REALLY like this series. I'm an amateur builder and find your commentary at each step to mirror mine almost word for word, especially the "I hope I don't screw this up," type phrases. Building a guitar can be quite intimidating and you should be very proud of your accomplishment.
Chris, this was an outstanding video. In a world where clever editing and camera tricks can make anything appear perfect, what we very often miss is authenticity and the incredible journey that happens when things don't go according to plan. Having experienced many of the same guitar building joys and frustrations that you have, I'll tell you that you'll probably always know every flaw, but that sound you create the first time you string it up and play it will change your life. Well done.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I am so ready to hear it. I spent some of today trying to repair the cosmetic damage I caused from installing the bridge. Scratches on the bridge, glue spots / debris on the soundboard, etc… I ended up just sanding the entire top back with 400, masking the bridge and applying coats of finish to get it back to how it was. Hopefully, I can maybe start working on making the saddle and nut tomorrow.
Brother, reeee-lax. You know that. Every time you think you're ready to proceed, run through the checklist one more time. If you're not quite ready and feeling a little flustered or rushed, step away from it and come back to work when you're fresh. You're doing fine! This guitar is beautiful.
Great video Chris. I am getting ready for my True Oil finish, and yes I am a bit nervous. It seems that learning how to build guitars is a study in controlling fear and frustration. One thing I have been forcing myself to do is a dry run for glue ups. It hasn't stopped all of my issues, but I think it probably saved me from a few. I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds.
I totally should have done a dry run. I guess I thought that since I‘d been over it in my head several times and watched Robbie‘s video several times that I didn‘t think much could go wrong. Guess I was wrong, haha. Next time, I will clamp in in place to apply tape around it and also drill the holes for the clamp bolts. And also give the holes way more slop for more wiggle room. Thanks for watching!
Another great video. I always enjoy watching the process, the rationale and the results! Looking forward to the next one, as usual! The guitar looks awesome on video! Nice work!
Thanks so much Charles. Good to see you still sticking around this whole time, haha! Edit: I noticed „sticking“ came out as „stinking“. Oops, haha. I fixed it.
When you were rotating the guitar I saw that the depth of the body near the neck is shallow compared to the bottom of the body! That really caught my eye and I was impressed! Overall, the videos don’t really show your full investment in this, the hours of self-training, assessing your tools and capabilities, gingerly advancing to preserve the materials and work done prior. It’s all very impressive. I would not mind seeing later a list of your full start-up investment; tools, materials, training, time, suppliers; the full thing, to put a cap on it for others to follow in your footsteps.
You need a block of wood with holes predrilled for those 2 wing bolts.. that goes under the bridge block ... The bridge wings dont need much pressure .. they are thin and can bent easy.... You can actually stress the top and crack it ...and even split the top .. Its really better to put blocks under those too and use a C clamp on both .. that way there's even pressure ..
I have not used Tru OiL but I believe it’s very easy to repair the finish. Most important part of building is learning to fix your mistakes! Maybe said that in a previous comment. Heaven knows I’ve had my share of (hopefully hidden) repairs! 😵💫😏 Agree it is very rewarding. You’ll forget about most or all of the mistakes when you’re playing the best-sounding guitar you’ve ever played and then you’ll remind yourself that you actually built it! Looking really very nice. 👍
Hey Chris, so I recently built a StewMac body built acoustic, which was a tremendous learning curve, and next I want to actually build an acoustic. I haven't signed up yet, but I'm very interested in Eric's course. I did the Tru-Oil finish on the acoustic and it was very good, so hopefully soon the acoustic guitar will be in progress. I've done several eletrics and a couple of semi-acoustic (acoustasonic) styles. There's tons to learn, that's for sure. Thanks for a helpful, and yet real, video on building your guitar.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Since you‘ve done a kit build you at least have a little experience doing some parts of a guitar build so making one from scratch hopefully won‘t be as daunting as if you‘d done nothing before. Good luck!
Hey Chris, It’s looking good, I had a huge issue with that grain filler it showed up as White areas all over my sides which are Bubinga, I didn’t notice it until I put a sealer coat of shellac. I ended up sanding it all back to raw wood & now I’m going to try the Tru-Oil varnish, Good luck on #2 & Happy Easter👍🎸🎹🎼🙏🙏👨🏻🦯👨🏻🦯
You're supposed to sand off the excess pore fill that accumulates on the surface. Also, you'll have better results by applying sealer before you pore fill.
The white spots are calcium deposits. It comes from the growing conditions in the location where the tree grew. I've seen it really bad to just small spots like what you have. The more you have of them the lower the grade. It can be removed some what but it's best done before building the guitar as you know it could cost you a good guitar build for spots you can't get rid of. I believe , but don't quote me but muriatic acid removes them. The other spots I can't say but I would think it is glue that had not been scrapped off. If it were scraped well then I can't say. Good to see you back with another video.
Ed, thanks for the information. Interesting to know that. I don‘t really notice the spots now after finish, but I haven‘t really gotten close to see. Maybe they are still there, but the shine from the finish draws the eye away. I‘ll have to check it out and see. Glad you took the time to comment! Thanks!
Don't beat yourself up about buffing... Every lesson in finishing is learned through failure. I use a 3" buffer most of the time. You can really keep your eye on it and it won't rip anything out of your hand like the larger wheels do. As for finish, tru oil tends to die back a bit, so even if it looks flat now, it will likely show more grain a few months from now. It's not a huge issue, but it can be frustrating if you're not expecting it. 2 part pore fillers also do a better job of not shrinking. Some folks use z-poxy, others use a polyester. Both will work well and have very little shrinkage. All that said, if you're building your first guitar, focus on the build and not the finish... You can work on that after you've got the construction techniques down.
A 3“ does sound like a better idea after having used that big one I did in the video. The more I pulled on the trigger of the drill, the harder it became to hold the thing steady. It would just start violently wobbling back and forth, haha. Also, I have heard of z poxy lots over the last couple of years. I believe I saw Chris over at Driftwood apply an epoxy filler and it didn‘t look too bad. I may try it next time, actually! I went with the truoil since it seemed to be less trouble to apply. I used it on my previous uke kit build, but I didn‘t thin it and it was hard to keep it from collecting in the corners at the neck and fretboard extension. I definitely had a better experience thinning it, but maybe I‘ll give french polishing a go next time. I don‘t know. I don‘t have spray equipment and I‘m not too eager to use lacquer or dangerous stuff like that without proper ventilation, PPE, and equipment. Anyway, thanks for the comment man! I really appreciate it!
Should be 12’ for back, 30’ for front. Different builders use different radii. My guitar for example has a 15’ radius on the back, so I radiused both the back of the rimset as well as the bracing to be the same.
Halo pak! Saya sebenarnya belajar bahasa Indonesia, jadi saya senang membaca komentar Anda! Tapi maaf. Bahasa Indonesia saya buruk 😅. Jarak dari nut ke saddle 645.16mm atau 64.5cm. Apakah itu yang dibutuhkan?
REALLY like this series. I'm an amateur builder and find your commentary at each step to mirror mine almost word for word, especially the "I hope I don't screw this up," type phrases. Building a guitar can be quite intimidating and you should be very proud of your accomplishment.
Haha, thanks! I’m working on number 4 now and still have those same thoughts! I appreciate the views and comment! Thanks a lot!
Another fine video. All the stress and struggle will slip away when you hear the first notes. What a wonderful way to learn.
I can‘t wait to hear it! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Chris, this was an outstanding video. In a world where clever editing and camera tricks can make anything appear perfect, what we very often miss is authenticity and the incredible journey that happens when things don't go according to plan. Having experienced many of the same guitar building joys and frustrations that you have, I'll tell you that you'll probably always know every flaw, but that sound you create the first time you string it up and play it will change your life. Well done.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I am so ready to hear it. I spent some of today trying to repair the cosmetic damage I caused from installing the bridge. Scratches on the bridge, glue spots / debris on the soundboard, etc… I ended up just sanding the entire top back with 400, masking the bridge and applying coats of finish to get it back to how it was. Hopefully, I can maybe start working on making the saddle and nut tomorrow.
Brother, reeee-lax. You know that. Every time you think you're ready to proceed, run through the checklist one more time. If you're not quite ready and feeling a little flustered or rushed, step away from it and come back to work when you're fresh. You're doing fine! This guitar is beautiful.
Thanks for the words, man! Good advice
Great video, an authentic journey, thanks.
Thanks for watching!
The neck heel is such a cool shape.
I think it’s cool too. Totally didn’t intend to do that shape, but I did it to hide a flaw!
Great video Chris. I am getting ready for my True Oil finish, and yes I am a bit nervous. It seems that learning how to build guitars is a study in controlling fear and frustration. One thing I have been forcing myself to do is a dry run for glue ups. It hasn't stopped all of my issues, but I think it probably saved me from a few. I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds.
I totally should have done a dry run. I guess I thought that since I‘d been over it in my head several times and watched Robbie‘s video several times that I didn‘t think much could go wrong. Guess I was wrong, haha. Next time, I will clamp in in place to apply tape around it and also drill the holes for the clamp bolts. And also give the holes way more slop for more wiggle room. Thanks for watching!
Nice job!
Thank you!
Another great video. I always enjoy watching the process, the rationale and the results! Looking forward to the next one, as usual! The guitar looks awesome on video! Nice work!
Thanks so much Charles. Good to see you still sticking around this whole time, haha! Edit: I noticed „sticking“ came out as „stinking“. Oops, haha. I fixed it.
When you were rotating the guitar I saw that the depth of the body near the neck is shallow compared to the bottom of the body! That really caught my eye and I was impressed! Overall, the videos don’t really show your full investment in this, the hours of self-training, assessing your tools and capabilities, gingerly advancing to preserve the materials and work done prior. It’s all very impressive. I would not mind seeing later a list of your full start-up investment; tools, materials, training, time, suppliers; the full thing, to put a cap on it for others to follow in your footsteps.
You need a block of wood with holes predrilled for those 2 wing bolts.. that goes under the bridge block ...
The bridge wings dont need much pressure .. they are thin and can bent easy.... You can actually stress the top and crack it ...and even split the top ..
Its really better to put blocks under those too and use a C clamp on both .. that way there's even pressure ..
I have not used Tru OiL but I believe it’s very easy to repair the finish. Most important part of building is learning to fix your mistakes! Maybe said that in a previous comment. Heaven knows I’ve had my share of (hopefully hidden) repairs! 😵💫😏 Agree it is very rewarding. You’ll forget about most or all of the mistakes when you’re playing the best-sounding guitar you’ve ever played and then you’ll remind yourself that you actually built it! Looking really very nice. 👍
This is true as you said! I did forget about all the mistakes when I played it. I enjoy playing it so much.
Hey Chris, so I recently built a StewMac body built acoustic, which was a tremendous learning curve, and next I want to actually build an acoustic. I haven't signed up yet, but I'm very interested in Eric's course.
I did the Tru-Oil finish on the acoustic and it was very good, so hopefully soon the acoustic guitar will be in progress. I've done several eletrics and a couple of semi-acoustic (acoustasonic) styles. There's tons to learn, that's for sure. Thanks for a helpful, and yet real, video on building your guitar.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Since you‘ve done a kit build you at least have a little experience doing some parts of a guitar build so making one from scratch hopefully won‘t be as daunting as if you‘d done nothing before. Good luck!
White spots could be glue that was not completely sanded filler can't fill pores
Hey Chris, It’s looking good, I had a huge issue with that grain filler it showed up as White areas all over my sides which are Bubinga, I didn’t notice it until I put a sealer coat of shellac. I ended up sanding it all back to raw wood & now I’m going to try the Tru-Oil varnish, Good luck on #2 & Happy Easter👍🎸🎹🎼🙏🙏👨🏻🦯👨🏻🦯
The white spots are unnoticeable now. I guess the oil made them blend in or something!
You're supposed to sand off the excess pore fill that accumulates on the surface. Also, you'll have better results by applying sealer before you pore fill.
The white spots are calcium deposits. It comes from the growing conditions in the location where the tree grew. I've seen it really bad to just small spots like what you have. The more you have of them the lower the grade. It can be removed some what but it's best done before building the guitar as you know it could cost you a good guitar build for spots you can't get rid of. I believe , but don't quote me but muriatic acid removes them. The other spots I can't say but I would think it is glue that had not been scrapped off. If it were scraped well then I can't say. Good to see you back with another video.
Ed, thanks for the information. Interesting to know that. I don‘t really notice the spots now after finish, but I haven‘t really gotten close to see. Maybe they are still there, but the shine from the finish draws the eye away. I‘ll have to check it out and see. Glad you took the time to comment! Thanks!
Don't beat yourself up about buffing... Every lesson in finishing is learned through failure. I use a 3" buffer most of the time. You can really keep your eye on it and it won't rip anything out of your hand like the larger wheels do. As for finish, tru oil tends to die back a bit, so even if it looks flat now, it will likely show more grain a few months from now. It's not a huge issue, but it can be frustrating if you're not expecting it. 2 part pore fillers also do a better job of not shrinking. Some folks use z-poxy, others use a polyester. Both will work well and have very little shrinkage. All that said, if you're building your first guitar, focus on the build and not the finish... You can work on that after you've got the construction techniques down.
A 3“ does sound like a better idea after having used that big one I did in the video. The more I pulled on the trigger of the drill, the harder it became to hold the thing steady. It would just start violently wobbling back and forth, haha. Also, I have heard of z poxy lots over the last couple of years. I believe I saw Chris over at Driftwood apply an epoxy filler and it didn‘t look too bad. I may try it next time, actually! I went with the truoil since it seemed to be less trouble to apply. I used it on my previous uke kit build, but I didn‘t thin it and it was hard to keep it from collecting in the corners at the neck and fretboard extension. I definitely had a better experience thinning it, but maybe I‘ll give french polishing a go next time. I don‘t know. I don‘t have spray equipment and I‘m not too eager to use lacquer or dangerous stuff like that without proper ventilation, PPE, and equipment. Anyway, thanks for the comment man! I really appreciate it!
There's also oil-base and solvent-base pore fills for avoiding shrinkback.
Chris I bought a brace sander from LMI 12 and 30 which side do I use for the 4 back braces thanks Michael
Should be 12’ for back, 30’ for front. Different builders use different radii. My guitar for example has a 15’ radius on the back, so I radiused both the back of the rimset as well as the bracing to be the same.
Berapa jarak scala nut dengan sadle 64cm atau 65 cm atau berapa cm mister? Terima kasih
Halo pak! Saya sebenarnya belajar bahasa Indonesia, jadi saya senang membaca komentar Anda! Tapi maaf. Bahasa Indonesia saya buruk 😅. Jarak dari nut ke saddle 645.16mm atau 64.5cm. Apakah itu yang dibutuhkan?
Ok mister terima kasih ya, atas memberi informasi dan ilmunya.
Two words - dry run 😂
dry fit
Spots could be oil from your fingers, you should be wearing gloves.
I know not to buy that clamp . i ll find a peice of wood in the yard.
Thanks for making lots of mistakes so I don’t have to
Haha, no problem!