Category Archives: mandolin

Finding Inspiration in Early 20th-Century Instruments

2024
AL#151 p.6               
Todd Cambio                                                                                           

▪ From his 2023 GAL Convention lecture. For decades, it was received wisdom that the inexpensive steel-string guitars, made in their millions before WWII in American factories using American woods, were crap. Todd Cambio has been taking another look, and finds a lot to like and even to emulate. Hear him out; it’s a ripping yarn. Mentions Gibson, Martin, Lyon and Healy, Harmony, Sears, Wilhelm Schultz, Oscar Schmidt, Stella, Galiano, poplar, tulip tree, oak, parlor guitar, ladder bracing, bajo sexto, R. Crumb, Lead Belly, John and Alan Lomax, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Lonnie Johnson, Carter family, Bristol sessions, Ernest Stoneman, Nick Lucas, Eddie Lang, Raphael Ciani, John D’Angelico, Lydia Mendoza, Guadalupe Acosta, Luis Acosta, Mike Acosta, Miguel Acosta, 12-string guitar, Michael Iuchi, mandolin, John Greven.

Review: The Art of Mandolin Making by Alfred Woll

2022
AL#147 p.65               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Condino loves this lavish book about the history and construction of the Neapolitan (or tater bug) mandolin, which runs from classic to contemporary.

Letter to the Editor: Mandolins in Heaven

2023
AL#148 p.7               
Steve Dickerson                                                                                           

▪ Some say we will play mandolins in heaven. Oh no? Go ahead; prove that we will not! Dickerson discusses this matter and reviews the evolution of his lutherie work.

Meet the Maker: Peggy Stuart

2022
AL#147 p.42               
John Calkin   Peggy Stuart                                                                                       

▪ Peggy Stuart is not famous as a guitar maker, but her life story is one that every luthier under age fifty should hear and think about. She was one of “Sloane’s Children,” struggling to make a guitar from that early book back in the dark ages of the middle 1970s. She discovered the GAL and soon attended conventions and wrote articles as her skills improved. But she ultimately saw that she would not be able to support herself as a luthier, and turned to law school. If you making a living building instruments in these days of milk and honey, thank your lucky stars and the Guild of American Luthiers.

Meet the Maker: David Thormahlen

2022
AL#146 p.26               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ David Thormahlen started making many kinds of string instruments in the woodshop in college, and then made a strategic decision to focus his lutherie career on lever harps. It all worked out well, and he still makes guitars, mandolins, and bouzoukis in addition to the harps. He shows us some of his gluing fixtures which involve bicycle inner tubes; some stretched, some inflated.

Soundboard Construction of Vinaccia Mandolins Around 1900

2021
AL#143 p.30               
Alfred Woll                                                                                           

▪ The Vinaccia family was at the heart of the development of the Neapolitan mandolin, beginning in the mid-18th century and running well into the 20th. This article follows those developments with changing string technology and musical taste. The author then gives us a step-by-step demonstration of making the distinctive arched-and-canted soundboard.

A Field Guide to Mandolins

2017
AL#132 p.30               
Graham McDonald                                                                                           

▪ Mandolins have come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and styles in over 350 years of history. And while you are not likely to stumble upon the kind of mandolin that Vivaldi wrote for, you may find yourself looking at a century-old American factory-made cutie like this Smurf-head Regal, resplendent in muliple pearloids. This article gives you a quick introduction to the rich diversity in the great Family of Man(dolin).

Spanish Students Stop Traffic in Paris

2017
AL#131 p.44               
Paul Ruppa                                                                                           

▪ Without the mandolin orchestra fad of the early 20th-century, we might not see Gibson mandolins today except in museums. The story of the pop-music sensation that triggered that fad is even more curious and unlikely than we have previouosly known. Get the straight poop here. Includes extensive historical references and illustrations.

Reviews: McDonald’s The Mandolin — A History

2016
AL#128 p.68               
G.D. Armstrong                                                                                           

▪ Graham McDonald has written books about mandolin-family instrument construction as well as speaking at GAL Conventions and writing for AL. Now he has written a book about mandolin history, and long-time GAL member GD Armstrong likes it. John Calkin gives a good review to a recent addition to Robbie O’Brien’s large and deep online lutherie instruction catalog. This one focuses on Kent Carlos Everett’s fret work techniques.

Voicing the Modern Mandolin

2017
AL#129 p.24               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Condino has developed a clever process by which he can string and play a new mandolin very early in the building process. This makes voicing much more accurate,a nd it reduces the risk of experimental materials and bracing patterns considerably. Must see to believe. Mentions the work of Lloyd Loar at the Gibson company in the 1920s.

GAL Instrument Plan #75: 1926 Gibson “Snakehead” A-Model Mandolin

2017
AL#129 p.34               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ It’s a clean, simple classic from the golden era. These are the working man’s mandos that Gibson was making while Lloyd Loar was busy making the fancy ones in the next room.

CNC in Small Shop Mandolin Making

2016
AL#128 p.32               
Andrew Mowry                                                                                           

▪ Andrew Mowry was a one-man mandolin-making shop known for precise high-quality work. When he made the jump and brought a small but capable CNC mill into the mix, he was not trying to flood the market, but rather to further improve his work. All the tools and methods he shows here are well within reach; you don’t need to be a factory to afford it, and it won’t turn you into a factory if you try it. Mowry still runs a one-man shop known for precise high-quality work. From his 2014 convention workshop.

The Hand-Rubbed Sunburst

2016
AL#125 p.48               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ James Condino does sunbursts on archtop mandolins the way they did it back in the 1920s: rubbing water stains directly on the bare wood.

Reviews: O’Brien Online Mandolin Making Course

2015
AL#124 p.65               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin finds more treasure in the rich mine of Robbie O’Brien’s online lutherie instruction. Instructor Geoff Burghardt covers the process in detail in the 13-hour course.

Elliptical Legacy

2014
AL#117 p.52               
James Condino   John Monteleone                                                                                       

▪ A history of the ellipse soundhole cutter device in lutherie and it’s lineage from D’Angelico to D’Aquisto to John Monteleone.

Finding Waldo: The First Family of American F-Hole Mandolins, Mandolas, and Mandocellos

2014
AL#117 p.24               
Paul Ruppa                                                                                           

▪ Paul Ruppa traces the largely unknown history of the American F-hole Mandolin, Mandola, and Mandocello to their roots in the Waldo brand; originating with the Barrows Music Company in Saginaw, Michigan.

Meet the Maker: Roger Alan Skipper

2013
AL#115 p.38               
John Calkin   Roger-Alan Skipper                                                                                       

▪ Roger Alan Skipper has spent his entire career in Western Maryland where he was first introduced to lutherie through encountering a Mandolin maker at a bluegrass gathering. He is a one man lutherie shop and a writer of novels.

The Mandolin Family: Traditional and Contemporary Perspectives

2013
AL#114 p.20               
David Cohen   Don MacRostie   Lawrence Smart   Jeffrey R. Elliott                                                                               

▪ Panelists discuss the mandolin family’s history and building practices. From 2011 GAL convention panel discussion moderated by Jeffrey R. Elliott.

American Mandobass History 101

2012
AL#112 p.54               
Paul Ruppa                                                                                           

▪ A basic history of the modern fretted 4-string bass, tuned like the last 4 strings of the guitar, which was developed in the early 1900s for use in American mandolin orchestras.

Binding F-5 Mandolins

2013
AL#113 p.6               
Andrew Mowry                                                                                           

▪ A number of special challenges during construction of F-5 mandolins is discussed; miters, binding gaps, black purfling lines, and kinks in the bends.

Questions: Bowl-back mandolin

2010
AL#104 p.68               
David Cohen                                                                                           

▪ For resources to build a Neapolitan bowl back mandolin and mandola, visit www.iror.it/pubblicazioni/disegni/mandolino_embergher.htm.

Mandolin Soundboards and Bracing

2010
AL#104 p.48               
Graham McDonald                                                                                           

▪ McDonald traces the evolution of the mandolin soundboard to it’s roots in the mandolino 250 years ago. From his 2008 GAL convention workshop.

Product Reviews: Witherby Gouge

2009
AL#98 p.65               
Andrew Mowry                                                                                           

▪ The author reviews the spoon plane and finds that it is more efficient at removing large quantities of wood when carving mandolin plates than the gouges he used to use, and it’s also easier on the carver, a not insignificant benefit. With 2 photos of the tool.

Meet the Maker: David Cohen

2009
AL#99 p.14               
Roger-Alan Skipper   David Cohen                                                                                       

▪ Cohen’s life followed an unusual progression—scientist, professor, mandolin maker, sort of in that order. He has a different take on instrument theory than some of us, but the work is the same as is the hard road most luthiers walk. Fortune and fame are elusive, regardless of ones background, but at least the work is satisfying. Cohen is also the author of several scientific papers concerning mandolins. His instruments look quite tasty. With 17 photos.

Reviews: The Mandolin Project by Graham McDonald

2009
AL#97 p.64               read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer is very pleased with this manual that presents the construction of four different styles of mandolin. The instruction is concise and the illustrations well done.

Curtate Cycloid Arching

2008
AL#96 p.26               
David Cohen                                                                                           

▪ There are reasons why you might wish to describe the arch of an instrument mathematically. You might also wish to create an arch template by using math. Here’s a way to go about it. This is not for the math challenged among us. With 4 photos and 9 charts/diagrams.

Meet the Maker: Ted Davis

2008
AL#96 p.42               
James Condino   Ted Davis                                                                                       

▪ Davis’ lutherie exploits goes back to the ’70s. He was one of the first of the recent red spruce believers, and he harvested many trees to supply himself and a few others who were lucky enough to key into his business. He made guitars, mandolins, and dulcimers to support his hotrod automobile habit. He had strong opinions about wood that run counter to modern beliefs, and had the experience to back them up.Davis died before the interview was published. He will be missed. With 15 photos.

Reviews: The Guitar in America, Victorian Era to Jazz Age by Jeffrey J. Noonan

2008
AL#96 p.65               read this article
Don Overstreet                                                                                           

▪ The book is about the Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar Movement that ended with the Great Depression. While the reviewer admits that there is little here for luthiers, there is a ton of interesting material for the musical history buff. This time is where many of the instrument icons we all copy came from.

Meet the Maker: Graham McDonald

2009
AL#97 p.42               
John Calkin   Graham McDonald                                                                                       

▪ Aussie McDonald has built many sorts of instruments, though he has come to specialize in mandolins and bouzoukis and has written a pair of books about their construction. He has also contributed a number of articles to American Lutherie over the years. It becomes apparent that like is different in Australia. We should all take a field trip there. With 8 photos.

Questions: Mandolin X Bracing

2008
AL#95 p.66               
David Cohen                                                                                           

▪ Reference to plans for mandolin X-bracing and general discussion on this topic in the article, The Modern Mandolin by Lawrence Smart in AL#56 and BRB5.

Product Reviews: Mandolin tuners

2008
AL#93 p.60               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Condino rates all the commonly available mandolin tuners and explains why spending $500 for the best set available might make good economic sense. He also likes the Stew-Mac mandolin peghead drill jig. With 12 photos.

The MacRostie Mandolin Deflection Jig

2008
AL#94 p.50               
Don MacRostie                                                                                           

▪ MacRostie’s clever jig measures the top deflection of a carved mandolin under string load at any stage of its construction. It is a valuable tool within the reach of any luthier.

Sideways

2007
AL#91 p.8               read this article
John Monteleone                                                                                           

▪ Ace archtop builder Monteleone is an advocate of side soundports (holes in the sides, in addition to the front soundhole) and has employed them for over a decade. His article includes personal background, developmental work on his sideported instruments, and construction techniques. With 3 photos.

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

In Memoriam: John Sullivan

2007
AL#90 p.3               read this article
Bruce Harvie                                                                                           

▪ People die every day; that’s the way of the world. But it still hurts to see one of our lutherie family join the departed, especially one so young and talented. Sullivan was a Northwest builder known mainly for mandolins, but he made many other fine instruments as well.

Cricket: A Reclaimed Salvage Recovery

2007
AL#90 p.52               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Condino’s mandolin is made from recycled materials, mostly Douglas fir and katalox. It is unique and beautiful, and the story behind it is pretty cool, too. With 7 photos.

Aluminum Sonatas

2007
AL#89 p.48               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Musical instruments made of aluminum didn’t catch on. This doesn’t mean that a number of companies didn’t go into manufacture, or that the instruments weren’t good. Every luthier knows how fickle and finicky the market is, so it’s no wonder that metal stringed instruments weren’t welcomed by the playing public. Examined here are a violin, a mandolin, and a pair of bass viols. The bass viol stories are the most fun since the author has personal experience with them. Fun stuff! With 25 photos.

Arched Plate Carving, Part Three, Barring the Top Plate, and Graduating the Back Plate

2006
AL#86 p.6               
Chris Burt                                                                                           

▪ This segment wraps up Burt’s series on plate carving. Every luthier, but especially beginning luthiers, should read his “Word to the wise” paragraph, the best piece of advice you are ever likely to read. With 19 photos and a drawing.

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

A Flattop Mandolin Resurrection

2006
AL#86 p.50               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ This is another of the author’s attempts to save a ruined instrument without ruining the customer’s bank account. The subject this time is a WWI-era Gibson army-navy style mandolin. With 14 photos.

The Irish Bouzouki: A Mandolin on Steroids

2006
AL#85 p.8               
Graham McDonald                                                                                           

▪ McDonald’s forte has become the oversized mandolin called the Irish Bouzouki. Here he unloads a ton of information about building them with flattops and carved tops with several forms of neck attachment and scale lengths, including pin bridge and tailpiece models. Zowie! With 25 photos and 5 drawings.

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

Arched Plate Carving, Part Two, Graduating the Top Plate and Cutting the f-Holes

2006
AL#85 p.30               
Chris Burt                                                                                           

▪ Burt’s in-depth examination of plate carving continues. His techniques are old-school, relying on tap tones to define plate stiffness and definite tonal relationships between the top and back plates. With 9 photos and a drawing.

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

Arched Plate Carving, Part One: Establishing the Outside Surface

2005
AL#84 p.36               
Chris Burt                                                                                           

▪ This is an in-depth look at the tools and procedures used in carving the plates of an archtop instrument. The first article in this series appeared in AL#83, and subsequent articles will follow.

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

Measuring Archtop Musical Instruments

2005
AL#83 p.6               
Chris Burt                                                                                           

▪ Do you own or have access to archtop instruments that you’d like to duplicate? Ever wonder why they sound so good, or why they don’t? Use this article to map out the plate thicknesses, arch heights, and neck angles. Measure everything you can get your hands on. Become an expert. Tell your friends how they’re going wrong. Be the hero of your lutherie group.With 6 photos.

Questions: 1920 Gibson A-4 Mandolin Finish Repair

2005
AL#82 p.66   BRB7 p.437            
Don Overstreet   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ Cleaning a 1920 Gibson A-4 mandolin properly without hammering whatever finish is present and removing the wax layers.

Questions: Saddle Compensation for Octave Mandolin

2005
AL#81 p.63   BRB7 p.423            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Rule of thumb information on saddle compensation for an octave mandolin with a 560mm scale and fixed bridge.

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part Five

2004
AL#79 p.34   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ The author attended a mandolin making class taught by Don MacRostie at the American School of Lutherie. The first four parts of her report appeared in the four previous issues of AL. Part Five concerns the application of a sunburst using stains, both by spraying and rubbing, as well as the application of lacquer and French polish finishes. With 37 photos.

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

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part Three

2004
AL#77 p.38   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ The epic continues! In this segment the neck is assembled, the body is closed up and bound, and the fingerboard is bound and fretted. All this is accomplished under the able tutelage of Don MacRostie at the American School of Lutherie. With 67 photos. Parts 1 and 2 were in the two previous issues of American Lutherie.

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

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part Four

2004
AL#78 p.28   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ Ms. Stuart’s epic continues with the making of the headstock cap, shaping of the neck, installing the neck and fingerboard, as well as setting up and stringing the finished (but in-the-white) instrument. The first three parts were in the three previous issues of AL. Don MacRostie taught Stuart’s class at the American School of Lutherie. With 74 photos, most of the step-by-step process.

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

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part Two

2003
AL#76 p.28   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ Stuart continues her tale of learning to make a mandolin under the tutelage of Don MacRostie. In this episode of the four-part series, jigs and power tools become more important as the instrument comes together. This isn’t about becoming Geppetto, plying one’s trade with a knife and a chisel. This is about making mandolins in the real world. Routers and tablesaws are staple items, as are several impressive jigs created by MacRostie. With 37 photos and 3 drawings.

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

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part One

2003
AL#75 p.12   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ The author describes her mandolin making class with Red Diamond mandolin builder Don MacRostie, giving us a photo-heavy series that should be of practical use to anyone in the mandolin field regardless of their experience. The emphasis is on hand tools, though power tools are used to add efficiency. With 68 photos and 4 drawings, this is the first in a four-part series.

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

Ted’s Excellent Adventures

2003
AL#73 p.46   BRB7 p.18            
Steve Regimbal                                                                                           

▪ Take a quick look at three adventurous instruments by archtop builder Ted Berringer. They are a 12-string octave guitar, a 5-string mandolin, and a 6-string archtop made entirely of spruce. With 12 photos.

Product Reviews: Stew-Mac Neck Jig

2000
AL#61 p.52   BRB6 p.468            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Good grades are given to the Stew-Mac neck jig, a fretting aid. The fret nippers intended for jumbo fret wire is greeted with mixed emotions. The Allen mandolin tailpiece is found to offer grace and dignity to any mando with a bridge high enough to allow its use.

Review: Mandolin Magazine

1999
AL#60 p.48   BRB5 p.485            read this article
Randy Allen                                                                                           

▪ Mandolin magazines come and go. The small market must cramp their longevity. Then reviewer likes this latest contender, and if it’s as good as he says we all hope it will hang around for awhile.

It Worked for Me: Mandolin Side Heights

1999
AL#58 p.58   BRB5 p.501            
John Monteleone                                                                                           

▪ A good method for finding the height of mandolin family sides using a violin soundpost height gauge.

The Modern Mandolin

1998
AL#56 p.6   BRB5 p.248            
Lawrence Smart                                                                                           

▪ The demands of contemporary players has forced many changes in the mandolin family since the fabled Loar family of Gibsons was created in the 1920s. Smart has built mandolins, mandolas, and mandocellos to work together as an ensemble as well as separately, and here he discusses the differences that might be desirable in the family as the setting is changed, as well as the changes that players have asked for in his instruments. Accompanied by charts of Smart’s instrument specs as well as those of Gibson. With 5 photos and 5 drawings.

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

Review: Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments: A Photographic History by George Gruhn and Walter Carter

1996
AL#45 p.59   BRB4 p.469            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ This is a thorough and glowing review of an important book, by a reviewer who is best known for his work in early instruments.

The Neapolitan Mandolin

1996
AL#46 p.20   BRB4 p.316            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ An introduction to the structure and methods of construction of historical instruments, especially the belly. With 12 photos, 2 pages of notes and bibliography, and a family tree of Neapolitan luthiers from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

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

It Worked for Me: Neapolitan Mandolin

1995
AL#43 p.57   BRB4 p.495            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Using an inspection light and mirror to locate the position of the old brace from leftover glue through the sound hole on a damaged American made Neapolitan mandolin.

It Worked for Me: Carving Machine Alternative

1995
AL#43 p.58   BRB4 p.495            
Andy DePaule                                                                                           

▪ Using a table saw with a dado blade to rough carve the edges of tops and backs for archtop guitars, mandolas, and violins for lack of a carving machine.

Making Oval Mandolin Rosettes

1995
AL#41 p.34   BRB4 p.140            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Seven luthiers explain how they cut that oval slot.

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

Cutting Michigan Maple

1994
AL#37 p.40               read this article
Elon Howe                                                                                           

▪ Another luthier turns woodcutter using a Wood Mizer portable bandsaw, and maple isn’t the half of it. With 4 photos and a diagram for sawing logs into “bastard cut” mandolin wood.

Meet the Maker: Ren Ferguson

1992
AL#32 p.8   BRB3 p.242            
Jonathon Peterson   Ren Ferguson                                                                                       

▪ The shop honcho of Gibson West relates some personal background. Ferguson moved to Montana long before Gibson did. Did Gibson really build a factory there just for him? Probably not. Mentions Rob Ehlers, Steve Carlson, Henry Juszkiewicz.

Review: Making Stringed Instruments — A Workshop Guide by George Buchanan

1991
AL#26 p.60   BRB3 p.464            read this article
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ This British D.I.Y. book offers alternative diction, syntax, and approach to the material.

Review: Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin by Roger Siminoff

1990
AL#23 p.57   BRB2 p.503            
David Riggs                                                                                           

▪ Riggs used Siminoff’s F-model book to build an A-model mandolin. His review offers building tips from his own experiences, as well as recommendations for changes in the book.

A New Mandolin Family

1990
AL#22 p.4   BRB2 p.368            
Otis-A. Tomas                                                                                           

▪ This Canadian luthier used the proportions of musical harmony to design his mando family. His instruments have carved tops and an arched back that utilizes five staves. Very pretty. With 3 photos and several drawings.

The Mandolin Orchestra in America, Part Three

1990
AL#21 p.44   BRB2 p.262            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ A number of non-mandolins were considered to be intrinsic parts of the mandolin orchestras. This installment of the series looks at all the boys in the band (and some girls, too). With 16 photos and a few drawings.

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

The Mandolin Orchestra in America, Part Two

1989
AL#20 p.8   BRB2 p.262            
Joseph-R. Johnson                                                                                           

▪ Johnson examines the mandolin orchestra at the turn of the century when an aggressive ad campaign by Gibson changed the look and sound of the American mandolin forever. With 13 photos. Part One is in AL#19. Part Three is in AL#21.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A Modern Builder Interprets the Archtop

1986
AL#6 p.34   BRB1 p.227            
John Monteleone                                                                                           

▪ Monteleone’s lecture covers personal background, after which a question/answer segment gets to the specifics of archtop design and construction.

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

Monteleone: The Artist Behind the “Grand Artist”

1986
AL#6 p.38   BRB1 p.222            
Ted Davis   John Monteleone                                                                                       

▪ This lengthy interview sheds more light on the archtop maker’s background and furnishes information about his mandolins.

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

Review: Guitars and Mandolins in America Featuring the Larsons’ Creations by Robert Hartman

1985
AL#2 p.51   BRB1 p.487            read this article
John Bromka   Ron Lira                                                                                       

▪ Positive reviews praise the text, photos, and ad reproductions in this book about the Larson brothers, who made instruments from the 1880s to 1944.

Solving the Maple Problem

1978
GALQ Vol.6#2 p.32               
Rolfe Gerhardt                                                                                           

▪ Finding a good and consistent supplier of fine fiddleback of maple has been one of the greatest problems in mandolin building.