Author Archives: luthsearch

Review: Antonio de Torres, Guitar Maker — His Life and Work by Jose Romanillos

1989
AL#19 p.56   BRB2 p.496            
Jeffrey-R. Elliott   Cyndy Burton                                                                                       

▪ The reviewers find this book to be “a significant resource. . .densely packed with information both useful and interesting.” The evolution of the classical guitar, as described by Romanillos, should be of interest to all contemporary builders.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Resetting a Dovetailed Neck

1989
AL#19 p.52   BRB2 p.312            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Peterson uses a cappuccino machine to steam the neck out of its joint, and wood shavings to rebuild the dovetail. In-depth text and 5 photos.

Heelblock Hank: His Story Part One

1989
AL#19 p.51   BRB2 p.309            
Louis-“Buddy” Hale   Michael-H. Price                                                                                       

▪ American Lutherie tries an informational comic strip.Parts Two and Three follow in AL#20 and AL#21.

Amazon Timbers Update

1989
AL#19 p.46   BRB2 p.302            
Todd Taggart                                                                                           

▪ Taggart’s prognosis for the future of traditional tonewoods is gloomy, but his experiences with controlled wood harvesting in South America shine a ray of hope on the situation. He also mentions solar box cookers, which can substitute for firewood in many third world countries where firewood is the chief use of timber. Taggart emphasizes conservation rather than alternative woods.

Meet the Maker: Ralph Rabin

1989
AL#19 p.44   BRB2 p.300            
Jonathon Peterson   Ralph Rabin                                                                                       

▪ Rabin learned to make violins in Cremona, Italy. His description makes it sound like a wonderful way to learn.

Meet the Maker: Frank “Andy” Johnson

1989
AL#19 p.40   BRB2 p.294            
Jonathon Peterson   Frank-“Andy” Johnson                                                                                       

▪ Johnson is a banjo restorationist and tonewood supplier from Washington State. He specializes in selling spruce to the major piano manufacturers.

The Mandolin Orchestra in America, Part One

1989
AL#19 p.34   BRB2 p.262            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ Mandolin mania in America was a social phenomenon that was inflated to the max by the Gibson Company advertising propaganda. This portion of the series details the rise of the mandolin orchestras and mandolin clubs. With 9 photos and a Gibson cartoon. Part Two and Part Three follow in AL#20 and AL#21.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

A Baroque Guitar Restoration

1989
AL#19 p.24   BRB2 p.250            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ A guitar that may have belonged to Marie Antoinette is brought back to playing condition. This article gives a good picture of what goes into the restoration of a museum-quality instrument. With 13 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Violin Horror Stories

1989
AL#19 p.20   BRB2 p.239            
Al Stancel                                                                                           

▪ Even experts in the violin field get burned now and then, and once in a blue moon they end up better off than they thought from a fiddle deal. Stancel offers true tales from both sides of the coin. Exactly what kinds of worms eat fiddles?

Practicum Two: Making the Bowl

1989
AL#19 p.6   HLC p.80            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Construction of the lute bowl. Detailed captions to 57 step-by-step, how-to photos. This series ran for 19 installments in American Lutherie and has been collected into our hardback book Historical Lute Construction.

Letter to the Editor: Gittler Guitar

1989
AL#19 p.5               read this article
Anthony-D. Blokzyi                                                                                           

▪ Blokzyi furnishes a description of the Gittler guitar, an all stainless steel, skeletonized instrument.

Letter to the Editor: Steel String Construction

1989
AL#19 p.5   BRB2 p.221            
Arnold-M.J. Hennig                                                                                           

▪ Hennig gives advice about removing guitar bridges with a sharpened putty knife. He also laments the fact that popular opinion believes that guitars, unlike violins, have a “shelf life,” and as a result are often eventually neglected rather than repaired.

Questions: Blue Streaks

1989
AL#18 p.57   BRB2 p.481            
Myles Gilmer                                                                                           

▪ Getting rid of blue streaks caused by fungus, which if removed early enough, will leave no permanent damage or discoloration.

Opinion

1989
AL#18 p.56               
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ Johnson offers another pep talk to the Guild. He finds that the GAL is doing everything they promised, and doing it well. Why aren’t we surprised?

Review: Classic Italian Violin Varnish: Its History, Materials, Preparation and Application by Geary L. Baese

1989
AL#18 p.52   BRB2 p.497            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds he could easily recommend this book if it weren’t so overpriced.

An Interview with Les Paul

1989
AL#18 p.48   BRB2 p.280            
George Manno   Les Paul                                                                                       

▪ The long-lived jazzer/inventor/guitar designer talks mostly about his long association with Gibson.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Meet the Maker: Frederick C. Lyman, Jr.

1989
AL#18 p.46   BRB2 p.248            
Jonathon Peterson   Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                       

▪ Lyman is an inveterate experimenter best known for his string basses, a regular American Lutherie contributor, and an interesting thinker.

Special Caliper for Cello

1989
AL#18 p.44   BRB2 p.246            
Jack Levine                                                                                           

▪ Levine made a deep-throated caliper for accurately measuring the thickness of the cello plate that is not removed, when the other is.

Meet the Maker: Wes Brandt

1989
AL#18 p.42   BRB2 p.238            
Jonathon Peterson   Wes Brandt                                                                                       

▪ Peterson offers a short interview with a luthier who makes small-bodied steel string guitars from alternative woods.

Finite Element Simulation of Guitar Top Vibration

1989
AL#18 p.38               read this article
Phil Banks                                                                                           

▪ Banks, like many before him, attempts to display on paper the movements of an excited guitar top.He is uncertain of his results, but his illustrations are certainly foxier than a normal graph or oscilloscope printout.

An Experimental Tenor Violin

1989
AL#18 p.36               read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman not only comes up with a new instrument, but also writes the article as a lesson in problem solving as he worked toward an uncertain goal.

GAL Instrument Plan #26: 1923 signed Lloyd Loar F-5 Gibson Mandolin

1989
AL#18 p.30   BRB2 p.235            
Ted Davis                                                                                           

▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview. The article also offers a plan of the Virzi Tone Producer, a map of top and back thickness, and a page of recommendations for building new F-5s to original Gibson specs.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

An Interview with Darryl Wolfe, F5 Expert

1989
AL#18 p.26   BRB2 p.228            
Ted Davis   Darryl Wolfe                                                                                       

▪ Both of these men love and revere the F-5 mandolin. Wolfe owned four Lloyd Loar mandos up to the time of the interview, studied and photographed 130 old F-5s, and published the F5 Journal. A lengthy interview with 12 photos. One man’s opinion can dispel, and perhaps create, instrument mythology.

Toward a Classic Guitar Family

1989
AL#18 p.20   BRB2 p.222            
Graham Caldersmith                                                                                           

▪ Caldersmith and the Canberra Guitar Ensemble work toward developing a series of classical guitars to match the range of the violin family.

Classic Italian Violin Varnish

1989
AL#18 p.12   BRB2 p.214            
Geary Baese                                                                                           

▪ Baese draws upon old literature and recent black light testing to draw his conclusions about the structure of old varnishes. The Q&A session reveals a high sophistication in the audience. With 5 photos and a few old print reproductions.

Stalking Northwest Tonewoods

1989
AL#18 p.6   BRB2 p.210            
Bruce Harvie   Casey Wood                                                                                       

▪ This is a Q&A session from the S. Dakota convention. The answer folks not only harvest and sell a wide variety of “designer” tonewoods, they are well up on alternative woods for lutherie. Very informative, and fun.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Review: Useful Measurements for Violinmakers: A Reference for Shop Use by Henry A. Strobel

1989
AL#17 p.52   BRB2 p.494            
Al Stancel                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer gives this book very high marks for usefulness, readability, and accuracy.

Review: The Steel String Guitar: Construction and Repair (Updated Edition) by David Russell Young

1989
AL#17 p.52   BRB2 p.495            
David Thormahlen                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer has reservations about the repair chapter of this book, but otherwise finds it to be “accessible, innovative, and valuable.”

GAL Instrument Plan #23: 14-cs Archlute

1989
AL#17 p.51   HLC p.244            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

In Defense of Short Scale Basses

1989
AL#17 p.50   BRB2 p.153            
Michael Sacek                                                                                           

▪ Sacek prefers a scale length of 31″ for bass fiddles and bass guitars. The article contains no plans, but offers enough food for thought that builders should take his ideas into consideration. In the one photo his instruments look pretty interesting.

Notes on Preparing Lake Pigments

1989
AL#17 p.48   BRB2 p.206            
Geary Baese                                                                                           

▪ Baese writes about adding color to violin varnishes in an historically accurate manner. He defines a lake pigment as “fixing . . .an organic soluble dye upon an inorganic carrier to render an insoluble colored compound.”

The Cranked Top

1989
AL#17 p.46   BRB2 p.208            
Brett Borton                                                                                           

▪ Have you ever seen a mandolin with an intentional crease or sharp bend to the top behind the bridge? That’s a cranked top. Borton describes how to add a cranked top to the steel string guitar, though he’s not too specific about why we should try it.

Adjustable Compensated Guitar Bridge

1989
AL#17 p.44   BRB2 p.198            
John Morgan                                                                                           

▪ Bridge setup must be done after the bridge is glued to the guitar in Morgan’s system. It also requires many little operations, but the intonation should come out perfect and the saddles remain individually adjustable for height. The finished bridge looks pretty cool, too.

White Lacquer, No Specks

1989
AL#17 p.43   BRB2 p.199            
Dana Bourgeois                                                                                           

▪ Bourgeois discovers a simple trick to keep his spray work uncontaminated—spray it upside down and hold it there until the lacquer flashes off.

Collapsible Cello Mold

1989
AL#17 p.40   BRB2 p.194            
Jack Levine                                                                                           

▪ Levine solves a problem many of us might face at first: How to set up shop in a confined, shared workspace. The solution is a takedown mold and a secure footlocker for tools and work in progress.

An Interview with Yuri Aleksik

1989
AL#17 p.38   BRB2 p.183            
James Flynn   Yuri Aleksik                                                                                       

▪ Aleksik is a master prima balalaika player from Kiev. Flynn asks him about instruments in this short interview.

Back in the BDAA (Balalaika and Domra Association of America)

1989
AL#17 p.37               
James Flynn                                                                                           

▪ Perhaps we shouldn’t be amazed by the seemingly large interest in various ethnic instruments and the music they produce. It seems that it’s easier to change countries than it is to change music. This organization publishes a quarterly newsletter, holds conventions, and offers scholarships to young musicians.

GAL Instrument Plan #25: The “Moskvichka” Concert Balalaika; An Instrument Plan

1989
AL#17 p.30   BRB2 p.193            
M.A. Kupfer   James Flynn   John Morgan                                                                                   

▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.

Building the Prima Balalaika

1989
AL#17 p.29   BRB2 p.190            
James Flynn                                                                                           

▪ Plans and instruction for an instrument designed by Kupfer, with 11 photos. The plan is a reduced version of GAL full-scale Plan #25. Kupfer is a famous luthier in Russia.

Meet the Maker: M.A. Kupfer

1989
AL#17 p.28   BRB2 p.178            
James Flynn   M.A. Kupfer                                                                                       

▪ It turns out that life for a Russian instrument maker isn’t far different than for an American luthier. Long hours, difficult conditions, and small financial rewards. The turf may be different, but the job remains the same.

S.I. Nalimov, The Master Balalaika Builder

1989
AL#17 p.22   BRB2 p.184            
A.I. Peresada                                                                                           

▪ Nalimov is to the balalaika as Stradivarius is to the violin. This article is condensed from Peresada’s biography of Namilov. With photos, drawings, and label reproductions.

An Introduction to the Stradivarian Mystique

1989
AL#17 p.6   BRB2 p.162            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Whether or not there is anything new to be said about Stradivari, it is impossible for a serious publication about lutherie not to take him into account at some point. Olsen’s lengthy article includes analytical drawings and photos of the master’s work. All the guitar and mando folks might wonder what the fuss is about. Olsen sets us straight.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Koestler’s “The Act of Creation”

1989
AL#17 p.3               read this article
Richard Schneider                                                                                           

▪ Schneder really liked this book, and he writes to say that Stewart Brand agres with him about it.

Opinion

1988
AL#16 p.56               
Todd Brotherton                                                                                           

▪ Todd Brotherton remarks about the growth of the Guild, and encourages all members to support the GAL by contributing articles.

Review: From the Pages of Experimental Musical Instruments, Vol. III

1988
AL#16 p.55   BRB2 p.493            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ It’s hard to tell when the reviewer is being enthusiastic or facetious, but I think he likes this cassette collection of odd musical noises (noisy musical oddities?).

Review: Tuning the Wood: Contemporary Illinois Stringed Instrument Builders by The Illinois State Museum

1988
AL#16 p.54   BRB2 p.493            
Mark Humpal                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this to be “a wonderful little book. . .,” “slick, well crafted, ready for the coffee table. . . .”

Review: Guitars, Guitars, Guitars: A Pictorial Reference Manual by Dave Crocker, John Brinkmann, and Larry Riggs

1988
AL#16 p.54   BRB2 p.493            
Mark Humpal                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that if you just like to look at guitars, and don’t demand art quality photos, you’ll like this book and its 1200 pictures.

Dog Bone Bracing

1988
AL#16 p.52               
John Morgan                                                                                           

▪ Morgan uses braces that seem to taper the wrong way, but reports good results. They also stop short of the lining. He lists other distinctions in his design that complement the new bracing system.

Sound Radiation from Guitars

1988
AL#16 p.40   BRB2 p.144            
Tom Rossing                                                                                           

▪ Charts, graphs, drawings, and formulae bulk up this in-depth scientific examination of how a guitar makes noise.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Dulcimer Compensation

1988
AL#16 p.35               
Cliff Dennis                                                                                           

▪ Jeez, someone finally took the mountain dulcimer seriously enough to try and compensate it’s intonation. Welcome to the 21st century, Mr. and Mrs. Dulcimer.

World Forest Outlook

1988
AL#16 p.33               read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison   Perry Thomas                                                                                       

▪ Only 6% of the rain forest harvest is exported, only 20% is used for timber, and 80% of the trees cut are burned. Pollution may ultimately represent as much of a threat as the chain saw. This article tries to get a handle on the situation.

1948 D’Angelico New Yorker; An Instrument Plan

1988
AL#16 p.29   BRB2 p.139            
Steve Andersen                                                                                           

▪ This is a reduced version of our Plan #24. The article also provides an introduction to the particular guitar that was copied for the plans, and 3 photos. Jazzer nirvana on paper.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Practicum One: Making the Form

1988
AL#16 p.24   HLC p.76            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The lute theory is over and the chips begin to fly. The series begins with the construction of the form on which the bowl will be assembled. 14 photos with detailed captions.

The Erlangen Lectures Day Five: Developing a Plan

1988
AL#16 p.20   HLC p.70            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The various lute parts were discussed in previous segments of this series. Now it is time to assemble a plan of attack for the integration of those parts, and to build the form for the bowl. With several drawings and photos. Fifth in a series of 19 articles.

Steve Andersen’s Precision Pantograph

1988
AL#16 p.8   BRB2 p.115            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ This is 9 photos and a small description of the machine that might be the production archtop maker’s best friend.

One Man’s Mandolins

1988
AL#16 p.6   BRB2 p.112            
Steve Andersen                                                                                           

▪ A well-known maker of archtop instruments offers an in-depth examination of his building style and his business. With 13 photos.

Letter to the Editor: Errors in AL#8/AL#13

1988
AL#16 p.3   BRB2 p.80            
Beverly Maher                                                                                           

▪ Maher adds corrections to AL # 8 and #13. She mentions that Segovia’s famous Hauser guitar was from 1937, and that it is at home in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Review: The Shrine to Music Museum — A Pictorial Souvenir

1988
AL#15 p.69   BRB2 p.492            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ The Shrine to Music Museum holds some of the world’s most important collections of musical instruments. This inexpensive volume is not only a great souvenir to those who have visited the museum, but a valuable research resource.

Review: Guitars and Mandolins in America by Robert Hartman

1988
AL#15 p.69   BRB2 p.492            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer is enthusiastic about the research potential of this updated book, and believes it will be of use to the repairman who may face Larson instruments on his bench.

Opinion

1988
AL#15 p.68               
Wayne Harris                                                                                           

▪ Harris has a poor opinion of musicians who expect luthiers to give them free instruments. He wishes that both sides could respect the luthier/musician symbiosis.

A Case of Explosion Damage

1988
AL#15 p.66               read this article
Keith Davis                                                                                           

▪ A natural gas explosion blows up the instruments of an entire school orchestra. Davis comes to the rescue, but wonders what the long-term ramifications will be for the fiddles and bass viols.

The G-String Market

1988
AL#15 p.62               
Tom Rossing                                                                                           

▪ This is a humorous comparison of a G string force waveform to a Dow Jones Industrial Average graph.

Fret Crown Radius: A Cause of Pitch Error?

1988
AL#15 p.60   BRB2 p.106            
Steve Newberry                                                                                           

▪ Newberry proves mathematically that large frets do not cause an instrument to play out of tune (though they might easily help a guitarist to play out of tune. There’s a large theoretical difference).

The Witten-Rawlins Collection

1988
AL#15 p.56   BRB2 p.100            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ Johnson offers a brief note about the Witten-Rawlins collection that was recently acquired by the Shrine to Music Museum. With photos and a museum checklist.

The “Belly Art” of Japanese Lutherie

1988
AL#15 p.46   BRB2 p.86            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ An intense description of Japanese classical guitar making taken from Brune’s convention lecture. Life in Japan is probably not much like you imagine it to be, it is far more interesting. The Q&A segment deals more with Brune’s own guitar work. With 21 photos inside a Japanese “factory.”

Flying Caps in Vermillion

1988
AL#15 p.45               
Bon Henderson                                                                                           

▪ A long time GAL staffer offers an “outsider’s” view of the convention. How is this possible? Read it for yourself!

Making Waterproof Hide Glue

1988
AL#15 p.35   BRB2 p.77            
Lloyd-Scott Ogelsby                                                                                           

▪ Concocting your own glue is perhaps one of the ultimate steps in lutherie self-sufficiency. Ogelsby insists that it isn’t difficult, just tricky, but he lists some good reasons for making the effort.

Meet the Maker: Hammond Ashley

1988
AL#15 p.30   BRB2 p.82            
Tim Olsen   Hammond Ashley                                                                                       

▪ This is a “factory tour” of the Ham Ashley shop.They specialize in the larger members of the violin family.

GAL Instrument Plan #22: 13-cs Baroque Lute, Dieffopruchar ca. 1600

1988
AL#15 p.28   HLC p.243            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

The Erlangen Lectures Day Four: The Bridge, Neck, and Pegbox

1988
AL#15 p.6   HLC p.48            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ This segment covers the bridge, neck, fingerboard, pegbox, and pegs of the lute. With photos and a number of drawings. This series is comprised of 19 installments.

Letter to the Editor: How Not to Dillute Acid

1988
AL#15 p.5               
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ When diluting sulfuric acid, like for sharpening files, it is a very important safety method to put acid into water, not water into acid. We got it reversed in an article, and we got letters about it. But don’t worry, we fixed it when that article was republished in the Big Red Book.

Letter to the Editor: How Not to Dillute Acid

1988
AL#15 p.5               
Jeff Forbes                                                                                           

▪ When diluting sulfuric acid, like for sharpening files, it is a very important safety method to put acid into water, not water into acid. We got it reversed in an article, and we got letters about it. But don’t worry, we fixed it when that article was republished in the Big Red Book.

Letter to the Editor: How Not to Dillute Acid

1988
AL#15 p.5               
Hubert Keller                                                                                           

▪ When diluting sulfuric acid, like for sharpening files, it is a very important safety method to put acid into water, not water into acid. We got it reversed in an article, and we got letters about it. But don’t worry, we fixed it when that article was republished in the Big Red Book.

Letter to the Editor: How Not to Dillute Acid

1988
AL#15 p.5               
Tom Rossing                                                                                           

▪ When diluting sulfuric acid, like for sharpening files, it is a very important safety method to put acid into water, not water into acid. We got it reversed in an article, and we got letters about it. But don’t worry, we fixed it when that article was republished in the Big Red Book.

Letter to the Editor: How Not to Dillute Acid

1988
AL#15 p.3               
Mel Wong                                                                                           

▪ When diluting sulfuric acid, like for sharpening files, it is a very important safety method to put acid into water, not water into acid. We got it reversed in an article, and we got letters about it. But don’t worry, we fixed it when that article was republished in the Big Red Book.

Review: Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology by William R. Cumpiano and Jonathan D. Natelson

1988
AL#14 p.60   BRB2 p.490            
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ This book, which has since become sort of the Bible of guitarmaking, is described by the reviewer as “the book we’ve all been waiting for.”

A Sort-Of-Controlled Bracing Experiment

1988
AL#14 p.59               
Richard Jordan                                                                                           

▪ Jordan used spruce of different stiffness to brace three nearly identical classical guitars, and found the differences to be dramatic. His stiffness test was especially easy to run.

Accident Prevention: A Case History

1988
AL#14 p.57               read this article
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Elliott observes that one of the best ways to ensure the safety of a guitar is to make sure it is a good fit in its case.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

File Sharpening

1988
AL#14 p.56   BRB2 p.76            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Peterson finds a relatively safe method of sharpening files by acid etching. THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE CONTAINED A SERIOUS ERROR. ACID SHOULD ALWAYS BE ADDED TO WATER, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THIS ERROR HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN THE REPRINTS).

Portland’s World Forestry Center Exhibition

1988
AL#14 p.54               
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Peterson is a devoted fan of this organization, which disseminates educational information about forestry related topics and provide the forest products industries a “place where they can put their best foot forward.” The Center’s Handmade Musical Instrument Show is the chief draw for luthiers.

Our Great Spherical Friend Part Five: An Experimental Bass

1988
AL#14 p.50               
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman forges ahead in his quest for a cheap but satisfying substitute for the traditional solid wood bass viol. This segment describes an experimental bass made of lauan plywood and 2×4 studs. The results leave him hopeful that he is on the right track.

Flattening Rosewood Potato Chips

1988
AL#14 p.46   BRB2 p.66            
Ervin Somogyi                                                                                           

▪ Somogyi saves a stash of warped rosewood guitar sets by clamping them between aluminum plates and heating them with a clothes iron.

GAL Instrument Plan #21: 7-cs Ren. Alto Lute, Venere 1592

1988
AL#14 p.44   HLC p.242            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

GAL Instrument Plan #20: 65cm 10-Course Renaissance Lute

1988
AL#14 p.42   HLC p.241            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

The Erlangen Lectures Day Three: The Belly

1988
AL#14 p.22   HLC p.30            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ This portion of the series deals with the soundboard, or belly, of the lute, including the braces and rosette. Many drawings illustrate the shape and thickness of historical lute tops. Beautiful drawings accompany the photos of astonishing rosettes (the drawings are not patterns of the photos). Where did those old guys find the patience? This is the third of 19 installments.

Two Tools for Inside Jobs

1988
AL#14 p.21   BRB2 p.60            
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ Fleishman’s tools are a rubber band-powered jack clamp for regluing braces, and a homemade wrench for tightening output jack nuts inside an acoustic guitar.

Archtop Guitars: Is Bigger Better?

1988
AL#14 p.18   BRB2 p.58            
Steve Grimes                                                                                           

▪ A noted maker of archtop guitars offers a detailed description of the method he uses to adjust the tone of his instruments during the carving process. He finds he is willing to sacrifice a little volume in order to attain a precise tonal character.

Which Spruce Is That?

1988
AL#14 p.17   BRB2 p.37            
Dana Bourgeois                                                                                           

▪ Where did Martin buy their spruce from year to year during their vintage days? Bourgeois discovered that there is no way to know, and that guitar experts are forced to guess.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Gene Rhinehart’s Resophonic Guitar Cones

1988
AL#14 p.14   BRB2 p.55            
Ed Vande-Voorde                                                                                           

▪ Rhinehart’s Dobro cones have developed a wonderful reputation. In this interview he outlines his material choices and production techniques. With 6 photos.

Why Are Old Violins Superior?

1988
AL#14 p.12   BRB2 p.46            
Graham Caldersmith                                                                                           

▪ Is it possible that old fiddles aren’t superior? Yes, but the only people who want to believe that it’s true are the contemporary violinmakers. Human nature would rather cast its faith to a mythical past than deal honestly with the present. Or not. Caldersmith doesn’t pretend to settle the debate.

The Great Tree vs. Bug Controversy

1988
AL#14 p.11   BRB2 p.45            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Is shellac made of sap from a tree in India? Or is it from juice exuded from a bug that eats that sap? Or is it more complicated than that?

An Introduction to French Polishing

1988
AL#14 p.4   BRB2 p.38            
Cyndy Burton   Greg Byers   Robert Steinegger   Buzz Vineyard                                                                               

▪ This workshop lecture and its audience participation make a wonderful case for the value of collected experience. These 7 pages of text and photos offer tips and information not to be found in any of the French polishing videos and articles that have come out since, as well as explaining the basics of finishing with shellac.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Intentional Guitar Neck Twist

1988
AL#14 p.2               
Arnold-M.J. Hennig                                                                                           

▪ Hennig endorses Leo Burrell’s idea of intentionally planing a slight twist into the neck of a guitar. This letter also contains an early mention of nut compensation.

Review: From the Pages of Experimental Musical Instruments, Volume II

1988
AL#13 p.57   BRB2 p.490            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Olsen admits to an interest in odd musical noises. This cassette gets his approval as “interesting,” and not a lot more.

How Super Glue Works

1988
AL#13 p.56   BRB2 p.36            
Yves Parent                                                                                           

▪ A chemist explains how superglue functions, and why you might want to give your wood an alkaline bath before you squirt on the goo.

Opening and Cleaning Cracks

1988
AL#13 p.54   BRB2 p.34            
Al Stancel                                                                                           

▪ Stancel opens old repaired cracks with heat and chemicals, cleans them with surfactants, and mends them with hide glue. The author works with the fiddle family, but his advice should flow over into any luthier’s discipline.

Making Organic Colorants Light Safe

1988
AL#13 p.52   BRB2 p.32            
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno explains how to make the colorants of violin varnish safe from fading. He also offers advice about keeping your chemical experiments safe.

The White Collar Luthier

1988
AL#13 p.46   BRB2 p.26            
Tim Shaw                                                                                           

▪ In his convention lecture Shaw compares the life of an independent luthier with life inside the Gibson custom shop, and finds that the rewards of one are different than the rewards of the other, but that either can offer an attractive way of living.

Is Your Wood Ready To Use?

1988
AL#13 p.44   BRB2 p.24            
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno points out there is a difference between wood that is dry and dry wood that is well seasoned, and offers a test for both. He maintains that only dry, well-seasoned wood is worth using.

Harmonic Analysis of String Excitation Methods

1988
AL#13 p.40   BRB2 p.20            
J. Jovicic   O. Jovicic                                                                                       

▪ This is a scientific analysis of how variations in picking a note change the response of the classical guitar. Translated from the French.

GAL Instrument Plan #19: 76cm 8-Course Renaissance Bass Lute

1988
AL#13 p.38   HLC p.240            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

GAL Instrument Plan #18: 44cm 6-Course Renaissance Descant Lute

1988
AL#13 p.37   HLC p.239            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

The Erlangen Lectures Day Two: The Bowl

1988
AL#13 p.24   HLC p.18            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ This portion of the series has to do with the shape of the lute body, or bowl. It includes 21 photos of historical models and numerous drawings and label signatures. This series includes 19 segments.

Tuning Air Resonance

1988
AL#13 p.10   BRB2 p.6            
W.D. Allen                                                                                           

▪ Allen shows how changing the internal air resonance of the violin can change the performance of the instrument, and claims that this variable applies to any stringed instrument. With many charts (including Allen’s hula-dancing molecules), graphs, and 2 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

The Maestro’s Hauser

1988
AL#13 p.7   BRB2 p.4            
H.E. Huttig                                                                                           

▪ Huttig relates a story about the instrument that was the center of the classical guitar universe for decades, the Hauser played by Segovia.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Critique of Manno Article AL#12

1988
AL#13 p.5   BRB2 p.161            
John Randerson                                                                                           

▪ Randerson adds a lengthy note about different alcohols to the 1704 violin varnish formula previously offered by Manno in AL#12, and Manno answers.

When We’re 64

1987
AL#12 p.65               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ The GAL is 64 issues old, counting all its publications.. Editor Olsen lists the qualities that have made the Guild successful.

Review: The Flamenco Guitar by David George

1987
AL#12 p.64   BRB1 p.503            read this article
David Macias                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer encourages all students of the guitar to read this book, regardless of their special interests.

At the Outer Limits of Solid Geometry: The “Twisted Neck” Guitar

1987
AL#12 p.60   BRB1 p.472            read this article
Leo Burrell                                                                                           

▪ Burrell’s patented guitars have a neck that actually twists 45° to keep the action uniformly low. They incorporate many other astonishing characteristics, too. Has anyone ever seen one of these guitars for sale?

Tap It and Tune It

1987
AL#12 p.58   BRB1 p.470            
David Freeman                                                                                           

▪ These three articles augment Tim Olsen’s initial bass offering in American Lutherie #9, and as a collection they still offer the largest fund of information on the creation of the acoustic bass guitar to reach print.

A Port, but No Pins

1987
AL#12 p.56   BRB1 p.468            
William McCaw                                                                                           

▪ These three articles augment Tim Olsen’s initial bass offering in American Lutherie #9, and as a collection they still offer the largest fund of information on the creation of the acoustic bass guitar to reach print.

Lost Shirts and Curved Braces

1987
AL#12 p.54   BRB1 p.464            
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ These three articles augment Tim Olsen’s initial bass offering in American Lutherie #9, and as a collection they still offer the largest fund of information on the creation of the acoustic bass guitar to reach print.

Innovation in the Electric Guitar

1987
AL#12 p.52               
Paul Hamer                                                                                           

▪ Hamer’s lecture captures the electric guitar in mid-evolution. He mentions retrofit pickups, locking trem systems, and the Roland guitar synth. He is obviously thrilled to be a part of the parade.

Electric Violin: The New Frontier

1987
AL#12 p.50               read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno examines the Zeta JV-205 and the EV-5 Barrett electric violins and finds them exceptional. High marks go to both, but especially to the Zeta.

GAL Instrument Plan #17 6-cs Renaissance Lute

1987
AL#12 p.48   HLC p.238            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ Lundberg recommends that the uninitiated not try to build an instrument from these plans without first reading the entire series of lectures presented in “Historical Lute Construction.” The plans are more diagramatic than exhaustive, but contain the essential information to construct the instrument.

Robert Lundberg: In Tune With the Universe

1987
AL#12 p.30   HLC p.xiii            
Tim Olsen   Robert Lundberg                                                                                       

▪ Did people of a given time and place think and respond differently than we do? Lundberg thinks so. He has learned to think like an ancient luthier by studying their work, and has therefore made a connection to a neglected tradition and society. It shows in his work and his speech, and apparently, in his life.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Steiny and the Everly Guitar

1987
AL#12 p.26   BRB1 p.460   ALA4 p.4         
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Enhanced with 6 photos, this is the tale of one luthier’s connection to famous musicians, the Everly Brothers. Have you ever made a guitar with solid gold frets and binding? Robert Steinegger has.

An Interview with Jeffrey R. Elliott

1987
AL#12 p.22   BRB1 p.454   ALA3 p.4         
Joseph Bacon   Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                       

▪ A lengthy interview with the well-known maker of classical guitars covers such subjects as training, wood seasoning and supply, finishes, and boomerangs. Cyndy Burton participates. Mentions Hauser Sr., Michael Kasha, Richard Schneider, Ralph Towner, and Julian Bream. With 4 photos.

Portland, Oregon, is a Lutherie Town!

1987
AL#12 p.20               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ This article offers 7 photos from a Portland instrument exhibit and a listing of Portland builders and repair people. The next six articles on this list are also by or about Portlanders.

The Sami-Sen

1987
AL#12 p.18   BRB1 p.452            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Robison offers description, anecdotes, 4 photos, and a drawing of an instrument that might be crudely described as a Japanese 3-string banjo. The plans are a shrunken version of our full-scale Plan #16.

The Effect of Bracing on Guitar Resonance Part 2

1987
AL#12 p.14   BRB1 p.402            
J. Jovicic   O. Jovicic                                                                                       

▪ This article is more technical talk translated from the original French publication in Acustica. With 51 reproductions of laser interferograms. Part 1 was in American Lutherie #10.

1704 Varnish Recipe

1987
AL#12 p.12   BRB1 p.451            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ This is a recipe for a touchup violin varnish, with instructions for adding colors.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Random Tips and Thoughts

1987
AL#12 p.3   BRB1 p.459            
Ralph Novak                                                                                           

▪ Novak offers tips on fretwork, tool sharpening, fitting bridge pins, recycling clogged sandpaper, and admonishes us to get steel wool out of our shops.

Review: Appraisers Reference Manual of Authentic String Instruments and Bows by Thomas E. Florence

1987
AL#11 p.51   BRB1 p.502            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this to be the one book that every violin shop and instrument appraiser should own. ‘Nuff said.

Review: The Manuscript on Violinmaking by Giovanni Antonio Marchi

1987
AL#11 p.50   BRB1 p.502            read this article
Don Overstreet                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be of mild interest for the violin historian, but seems to have been generally disappointed in its usefulness to the luthier.

Review: Violin Set-Ups and Adjustments by Dan Erlewine and Paul Newson

1987
AL#11 p.50   BRB1 p.502            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this video to be a wise investment, especially for one new to the craft.

Harvey Thomas and the Infernal Music Machine

1987
AL#11 p.44   BRB1 p.440            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ A rollicking, good-time account of a era gone by and a free-spirited maker of outrageous electric guitars who was pretty much unknown outside of his own territory. It’ll make you feel good.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Roy Smeck: Wizard of the Strings

1987
AL#11 p.40   BRB1 p.436            read this article
James Garber   Roy Smeck                                                                                       

▪ This is an interview with the man who may have been the best known instrumentalist of his time, the Chet Atkins of vaudeville, if you will. The conversation is mostly about his instruments.

The Steel String Guitar Today

1987
AL#11 p.32   BRB1 p.474            
Max Krimmel   Jean Larrivee   Bruce Ross   Ervin Somogyi   Robert Steinegger                                                                           

▪ Such panel discussions are always interesting, but this one especially so, mostly because three of the five panelists run one-man shops. The questions (and even many answers) don’t seem to change much from year to year, but it’s good to hear from some smaller voices in the industry for a change.

Violin Q & A: Italian Violin/Fingerboard Length/Water Colors/Polish White/SACCONI Polish/Prices/VIOMATE/Europe Wood Supply/Best American Maker

1987
AL#11 p.30   BRB1 p.482            
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno is an honest man (even when honesty hurts), knowledgeable, and opinionated. An especially strong column that touches upon repair prices, colors for varnish touchups, tonewood sources, Polish white bow hair, and Tetto Gallo violins.

GAL Instrument Plan #15: Modified F3 Mandolin

1987
AL#11 p.28   BRB1 p.435            
Robert Steinegger   Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                       

▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.

Modified F3 Mandolin

1987
AL#11 p.27   BRB1 p.434            
Robert Steinegger   Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                       

▪ Steinegger made a mandolin based on the work of Orville Gibson, but modified the neck pitch and soundboard arch to make it satisfy contemporary playing standards. He also changed some materials. With 2 photos and a scaled down version of our Plan #15.

Repairing the Sitar

1987
AL#11 p.24   BRB1 p.432            read this article
Dave Schneider                                                                                           

▪ Don’t take that repair job without this article! One question remains unanswered: why does sanding the finish of a sitar release such a strong smell of tobacco?

Indian Import and Export

1987
AL#11 p.22   BRB1 p.428            read this article
Gulab Gidwani                                                                                           

▪ A well-known importer and dealer of tonewoods relates some of the difficulties of doing business with third-world nations, such as getting a sawyer of railroad ties to cut fretboards.

Why Make It Square?

1987
AL#11 p.14   BRB1 p.427            
Fred Carlson                                                                                           

▪ Carlson makes a case for less conformity in lutherie. Only 1 photo of one of his dramatic, asymmetrical guitars, but it’s quite inspiring.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Innovative Concepts within Fixed Limits

1987
AL#11 p.12   BRB1 p.420            
Gila Eban                                                                                           

▪ Eban builds Kasha-style classical guitars. She comments at length about how her aesthetic concept for the guitar evolved, and offers many details of her construction procedures. Her descriptions of her work are so entrancing that you will long for more photos than the five that are offered. With rosette drawings.

Marvels Among the Reeds

1987
AL#11 p.10   BRB1 p.419            read this article
Susan Norris                                                                                           

▪ Norris offers no details about her asymmetric 10-string fiddle, but the one good photo adds much to a delightful little article.

Non-Traditional Aesthetics in Lutherie: Developing a New Design

1987
AL#11 p.8               
Steve Klein                                                                                           

▪ The following four articles demonstrate how innovation and individual flair can lead to instruments that don’t resemble the rest of the pack.

Developing a New Design

1987
AL#11 p.8   BRB1 p.416            
Steve Klein                                                                                           

▪ Klein’s lecture outlines his aesthetic concerns about the contemporary steel string guitar, and many of the details of his ever-evolving, iconoclastic instruments. With several nice drawings and 2 photos. Mentions Richard Schneider and Michael Kasha.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Glue, Chemistry, Etc

1987
AL#11 p.3   BRB1 p.297            read this article
Lloyd-Scott Ogelsby                                                                                           

▪ An analytical chemist offers some fascinating information about hide glue. It turns out that formaldehyde makes hide glue waterproof. Jump ahead to AL#15 for Oglesby’s how-to article about hide glue.

Review: A Guitar Maker’s Manual

1987
AL#10 p.62   BRB1 p.500            read this article
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ Workbook format, large, 160 photos and diagrams, and spiral binding are great advantages of this nuts and bolts straight method book.

Improving the Plywood Bass (Our Great Spherical Friend Part Four)

1987
AL#10 p.60   BRB1 p.202            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman’s quest is to build an inexpensive but musically useful string bass. In this episode he tries to improve a Kay plywood bass. The results leave him ambivalent but hopeful.

High School Dreams

1987
AL#10 p.56   BRB1 p.414            read this article
Dave Schneider                                                                                           

▪ A dream comes true. Schneider relates his growth toward a successful lutherie career. He begins with a high school shop program, travels through various repair and furniture jobs, apprentices as a lute maker, and ends up self-employed.

Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

1987
AL#10 p.55   BRB1 p.409            read this article
Russ Carlisle                                                                                           

▪ These hammers sport a shaft of bamboo. They can be quickly flipped to offer hard or padded hammer surfaces. Make a set. Throw a dance.

‘Way Down Upon the Amazon River

1987
AL#10 p.53   BRB1 p.412            read this article
John Curtis                                                                                           

▪ A wood merchant relates the difficulties of getting lumber out of the jungle, and why the rain forest isn’t being replanted.

The Effect of Bracing on Guitar Resonance Part 1

1987
AL#10 p.48   BRB1 p.402            
J. Jovicic   O. Jovicic                                                                                       

▪ Serious research using a classical guitar with four different brace patterns. The experiment started with a simplified fan brace pattern, and fan braces were added for subsequent evaluation. Translated from the French. Part Two is in AL#12.

Fret Slotting Jig & Formula

1987
AL#10 p.47   BRB1 p.401            
John Schofield                                                                                           

▪ Schofield offers a table saw slotting jig that is simple to use and as accurate as your own layout work can make it. The drawing is rough, but it’s enough. The formula is an alternative to the more common “rule of 18.”

American Plucked String Instruments at the Shrine to Music Museum

1987
AL#10 p.44   BRB1 p.398            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ This is a checklist of what to look for when you get there. Also, a reason to go.

Jack Batts

1987
AL#10 p.36   BRB1 p.390            read this article
Jeff Feltman   Jack Batts                                                                                       

▪ Intelligent questions and no-holds-barred answers make this long interview with a veteran builder seem too short. All violin articles should be this interesting. Forty-nine years dedicated to wood, glue, and varnish have to teach one a great deal. With 8 photos. Mentions Sacconi, Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati.

Accelerator for Superglue and More

1988
AL#10 p.35   BRB1 p.397            
Chris Pile                                                                                           

Thick superglue and accelerator are introduced.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Superglue Crack Repair

1987
AL#10 p.35   BRB1 p.397            
Don Musser                                                                                           

▪ Improve the hold of superglue by adjusting the pH factor of the wood. Also, how to find and heal hairline guitar cracks before lacquering.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Building the Tar

1987
AL#10 p.30   BRB1 p.382            read this article
Nasser Shirazi                                                                                           

▪ The tar (or Persian banjo) is a classical Iranian instrument, the body of which is carved from a mulberry log and covered in lambskin. The neck traditionally incorporates rams horn and camel bone. Exotic, fascinating, wonderfully politically incorrect. Some alternate materials are listed for those who can’t wait for their camel to die. With 6 photos, 2 sketches, and a scaled down version of GAL Plan #14.

Violin Q & A: Soundpost Patch/Hide Glue Shelf Life/Violin Secrets/Wood/Hammond Violin/Linings/Top Crack Repair/Schools/Violin Shop/Tone/Varnish Making

1987
AL#10 p.28   BRB1 p.482            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno fields 2 pages of questions about building and repairing the fiddle family, from the basic “What kinda glue?” to “What kind of cello bridge to aid projection?”

The Hammered Dulcimer: Ancient, Wonderful, and Still Evolving

1987
AL#10 p.20   BRB1 p.374            read this article
Sam Rizzetta                                                                                           

▪ Rizzetta is often called the father of the modern hammered dulcimer. This lengthy lecture transcription from the 1984 GAL convention covers the 19th century dulcimer as made in America as well as Rizzetta’s entry into field in the 1960s. He carefully explains his own innovations, material choices, and construction techniques. With 18 photos.

Building the Vihuela and Viola da Mano From Historical Evidence

1987
AL#10 p.10   BRB1 p.362            
John Rollins                                                                                           

▪ Recreating these instruments required deep research into antique literature and a search of centuries-old woodcuts and tapestries. Many such drawings and sketches illustrate this long article, as well as photos of instruments by the author and Raphael Weisman. A transcription of Rollins’ 1986 convention lecture.

Remembering Harry LeBovi

1987
AL#10 p.8   BRB1 p.360            read this article
Fred Calland                                                                                           

▪ LeBovit was an aficionado of the violin all his life, a maker of fine violins, and a self-made recording engineer, all of which he did on his own time while working for the US government. Calland recalls a dynamic individual who touched many important lives.

Memories of Vladimir Bobri

1987
AL#10 p.6   BRB1 p.358            
H.E. Huttig                                                                                           

▪ Bobri was an artist and a patron of the arts, a composer and transcriber of guitar music, president of the New York Guitar Society, and editor of Guitar Review. Huttig’s admiration for the man is obvious in this salute following Bobri’s death by fire.

Review: The New Yorker Special by Frederick Cohen

1987
AL#9 p.57   BRB1 p.500            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer has high praise for this 28-minute film about famed archtop builder Jimmy D’Aquisto. As well as being a “valentine” to D’Aquisto, this film offers a tasty repast for information-hungry luthiers. (AL#9 p.57).

Review: Guitar and Vihuela: An Annotated Bibliography by Meredith Alice McCutcheon

1987
AL#9 p.56   BRB1 p.499            read this article
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that the book “falls short of being a thorough international bibliography, but will prove valuable to guitar and vihuela teachers, students, and luthiers.”

Review: From the Pages of Experimental Musical Instruments, Volume 1 by Experimental Musical Instruments

1987
AL#9 p.56   BRB1 p.500            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer is enthusiastic about the mind-opening possibilities of this booklet/cassette combination.

Review: Jose Oribe: The Fine Guitar

1987
AL#9 p.56   BRB1 p.498            
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer believes that the book may help an experienced luthier adjust his “attitude” toward his craft and thereby make a better instrument. The beginner may not find it so useful.

The Spanish Patron

1987
AL#9 p.52   BRB1 p.344            
William Conrad                                                                                           

▪ A Patron is the workboard used to build a guitar in the Spanish style. Conrad explains how to build one, and the reasoning behind it.

Plywood Bass Top Repair

1987
AL#9 p.49   BRB1 p.342            
Dale Randall                                                                                           

▪ Randall finds an inventive way to fix a bass that’s been dropped on its top, but the repair leaves a 1/4″ hole through the top that must be plugged and disguised.

African Rosewood

1987
AL#9 p.46   BRB1 p.338            read this article
John Jordan                                                                                           

▪ Jordan catalogs and describes nine rosewoods from Africa, and nine false rosewoods. Some max out too small for instruments but are of interest to wood collectors. Others should interest the open-minded luthier.

Violin Q & A: Violin Polish Recipe

1987
AL#9 p.45   BRB1 p.482            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ The GAL’s resident violin expert of the time answers questions about cleaning violins, top reinstallation, domestic tool sources, domestic wood, and treating potassium silicate (a wood sealer) with tea to keep it from staining spruce green.

Durkee’s Patent Bridge

1987
AL#9 p.44   BRB1 p.201            
Tim Olsen   Robert Steinegger                                                                                       

▪ Here’s the low down on a trick Washburn bridge from 1897. A photo and drawing explain the plot line, but the mystery remains.

Cutting Classic Head Slots

1987
AL#9 p.42   BRB1 p.336            
Richard Jordan                                                                                           

▪ Jordan’s article outlines all the steps he uses to shape a classical headstock. He cuts the slots with Dremel router, router base, and fence, and they come out very clean.

Our Great Spherical Friend Part Three

1987
AL#9 p.39   BRB1 p.196            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ When an articulate violin-family maker discusses his craft he sounds much like a professional wine taster. Lyman is articulate. This segment of his series deals with plate tuning.

Musical Strings

1987
AL#9 p.36   BRB1 p.334            read this article
H.E. Huttig                                                                                           

▪ Have you ever wondered how cat gut strings were named? This article suggests an answer as it delves into some string facts and fictions.

Restoring the Paisley Tele

1987
AL#9 p.34   BRB1 p.332            
Dave Schneider                                                                                           

▪ A ’68 paisley Tele is reborn, complete with Parsons B and E benders and a complete refinishing from the foil on up.

Compensating Classic Bridge

1987
AL#9 p.32   BRB1 p.330            
H.M. Kolstee                                                                                           

▪ Kolstee’s adjustable bridge saddle is made of bone, except for the locking set screw. It is easily adjustable for intonation and uses shims to adjust the string height.

Building the Flattop Bass

1987
AL#9 p.24   BRB1 p.322            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Olsen offers the philosophy, theory, construction details, and plans for a new instrument. The plans are a shrunken version of GAL full scale Plan #13. Though Olsen and a few others began building flattop basses in the 1970s, in a real sense this article is the birth certificate of the instrument. The flattop bass is a flattop guitar on steroids, not to be confused with the bass viol.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Cussed and Discussed

1987
AL#9 p.20   BRB1 p.318            
Don Teeter                                                                                           

▪ How does an Oklahoma farm boy become a luthier? How does that same luthier become a writer and mentor to a generation of guitar repairmen? Teeter’s 1985 convention lecture tells all, then goes on to update his neck resetting procedure and his method of eliminating dead notes on the fretboard.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Simple Carving Machine

1987
AL#9 p.18   BRB1 p.316            
Richard Ennis                                                                                           

▪ Ennis’ carving machine is not as straight forward in use as Grimes’, but its construction should be within the reach of most luthiers. A router mounted in a carriage rides over template rails to cut the contours into the plates of an archtop instrument.

Arched Plate Copier

1987
AL#9 p.14   BRB1 p.312            
Steve Grimes                                                                                           

▪ Grimes’ pantograph for routing archtop plates is heavy duty and not real cheap if you have to job out the welding, but it accurately removes 90% of the excess wood. Several drawings accompany the detailed description.

The Paul Schuback Story

1987
AL#9 p.6   BRB1 p.304            read this article
Paul Schuback                                                                                           

▪ In this fascinating lecture from the 1986 GAL convention Schuback speaks of his apprenticeship to a French violin maker in 1962, then goes on to offer details about instrument construction, wood, and a Q&A session.

More Lore (conclusion of the series)

1986
AL#8 p.52               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ This is the last in the series combining GAL history with a listing of Quarterly back issues. Quarterly was the GAL publication preceding American Lutherie. Volumes 11 and 12 are described.

Cylinders Don’t Make It

1986
AL#8 p.49   BRB1 p.298            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Editor Olsen figures that for the lowest string action a fingerboard must resemble a cone shape, rather than a cylinder. Find other related articles by searching for the term conical.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Fretboard Geometry: Multiradius Fretboard

1986
AL#8 p.49   BRB1 p.298            
Denny Rauen                                                                                           

▪ Rauen corrects an action problem by changing the fingerboard at a time when most repairmen were correcting the problem in the frets. He uses a multiradius fretboard which is also called a conical fretboard.

Calculating Radii

1986
AL#8 p.48   BRB1 p.321            
Chris Foss                                                                                           

▪ Foss supplies a formula for calculating the radius of an arc from a known length and deflection. Ever try to make your own radiused jigs for guitar plates? It might help to know this formula. It might also scare you off.

Fiddle Facts

1986
AL#8 p.47   BRB1 p.296            read this article
Al Stancel                                                                                           

▪ Stancel offers an interesting potpourri of violin information concerning steel wool, bow bugs, tuning pegs, appraisers and the IRS, appraiser scams, and the dangers of steel strings to old fiddles.

VIBRA: Good for What Ails Ya?

1986
AL#8 p.42               
Brian Derber                                                                                           

▪ Derber tries out “good tone in a can,” a wood treatment that the manufacturers claim instills a vintage tone in your new instruments. He finds it wanting, though his test is hardly scientific. Nor does he believe that further testing is warranted.

Bars and Struts

1986
AL#8 p.38   BRB1 p.292   ALA5 p.7         
Jose Ramirez-III                                                                                           

▪ Ramirez expounds upon his experiments with classical guitar top thickness and bracing patterns and size to achieve the best tone and stability.

Relation of Science to Aesthetics in Lutherie

1986
AL#8 p.36   BRB1 p.290            
Michael Kasha                                                                                           

▪ Kasha firmly maintains that science has much to offer instrument design, but also claims that the best tone may be simply what the public is used to, and that this interesting variable can be tracked but not predicted. He believes that tone perception is as important as tone production.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Nylon/Steel String Guitar

1986
AL#8 p.35   BRB1 p.463            
Francis Kosheleff                                                                                           

▪ Kosheleff changes the treble quality of his classical guitars by using three steel strings run through the standard bridge and then attached to a tailpiece.

Meet Gregg Smallman

1986
AL#8 p.30               
Graham Caldersmith   Jim Williams                                                                                       

▪ This interview covers the evolution of Smallman’s guitars as he worked his way toward the lattice bracing system for which he has become famous. Classical guitar lore from the outback of Australia.

GAL Instrument Plan #12: 1943 Hauser Classic Guitar

1986
AL#8 p.28   BRB1 p.283   ALA3 p.16         
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Elliott offers a scale drawing, dimensions list, and a bill of materials for a Hauser guitar. The drawing is a reduced version of our full-scale Plan #12.

An Overview of the Hauser Tradition

1986
AL#8 p.18   BRB1 p.274   ALA3 p.8         
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ This lecture transcription presents a chronological overview of the work of Hermann Hauser Sr. 26 photos and 3 drawings complete the article. A major investigation of some important guitars.

Conrad Color System

1986
AL#8 p.16               
William Conrad                                                                                           

▪ Conrad finds that spruce tops can be graded for density by the color of the light that shines through them, and uses a camera light meter to calibrate them.

Kasha Soundboard without Waist Bar

1986
AL#8 p.8   BRB1 p.266            
Gila Eban                                                                                           

▪ Eban charts the design evolution of the Kasha system of classical guitars as applied to her own instruments. With many drawings, glitter tests, and a discussion of different materials.

Letter to the Editor: Various Letters

1986
AL#8 p.6               
Richard Ennis                                                                                           

▪ Ennis defends the plywood bass (and plywood in general in its application to instruments) and goes on to mention a few particular problems with the instrument that need to be addressed.

Letter to the Editor: Shirazi Article AL#4

1986
AL#8 p.5               
David Golber                                                                                           

▪ Golber adds information to the Shirazi article about the Persian kamanche (AL#4). Specifically, what kind of skin is traditionally used for the soundboard of the instrument.

Letter to the Editor: Erikson Letter AL#7

1986
AL#8 p.5               read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno makes various points about violinmakers as a society and urges the creation of an information-sharing guild just for violin people.

Letter to the Editor: Kasha Question

1986
AL#8 p.3               
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ Brune maintains that innovations in the classical guitar have happened on a regular basis in recent history, and do not depend solely on the work of Dr. Kasha to bring the instrument up to date.

Letter to the Editor: Dionisio Aguado Y Hernandez

1986
AL#8 p.3   BRB1 p.466            
J.G. Molnar                                                                                           

▪ Molnar shares interesting anecdotes about the difference between Spanish guitars made for export, which he maintains reach our shores unfinished, and those finished by the shops for use in Europe.

Review: Physics And Music by Neville H. Fletcher

1986
AL#7 p.61   BRB1 p.498            read this article
Tom Rossing                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer is enthusiastic about this booklet for the nonscientist, finding it useful and accurate.

Review: Italian Violin Varnishes by George Fry

1986
AL#7 p.60   BRB1 p.498            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be a worthwhile investment for anyone seriously trying to duplicate antique violin finishes.

Review: A Catalogue of Pre-Revival Appalachian Dulcimers by L. Allen Smith

1986
AL#7 p.60   BRB1 p.497            read this article
James Flynn                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer doubts the book’s conclusions and finds it of no value to the serious luthier. He states, however, that dulcimer enthusiasts may find it interesting.

More Lore

1986
AL#7 p.58               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Editor Olsen again describes a number of Quarterly back issues, volumes 10 and 11 from 1982 and 1983.

Bridge Regluing Caul

1986
AL#7 p.56   BRB1 p.181            
Sam Sherry                                                                                           

▪ Sherry claims his “bridge plate” style caul is a universal tool that makes bridge regluing easier.

More on Bridge Gluing

1986
AL#7 p.55   BRB1 p.431            
Robert Doucet                                                                                           

▪ Doucet offers slick tricks for removing dried glue from raw wood, replacing spruce pulled up by the bridge, tracing braces to make clamping cauls, and roughing saddle blanks into shape.

Violin Bridge Holder

1986
AL#7 p.54   BRB1 p.439            
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Carruth describes a fixture he uses to hold a violin bridge while it is being tuned. It will save your fingers and help prevent cracking the bridge.

Installing the Floyd Rose Tremolo

1986
AL#7 p.53   BRB1 p.260            
Denny Rauen                                                                                           

▪ Rauen’s installation procedure is meant to remove as little wood from the guitar body as possible. This is not a procedure for retrofitting the bridge system to guitars using a stock Fender-style bridge, but for dropping it onto a new body or one with a hardtail bridge.

So, You Want To Be My Apprentice!

1986
AL#7 p.52               
Ken Cartwright                                                                                           

▪ Cartwright lists the qualities that he expects in an apprentice, and also details what he expects to offer the apprentice in return.

Violin Top Crack Repair

1986
AL#7 p.50   BRB1 p.258            
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ This is repair advice from an experienced violinmaker. The procedure listed begins after the top has been removed. Top removal was described in AL#5.

Our Great Spherical Friend Part Two

1986
AL#7 p.43   BRB1 p.196            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman offers another philosophical look at lutherie and acoustical physics.

Tacoma Triumph

1986
AL#7 p.34               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Editor Olsen highlights the events of the GAL’s 10th convention, which was held near the Guild’s headquarters city of Tacoma, Washington, in 1986. With 20 photos.

Premiata Liuteria

1986
AL#7 p.29   BRB1 p.256   ALA6 p.8         
Mario Maccaferri                                                                                           

▪ Maccaferri speaks about his life as a musician, luthier, and inventor. Mentions the Selmer company and Django Reinhardt.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Hardanger Fiddle

1986
AL#7 p.24               
E.M. Peters                                                                                           

▪ A brief description of a typical Norwegian fiddle accompanies Peters’ plans for the same, along with a photo of two Hardangers and a drawing of useful ornamentations. The plans are a reduced version of our full-scale Plan #11. Hardangers utilize a set of sympathetic strings and may be tuned in over twenty ways.

Ed Arnold, String Tie Kind of Guy

1986
AL#7 p.21   BRB1 p.248            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison   Ed Arnold                                                                                       

▪ Robison interviews Arnold about harvesting wood in Mexico and dealing it in America.

Woodshop-in-a-Can

1986
AL#7 p.18   BRB1 p.244            
James Jones                                                                                           

▪ Jones explains how he converted a mobile home into a complete shop.

Experimental Violin Acoustics

1986
AL#7 p.6   BRB1 p.232            
George Bissinger                                                                                           

▪ This transcription of a lecture by a professor of physics examines how five variables affect the performance of the violin. The variables are loudness curves and student instruments; free plate tuning and testing; humidity effects on plate modes; bass bar tuning; and coupling between enclosed air and plate vibrations.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Violin Makers Need a New Organization

1986
AL#7 p.5               
Olie Erikson                                                                                           

▪ Erikson says he tried to get violin makers to unite around standards for ethical behaviour in the 1940s. He says the field still needs to form a new organization that can do this.

Sharing

1986
AL#6 p.55   BRB1 p.231            
Lawrence-D. Brown                                                                                           

▪ Brown contends that the best luthiers are willing to share their knowledge and that mediocre craftsmen are not, then urges everyone to contribute to American Lutherie.