Cleveland luthier and musician, Jim Kozel reviews the RainSong Shorty SG guitar.
Videos
It’s a Set Up!
Cleveland luthier Jim Kozel, with a special introduction from his buddy Guido, discusses how to evaluate acoustic guitar setup.
1966 Gibson Restoration Video
Living outside of Cleveland along the shores of Lake Erie can be pretty tough on our instruments. The sometimes extreme temperature and humidity swings between summer and winter can cause cracks, warping, fret and neck playability issues and the list goes on. As a luthier, I see a lot of these climate-related issues with guitars. However, it was only part of what was going on with this 1966 Gibson J-45. Here’s the video on the steps to its restoration.
Jessica by Jim Kozel, Luthier & Guitarist
“Jessica”, written for my daughter when she was four, is one of my most requested compositions. Here is a video of “Jessica” including some pics of my daughter today as a professional dressage trainer and competitor. “Jessica” is also available on my CD, Goin’ South.
Musically yours,
Jim Kozel, Luthier
K&K Pickup Installation in Mainland Baritone Uke
Ukes are small, even baritones, and present some unique challenges for pickup installation. I created this video to give ukulele players as well as other musicians a close look at the process of installing a K&K pickup into a Mainland baritone ukulele. Enjoy!
I Need a Drink and so does Your Guitar!
I’ve been getting a lot of calls from clients about buzzing strings and other issues with the way their guitars are playing. Well, it’s winter and guitars are drying out. Here’s a video on humidifying your instrument BEFORE you think about adjusting the neck, saddle height, or a having a fret job. It’s all about humidity or the lack of it!
1935 Gibson A-style mandolin restoration
This 1935 Gibson mandolin was left in the garage in its cardboard case for many years. The owner had played it for his wife when they were much younger. Here’s the story of how it was restored…
A new double neck design for Gabe Marin
Gabe Marin of Consider the Source visited my shop over the holidays to discuss the design of his next double neck guitar, the Elsa II. I built the Elsa I (see pic) for Gabe in 2003. It’s been his only stage guitar for the last 13 years. Here’s a video of Gabe putting the Elsa I through her paces at The Beachland Ballroom in 2015.
Installing a ZERO fret on a Guild Jumbo 12-string
Here’s how to install a zero fret on a Guild Jumbo 12-string. The benefit? Excellent action and consistent tone between fretted and un-fretted strings.