Lesson 1Assembly, setup and final adjustments: nut slotting, string height, truss rod adjustment, pickup height, intonation and basic setup procedureThis leads through join and pro setup. Install parts, cut nut slots, set bend, height, pickup spot, tune match, make same base for fine play tune.
Dry assembly and hardware test fittingNut slotting depth and spacing targetsTruss rod adjustment and neck reliefSetting string height and bridge radiusPickup height and balance by earIntonation, play test, and final checklistLesson 2Cutting and shaping the body: bandsaw patterns, router templates, and ergonomic contouringLook ways for true cut, shape guitar body. Use band saw, router guides, fine lines, carve body fit curves that mix comfort, weight, build strong.
Transferring body outline to the blankSafe bandsaw cutting and relief cutsTemplate routing and climb-cut controlRefining horns, cutaways, and transitionsForearm and belly contour carvingChecking symmetry and edge cleanlinessLesson 3Routing and drilling for hardware and electronics: pickup cavities, control cavities, jack placement, wire channels and shielding practicesLearn true route, drill for pickups, controls, bridge, jack. Cover plan, deep hold, wire paths, shield ways that cut buzz, keep build strong.
Hardware layout and centerline checksPickup cavity sizing and depth controlControl cavity routing and cover recessesJack location, angle, and reinforcementDrilling wire channels without tear-outShielding paint and copper foil methodsLesson 4Preparing and selecting blanks: flattening, laminating, and thicknessing body and neck blanksGrasp pick, turn, prep body, neck blanks. Learn flat, join, layer, thick ways that make hold, stress-free base for true guitar make.
Evaluating lumber species and defectsGrain orientation for strength and stabilityJointing faces and edges dead flatLaminating multi-piece blanks safelyThicknessing to target dimensionsSticker stacking and acclimation timeLesson 5Sanding and finishing options: nitrocellulose, polyurethane, oil finishes — prep, application, curing, and cost/health tradeoffsThis tells sand plan, finish picks like nitro, poly, oil. Learn face prep, fill holes, put on times, cure, weigh money, health hits.
Grit progression and scratch managementEdge protection and avoiding burn-throughPore filling for open-grain speciesNitrocellulose spraying and curingPolyurethane application and safetyOil finishes, maintenance, and feelLesson 6Neck-body joint methods and procedure: bolt-on pocket fitting and alignment, gluing set neck basicsStudy neck-body join picks, ways. Learn fit bolt pockets, line scale, center, do basic glue set neck for strong, fix, sound good joins.
Neck pocket layout and routing stepsTest fitting heel and pocket tolerancesNeck alignment to bridge and centerlineBolt-on screw pattern and insertsSet-neck tenon fit and glue strategyClamping cauls and squeeze-out controlLesson 7Fretboard preparation: blank joining, slotting for frets, radiusing and binding preparationsMaster board prep from raw to fret ready. Cover join, thick, slot, curve, bind prep, stress true, hold, clean look bits.
Selecting and orienting fretboard stockJointing, gluing, and thicknessingScale layout and slotting accuracyCutting fret slots to proper depthRadiusing jigs and sanding blocksBinding ledge cutting and cleanupLesson 8Fret installation workflow: dressing, pressing/hamming, leveling, crowning, polishing (process and quality tolerance targets)This details sure fret put way, slot prep, press or hit, level, crown, shine, with measure holds for true tune, smooth play.
Fretwire selection and pre-bending radiusCleaning and gauging fret slotsPressing versus hammering techniquesEnd seating, gluing, and chip preventionLeveling strategy and target tolerancesCrowning, polishing, and edge dressingLesson 9Neck construction: blank layout, truss rod channel routing, laminate considerations and headstock shapingLearn plan, build hold neck, from blank line to rod path route, pick layers, shape head for power, tune hold, clean look.
Neck blank layout and grain orientationMarking centerlines and reference datumsTruss rod channel routing and depth controlLamination choices and glue-up sequenceHeadstock angle, thickness, and volute designRough neck profiling before fretboard install
