Stew-Mac Trade Secrets???

[Robert Freemond]

Just watched a nice video of Dan Erlewine fitting & gluing a fingerboard. I never seen it done this way & wonder if this is a common practice with Acoustic's, or specific to solid body guitars ?


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[Michael Lazar]

I would imagine he takes this approach for anything with a single action adjustable truss rod.

[Bob Hammond]

There is nothing at all wrong with Mr. Erlewine's videos. He's a respectable and practical guy. But as might be obvious, he's also demonstrating his wares to fix problems.

[David King]

I'd like to think that everyone does this or the equivalent on all their fingerboards. Most of us learned this lesson the hard way on our first neck.

[Jason Rodgers]

After watching this video, I really like the ease of the big "rubber band" method. Especially with hide glue (I use fish), it needs some good pressure, but the drying glue also sucks the joint together some. This also makes the induced relief easier to set, rather than a bazzilion clamps getting in the way and pinching it this way and that. I suppose spring clamps on the edges would work well, too. I will be thinking about all this as I am getting three necks together.

And I was thinking about David's GAL presentation the whole time I was watching, too!

[Gordon Bellerose]

Bob.
The videos that are presented are certainly slanted toward Stewmac products; sometimes a bit too much.
If you can look past the brazen advertising, there is a lot of good information.

I have at times been a bit put off by the same thing, but I still subscribe to the videos.

Jason.
Can you enlighten me a bit about the GAL presentation you mention?

[Mark Swanson]

Yes but in defense of Stew-Mac, they are instructional videos that show how to use their products. They don't run an open Forum like we have here. How many places sell products, but don't offer one bit of help or instruction when it comes down to using them? They make good stuff, and take the time to make those videos, too. I can't knock it.
David gave a great presentation at the last GAL conference...if you were not lucky enough to be there, I think it will be covered in upcoming issues of the magazine.

[Jason Rodgers]

Yes, Gordon, and a lot of those tools and techniques were invented (or improved) by Erlewine, so we're getting the story from a primary source with decades of experience. I've not met Dan, but I talked with Eric Coleman at the convention, and these are honest guys that really believe in the tools that they are endorsing.

The thread that's up right now, "Truss Rods: curved or straight," has some good discussion from David and others just before the GAL convention. Tim and the GAL staff probably have a timeline for publication to get all the talks transcribed and printed over the next 3-4 years, but a new issue is coming out in a few weeks, so we can always cross our fingers.

[Gordon Bellerose]

Mark.
I'm not knocking stewmac for their products or the quality of them. I have spent thousands of dollars there, and will continue to do so.
I consider Dan E. to be one of the best in this field, and as I said I do subscribe to the video series and visit the site regularly for information. I also own 3 or 4 of his books.
The videos are very well produced at some cost to Stewmac also.
They also sell tools that you simply can not get elsewhere, and have spent lots of money developing those tools, I'm sure.
Without Stewmac, I probably would not be in this business, so for me to knock stewmac would be foolish.

My only comment is that "once in a while" the advertising gets to be a bit much. That is more of my personal taste than anything.

[Bob Hammond]

Really, I have no beef with Mr. Erlewine or Stewmac. I said that plainly.

But I think that it should be pointed out, that there are usually several ways to solve a problem without a need to buy another tool.

[Clay Schaeffer]

"But I think that it should be pointed out, that there are usually several ways to solve a problem without a need to buy another tool."

I noticed in the video Dan mentioned you could use a stick in place of the scissor jack he used. I subscribe to the videos because they offer a lot of good information. Although I was already familiar with that technique it was nice to see it demonstrated. The video may inspire more people to use the lighter and cheaper single action rod, knowing they can get_ some_ of the adjustment offered by a double action rod.

[Jason Rodgers]

there are usually several ways to solve a problem without a need to buy another tool.

Right! I have purchased fret wire and a fret crowning file from SM, and will buy nut files at some point, but I don't plan on spending a lot with them. Many of my tools are yard/estate sale finds and craigslist, a handful of new things from Woodcraft or the Depot, and hardware from Ace. The videos are often the seeds of ideas for those tool purchases and jig designs, though. If anything, watching Dan makes me realize there are processes that I've overcomplicated and could probably accomplish with FEWER tools!