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How to Make a Pickup, Part 4

Wooden acoustic pickups are looked at in this segment, as well as the yarn-wrapping process for Tele pickups and SD's quality control process. Also, Evan breaks down the whole active vs. passive thing as we see some Dave Mustaine pickups being made.

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By PremierGuitar DefaultJul 18, 2008
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Wooden acoustic pickups are looked at in this segment, as well as the yarn-wrapping process for Tele pickups and SD's quality control process. Also, Evan breaks down the whole active vs. passive thing as we see some Dave Mustaine pickups being made.
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Santa Cruz Guitar Tour: Bringing the Guitar Together

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The final installment with Santa Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover details the remaining steps that takes a collection of wood and wire into an impeccable instrument. Hoover explains how the company's craftsman delicately sand and finish the acoustics with a light touch to keeps them shiny and singing. He describes the pragmatic reasoning behind finishing the body and neck separately before marrying the two. He describes the balance between mechanical precision with the Plek machine and luthier artistry for the individualistic, hands-on set ups and intonation. Finally, Richard outlines why the company is now designing strings specific to their guitars.

How Binding, Headstocks & Internal Bracing Impacts Tone with Richard Hoover

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In our third installment with Santa Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover, the master luthier shows PG's John Bohlinger how his team of builders assemble and construct guitars like a chef preparing food pairings. Hoover explains that the finer details like binding, headstock size and shape, internal bracing, and adhesives are critical players in shaping an instrument's sound. Finally, Richard explains how SCGC uses every inch of wood for making acoustic guitars or outside ventures like surfboards and art.

"Tuning" & Building Guitars Like a Stradivari Violin with Santa Cruz Guitars

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In our second installment with Santa Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover, the master luthier takes PG's John Bohlinger through the detailed (and scientific) process of analyzing, shifting and "tuning" the guitar's top before repeating the process when the back and sides are joined, and once again when introducing the neck to the instrument build while focusing on keeping everything harmoniously synergized and "tuned."

Santa Cruz Guitar Tour, Pt. 1: The Magic of Tonewoods

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The company's founding master luthier Richard Hoover invites PG's John Bohlinger inside his NorCal guitar sanctuary. The first installment shares Hoover's deep appreciation and reverence for wood and nature. He explains that he was moved by the redwoods at an early age setting him up for a life among the trees. He then gets into how he sustainably sources exotic tonewoods from across the world before detailing how he mixes violin-making traditions with the modern scientific analysis he's helping collect with Stanford to try and build the best instruments possible.