Lesson 1Electronics and pickup systems for steel-string acoustics: undersaddle piezo, soundboard transducers, mics, preamp features and placementInvestigate undersaddle piezos, soundboard transducers, internal mics, an blended systems fi steel-string acoustics. Learn preamp placement, EQ, an feedback control strategies fi reliable live an studio use.
Undersaddle piezo installation and couplingSoundboard transducers: placement and toneInternal microphones and blended systemsOnboard preamps, EQ, and phase controlsShielding, wiring, and feedback managementLesson 2Body shapes and sizes: dreadnought, OM, concert, parlor, jumbo — tonal and ergonomic tradeoffsSurvey dreadnought, OM, concert, parlor, an jumbo body shapes, relating air volume, waist, an depth to tonal balance an projection. Evaluate ergonomic factors such as reach, comfort, an playing posture.
Dreadnought power, bass, and strumming focusOM and concert balance for fingerstyle clarityParlor intimacy, midrange, and couch playingJumbo volume, low-end, and stage presenceBody depth, waist, and seated comfortLesson 3Finish choices and effects: gloss nitrocellulose, polyurethane, oil/varnish — acoustic resonance, durability, and aestheticsCompare nitrocellulose, polyurethane, an oil or varnish finishes inna terms of film thickness, flexibility, an repairability. Understand how finish chemistry an application methods influence resonance, durability, an appearance.
Nitrocellulose: thin films and aging behaviorPolyurethane: protection, thickness, and feelOil and varnish: hand-rubbed acoustic responseFinish thickness and damping of top vibrationSurface prep, pore filling, and adhesionLesson 4Back and sides wood: rosewood, mahogany, maple — overtone spectra, projection, and weight considerationsExplore how rosewood, mahogany, maple, an other back an side woods affect overtones, projection, weight, an balance. Learn fi match wood density an damping to desired tonal goals an player comfort.
Rosewood density, overtones, and low-end focusMahogany midrange emphasis and dry responseMaple clarity, quick decay, and stage projectionLaminated vs solid backs: tone and stabilityWood thickness, side depth, and overall weightLesson 5Bracing systems: X-brace variants, scalloped vs. non-scalloped, tone bars, and structural considerationsStudy X-brace layouts, scalloping styles, an tone bar patterns weh control stiffness, volume, an reliability. Learn how brace carving, placement, an gluing methods balance resonance wid long-term structural safety.
Standard X-brace geometry and load pathsForward-shifted X vs rear-shifted X voicingScalloped vs straight braces: attack and sustainTone bars and finger braces: fine-tuning responseBrace height, width, and mass optimizationLesson 6Fretboard and bridge materials: ebony, rosewood, alternatives, and their effects on sustain and feelExamine how ebony, rosewood, an alternative fretboard an bridge materials influence stiffness, damping, sustain, an tactile feel. Learn fi choose materials weh complement di top an support stable intonation.
Ebony hardness, brightness, and wear resistanceRosewood warmth, porosity, and tactile feedbackBridge mass and footprint effects on top motionEngineered woods and composites as alternativesGrain orientation and glue joint reliabilityLesson 7Scale length, string tension, and neck profile selection for playability and toneUnderstand how scale length, string gauge, an neck profile shape tension, feel, an tone. Learn fi specify dimensions weh suit different styles, hand sizes, an tunings while maintaining structural safety.
Scale length, pitch, and string tension mathShort vs long scale: feel and tonal shiftsNeck depth, width, and shoulder shapesRadius, fret size, and playability factorsMatching tension to tunings and string gaugesLesson 8Nut and saddle materials: bone, Tusq, synthetic options — tonal differences and wear characteristicsAnalyze bone, Tusq, an synthetic nut an saddle options, focusing on hardness, consistency, an wear. Learn how contact area, fit, an polishing influence attack, sustain, tuning stability, an long-term reliability.
Bone density, lubrication, and tonal characterTusq and engineered synthetics: consistencyNut slot geometry, break angle, and tuningSaddle height, compensation, and intonationContact surfaces, polishing, and string wearLesson 9Top wood selection: spruce (Sitka, Adirondack), cedar — stiffness-to-weight, response, and recording behaviorCompare Sitka, Adirondack, an cedar tops inna stiffness-to-weight, headroom, an responsiveness. Learn grading, thicknessing, an bracing strategies weh optimize projection, dynamics, an recording behavior.
Sitka spruce versatility and dynamic rangeAdirondack stiffness, headroom, and attackCedar warmth, sensitivity, and light touchGrain, runout, and top grading criteriaThicknessing tops for target stiffness
