Category Archives: repair

In Memoriam: Frank Ford

2024
AL#151 p.67               
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ Frank Ford was an icon of the instrument repair field and an overachiever when it came to sharing information with this fellow luthiers. He had legions of friends and fans. Erlewine brought Ford to the GAL Convention, and they became a team which was a fixture at the next several gatherings. Dan takes this moment to praise Frank’s name.

Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration

2024
AL#152 p.6               
Evan Gluck   Larry Fitzgerald                                                                                       

▪ Gluck is a beloved repeat presenter at GAL Conventions. This time, he brought along veteran New York repair guy Larry Fitzgerald. In addition to demonstrating fret-leveling techniques, they tell war stories of maneuvering their businesses to survive the recent global pandemic. Mentions Matt Brewster, Sam Ash, John Suhr, Rudy Pensa, Mandolin Brothers, Dan Erlewine, John Patitucci, Flip Scipio, LeRoy Aiello.

It Worked for Me: Fix Blistered Finish

2023
AL#149 p.68               
Steve Dickerson                                                                                           

▪ When you see a big horrible blister form on a thick commercial finish, it means two things. Firstly, the finish is ruined. Secondly, it will come off nice and clean with a spatula and heat gun.

Refurbishing a Manuel Nunes Rajao

2023
AL#148 p.22               
Karl Hoyt                                                                                           

▪ Hoyt stumbled upon a small and distressed old instrument that turned out to be made by a founding father of the authentic ukulele. Mentions Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, Jim Tranquada.

Basic Steel-String Guitar Action Setup

2022
AL#147 p.24               
Robbie O’Brien                                                                                           

▪ Lutherie uber-pedagog Robbie O’Brien has taught beaucoup guitar makers and repair techs to set the action of steel string flattops, so his thoughts on the matter are crystal clear. Here he steps us through the process in a relaxed, logical, and concise presentation. From his 2017 GAL Convention workshop.

Making a Replacement Nut

2022
AL#147 p.38               
Carl-David Hardin                                                                                           

▪ A lot of lutherie work gets done on the road by the techs who travel with bands. Makes sense when you think about it. And it’s also understandable that this work gets done with a minimum of tooling. Here’s a nice example of a new bone nut being made and installed on an old Gibson flattop.

Ironing Out a Warped Guitar Neck

2022
AL#147 p.52               
Michael Burton                                                                                           

▪ What do you do with a guitar that seems beyond repair? Repair it anyway. Why not? After decades of neglect and wildly improper storage, this sturdy Asian-built flattop had developed the mother of all neck warps. Burton ripped into it with clothes iron, heat blanket, router, and neck jig to replace the truss rod and fix earlier disastrous repair attempts. It turned out great.

Letter: Gortex Felt Paper for Restoration

2022
AL#146 p.2               
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Gives updated info on guitar restoration materials that were mentioned by Elliott in AL#145.

Ruminations on Historic Guitar Restoration

2022
AL#145 p.16               
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Elliott is best known for his long career of making classical guitars of the highest quality, but he has also undertaken some major restorations of important historic instruments. Here he reviews three projects and shares thoughts about his approach. Mentions Jose Romanillos, Hermann Hauser Sr., Antonio de Torres, Francisco Tarrega, Francisco Gonzalez, Peter Radcliff.

Meet the Maker: Matt Brewster

2022
AL#145 p.25               
Evan Gluck                                                                                           

▪ Imagine you were a guitar repair guy, and there was another guitar repair guy in your same town. What would you do about it? If you were Evan Gluck, or any other enlightened, right-thinking luthier, you would march right over there and make him your best friend. These guys have a blast “competing” in the same market, sharing stories, customers, tools, and techniques. And yes, it does help if your hometown has over eight million people in it. Mentions Brian Moore, Dan Erlewine, Michael Bashkin, Ian Davlin, Jimmy Carbonetti.

“Restomodding” Wall-Hanger Guitars

2021
AL#144 p.6               
Roger Haggstrom                                                                                           

▪ A hundred and some years ago, Swedish folks sat around the house all of a dark winter and sang hymns together, accompanied by the strummings of cheap mass-produced guitars. Those days are gone, but a lot of the guitars are still hanging on the walls of old houses. Roger Häggström has made a business of restoring them to useful condition and modifying them to sound and play better than they ever could have. He restores and modifies. Restomods. Mentions the Levin guitar company.

Remembering Julian Bream

2021
AL#142 p.6               
Cyndy Burton   Jose Romanillos   R.E. Brune   Jeffrey R. Elliott   Kevin Aram   Gary Southwell   Simon Ambridge                                                                   

▪ The great classical guitarist Julian Bream was well known for supporting and encouraging contemporary composers and promising young players. Less noticed by the public, but of special importance to luthiers, was Bream’s work with a handful of classical guitar makers from whom he commissioned the fine instruments that he played. In this article, those luthiers offer memories of their interactions with Julian Bream. Mentions Hermann Hauser Sr.

Uncle Dan’s Favorite New Vise

2021
AL#142 p.28               
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ Good ol’ Dan Erlewine is known for finding and spreading efficient new tools and techniques for guitar makers and repairers, as well as for mentoring and promoting young talent in the lutherie field. He’s at it again in this article, as he loosely wrangles a team to consult on the design of a specialized new shop vise.

New Frets in Old Nibs

2021
AL#142 p.38               
Ben Haskenhoff                                                                                           

▪ The author steps us through a full refret of a solidbody guitar with a bound fretboard where the new frets nestle right back into the binding. Save the nibs!

It Worked for Me: Hide Finish Checks with Linseed Oil

2021
AL#142 p.68               
Reg Beardsley                                                                                           

▪ Fix finish checking with diluted linseed oil. You have to dilute it with mineral spirits to reduce the viscosity. Some discussion of refractive index.

Letter: Glue Down the Fretboard Extension

2021
AL#142 p.3               
Sjaak Elmendorp                                                                                           

▪ Lesson learned from a puppy-vs-guitar encounter: glue down the fretboard extension over the body of a flattop guitar when using a bolt-on neck.

When Your Business Hits a Bump

2020
AL#141 p.18               
Evan Gluck                                                                                           

▪ What should you do when an unexpected event upsets the smoothly-running apple cart of your guitar-repair business? Don’ freak out. Take good advice from the trustworthy folks around you, and proceed with confidence. That’s the story, but raconteur and lutherie superstar Evan Gluck tells it better.

Meet the Maker: John Jordan

2020
AL#140 p.10               
Paul Schmidt   John Jordan                                                                                       

▪ John Jordan was a young guy happily repairing instruments and making guitars when he got a commission to make an experimental electric violin. It turned out well enough to take his career in a new direction. Read his story and see some of his diverse and beautiful work. Mentions Ervin Somogyi, Shelley Rosen, Rolland Colella, Dave Matthews, Boyd Tinsley, nyckelharpa, D’Angelico, D’Aquisto, Neyveli S. Radhakrishna, Miri Ben Ari.

A Larson Bros. Harp Guitar Restoration

2020
AL#140 p.34               
Kerry Char                                                                                           

▪ This ornate contraption had seen a lot of use and abuse in almost a dozen decades of service. Long-ago modifications plus the pull of sixteen strings left it in a sorry state. It had to be taken in hand rather decisively to be brought back into playing condition. Two necks, the back, the enormous bridge, and a lot of bracing came off. Content warning: contains lutherie gore.

Questions: Remove Back from 19th-century Guitar

2019
AL#138 p.70               
Art Robb                                                                                           

▪ How do you take the back off a 19th-century guitar? Carefully, and slowly. The author offers good advice based on long experience.

Less Than a Thousand Guitar Repair Tips

2020
AL#139 p.42               
Erick Coleman   Evan Gluck                                                                                       

▪ Erick and Evan (the two Es) are back with more helpful hints for the guitar repair shop. Some of the things they show are nicely developed professional tools, like for leveling frets while the guitar is still under string tension. Then there’s a diagnostic tool that is just a stick, a guitar string, and a salvaged tuning machine. If you think that’s gronk, how about the tool that Evan calls “my string.” It’s just a string. Not even a guitar string. Mentions gluing frets, DeoxIT, WD40, tri-Flow, slotting bridge pins, regluing bridges, fret nipper, notching fret tang, Matt Brewster, fret leveler bar, StewMac, Stewart-MacDonald, bridge removal, shark skin, fret rocker, fret leveler. From their workshop at the 2017 GAL Convention.

Resurrection and Modification of an Inexpensive Old Factory Guitar

2019
AL#138 p.48               
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ Sometimes when a vintage instrument is being restored, you want to leave a few of the dings and a lttle of the funk, just for authentic flavor. Sometimes you want to leave the big dings and all the funk, and end up with something that is very tasty to a certain sophisticated palate. Mottola takes a century-old beater and ends up with a sweet-playing silk purse disguised as a sow’s ear. Mentions B&J, Buegeleisen and Jacobson, Oscar Schmidt, and Stella. Instrument is ladder-braced.

Dovetailed Neck Reset

2019
AL#137 p.44               
Todd Mylet                                                                                           

▪ As a repairman in a busy guitar shop, Todd Mylet has a lot of Martin-style neck resets under his belt. There is a lot involved in doing it right. Todd presents a detailed account of his well-considered and time-tested method.

A Smashed Top and a Shattered Headstock

2019
AL#136 p.12               
Kerry Char                                                                                           

▪ A cool old Gibson-era Epiphone guitar got well and truly smashed in an incident involving large and excited dogs. Better call Char! Kerry Char, that is. He jumps right in to remove the top, take off the braces, and then put the whole thing back together and polish it up nice before you can say “Kalamazoo!” From his 2017 GAL Convention slide show.

Setting a Violin Neck Like a Professional

2018
AL#135 p.4               
Charles Rufino                                                                                           

▪ Here’s a close look at the process of setting a violin neck. No innovative tools or new miracle adhesives here; just good old-fashioned methodical, careful work with traditional toos and designs. From his workshop at the 2017 GAL Convention.

Training the Next Generation

2018
AL#135 p.16               
Dan Erlewine   Erick Coleman   Chelsea Clark                                                                                   

▪ “Uncle Dan” Erlewine has been a constant presence in the American Lutherie Boom era, because he personifies the can-do ethos that underlies the whole dang movement: figure something out, and tell everybody about it. As a young man hoping to move from rocker to luthier, he found a generous mentor in Herb David of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dan has paid that forward many times as he has brought young people into his shop and given them a place to grow. Mentions Herb David, Mark Erlewine, Jerry Garcia, Albert King, John O’Boyle, David Surovel, Bryan Galloup, Charlie Longstreth, Tom Erlewine, Gary Brawer, Joe Glaser, Steve Olson, Albert Garcia, Elliot John-Conry, Adam Fox, Exodus Almasude, Johan Powell, Max Feldman, Paul Lampley, Aaron Smiley, Rodrgo Gomez, Chelsea Clark. From his lecture at the 2017 GAL Convention.

Removing Top and Back Guitar Plates

2018
AL#135 p.30               
Kerry Char                                                                                           

▪ Kerry Char sawed the top off an old Gibson flattop in front of a group of several dozen luthiers at the 2017 GAL Convention. And within the same hour he pried the back off a Knutsen harp guitar. Step by step photos.

Restoration of a Guitar by Thomas Duran made in Seville 1684

2018
AL#133 p.34               
D.-and-F. Sinier-de-Ridder                                                                                           

▪ So you need to restore a guitar that is a third of a millienium old. Of course it was originally a Baroque guitar. A couple hundred years ago somebody chopped it into a Romantic-era 6-string guitar. No prob, you’ll just find a similar authentic instrument for a guide. Except there aren’t any. Spain was packed with them 300 years ago, but now not a single one is known to exist in original condition. Nonetheless, a full and successful restoration is made.

What Were They Thinking?

2018
AL#133 p.56               
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ We’ve all seen bad repairs. They can be frustrating, or maybe enraging. But sometimes they are just dazzling in their spectacular daring and ignorance. Here’s a couple of those.

Business Tips for the Repair Shop

2018
AL#133 p.62               
Paul Neri                                                                                           

▪ Here’s some good, simple advice on how to keep your repair customers happy from a guy with decades of experience.

Tiny Files for Fret Work

2017
AL#131 p.65               
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ Harry loves to learn, and then to teach. Although he has been leveling frets for half a century, he’s always rethinking it and keeping his eyes open for better ways to do it. Here he shows us his latest tools and tips for doing more by doing less.

Pickguard Cracks: A New Twist on a Common Soundboard Repair

2017
AL#131 p.58               
Kjell Croce                                                                                           

▪ Everybody has seen them; those cracks on the tops of old Martins that form just south of the soundhole when the pickguard shrinks. Croce shows us how to close and reinforce the crack, and then make a well-behaved modern pickguard.

In Memoriam: Jim Mouradian

2017
AL#130 p.62               read this article
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ Jim Mouradian, shown here with his son Jon, ran a guitar repair shop and made electric basses. He was a generous and happy mentor to many.

The Soundpost Cannon Incident

2017
AL#131 p.50               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ Pop goes the soundpost! Can this affordable old Kay bull fiddle be saved? Plywood-doghouse bass specialist James Condino shows us how.

The Monster in the Attic

2017
AL#129 p.20               
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ When a neighbor brought in “Grampa’s old guitar” for Fred Casey to look at, he got a shock. The guitar was a whopper. Or more properly, a monster. That’s what Lyon & Healy called this very wide guitar. It was pretty well smashed, but soon it was back in playing condition. Does this guitar make my hips look big?

Meet the Maker: Dave Collins

2017
AL#129 p.38               
Steve Denvir   Dave Collins                                                                                       

▪ Dave Collins is a rising star on the guitar repair scene. Take a look at a couple of nice jigs he has developed; one for slotting saddles, one for regluing broken headstocks. Interestingly, he is in the same Ann Arbor third-storey shop previously tenanted by Herb David. Dave counts Dan Erlewine and Bryan Galloup among his mentors.

Fixing a Smashed Guitar Edge with Antonio Tessarin

2016
AL#126 p.48               
Robbie O’Brien   Antonio Tessarin                                                                                       

▪ Robbie O’Brien keeps up a friendly lutherie competition with his old mentor Antonio Tessarin. Robbie is in Colorado and Antonio is in Brazil, but that’s no prob these days, what with the smartphones and the Interwebs and all that. In this article Antonio shows Robbie how he fixed a nasty smash on the edge of one of his own classical guitars. Sweet! What will Robbie do to one-up that?

Tales from the Soundhole: Guitar Repair Tips and Techniques

2016
AL#126 p.22               
Alex Glasser   Brian Michael                                                                                       

▪ Brian and Alex cover a number of interesting repair projects including crack repair and finish touchup on satin-finished guitars, cracked heel blocks, magnets, steamers, and even using a parked car as a neck heater. From their 2014 GAL Convention workshop.

Making Bridges for Guitar Repair

2015
AL#124 p.48               
Brian Michael   Alex Glasser                                                                                       

▪ Even when an off-the-shelf OEM bridge is available, it might not be the best choice for an older guitar. Brian shows us his method of making a matching Martin-style bridge from the broken original. Alex goes a step further and reproduces a failed bridge from a Gibson SJ-200, which is complicated by pearl inlay and cutout wings. From their 2014 GAL Convention workshop.

Total Flame Out, Retopping a Harp Guitar

2009
AL#100 p.38               
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ Replacing the top on a complicated instrument with as little refinishing and other stress as possible.

Restoring a Battle Axe

2009
AL#97 p.48               
Roger-Alan Skipper                                                                                           

▪ Skipper decides to save the life of a Martin D-28 that most of us would use for spare parts and firewood. A new top is made and severely cracked sides and back are restored to usefulness by interesting techniques that offer strength and renewed life rather than cosmetic perfection. In other words, a repair that mere mortals can afford. Good job! With 12 photos.

Restoring a Church Bass

2009
AL#98 p.34               
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ There’s not a lot of detail to this piece, but there’s nice story telling and some philosophy to live by. Lyman has been involved in the bass world since before the GAL, and whatever he has to say about it is important (and usually fun). With 3 photos.

Inlaid Splices

2008
AL#96 p.60               
John Thayer                                                                                           

▪ Don’t put a repair patch on top of the wood, put it in the wood! Probably for carved tops only, but a fine idea (and pretty, for you folks who like to peek inside of instruments. With 11 photos.

Casting Custom Plastic Pickup Rings

2008
AL#95 p.55               
Daniel Fobert                                                                                           

▪ You can make your own plastic pickup rings. No kiddin’! And it doesn’t seem like a real big deal. A little thought should uncover many other uses for the materials mentioned here. With 4 photos.

From Trash to Treasure

2008
AL#95 p.32      ALA5 p.76         
Tobias Braun                                                                                           

▪ Braun took on the job of restoring a massively injured Spanish factory guitar made approximately in 1900. This is not only a close look at how such work is done, but an examination of how these guitars were made. It’s not a Torres, but it’s pretty cool. With 41 photos and 4 catalog page reproductions.

Partial Refrets

2007
AL#90 p.58               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Sometimes only a few frets need to be replaced. Here’s how and why to do it and an idea of how to charge for it. Another lesson from Instrument Repair 101. With 11 photos.

Mending a Bomber

2007
AL#89 p.30               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ A number of acoustic guitars built during the ’60s demonstrated peculiar design traits, and this smashed up Gibson B-25 is a fine example of such. The author returns it to playable good health while maintaining its quirkiness in all its glory. With 12 photos.

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.

Resurrecting the Family Guitar

2006
AL#85 p.46               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Some instruments aren’t valuable enough to warrant extensive repair work but are too interesting to throw away. Enter the resurrectionist. In this case the subject is a ’30s tenor guitar by Regal. Cracks are fixed, braces are replaced, a new bridge is made, and the neck is refitted. With 21 photos.

Resurrecting the Family Banjo

2005
AL#84 p.50   BRB7 p.412            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Resurrection isn’t so much about true restoration as in making a dilapidated instrument function again in a manner that the owner can afford. Time-saving procedures are permitted that a restorationist wouldn’t dream of, but preserving the instrument as much as possible is still the goal. With 12 photos.

Review: The Setup and Repair of the Double Bass for Optimum Sound by Chuck Traeger

2005
AL#84 p.58   BRB7 p.534            read this article
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this book to be a treasure well worth the high cost to anyone serious about the standup bass.

Restoring Tarrega’s 1888 Torres

2005
AL#83 p.18   BRB7 p.364            
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Restoring famous instruments is a tricky business. If they are also old, well-played, and abused by poor storage facilities the work becomes a cross between knowledge, craft, and art. Elliott goes where few of us would care to travel, explaining every step of restoration as he goes. Perhaps as important is what he doesn’t do. The ethics of restoration is a foundation of the story. With 42 photos as well as a 2-page spread of GAL full-size plan #52.

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

It Worked for Me: Replacing Bridge Plates in Dreadnoughts

2005
AL#81 p.64   BRB7 p.496            
Keith Davis                                                                                           

▪ Removing and replacing bridge plates in dreadnought guitars the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) way.

It Worked for Me: Tubing To Inject Glue

2004
AL#80 p.65   BRB7 p.496            
Dale Randall                                                                                           

▪ With this arrangement, fresh glue can be injected straight from the bottle through plastic tubing which terminates in a brass ink holder from a ballpoint pen which serves as an injection needle.

Meet the Maker: Bob Jones

2005
AL#81 p.46   BRB7 p.306            
Bruce Calder   Bob Jones                                                                                       

▪ Jones is one of the “big guys” in the New York City instrument repair scene. He owns some very cool collectables. He’s worked for some of the biggest names in the industry. He has definite opinions about how to get into the business. How could you not read this? With 13 photos, including one of a double neck Selmer.

Meet the Maker: Frank Ford

2004
AL#80 p.10   BRB7 p.236            
Jonathon Peterson   Frank Ford                                                                                       

▪ Sometimes an interviewer has to pry information out of a person. Not so with Frank Ford, who unleashes a wonderful account of his life as a repairman in the Bay area. Prominently mentioned are Richard Johnston, Jon Lundberg, Dan Erlewine, Gryphon Instruments, and Mario Martello. Inspirational stuff, including 14 photos.

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

Rebuilding a Rebuilt Headstock

2004
AL#80 p.15   BRB7 p.245            
Frank Ford                                                                                           

▪ Different repairpersons are willing to do jobs that others wouldn’t, and some repairs are socially acceptable at one time and not at another, so sometimes a repairman is faced with undoing another repair guy’s work. In this case it’s not as a restoration but to make the altered guitar more playable while keeping within the general style of the maker. This little Martin went from a slot-head, to friction pegs, to a solid head with contemporary tuners. Whew! Check out the use of the milling machine. With 19 photos.

It Worked for Me: Eureka Steamer

2004
AL#79 p.64   BRB7 p.64            
Dennis Russell                                                                                           

▪ A Eureka Hotshot steamer purchased at Home Depot and rigged up for use on violins, cellos, and anything else that has hide glue joints.

The Dan and Frank Show: Through the Soundhole Repair Techniques

2004
AL#78 p.4   BRB7 p.174            
Dan Erlewine   Frank Ford                                                                                       

▪ A ton of guitar repairs can only be accomplished by reaching through the soundhole. Here, two masters of the genre describe some of their methods a working in the cramped darkness, some of the tools they’ve used and/or created, and the attitude you have to acquire when getting stumped and handing back an unrepaired guitar is not an option. With 32 photos.

Shifting Gears on a Gretsch

2004
AL#77 p.22   BRB7 p.156            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Dealing with a store saves you the hassle of dealing with customers but includes the uncertainties of not having access to the customers. The pros and cons are examined. Meanwhile, a Gretsch electric guitar fingerboard is removed, the truss rod swapped out, and the instrument is restored, all in good detail. With 10 photos.

Review: Shoptalk 6

2003
AL#73 p.61   BRB7 p.523            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ This video is a collection of shop tips that the reviewer found to be valuable and entertaining, especially in view of the low price.

Tuning in Thirds

2002
AL#72 p.36   BRB6 p.410            
Jonathon Peterson   Saul Koll   Ralph Patt                                                                                   

▪ Jazz guitarist Ralph Patt and luthier Saul Koll have teamed up to make archtop 8-string electric guitars that are tuned in thirds rather than standard tuning. The guitars look a little strange because there is no taper to the fingerboards. You’ll have to read the article to understand the thinking behind them. Watching Patt play must confuse the heck out of other guitarists. With 14 photos.

Review: Dan Erlewine Lutherie Videos

2002
AL#72 p.54   BRB6 p.541            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Eight new videos (with four already on DVD) from the inventor of video lutherie instruction. The reviewer obviously likes them and believes they will speed the learning curve for anyone interested in guitar repair and maintenance.

Quick-and-Dirty Bridge and Brace Repair

2001
AL#67 p.42   BRB6 p.258            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Some instruments aren’t worth repairing because their value is less than the cost of the repair work. Unless, that is, you resort to superglue and a bit of trickery. On the cuatro used in the example a tailpiece is used along with the stock bridge to prevent steel strings from tearing the bridge off the top again. With 8 photos.

The Squishy Subject of Restoration Ethics

1999
AL#59 p.6   BRB5 p.374            
Frank Ford                                                                                           

▪ A top repairman tackles the sticky subject of what repair and restoration work should be tackled in this age of vintage instrument mania, especially in the area of elective surgery. Even today’s utilitarian instruments may be tomorrow’s hot collectibles, so every instrument that passes over our bench has to be considered in this light. What work should we refuse, and what are our liabilities for the work we do? Includes 41 photos, mostly of vintage guitars and mandolins.

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

Review: Shoptalk 5 by Todd Sams, Don MacRostie, Dan Erlewine

1999
AL#59 p.65   BRB5 p.484            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer likes this instruction video that is ultimately intended to sell product, and finds that the instruction far outweighs the salesmanship angle of this Stew-Mac tape.

Clearly Protective

1998
AL#56 p.54   BRB5 p.290            
Kent Everett                                                                                           

▪ So you hate the way pickguards look but like the job they do? Everett shows how to apply a clear pickguard without bubbles or fingerprints coming along for the ride.

Review: How to Repair Your Diatonic Accordion or Concertina by John Townley and Jehan Paul

1998
AL#55 p.65               read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer enjoyed this video. It is iconoclastic and hip, and should help anyone keep their squeezebox wheezing healthily. Instruction should always be this fun.

Review: Easy Guitar Maintenance and Repair by Harvey Citron

1998
AL#54 p.55   BRB5 p.476            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this video is a good learning device for anyone wishing to learn how to set up their electric guitar or bass, perhaps less so for acoustic players.

Violin Q & A: Violin Volume/Defective A String/High Gloss Oil Finish/Nicks

1998
AL#53 p.60   BRB5 p.458            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Are there good alternative finishes for violins? What’s the best way to repair a nicked fiddle? Where is the best place to position the soundpost?

Product Reviews: Crack Repair Set

1997
AL#51 p.58   BRB5 p.440            
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ The Guild’s tool buster tames two new offerings and enjoys the ride. The first is a knife for opening cracks in guitar tops. The other is jig that thins and shapes the splints to be put into the slots cut by the knife. Along the way he examines the catalog of Luthiers Mercantile International.

The Restoration of Agustin Barrios’ Francisco Simplicio

1997
AL#52 p.46   BRB5 p.148            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ What does it take to restore an important instrument? Skill, research, and a solid feel and appreciation for the time during which the piece was made and played. Skip any of these factors and you could easily screw up an irreplaceable piece. Brune describes his approach to one guitar while at the same time demonstrating the qualities necessary to enter this field.

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

Violin Q & A: Post Crack/Clear Varnish/Small Violin

1997
AL#52 p.56   BRB5 p.458            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ The soundpost of a cello can push the hard grain of the spruce right through the varnish. So how does one fix the problem? Is your varnish not as clear as you’d like? Damn! What’s the best way to scale down a 4/4 violin to the smaller sizes? Darnton comes to the rescue again.

It Worked for Me: Dulcimer Fret Installation

1997
AL#51 p.52   BRB5 p.491            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ A portable fret to solve the installation problem of the infamous 6 and a half fret of a dulcimer.

Resetting a Neck with Jeff Traugot

1997
AL#49 p.50   BRB5 p.44            
Colin Kaminski   Jeff Traugott                                                                                       

▪ Neck resetting techniques have changed enormously in the last few years, and they continue to evolve. Traugot has been in the forefront of the evolution. Here’s his up-to-the-minute description of the procedure. With 12 photos.

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

How Frank Frets

1997
AL#50 p.4   BRB5 p.60            
Frank Ford                                                                                           

▪ Ford has been a preeminent repairman for years, but has recently emerged as a fine teacher of repair topics. Everyone’s refretting tricks are a little different. Even if you have a handle on the general principle you may find that Frank Ford has something to offer you. With 29 photos.

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

Meet the Maker: John Mello

1996
AL#48 p.28   BRB4 p.408            
Cyndy Burton   John Mello                                                                                       

▪ Mello is a repairperson, guitarmaker, restorer, and instrument dealer. He apprenticed under Richard Schneider and worked with Jeffrey R. Elliott before opening his own shop.Much of the interview dwells upon the restoration of an 1862 Torres guitar. With 11 photos.

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

My Incredibly Accurate but Slightly Overengineered Dovetail Resetting Jig

1996
AL#48 p.36   BRB4 p.404            
Frank Ford                                                                                           

▪ Ford built an elaborate jig for resetting the necks of valuable and delicate guitars where a slip of the chisel can’t be risked. The contrary nature of guitars may dictate that some hand fitting is required after the jig is used, but much of the danger is removed. With 8 photos.

Nineteen Stew-Mac How-to Videos 2

1996
AL#48 p.46   BRB4 p.474            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Reviewed here are six videos, one about violins setups, one about French polishing, and four about guitar repair. All are found worthy, though two of the repair tapes are for the inexperienced luthier.

It Worked for Me: Removing White Glue

1996
AL#45 p.57   BRB4 p.499            
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ An alternative method for removing white glue is the use of acetic acid, handy where the use of steam would be objectionable.

Talkin’ Repair

1996
AL#45 p.28   BRB4 p.276            
Dan Erlewine   Frank Ford                                                                                       

▪ This wide-ranging lecture transcription from the1995 GAL convention covers some specific repair techniques, professional ethics, customer relations, pursuing a profit, and vintage instrument repair. Strong advice from two of the best known men in the business.

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

Quick and Cheap Peghead Splining Fixture

1996
AL#45 p.40   BRB4 p.294            
Richard Beck                                                                                           

▪ Beck is a repairman for some heavy hitters in the music biz. Here he offers a sound method of repairing shattered headstocks using a router. With 11 photos.

Nineteen Stew-Mac How-to Videos 1

1996
AL#45 p.44   BRB4 p.474            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Some videos are worth the money, and some aren’t. It depends more on the depth of your experience and interest than on the quality of these videos, which is generally good. Take a look at a batch of tapes (and one book) from Stewart-MacDonald about building or repairing stringed instruments.

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.

Review: The Conservation and Technology of Musical Instruments, A Bibliographic Supplement to Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts, Vol. 28, edited by Cary Karp

1995
AL#42 p.57   BRB4 p.481            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that although the abstracts are clear and well written, the quality and usefulness of the abstracted material is not judged. The unwary may be sent on a long search for information of little, or dangerous, use.

HD-28 Soundboard Replacement

1995
AL#42 p.40   BRB4 p.192            
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Carruth ran mode and frequency tests on the old top and the replacement top.The goal was to reproduce the quality of the old airlines-damaged top.

Resetting a Dovetailed Guitar Neck

1994
AL#40 p.42   BRB4 p.116            
Bryan Galloup                                                                                           

▪ Detailed captions for 36 photos explain how to cook the neck out of a flattop and put it back on the way it ought to be.

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

Vreeble and Veneer

1994
AL#40 p.50   BRB4 p.82            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin’s pair of articles first takes a look at Vreeble, a form of lacquer-based crackle paint, and then at refinishing an electric bass with curly maple veneer.

Bridge and Bridge Patch Replacement

1994
AL#39 p.10   BRB4 p.52            
Bryan Galloup                                                                                           

▪ Here’s the whole story, with some tools for heat removal of the parts not seen in the magazine before. Pull those worn parts and make your own replacements. With 38 photos.

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

Making Pickguards

1994
AL#39 p.25   BRB4 p.70            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The focus here is electric guitar pickguards, both wood and plastic. Some tips carry over to acoustic pickguards.

Meet the Maker: John Koster

1994
AL#37 p.22   BRB4 p.17            
Nicholas-Von Robison   John Koster                                                                                       

▪ How does a man become conservator to a famous collection of stringed instruments, and just exactly what does he do after he’s there? Koster maintains the collection at the Shrine to Music Museum.

Finishing Techniques for Hiding Repair Work

1993
AL#36 p.6   BRB3 p.380            
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ Erlewine hides his wooden patches under a field of colored French polish, then paints over it with simulated wood grain, and then might shoot a sunburst around everything. Old European craftsmen would smile in recognition of these tricks, but they are seldom applied to guitars.

What You Should Know About the Hardanger Fiddle

1993
AL#36 p.26   BRB3 p.410            read this article
David Golber                                                                                           

▪ The chief difference between the Hardanger and a normal violin is its use of sympathetic strings, though other differences abound. Ornate decoration is also usual. Golber offers a good description of a typical Hardanger and how to set it up.With 9 photos and a number of drawings.

At the Workbench of the Twelfth Fret

1993
AL#36 p.52   BRB3 p.422            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Four repairmen offer a variety of tips about altering mechanical archtop bridges, adding more “pop” to fretless bass necks, soldering and shielding electrics, carbide bandsaw blades, abrasive cord, superglue, cutting saddle slots, double-stick tape, bending plastic binding, beveling pickguard stock, replacing bar frets with T-frets, and restoring headstocks to look old.

Violin Setups, Part One

1993
AL#35 p.6   BRB3 p.352            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ To the uninitiated, violin setup seems to have way too many steps for the small number of moveable parts involved. Taken one step at a time, the mystery falls away. Darnton explains the tools and procedures he uses to get the most out of a violin. This segment includes fitting pegs, correcting problems with the nut, making a fingerboard, and fitting a soundpost. Part Two is printed in AL#37. With 30 photos.

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

A Timely Top Replacement

1993
AL#34 p.6   BRB3 p.316   ALA5 p.22         
Jeffrey-R. Elliott                                                                                           

▪ Elliott believes that top replacements might be far more common in the future than they are now. Instruments with tired tops might have them replaced rather than retire the rare/irreplaceable hardwoods that comprise the rest of the instrument. Anyhow, he tried it out. Here he presents a description of the operation and the ethics involved, with 23 photos.

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

Applications of the Silicone Heating Blanket in Violin Making

1993
AL#34 p.18   BRB3 p.328            read this article
George Borun                                                                                           

▪ Not many people make the mental leap from violins to the space age easily. Borun did, and found the connection useful. His list of uses extends far beyond bending the ribs.

Torres Guitar Restoration

1993
AL#33 p.14   BRB3 p.280            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ Brune describes a rare 11-string Torres guitar and the manner in which he restored it. With 11 photos and a half-page of drawings. Mentions Romanillos.

At the Workbench

1993
AL#33 p.36   BRB3 p.303            
Wes Brandt                                                                                           

▪ A well-known repairman delivers eight tips, including an alternate way to bend a Venetian cutaway, tool tips, and a way to bend sides more accurately.

Shortening Schaller Shafts

1993
AL#33 p.46   BRB3 p.310            read this article
David Golber                                                                                           

▪ If stock tuners stick up too far from the top of your headstock you can fix them, but it requires a machinist’s lathe.

Brazilian Guitar Makers

1993
AL#33 p.12   BRB3 p.278            read this article
Roberto Gomes                                                                                           

▪ Gomes offers a list and short description of some current Brazilian builders.

Repairing Catalyzed Finishes

1992
AL#32 p.58   BRB3 p.270            
Jim Grainger                                                                                           

▪ Grainger swears that this work is easy and profitable, and makes it seem so. The secret ingredient is called Final Coat, a Mohawk product.

Violin Q & A: Violin Reconditioning/Bass Bar Springs/Neck Surface

1992
AL#31 p.64   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Why don’t the ribs of a broken fiddle fit the top any more? How much spring should be built into a bass bar? Why is there a step in the neck behind the nut on my fiddle. Darnton knows, now you will, too.

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.

It Worked for Me: String Tension/Hand Pressure

1992
AL#29 p.57   BRB3 p.484            
Richard Echeverria                                                                                           

▪ Fixing the common problem encountered with the Gibson style ABR and Schaller Nashville tune-o-matic guitar bridge: they collapse.

It Worked for Me: Low Cost Emergency Lathe

1992
AL#29 p.57   BRB3 p.485            read this article
Gerhart Schmeltekopf                                                                                           

▪ Rigging up a temporary reciprocating or ‘pole’ lathe.

Violin Q & A: Removing Fingerboards/Sound Hole Size

1991
AL#27 p.56   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton explains how to disassemble a fiddle, and the effects of soundhole size on violin performance.

Review: Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine

1991
AL#26 p.58   BRB3 p.463            read this article
Manny Bettencourt                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this book is an invaluable resource for the professional repairman and will let the amateur evaluate a potential repair and decide whether or not he has the skill to tackle it.

Using Your Work Space from the 1990 GAL Convention panel

1991
AL#27 p.4   BRB3 p.80            
Chris Brandt   R.E. Brune   Jeffrey-R. Elliott   Richard Schneider   Ervin Somogyi   David Wilson                                                                       

▪ A look inside the shops of six professional luthiers, featuring floor plans, tooling descriptions, notes on lighting and specialized machinery, and ideas about how work space can help (or hurt) your lifestyle. With a good Q&A segment and 63 photos.

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

Meet the Maker: Hideo Kamimoto

1991
AL#27 p.46   BRB3 p.118            
Joseph-R. Johnson   Hideo Kamimoto                                                                                       

▪ The famous repairman/author discusses his book, his history as a luthier, and his expectations for his own future.

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

Let’s Get Busy: an interview with Chris Brandt

1991
AL#26 p.48   BRB3 p.56            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Brandt owns a luthiers co-op, and finds it makes more sense and money than four men running their own separate shops do. He’s got the lowdown on keeping records, using time efficiently, sharing labor, hiring a front man, and turning over work quickly. Lots of business hints and tips for any luthier, regardless of your position.

Violin Q & A: Wolf Note/Tone Longevity/Violin Finishes

1991
AL#26 p.52   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton discusses wolf tones, the life span of new fiddles, and why lacquer is never used on a violin.

Hidden Reinforced Peghead Repair

1991
AL#25 p.50   BRB3 p.29            
Jim Merrill   Bill Colgan                                                                                       

▪ This repair involves removing part of the fingerboard and sinking support splines from the top of the instrument, rather than from the back.

Violin Q & A: Violin Pics/Aligning Ribs/Revarnishing Quality Instruments/Buzz

1991
AL#25 p.56   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton turns some pictures of a mystery fiddle into a thousand words. Or a few hundred, anyway. Then he moves on to discuss distorted ribs, retouching varnish, and tracking down a mystery buzz. He adds an update about his varnish formula.

Looking at Lutherie Schools

1991
AL#25 p.6   BRB3 p.16            
Steve Banchero   David Freeman   Larry Kirmser   David Vincent   Donald Warnock                                                                           

▪ A panel of lutherie teachers talks it over at the 1990 GAL Convention.

Meet the Maker: Dan Erlewine

1991
AL#25 p.36   BRB3 p.13            
Tim Olsen   Dan Erlewine                                                                                       

▪ Is there any doubt that Erlewine is the world’s best-known guitar fixer? He’s also a heck of a nice guy. Editor Olsen nailed Erlewine’s feet to the floor long enough to answer a few questions. With 4 neat snapshots. Mentions Herb David, Mike Bloomfield.

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

Heelblock Hank: His Story, Part Two

1989
AL#20 p.55   BRB2 p.310            
Louis-“Buddy” Hale   Michael-H. Price                                                                                       

▪ The informational comic strip continues. Part One was in AL #19. The final part follows in AL#21.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Roger Sadowsky: Man of “Action”

1986
AL#6 p.8   BRB1 p.204            
Roger Sadowsky                                                                                           

▪ Sadowsky’s convention lecture thoroughly describes his version the Don Teeter system of fretting with epoxy and oversize fret slots.

The Bluegrass Dobro

1986
AL#5 p.14   BRB1 p.154            read this article
Bobby Wolfe                                                                                           

▪ Wolfe explains some history of the Dobro-style resonator guitar and mentions John Dopera, then details its construction and lists some commonly seen repairs and how to deal with them. The article is completed by 8 good photos.

Regluing Guitar Bridges

1986
AL#5 p.22   BRB1 p.168            
Ken Donnell                                                                                           

▪ Donnell gives a thorough description of his methods of bridge removal and regluing. Both classical and steel string guitars are covered.

Screw Misc.

1985
AL#3 p.41               
Chris Pile   Tim Earls                                                                                       

▪ Pile contends that Schaller and Badass hardware comes with inferior screws, and that the good screws that come with cheaper machine heads should be swapped for them. Mr. Earls offers a method of cleaning bolt threads after cutting the bolt.

Custom Paint Aftermath

1985
AL#3 p.47               
Tim Earls                                                                                           

▪ Earls describes his ordeal of completing a guitar painted by an auto body shop.He finds that even the best auto painter may not understand the intricacies of the guitar.

Three Helpful Tools

1985
AL#2 p.54   BRB1 p.77            
Brian Mascarin                                                                                           

▪ They are: an archtop guitar brace jack, a modified 1/4″ phone plug to position an output jack, and a clear plastic square for scribing fret positions on a fretless bass.

Removing Dovetails-Three

1984
DS#285   LW p.120            
Michael Dresdner                                                                                           

▪ Steam out the neck with a cappuccino machine. See also the previous 2 articles. This variation involves sawing off the fretboard at the body joint.

Truss Rod Repair on a Fender

1984
DS#293   LW p.114            
Dave Gentry                                                                                           

▪ Fender’s unorthodox method of installing a truss rod makes the replacement of the rod a strange undertaking. Gentry’s technique is clever, and far less invasive than removing the entire fingerboard. With 2 drawings.

Restoring a Martin Harp Guitar

1984
DS#279   LW p.62   ALA6 p.2         
Ted Davis                                                                                           

▪ This rare Martin required the creation of a new harp neck as well as the repair of many top and side cracks. The plans included are also available as GAL full-scale blueprint #7. Includes 5 photos.

Splining Soundboard Cracks

1984
DS#285   LW p.97            
Michael Dresdner                                                                                           

▪ Dresdner studs the crack, then compresses the edges of the top crack into a wedge shape into which a tapered spline is glued. This technique has become routine, but this is one of the first times it reached print. He also offers a recipe for touching up the new wood to a “vintage” color.

Calculating Neck Angle Changes

1984
DS#285   LW p.107            
Michael Dresdner                                                                                           

▪ All right, so you got the neck off of your flattop and you’re about to reset it. How much wood do you have to remove from the heel to achieve the proper correction? It turns out that you can calculate that figure, and here’s how to do it. With 1 sketch.

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

Aesthetics of Restoration

1983
GALQ Vol.11#3 p.30   BRB2 p.176            
Don Alfieri                                                                                           

▪ The goal and duties of the instrument restorationist are not always clear cut since the philosophy of restoration is not universally agreed upon. The author makes a good case for a conservative approach to the subject and the work.

Flattop Bridge Removal

1982
DS#210   LW p.99            
Jim Williams                                                                                           

▪ Clean bridge removal is almost an art, but the right heat source and the proper tools can give even the first-timer a fighting chance. Williams offers a dedicated lamp setup for heat and a modified cabinet scraper to slide through the glue joint. With 3 drawings.

Removing Dovetails-Two

1982
DS#211   LW p.120            
Kent Rayman                                                                                           

▪ Steam out the neck with a pressure cooker. With 1 drawing. See the previous article and the next article.

Fiberglass Headstock Repair

1981
DS#181   LW p.117            
William Hatcher                                                                                           

▪ Try this method of repairing a headstock break when you don’t trust Titebond to do the job. It involves extensive touchup work, however.

Positioning Studs for Top Cracks

1980
DS#165   LW p.96            
Mike Janosko                                                                                           

▪ Problem: since you began pumping iron your arms are too big to fit through a guitar soundhole. Here’s another way of reinforcing top crack repairs without asking help from your pencil-arm brother-in-law. With 1 drawing.

Rebuilding the Tune-O-Matic

1980
DS#137   LW p.99            
William Hatcher                                                                                           

▪ This classic piece of guitar hardware suffers from its share of rattles and loose parts, even on new units. You can tune it up and quiet it down. Here’s how. Includes 2 illustrations.

Gluing a Cracked Back or Top

1979
DS#129   LW p.98            
Ted Davis                                                                                           

▪ This is a method for mending cracks in free, unbraced plates using only small nails and a workboard. Includes a drawing of the technique.

Basic Sitar Repair

1979
DS#115   BRB1 p.94            
Thom Lipiczky                                                                                           

▪ Sitars are wonderful to look at, strange to hold, lovely to listen to, and peculiar to repair and set up.These days, when vintage instrument values make repair a high-risk endeavor, Lipiczky’s offbeat cures for broken gourds and loose frets are a breath of fresh air. Sitar repair has no doubt advanced since 1979, but we’ll have to take what we can get as far as instruction is concerned. The Indian words make for exotic reading, and the chart of string gauges may save your bacon one strange day.

Deep Studding Top Cracks

1979
DS#116   LW p.95            
Al Leis                                                                                           

▪ So how does one reach w-a-y back there to reinforce top crack repairs? By making a special clamp, and by evolving a slick method of using it. Here’s how it’s done. Includes 2 photos.

Splicing on a New Peghead

1975
DS#14   LW p.114            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Sometimes a peghead break is so traumatic that the best plan is just to toss the old one in the trash and start over. Here’s how (using mostly hand tools), and don’t be surprised if the rebuilt neck is better than the original. With 13 illustrations.