Lesson 1Why specific woods are chosen: stiffness-to-weight, density, tonal colour, sustain, damping, stability, workabilityWe look at why luthiers pick specific woods for each job, focusing on stiffness-to-weight, density, internal damping, and workability, and how these shape loudness, sustain, attack, and reliability for different steel-string designs.
Stiffness-to-weight and top responsivenessDensity, mass, and sustain characteristicsDamping, attack, and tonal colorationStability, defect risk, and reliabilityWorkability, tooling, and surface qualityLesson 2Woods by component: spruce, cedar, mahogany, rosewood, maple, sapele, ebony, walnut—acoustic properties and typical usesHere we check how common tonewoods work in each guitar part, linking grain structure, density, and stiffness to projection, balance, and response, and listing typical pairings for tops, backs, sides, and necks in steel-string builds.
Spruce and cedar as soundboard materialsMahogany and sapele for necks and bodiesRosewood and maple for backs and sidesEbony and alternatives for fingerboardsWalnut and lesser used body woodsLesson 3Alternative materials and veneers: laminates vs solid wood, composite fingerboards, engineered neck materialsWe explore non-traditional materials for cost, stability, and sustainability, comparing laminates to solid wood, and looking at composite fingerboards, engineered neck stocks, and veneers, noting tonal trade-offs and repair methods.
Laminated versus solid plates in bodiesComposite and synthetic fingerboardsEngineered neck blanks and reinforcementsDecorative and structural veneer applicationsRepair and modification of composite partsLesson 4Dimensional stability and seasoning: moisture content targets, acclimatisation, and movement considerations for top/back/sides/neckThis part covers how wood moisture, grain direction, and shop climate cause movement in tops, backs, sides, and necks, teaching practical ways to season, measure, and acclimate stock to avoid cracking, warping, and joint failures.
Target moisture content for guitar woodsShop climate control and monitoringAcclimatizing stock before machiningMovement in tops, backs, sides, and necksPreventing cracks, warps, and loose jointsLesson 5Detailed parts breakdown: body, soundboard, back, sides, neck, heel, headstock, fingerboard, frets, nut, saddle, bridge, rosette, binding, bracing, truss rod, tunersThis section maps every major guitar part to its structural and tonal job, showing how shape, weight, and material in body, neck, hardware, and internals work together for volume, sustain, comfort, and tuning stability.
Body shapes and internal air volumeSoundboard, bridge, and string energy transferBack, sides, and rim stiffness effectsNeck, truss rod, and playability factorsNut, saddle, frets, and hardware detailsLesson 6Glue, adhesives and finishes overview: hide glue, Titebond variants, epoxy; common lacquer, oil, and polyurethane finishes and their acoustic/repair implicationsThis section reviews main adhesives and finishes for steel-string building, comparing strength, creep, reversibility, toxicity, and repairability, and explaining how film thickness and hardness affect resonance, damping, and durability.
Hide glue properties and use casesTitebond variants and application limitsEpoxy for structural and gap filling jointsLacquer, oil, and polyurethane comparedFinish thickness, hardness, and damping
