see the entire process from start to finish.
You could also use a red or blue marker/pencil for the back side to keep it very clear what brace goes on what side. I know from experience that it only takes a little bit of distraction to make a critical error, so I try to make my initial plans dummy-proof.
Really nice to see a young man on his way to becoming a master artisan.
Are you guys going to do a series outlining the whole incredible sounding build? Please?
Awesome technique!
Hi scrap wood city!
I would love the chance to meet Dan and just listen to him talk for a while. He is truly a living legend in the industry.
I love these style of videos! Please show us the entire building process or at least the final result!
Wow an awesome great video. I am looking so forward to watching the whole build. I want to save all the videos. I loved hearing you guys play the old guitars. I think the older guitars are the best of the best. Thank you so much. I hope you both have a Very Blessed Week.
Dan, your guitar vids are simply the BEST. Keep them coming and Thank you.
Nice little Jam at the end guys!
Felt like I was at a farmer church picnic in 1949. Please pass the potato salad.
It's been said before. Dan is a national treasure!
nice tune at the end, great video as always!
Maybe rub the tracing paper with a pencil or crayon around the edges of the guitar and sound hole. Then you could cut it out with the x-acto after you remove the paper from the guitar. Kinda like how gravestone rubbings are done. That way would probably be a little lower risk.
Wonderful moment at the end of the video....
It's been 4 years since this video, it would be nice to know if Steve finished his apprenticeship and if he ever built that guitar.
Dan makes my day
Would be amazing to see a video series following his complete build...
Excellent!
I will be a happy man the day Erlewine does a video on how to level a fretboard with a fall away built in to the end of the fretboard. A lot of modern guitars got this and I cant find any tutorial on it.
Well done video as always and the ending was a real treat. Thanks for sharing it to me personally, I always look forward to your emails.
What was the song?
I was wondering too. At first it sounded like wild wood flower they were playing at the end.
Nice playing old man
I've been tryna get my hands on plans for the same guitar. Chances of posting a scanible plan for those that have no chance of ever being able to trace the real thing.
TELE6220 get a life
Not going to happen I'm sure
Would love to see the whole build.
I've traced around a Tele and a Les Paul for my builds - I don't think I'd tackle an acoustic but it was good to see the way its done ;0)
I love this video. Can we talk about the J35 Dan's holding though? Gearless tuners and TWO capos on it it seems? It's SO COOL
I'm good for a set of plans if you ever decide to make them available.
It's not that I don't love this 1940 J45 hahaha, who wouldn't love that? I hope that kid realizes how lucky he is to have a master teach him and share his stories and wealth of knowledge. That little Kalamazoo is going to be really neat I bet, I wouldn't mind building one like that, maybe they should sell the plans since they are mapping it out already!
Excellent video!
I have an Eko Ranger that I learned to play on 48 years ago when I was 11. I’d bet it’s as good as this guitar apart from it being bolt on neck. It’s a great guitar and if you find one, buy it.
Use coloured pencils to distinguish between front and back when tracing.
That boy can play
Is there a video that shows him building his replica Kalamazoo? It would be really cool just to see his final outcome.
I had one of those same year ...I hate that I sold it ...darn that paying rent !!! I can not wait to see the build of this guitar !!
I love dan
Great video, many thanks!
I want to see a video on how he builds it too
Collings has been making the Waterloo KG14 kalamazoo copies for years now.
Dana Erlewine = National Treasure.
Please show the whole build
You guys have to show must he build now! 👍
My favor Vid. Good stuff
So after saying even low tack tape can remove finish.....he sticks it over the tail to fix the paper. Then draws on the paper with a pencil while its sat on the guitar . NOT on my expensive old guitar he wouldn't.
man - so great!
Man I wish I could have someone teach me luthier skills
Keep mentioning it, work towards it on your own, and keep looking. You will find somebody.
Awesome.......
PLZ video the build and final product!!!
This is very much off topic, but why does the StewMac logo only have 2 frets between the single and double dot inlays? (I'm referring to the actual fret wire as the frets in this case, not the spaces between the fret wires)
You made it look like you just eyeballed where the centerline of the guitar was. I would've assumed that was a more exacting exercise.
Luckiest apprentice on the planet.
Dunno if anyone cares but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can watch all of the new series on InstaFlixxer. Have been binge watching with my girlfriend lately =)
@Shawn Koda yea, have been watching on InstaFlixxer for months myself =)
I want to build a copy of Prince's Symbol guitar, but they won't let me trace it! So I have some photographs I'll need to work from.
Where's the finished build?!
I know it’s cheaper to trace the guitar, but what would you think about X-raying it for more accuracy for the Cross brasses? Just a thought
Although there have been projects done before using x-rays to accurately map braces inside various acoustic guitars, it is a very uncommon practice. This is likely due to the high costs and limited access to x-ray machines.
I want to copy my 10 year old Tanglewood SJ folk however
at the moment I don't have any repair magnets is there any other way to trace the braces
also mine has built in pickup and pre amp also battery powered will the magnets affect the pickup's
What a great little video, how do you guarantee that the inside and outside magnets are accurately lined up and where can I get some.
Steve's using our StewMac Guitar Repair Magnets, which you can buy directly from us.
www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Clamps/StewMac_Guitar_Repair_Magnets.html
He's using two 1/2" magnets (item #4637) with two handles (item #4639). The strength of these rare earth neodymium boride magnets is what ensures that they remain aligned accurately. They are so strong that we recommend using them with the handles for better control as a safety precaution.
Finish your build, and then you two hit a studio, record some jams,and take our money!
What's the device on the 5th fret of the J35 at the end of the video?
Capo
Is there a specific brand? Its unclear how its staying on the neck.
You could see some bolt holes in the neck earlier in the video, it looks like it screws in place.
Ah I see now. Interesting setup.
Bolt holes? Nah dude, it just straps onto the neck, I think dunlop makes one like that
Does anyone know why the lowest of the top braces is not parallel with the rest of the top braces? I have never seen that in that and am very curious as to why it was built that way. 4:21 is what I am talking about.
The brace that is angled toward the back of the guitar is to give more space on the bass side and closer spacing on the treble side. The more spacing between the braces will give more low-end response, whereas the closer the spacing will have a tighter, high-end response. This will give an overall balance of tone and sustain.
Very interesting. Thank you ! Love the videos from you guys.
What would Erlewine say about gluing a bolt on neck with hide glue if the neck pocket fit is not perfect?
I'd hate to put words in Dan's mouth, so I'll have to ask him and get back to you. Is your bolt on neck going on an electric or an acoustic guitar?
Thanks, its a electric guitar.
Are you installing the bolt-on neck in a body that has already been finished? How large of a gap is there on either side of the neck's heel when you put it in the neck pocket?
It havent been finished, I am building it from scratch (from a chinese DIY kit) I havent recieved the neck so I dont know exactly how its goint to fit - but I am assuming the worst, that it will be a bad fit. I guess if Im going to use hide glue the gap needs to be no more than about 0.5mm since hide glue isnt exactly epoxy.
Dan does not recommend using hide glue to set a bolt-on neck into an electric guitar body. Typically, the neck pocket in a body that receives a bolt-on neck is a very slightly over-sized. This is intentional, and allows room for some lacquer or polyurethane finish that finds its way into the neck pocket during the spraying process. We recommend first testing the final fit once the body has been finished before you make a decision.
Any Progress on the build?
I have that exact same guitar! it's a Taylor GS MIni lol, but yeah that guitar is beautiful
I mean if you want something close like that the Taylor is great for under 800$,
that probably goes for thousands or tens of thousands
dan completely goofs his part at 6:02. why did they cut this video in it’s so obvious that the audio out of sync.
Now if I could just find an early Martin parlor guitar to copy...
Could have used a color pencil to differentiate front from back braces instead.
Wait what the heck are those nutcerts doing in the fretboard, and who the heck did that?!
The threaded inserts in the fingerboard are part of a custom capo system that Dan Erlewine installs in necks. You can take a closer look at them under the Custom Builds section on Dan's website.
www.danerlewine.com/custom_builds.html
Veeeerrrrry interesting. Thanks for the response.
You're welcome. We're always happy to help. If you have any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us again.
4:30 it's like Voldemort in a guitar
What did you line up the center line to?
Steve found the center line of the guitar by measuring the width at a few points on the guitar (the upper bout, the shoulders, the neck joint). Before taking the measurements, he laid some low tack tape on the top in approximate center of the areas he would be measuring. This allowed Steve to mark the center on this tape with a pencil while taking the measurements.
Why not just trace around the guitar body with a pencil, then remove paper and cut along line, avoiding damaging guitar with knife.
China is expert about this
Copying guitars, truly awesome.
Back when Gibson made quality.