THE PROBLEM
You have the Shop. You have the Skills.
What You've Been Missing is a Clear Path
— and the Right Method.
Most woodworkers who dream of building a guitar never start — not because they lack talent or tools, but because lutherie feels like a Mystery.
"Where do I even begin?"
Lutherie has its own vocabulary and sequence. Without a structured starting point, it's easy to freeze before you even get started.
"I don't want to waste materials."
Tonewoods aren't cheap. One mistake on a guitar top can cost you $150 and a week of your time. You need guidance, not guesswork.
"Do I need special tools?"
You probably have 80% of what you need already. But knowing which jigs and fixtures to build — and when — makes all the difference.
"I've tried before
and stalled out."
Scattered resources lead to confusion. A half-built guitar sitting in the corner isn't a failure — it's a sign you needed better guidance.
But even the ones who do start face Two Problems that most courses never mention.
The Neck Reset Problem
In traditional guitar construction the fingerboard is glued directly to the top.
Over time, as the guitar responds to string tension, the fingerboard becomes uneven, the action climbs, and a hump develops where the neck meets the body.
What follows is a cycle of compromises — truss rod adjustments, saddle lowering, and constant compensation for a geometry that was never right to begin with.
Most guitars built the traditional way will eventually need a neck reset. Many need one within just a few years.
THE SOLUTION
A cantilevered bolt-on neck attachment where the fingerboard never glues to the top — it flies above it, always level, always adjustable. You build it right once. It stays right forever.
The Voicing Problem
There is no moment more critical in building an acoustic guitar than bracing the top — and no moment where more first-time builders go wrong.
Brace it too stiff and the guitar sounds thin and choked. Brace it too loose and it sounds muddy and bass-heavy.
Traditional instruction gives you measurements and hopes for the best.
Close the box before the top is properly voiced and you'll never know what you left on the table.
The guitar will play — but it won't sing.
THE SOLUTION
Free plate tuning — a method that lets you hear and feel exactly how the top is responding before you ever close the box. You'll know, not guess, when the top is right.
YOUR GUIDE
"If you've spent decades mastering your craft and still feel like guitar building is somehow out of reach, I want you to know — that's not a reflection of your ability, it's a reflection of how poorly this craft has been taught."
You Don't Need Another Luthier.
You Need One Who's
Solved the Hard Problems.
There's no shortage of guitar builders on the internet.
Most instruction teaches you to follow conventions. This system is built around questioning them.
The adjustable cantilevered neck in this course solves one of the most persistent, expensive problems in acoustic guitar building: the inevitable neck reset.
It's a better design, built on real engineering logic - and you'll understand exactly why it works.
THE PLAN
Three Steps to Your First Guitar.
No Mystery. No Overwhelm. Just a Proven Sequence that takes You from Raw Wood to a Playable Instrument.
Enroll & Assess
Start with a complete shop and tools assessment. Know exactly what you have, what you can build yourself, and what (if anything) you need to add.
Follow the Path
Work through the course at your own pace. Every step is sequenced, explained, and demonstrated — with Jeff available when you have questions.
String It Up
Set up your finished guitar and play it. This is the moment that changes how you see yourself as a craftsman.
THE COURSE
Contemporary Steel String Guitar
A complete, proven path for experienced woodworkers to build their first acoustic guitar — using methods most luthiers never teach, in a sequence that leaves nothing to chance, with results that last a lifetime.
Step-by-step video instruction filmed in Jeff's real working shop. The cantilevered bolt-on neck system. Free plate tuning. Jigs, fixtures, tonewoods, and setup — everything in one place, nothing left out.
WHAT'S WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE
There is a Particular Kind of Pride that Only Comes From Finishing Something Genuinely Difficult.
Building a Guitar is That Thing.
Not because it's complicated — but because it demands everything a craftsman has. Patience. Precision. The willingness to trust the process even when you can't see the finish line. The woodworkers who complete this course don't just have a guitar. They have proof of what they're capable of. That proof doesn't hang on a wall. It lives in the hands that built it.
COMMON QUESTIONS