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Lutherie Course: Guitar Physics, Design, & Guitar Set-Up
*Included With Your Luthier’s EDGE membership
The Perfect Course For Beginners: Physics & Design
In this online guitar building and setup course we will be taking an in-depth look at not only how to properly adjust and even design certain elements of your guitar, but we will also be studying guitar physics to understand why we are taking these steps and procedures to better equip you in your own work.
If you have been feeling a little lost when trying to adjust your guitar, or maybe you even want to understand how you guitar works, and how to improve the guitars you build or play; then this is the course for you!
In This Course You Will Learn:
- Guitar Physics – How the guitar works as a complete system
- Guitar Setup – How to apply physics concepts to obtain the perfect setup
- Tone Optimization – How to get the best tone and playability from your guitar
- Guitar Design – How to apply physics concepts for optimum guitar design fundamentals
Course Outline: Guitar Physics, Design & Set-Up
Basic Guitar Physics: Strings
The first step in understanding how to properly set up or build a guitar is understanding how the guitar is functioning as a system.
Basic Guitar Physics: Bridge & Top
After the string energy is loaded into the string it must be translated in to a form usable by the guitar’s top though the bridge. The top can then convert the energy effectively into audible sound.
Main Components Introduction
Now that we have taken a look at an overview of how the guitar works from a physics standpoint, we will look more closely at the main components of the guitar system and how we can use them to refine and shape the tone and responsiveness of our guitar.
Guitar Scale Length:Tone and Intonation
Choosing the right scale length is critical in being able control the tonal characteristics of your finished guitar. We also take a close look at intonation, compensation, and other important topics related to scale length.
The Guitar Bridge
Here we take an even deeper look at the guitar bridge and how to utilize its potential to shape the playability and tone of your guitar.
The Nut & Saddle
The nut and the saddle can greatly effect the tone and playability of your guitar. In this video we learn how the nut and saddle function and how to use these components to refine and shape the design of your guitar through material selection, and other useful concepts.
Neck Geometry
In this key video we will be analyzing and optimizing the different angles, radii, and other geometric shapes and planes that interact between the neck, body, and strings. Understanding this material is critical in being able to obtain the maximum play-ability from your guitar.
Effective Problem Solving
The skill of problem solving is vital to being able to detect and diagnose not only problems you might face with your guitar, but also a necessary tool if you plan to effectively advance your work and venture into new territory with your designs.
Introduction To Session 2: Set-Up
Now that we have a firm understanding of how the guitar works, we will begin to cross over from the theoretical to actually setting up the guitar for the best possible play-ability, tone, and responsiveness.
Measuring And Data Collection
Collecting and analyzing the data on each of my guitars has been one of keys that enabled me to make effective progress in advancing my designs. This video looks at main data points for guitar set-up and then I will walk you through some examples of the data sheets I use.
Neck Relief And Bridge Height
Understanding the relationship of neck relief and bridge height is critical to being able to analyze which adjustments need to me made in various situations to obtain the best playability. In this video we look at this relationship and its effect on playability and tone.
Neck Design And Fretwork
In order to build a guitar with superior playability, the first step is to identify the common issues that prevent most guitars from playing as well as they could. In this video we identify those issues and look at ways to implement solutions to these issues into one’s own building and set up procedures.
Setting The Action Part 1
In this video we look at the first portion of the two step process I use to get the action set properly on my guitars. In the video we cover the initial stages of laying out and cutting the nut slots, intonation, and the initial setting of the action.
Setting The Action Part 2: Final Adjustments
Now that the guitar and its strings have had time to rest and settle in, we are ready to make the final adjustments to the set up so that the guitar will sound and play its absolute best, now and in the future. In this video we will look closely at my methods of fine tuning the setup of the guitar such as final neck relief setting, final nut slot cutting, and final setting of the action.
Final Intonation
Setting the intonation is our last step to getting the most out of our guitar and in this video we look at the last steps to getting it perfect. We will also cover an important technique that applies to setting the intonation as well as almost every other aspect of guitar building as well called; listening inside the note.
Learn How To Make Your Guitars Play & Sound Better
Empower your luthier skills by gaining a deeper understanding How The Guitar Works.
What Our Students Have To Say:
“Guitar care and maintenance video course is building the basis and paving the way to my guitar build project. All topics discussed are alerts to avoid mistakes and do the right thing the first time.”
Daniel Soares
São Paulo, Brasi
“I learned quite a few things (I’m social security age and have been around guitars for over 40 years) and I’m an engineer (electrical). I always loved physics and now love it even more!”
Buzz R.
“I’m not a math-head or physics guy, but your discussion on how the bridge works was just perfect for me. I’m really enjoying the heck out of this course!”
Steph Otis
St. Louis
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Up Your Guitar Building & Setup Skills Today!