Eric Schaefer
DIY Guitar Making
Luthier Eric Schaefer dives deep into acoustic guitar building techniques, sharing secrets of the craft so that you can step up your lutherie game! From soundboard bracing to neck angles to fretwork, no stone is left unturned. Sometimes it is a solo show that delves into a particular topic. Sometimes it is a Q and A show featuring member's of Eric's online guitar building course. Sometimes it is an interview with another luthier, woodworker, or guitar repair tech.
Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.ericschaeferguitars.com
Author
Eric Schaefer
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Oct 14, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
Resawing for Lutherie and Q&A 17.10.2024 1:47:03
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Guitarmaking Q&A | Setting up your Lutherie Shop and More! 31.08.2024 49:24
In this episode of DIY Guitarmaking, I answer YOUR questions! 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the online course "Building an OM Acoustic": https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic...
Q&A Building Jigs and Forms, Fretboard Polish, Rosette Cutters 13.08.2024 20:56
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - tonewood suppliers - Electric Guitar neck angles - Rosette cutting jigs - What material to use for molds forms and jigs - What do you use to oil or polish up the fretboard? 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: https://...
Q&A | Buying or Building Side Benders, Where did EVO Gold Fretwire Go, and More! 24.06.2024 42:00
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Fixing cracked sides - Sharpening plane blades and chisels - Buying or building a side bending machine? - Using cactus juice to harden wood - Bending tips for Wenge - How much nut relief to use on a bass guitar - Is EVO gold fretwire discontinued? - Unboxing videos are stupid - How much I charge for my guitars 🔴 Al...
Q&A |Side Bending Tips, Joining Bookmatched Pairs, Controlling Shop Humidity and More! 12.06.2024 53:54
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Introducing my new "Florentine Cutaway and Advanced Binding/Purfling Methods" Workshop! ( https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/florentine-cutaway-and-advanced-binding-purfling-methods-workshop-build-options/ ) - I have Wenge for sale! email me at eric@ericschaeferguitars.com - Where to find prefab materials...
Q&A | Fixing Finish Runs, Installing Mylar Pickguards, Making Cutaways and More! 02.06.2024 31:14
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - What is the best way to fix a finish drip? - How to install a clear mylar pickguard without bubbles - The most expensive lutherie tool yet! - Go bar rods from home depot - Building a cutaway as a first guitar - Radial offset rosettes 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Register for an 8 day Hands-On...
QA | Refretting with Larger Fretwire, Buying Go Bars, Wild Grain and more! 22.05.2024 29:42
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Should you use Carbon Fiber Rods and a Truss Rod? - Making your own bulk binding strips - wild grain versus homogenous grain - Buying go bars - Changing fretwire size when refretting - Where to buy a gramil? - Issues with small soundholes 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Register for a 9 day Hands...
Q&A | Taptuning Tops, Tonewood Myths, Best Guitar Brands, and More! 27.04.2024 52:13
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show - Favorite Guitar brands/companies - Fret slotting saws - Marketing your guitars - How many pounds of pressure do go-bars produce? - Inlaying into dark woods as opposed to light woods - Lazy builders - Jim Lill debunking electric guitar tonewood debate - Neck profiling jigs do accomodat...
Q&A | Sizing Fretwire, Neck Profiling Jigs, Electric Guitar Tonewood Myths and More! 21.04.2024 48:00
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Do headstock templates include space for the nut? - A jig for profiling necks with a router - An audio example of a student's guitar - Choosing fretwire with the right tang size for your fret slots - Leg tapering jigs for the bandsaw - A case for titebond over hot hide glue - Bevelling fret slots - Why Strats a...
Q&A | Purfling Depth, Instrument Glue Recommendations, Mold Making and More! 22.03.2024 25:32
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR Questions! Questions/Topics: - hide glue vs. titebond - fish glue - how deep should purfling be inlaid? - inlaying turqoise - The "Best" Guitar show - Using waxed wood strips like Teflon strips - Top thickness - french polishing and tru oil - fastening latches to molds - the neutral zone for a dual action truss rod 🔴 All episodes avail...
Q&A | Resonating vs Reflecting Backs, Top Thickness, Scrapwood uses, and more! 17.03.2024 26:26
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: – What do you do with your scrap wood? – Buying pre-bent sides – Best heating blanket for side bending – radial rosettes – thicknessing backs as a resonator or a reflector – Thicknessing tops – Plate gluing jig – laminated sides – inlaying Opal for fret marker dots – What is the purpose of a shooting board – modifying...
Q&A | Chisel Sharpening, Mesquite for Fretboards, Happy Accidents and more! 21.02.2024 30:21
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Chisel Sharpening - source for dyed purfling strips - bridge wood - amp repair - mesquite for fretboards? - happy accidents - what to do with "mistakes" - the role of patience and focus in nut slotting technique - bird's eyes on silver maple - why does sugar maple burn so easily? 🔴 All episodes avail...
Q&A | Scarf Joint Jig, Choosing Top Wood for a Parlor, Using Slotted or Unslotted Bridge Pins... 07.02.2024 1:04:58
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Can backs be flatsawn? - a miter box design for cutting scarf joints - Best wood bindings to replace white plastic bindings - Best topwood for a parlor size instrument - using slotted or unslotted bridge pins - building a light box/ light box alternatives - the 14th fret hump - sourcing backstrip material - fixing s...
Q&A | Radial Rosettes, Soundhole Binding, Pinless Bridges, and More! 13.01.2024 31:34
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Tasmanian Blackwood - Radial rosettes - Binding the inside of the soundhole - Making radius dishes - Paste wax for preventing glue from sticking to jigs - Pinless bridges - Box elder for guitars? - What is your sharpening process for chisels and planes? - Inexpensive Wenge - Avoiding lint and dust in finish - more o...
Q&A | Saddle Height, Lint in Finish, Why is My Saddle so long?, and More! 05.01.2024 30:55
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Soundhole Binding - Bone nut/saddle porosity - Saddle height - vacuum bags for laminating sides - solid linings - fixing misplaced fretboard dots - carbon fiber humbucker covers - sanding the contour of the bridge wings - how to deal with lint and dust in the finish - flat sawn lumber for sides - maple as a back and...
Q&A | Shrinkage Cracks in the Top, Purfling Materials, Nut Slotting and More! 16.12.2023 27:48
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Questions/Topics: - Soundboard cracks and humidity - Eastern White Cedar for Tops - Purfling materials for a headplate - How deep to cut your nut slots - The role of patience and perseverance in lutherie - more suggestions on what I should build next! 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Register for an 9 day Hands-On Gu...
Q&A | My next build, how to store wood, planers vs. jointers, and more! 10.12.2023 26:44
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Topics/Questions: - Slide Guitar Nut Compensation - Buy a planer or a jointer first? - Stewmac side bending machines - What should me next build be? - Best way to store wood - bridge plates - Quilted Mahogany - Soundboard radius in the upper bout - More about "The Tree" 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com 🔴 Regi...
Q&A | Aluminum Bridge Plates, Bending Solid Linings, Fretboard Radii for Acoustics, "The Tree" Mahogany, and More! 26.11.2023 36:37
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions! Topics/Questions: - Flattening the top radius in the upper bout to glue the fretboard tongue - Bending solid linings or laminating solid linings - What is the lowest fretboard radius used for acoustic guitars? - Bosch Colt trim routers - The story of "The Tree" mahogany - Measuring top deflection - Countersinking tuners - Sta...
Q&A | Nut Compensation, Buying a Planer, Bridge Repairs and More 21.11.2023 34:21
In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I am answering YOUR questions! Topics include: - What Material Choices have made a noticeable difference, tonally? - An Acoustic Bridge replacement - When to Install Frets? - Adding Compensation at the Nut - What's the next Build? - Uses for the Planer - Buying Fretboards versus Making them yourself And More! 🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.c...
Q&A | How much Inlay is Too Much, Making a Saddle Slotting Jig, Tool Flatness and More! 06.11.2023 32:48
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Q&A | Woodstock Show, Gluing Frets, Automotive Finishes and More! 30.10.2023 29:06
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Wood Pickguards, Learning CNC, Florentine Cutaways, and More! | Shop Talk with Robert Livingston 23.10.2023 24:29
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Q&A | Smelliest Woods, Haze in Finish, Best Wood and Tool Suppliers, and More!! 17.10.2023 26:35
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Q&A | Luthier's Mercantile is Closing!!! 12.09.2023 31:46
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
Q&A | Using Pine for Guitar Tops, Shop Injuries, Roasted Flamed Maple and More! 10.09.2023 33:26
🔴 Register for a Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/learn-to-build-your-own-guitar/ 🔴 Check out the Online Guitar Building School: https://ericschaeferguitars.com/course-directory/ 🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/instruments-ordering/ 🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: https://www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...
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