Search Results for: "read this article"

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

1997
   LW p.2            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Common tree names will usually get you by, but there’s nothing like knowing a few scientific names.

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

Glossary of Basic Wood Terms update

1997
   LW p.5            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Terminology of lumber biz.

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

Top 40 Wood List

1997
   LW p.10            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Range descriptions, scientific nomenclature, wood description, and uses in lutherie.

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

Wood Bibliography

1997
   LW p.23            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Where to look for objective information about trees and wood.

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

Your Most Important Machine

1996
AL#46 p.30               read this article
Teri Novak                                                                                           

▪ A chiropractor (and wife of a well-known luthier) describes how to prevent your shop life from harming your health. From her 1995 GAL convention lecture, with 18 photos and a number of drawings.

Letter to the Editor: First Guitar

1996
AL#45 p.2               read this article
Gretchen-Weeks Brough                                                                                           

▪ Brough offers her services as a freelance computer drafter to members who would like instrument plans drawn in AutoCAD.

Review: Checklist of Technical Drawings of Musical Instruments in the Public Collections of the World by Rob van Acht

1995
AL#43 p.61               read this article
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this book is too limited in its scope, and recommends against its purchase. However, he maintains that a sensibly revised edition would be an important and welcome resource, and that such a revised edition is in the works.

The Anti-Murphy Concert

1994
AL#39 p.34               read this article
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Fine musicians get together with acousticians and luthiers to try old against the new. No agreements are reached, but apparently a good time was had by all.

Review: Strobel Series for Violin Makers, books one through four and a preview of book five

1994
AL#39 p.46   BRB4 p.458            read this article
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that Strobel’s books are useful and accurate, and that the author has made a brave attempt to encourage luthiers to make their own violins, rather than strict copies of master instruments. Always look for the latest edition of each volume since changes and updates often accompany each new edition.

Violin Setups, Part Two

1994
AL#37 p.26   BRB3 p.352            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ And you thought you knew all there was to know about making that fiddle play. Darnton continues his instruction from AL#35. This time he tunes and fits the bridge, strings, tailpiece, saddle, and end button. With 13 photos.

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.

Floyd

1994
AL#37 p.42               read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Local color and good humor are key ingredients of this peek at an independent-minded violinmaker. Arizona rosewood? Manzinita tuning pegs?

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.

Jatoba

1993
AL#36 p.50   BRB3 p.420            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison   Debbie Suran                                                                                       

▪ Two luthiers examine an alternative wood and find that their samples do not match each other, and that their research texts don’t match descriptions, either. Two chunks of wood point to a common problem for those who are driven to be different.

Electronic Answer Man

1993
AL#36 p.56   BRB3 p.426            read this article
Rick Turner                                                                                           

▪ Turner warns repairmen not to get in over their heads with custom electronics work, and describes two elaborate jobs that came out right for all concerned.

Violin Q & A: String Recommendations/Purfling Grooves

1993
AL#36 p.58   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton discusses classical violin strings and a timesaving method of cutting the purfling slots.

Some Alternative Lutherie Woods

1993
AL#35 p.26   BRB3 p.372            read this article
Tom Ribbecke                                                                                           

▪ Ribbecke gathered information from across the country for this talk, an introduction to the woods that may eventually—like it or not—change the look of the instruments we make and play.

In Memoriam: Arthur Overholtzer

1993
AL#35 p.44   BRB3 p.500            read this article
Bruce McGuire                                                                                           

▪ Overholtzer is cussed and discussed, but he had an undeniable influence on the American classical guitar scene. He built Spanish guitars in a very un-Spanish manner.

Violin Q & A: Neck Thickness/Tightness/D String Reach/Tilt Of Fingerboard

1993
AL#35 p.52   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ What are the proper dimensions and shape of the neck? What is a “tight” fiddle? What is fingerboard tilt? What does a player mean when he says he “can’t reach” the D string? Darnton answers all.

Electronic Answer Man

1993
AL#35 p.58   BRB3 p.426            read this article
Rick Turner                                                                                           

▪ Turner spends nearly 2 pages talking about electric guitar wiring harnesses, which wire to use, and what pot values to try.

In Memoriam: Mario Maccaferri

1993
AL#35 p.63   BRB3 p.503            read this article
John Monteleone                                                                                           

▪ Remembering Mario Maccaferri, creator of guitars made by Selmer of Paris and made famous by Django Reinhardt, major contributor to the field of injection molding plastic, and overall self made man.

Violin Q & A: Instrument Tone/Reaming For Pegs/Yellow Cold Glue/Stains

1993
AL#34 p.54   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ What adjustments change the tone of a violin? Should new pegs be reshaped or should the pegbox holes be opened to fit them? Which glue for a top center seam? Are stains really useless?

Product Reviews: Dan Erlewine’s Don’t Fret video

1993
AL#34 p.56   BRB3 p.439            read this article
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ Fleishman examines a rash of Stew-Mac fretting tools and their fretting video. He gives the green light to the entire package after extensive testing.

In Memoriam: Hammond Ashley

1993
AL#34 p.61   BRB3 p.499            read this article
David Wilson   Peggy Warren                                                                                       

▪ Remembering Hammond Ashley, aged 91, advocate of fine music and fine musical instrument making.

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.

It’s a Kabosy

1993
AL#35 p.16   BRB3 p.386            read this article
Paul Hostetter                                                                                           

▪ The kabosy is a folk instrument from Madagascar. It comes in several body shapes, but always has a neck with the same layout of staggered frets, many of which don’t completely cross the fingerboard. It’s easy to build and fun to play once your eyes stop being baffled by the weird frets.

Review: Building a Herringbone-style Acoustic Guitar by Don MacRostie and Dan Erlewine

1993
AL#33 p.57   BRB3 p.471            read this article
Dave Maize                                                                                           

▪ Videos begin to get their due in the review department. The reviewer decides this tape is a valuable aid for the first-time builder.

Meet the Maker: Bart Reiter

1993
AL#34 p.14   BRB3 p.324            read this article
Paul Hostetter   Bart Reiter                                                                                       

▪ Reiter is perhaps the best known current maker of open back banjos. He traces his beginnings and some specifics of the banjo market. With 3 photos.

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.

Brazilian Tonewoods

1993
AL#33 p.9   BRB3 p.275            read this article
Roberto Gomes                                                                                           

▪ Straight from the horse’s mouth—a Brazilian guitar maker talks about Brazilian tonewood. Ever wonder what a living rosewood tree looks like? Well, wonder no more. With 6 photos and a range map.

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

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.

Big Blue Ladder

1993
AL#33 p.39   BRB3 p.309            read this article
Harold Turner                                                                                           

▪ Turner thinks you might like to try white pine as a tonewood. But you’ll have to harvest it yourself. Here are some suggestions about how to go about it.

Sustainability: An Issue Facing Luthiers

1993
AL#33 p.40   BRB3 p.298            read this article
John Curtis                                                                                           

▪ Curtis is a wood dealer and a founder of WARP (Woodworkers Alliance for Rainforest Protection). Here he examines international law, species extinction, conservation, and local economies in the Third World. Oh yeah, and the American luthier’s place in this scheme.

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

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.

Chemical Stains

1992
AL#32 p.44   BRB3 p.266            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Nothing is easy for fiddle people. When they aren’t tweaking and gluing wood they are stirring up a witch’s brew in their home chem labs. Darn if Darnton doesn’t sound like he likes it, though. Buy some fancy wood. Trick it into changing color.

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

Hellfire! or How Not To Build A Banjo

1992
AL#32 p.47   BRB3 p.257            read this article
Harold Turner                                                                                           

▪ Build a banjo and scare the congregation, and not with music. Luthier humor, and more good local color. Turner was there when the banjo bomb was invented. A shrinking calf skin head was the culprit.

Meet the Maker: Guy Rabut

1992
AL#32 p.52   BRB3 p.268            read this article
Tim Olsen   Guy Rabut                                                                                       

▪ A long-time Guild member makes it as a violinmaker in the Big Apple after a twenty-year run. Mentions Ed Campbell, Peter Prier, Rene Morel.

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

Review: The Workbench Book by Scott Landis

1992
AL#32 p.62   BRB3 p.470            read this article
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ This marvelous book of workbenches will fill you with ideas of how to improve the ‘heart’ of your own shop.

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

Violin Q & A: Fingerboard Flatness/Leaning Bridge/Hide Glue

1992
AL#32 p.64   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ What should one expect from a purchased ebony fingerboard? Should a fiddle bridge lean back, and how far? Can you offer hints about using hide glue? Darnton’s wide experience rescues another page of readers.

Meet the Maker: Byron Will

1992
AL#31 p.58   BRB3 p.222            read this article
Jonathon Peterson   Byron Will                                                                                       

▪ Will talks primarily about the business end of being a harpsichord maker.

Electronic Answer Man

1992
AL#31 p.62   BRB3 p.426            read this article
Rick Turner                                                                                           

▪ Turner goes deep with information about the effect of wire insulation size on the character of a pickup, and explains the construction of guitar capacitors.

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.

In Memoriam: Hart Huttig II

1992
AL#31 p.67   BRB3 p.501            read this article
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ Remembering Hart Hutting II, an avid aficionado of flamenco and selfless contributor to the GAL since it’s inception.

Ivory Lute: Picture This

1992
AL#32 p.6   BRB3 p.240            read this article
Ken Sribnick   Gayle Miller                                                                                       

▪ The lute photographers relate a wonderful anecdote about their pilgrimage to the London shop of Charles Beare to shoot the unicorn, er, no, the great white lute. With 3 more photos.

Ivory Lute: Questions Remain

1992
AL#32 p.7   BRB3 p.241            read this article
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ It seems that there is real doubt about the authenticity of this very same lute. American Lutherie’s lute meister looks at the photos and thinks, “Hmm, maybe it is real.” With one more photo of Moby Lute.

North American Softwoods

1992
AL#31 p.18   BRB3 p.226            read this article
Ted Davis   Bruce Harvie   Steve McMinn   Byron Will   David Wilson                                                                           

▪ As the large stands of old growth timber are harvested it is likely that quality tonewoods will come more and more from men who can take the time to harvest and pack out individual trees. Who are they, how do they work, and what’s their prognosis for the future? The discussion also introduces species that you probably never considered for top wood until now. With photos and range maps.

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

Whence Tree Names?

1992
AL#31 p.27   BRB3 p.235            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Those Latin tongue twisters actually mean something. Scholars actually find joy and amusement in many of the scientific names. You might, too.

Commercial Graphite Acoustic Guitars

1992
AL#31 p.30   BRB3 p.224            read this article
John Decker                                                                                           

▪ This alternative to wood is outside the reach of most luthiers. It’s interesting to know how hard some are working to make graphite sound like wood. Graphite might have its own sound to offer, but once again inventors have to deal with what humans are used to, rather than with what they might have if they were more open minded. With 7 photos.

In Search of the Perfect Cone

1992
AL#30 p.44   BRB3 p.204            read this article
Tim Earls                                                                                           

▪ Multiple radius fingerboards revisited. Also called conical fretboards. Earls strives to put the design process into the hands of Joe Guitar maker using “barnyard” geometry. Seems to work. The article also contains a description of the Warmoth multiradius fretboard, which has become sort of the industry leader.

Taking the Guitar Beyond Equal Temperament

1992
AL#30 p.46   BRB3 p.210            read this article
Don Musser                                                                                           

▪ Musser tries to get the guitar to play in tune with itself by laying out the frets for just intonation, rather than equal temperament. Interchangeable fretboards allow the changing of keys and tunings. Pretty interesting, and the new fret pattern looks very bewildering and cool. Based on the work of Mark Rankin.

Electronic Answer Man

1992
AL#30 p.51   BRB3 p.426            read this article
Rick Turner                                                                                           

▪ Turner explains how to help quiet a buzzy Silvertone, quick-check pickup phase, and the different characteristics of high and low impedance pickups.

Violin Q & A: Ebony For Pegs/Italian, German, French Building/Violin Societies/Oil Varnish

1992
AL#30 p.54   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton examines the use of various woods for tuning pegs, discusses the differences among Italian, German, French, and English methods of building fiddles, runs down a list of violin societies, and dismisses the use of supplier-prepared violin varnishes.

Review: The Ultimate Guitar Book by Tony Bacon

1992
AL#30 p.56   BRB3 p.469            read this article
Lloyd Zsiros                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that although the book offers no information on playing or building guitars, it is otherwise an excellent resource and a pleasure to read. The photos are excellent and the book covers a lot of ground.

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.

Review: The Luthier’s Mercantile Catalog for Stringed Instrument Makers

1992
AL#29 p.58   BRB3 p.467            read this article
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ Seldom does a new catalog cause so much excitement. The reviewer especially likes it for bedtime reading.

Review: Identifying Wood: Accurate Results with Simple Tools by Bruce Hoadley

1992
AL#29 p.58   BRB3 p.467            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer decides this book isn’t perfect for the DIY wood analyzer, but it will do, especially since it’s the only game in town.

Review: Making Guitar 1 by Daniel Fort and Owen Riss

1992
AL#29 p.59   BRB3 p.468            read this article
Lloyd Zsiros                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer likes this video at first, but after repeated viewing finds it comes up short. If you have all the books and still can’t get motivated, perhaps this tape will help.

Violin Q & A: Asymmetrical Graduation/Oil Varnish Natural Drying/Baroque Fiddles

1992
AL#29 p.60   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton sheds light on asymmetrically graduated violin tops, natural drying vs. UV drying of varnish, and the market in Baroque fiddles.

Free Plate Tuning, Part Three: Guitars

1992
AL#30 p.16   BRB3 p.136            read this article
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Accessibility and usefulness are the keys to this segment of Carruth’s study. He addresses the archtop, flattop, and classical guitars, and even builds a flattop out of oak to compare its tuning modes to conventional tonewoods. With many mode diagrams and plate graduation charts. Too many scientific studies leave the luthier asking, “So what do you want me to do?” Carruth offers some real-world suggestions. Parts One and Two were in AL#28 and AL#29.

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

Review: The Gibson Guitar (Volumes 1 & 2) by Ian C. Bishop

1991
AL#28 p.60   BRB3 p.466            read this article
Gary Frisbie                                                                                           

▪ Books from the 70s written by an Englishman and intended to provide a wealth of info on Gibson guitars built from 1950 to the end of the 70s. Book 1 covers all the major lines of solidbody and hollowbody electrics, jazz and flattop acoustics. Book 2 covers omissions and inaccuracies in book 1, plus Epiphones, Kalamazoos, and Dwight guitars

Free Plate Tuning, Part Two: Violins

1992
AL#29 p.42   BRB3 p.136            read this article
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Carruth tries to keep it light as he describes the glitter dances that should improve your violins, and even sheds light on cello plate tuning. If you feel threatened by the dryness of science just relax and give it a try. Carruth is on your side. Really. With a whole bunch of drawings. Part One was in AL#28. Part Three follows in AL#30. The entire series appears in BRB3.

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

Electronic Answer Man

1992
AL#29 p.54   BRB3 p.426            read this article
Rick Turner                                                                                           

▪ A new column is born. What is pickup phase and polarity? Why do positions 2 and 4 on a 5-way Strat switch sound funky? Turner knows and tells all.

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: The Modern Classical Guitar for Friend or Builder by Donald M. Sprenger

1991
AL#27 p.60   BRB3 p.465            read this article
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this book to be mostly a rehash of Irving Sloane’s Classic Guitar Construction.

Free Plate Tuning, Part One: Theory

1991
AL#28 p.18   BRB3 p.136            read this article
Alan Carruth                                                                                           

▪ Most acoustic scientists are not prepared to reduce their work to a plane-by-the-numbers chart of an instrument top.Neither is Carruth. It remains to be seen what improvements free plate tuning will offer to the average guitar, but there is every chance that luthiers who ignore the work as an inartistic invasion of their craft and art will be left in the dust. Carruth invites you to get on board right now. Parts Two and Three are in AL#29 and AL#30. The entire series apperas together in BRB3.

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

Entrepreneurs in Spite of Ourselves

1991
AL#28 p.32               read this article
Ralph Novak                                                                                           

▪ If you build instruments for money you should learn about running a business. Novak relates his good experiences at a college workshop for entrepreneurs.

Meet the Maker: Michael Darnton

1991
AL#28 p.51   BRB3 p.124            read this article
Jonathon Peterson   Michael Darnton                                                                                       

▪ Peterson gives us the biographical scoop on American Lutherie’s Violin Q&A man.

Violin Q & A: Bridge Cutting/Fiddle Points/Overhanging Fingerboard/Epoxy Superglue Repair Uses

1991
AL#28 p.56   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Why are bridges always made of maple? Why do fiddles have points? How does one tune a fingerboard? Do epoxy or superglue have any accepted uses on the violin? Darnton furnishes answers.

Meet the Maker: Donald Warnock

1991
AL#26 p.42   BRB3 p.32            read this article
Cyndy Burton   Donald Warnock                                                                                       

▪ It’s wonderful that this interview is in the same issue as interviews with Larrivee and Warmoth, since they are opposites. The first two are sort of factory moguls, and Warnock is the gentlemanly craftsman/artist. All have forged a successful life on their own terms, and the contrast is delicious.

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.

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.

Review: Steel-String Guitar Construction by Irving R. Sloane

1991
AL#26 p.58   BRB3 p.463            read this article
David Riggs                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this book offers good, solid instruction to the person building their first guitar.

Review: Fine Woodworking Design Book Five

1991
AL#26 p.59   BRB3 p.464            read this article
Harry Fleishman                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer admires the beauty of the book’s photography, but seems hesitant to recommend it since so little of it is dedicated to musical instruments.

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.

Building the Prima Gusli

1991
AL#27 p.26   BRB3 p.100            read this article
James Flynn                                                                                           

▪ This instrument is a unique and graceful-looking Russian folk psaltery, a sophisticated version of the lap harp grade schoolers play by sliding numbered sheet music under the strings.

The Portuguese Guitarra: A Modern Cittern

1991
AL#27 p.34   BRB3 p.108            read this article
Ronald-Louis Fernandez                                                                                           

▪ This instrument is a lovely looking cittern, sort of a big mandolin with 12 strings. The traditional tuners are unique, compact, and distinctly ungraceful, but they allow—indeed, encourage—the use of a wonderfully distinctive headstock. With 16 photos.

Bending Sides with Silicone Blankets

1991
AL#25 p.52   BRB3 p.30            read this article
Michael Keller                                                                                           

▪ Silicon heat blankets are good for more than bending sides. Keller touches upon other uses, but his instructions for making forms and putting them to use is the focus here, and they cover about all you need to know. Once you have the blanket, the forms are cheap to make.

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

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.

Review: How to Make a Violin Bow by Frank V. Henderson

1991
AL#25 p.60   BRB3 p.462            read this article
David Riggs                                                                                           

▪ A useful how-to book with clear, concise directions on bow making and other lutherie practices.

Letter to the Editor: Bosch Laminate Trimmer and Cheap Mando Family

1991
AL#26 p.3               read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ When his Dremel died, he got a Bosch laminate trimmer to replace it. He loves the Bosch and does not miss the Dremel.

Attic Strads, and Why What’s Worth Something Is Worth What It’s Worth

1991
AL#25 p.42   BRB3 p.22            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Why are some fiddles worth so much? Which ones might you find that will provide good investments? Which sleepers should you look for if you want a really good inexpensive violin for playing? Darnton doesn’t offer the last word, but his advice is worth heeding. Mentions Stradivari, Guarnari.

First Impressions of America

1991
AL#25 p.47   BRB3 p.28            read this article
George Gorodnitsky                                                                                           

▪ Gorodnitski fled Russia for an unknown fate in the USA. This article is only one column long, but it’s pretty striking. You may never think the same way about the Rose Parade again.

Letter to the Editor: Start by Building a Dulcimer

1990
AL#24 p.5               read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin warns about being too precious about making a first guitar from fine wood. He says grab any old wood and build a mountain dulcimer.

Ren-Shape Precision Molding Material

1990
AL#21 p.31               read this article
Ed Beylerian                                                                                           

▪ Luthiers try lute molds of a new synthetic material. Its stability is pleasing but its strength may make it of limited use for some.

Review: L’ELAN

1989
AL#20 p.56               read this article
Francis Kosheleff                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this little Canadian magazine put out by a lutherie school to be “interesting but not too deep.”

Letter to the Editor: Gittler Guitar

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

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

An Experimental Tenor Violin

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

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

Finite Element Simulation of Guitar Top Vibration

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

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

World Forest Outlook

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

The Sami-Sen

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

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

Electric Violin: The New Frontier

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

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

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

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

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

Review: The Flamenco Guitar by David George

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

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

Indian Import and Export

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

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

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?

Roy Smeck: Wizard of the Strings

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

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

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.

Review: The Manuscript on Violinmaking by Giovanni Antonio Marchi

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

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

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

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

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

1704 Varnish Recipe

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

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

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

Jack Batts

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

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

‘Way Down Upon the Amazon River

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

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

Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

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

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

High School Dreams

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

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

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

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

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

Review: A Guitar Maker’s Manual

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

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

Letter to the Editor: Glue, Chemistry, Etc

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

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

Marvels Among the Reeds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: The New Yorker Special by Frederick Cohen

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

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

Remembering Harry LeBovi

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

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

The Hammered Dulcimer: Ancient, Wonderful, and Still Evolving

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

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

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

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

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

Building the Tar

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

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

African Rosewood

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

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

Musical Strings

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

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

Our Great Spherical Friend Part Three

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

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

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.

Fiddle Facts

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

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

The Paul Schuback Story

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Italian Violin Varnishes by George Fry

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

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

Review: Physics And Music by Neville H. Fletcher

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

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

Letter to the Editor: Erikson Letter AL#7

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

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

Review: SMAC83: Proceedings of the Stockholm Music Acoustics Conference

1986
AL#6 p.52   BRB1 p.496            read this article
Tom Rossing                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this collection of scientific papers will be of value to instrument builders, though it offers no “how to” advice.

Ed Arnold, String Tie Kind of Guy

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

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

Our Great Spherical Friend Part Two

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

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

Review: The Early History of the Viol by Ian Woodfield

1986
AL#5 p.53   BRB1 p.495            read this article
Christopher Allworth                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be “important and useful” to builders who wish to pursue the early viols.

Review: Julian Bream: A Life on the Road

1986
AL#5 p.53   BRB1 p.496            read this article
Gila Eban                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be of interest to the luthier, even though it offers little technical information about guitars.

The Well-Unpublished Luthier

1986
AL#6 p.14   BRB1 p.190            read this article
William Cumpiano                                                                                           

▪ Cumpiano goes to some length telling of the travails and trials of producing the book, Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology.

Our Great Spherical Friend Part One

1986
AL#6 p.19   BRB1 p.196            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman likens the physical properties of a stringed instrument to those of the earth’s atmosphere (our great spherical friend), and advises us that an understanding of science should underlay our intuitional sensitivities.

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.

The Cimbalom

1986
AL#5 p.38   BRB1 p.186            read this article
Alexander-I. Eppler                                                                                           

▪ Eppler describes the most sophisticated member of the hammered dulcimer family, but offers no construction information.

Drafting Instrument Plans

1985
AL#4 p.16   BRB1 p.108            read this article
Ted Davis                                                                                           

▪ In this lecture Davis describes his method of making instrument plans from a guitar, then fields questions and takes suggestions.

Devolution of the Modern Lute

1985
AL#4 p.22   BRB1 p.116            read this article
Robert Cooper                                                                                           

▪ Cooper’s lecture tracks his own development as a lute maker and the instrument’s return to historically accurate models. Mentions Hermann Hauser II, a number of performers, which designs and glues are preferable, how to remove a neck when necessary, and briefly discusses strings.

Building the Kamanche

1985
AL#4 p.27   BRB1 p.126            read this article
Nasser Shirazi                                                                                           

▪ Shirazi offers a history of the Persian bowed instrument as well as plans and construction advice. The kamanche is a four-stringed neck attached to a gourd. The plans are a reduced version of our full-scale Plan #9.

South American Rosewood

1985
AL#4 p.31   BRB1 p.132            read this article
John Jordan                                                                                           

▪ Jordan describes 14 varieties of rosewood, and 14 varieties of false rosewood. Some max out as large shrubs, and only offer interest to wood collectors. Others are of high interest to luthiers, or should be.

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

In Praise of the Plywood Bass

1985
AL#4 p.48   BRB1 p.148            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman champions the use of common materials and low sophistication in the production of serviceable, affordable bass fiddles. Mentions Kay basses and the Richard Ennis design in AL#3.

Review: The Luthier’s Mercantile Catalog for Stringed Instrument Makers by Luthier’s Mercantile

1985
AL#4 p.52   BRB1 p.492            read this article
Frederick Battershell                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer examines what has become one of the main-stay catalogs of lutherie and finds that it’s not only chock full of wood, supplies, and tools, it’s a nearly encyclopedic source of lutherie information.

Review: Violin-Making As It Was, And Is by Ed. Heron-Allen

1985
AL#4 p.52   BRB1 p.494            read this article
Kirk-A. Janowiak                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this book is a necessary addition to any luthier’s library, but especially to one who may not yet be equipped with power tools.

Review: Geometry, Proportion, and the Art of Lutherie

1985
AL#4 p.53   BRB1 p.492            read this article
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds that this book about Renaissance and Baroque stringed instruments is “the most intense 178 pages of treatise on the art of lutherie. . . . Lots of math, and “exquisite” drawings of 33 instruments.

Trends: 1985 Lute Society Seminar

1985
AL#3 p.22               read this article
Lawrence-D. Brown                                                                                           

▪ Brown comments on trends in lute making toward Baroque instruments, all-gut stringing, larger body sizes, and lower pitches.

Bow Hair Jig

1985
AL#3 p.24   BRB1 p.88            read this article
Thomas Snyder                                                                                           

▪ Measured drawings are presented for building a jig to facilitate rehairing bows. A detailed method for using the jig is also presented.

Building a Plywood Bass

1985
AL#3 p.42   BRB1 p.92            read this article
Richard Ennis                                                                                           

▪ Rough sketches help describe a fast and cheap substitute for a bass viol. It has no scroll or waist, and a flat top and back.

Review: The Technique of Violin Making by H.S. Wake

1985
AL#3 p.48   BRB1 p.489            read this article
Frederick Battershell                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be poorly organized and under-illustrated, making it a poor text for the beginning violinmaker.

Review: The Science of Sound by Tom Rossing

1985
AL#3 p.48   BRB1 p.491            read this article
Paul Wyszkowski                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be a complete text on the basics of acoustics that is relatively free of math and technical jargon.

Review: 1/1 The Quarterly Journal of the Just Intonation Network by The University of Iowa, School of Music

1985
AL#3 p.49   BRB1 p.490            read this article
Edward Kottick                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the journal interesting, yet is nevertheless critical of its informational accuracy.

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.

Review: Lutes, Viols and Temperaments by Mark Lindley

1985
AL#2 p.52   BRB1 p.488            read this article
Edward Kottick                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer calls the book a brilliant overview and analysis of all that can be said about the complex issue of temperament on string instruments between 1520 and 1740.

Review: Guitars: From the Renaissance to Rock by Tom and Mary Ann Evans

1985
AL#2 p.53   BRB1 p.488            read this article
C.F. Casey                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer calls this the best of the popular (as opposed to scholarly) histories of the guitar.

Letter to the Editor: Making a Living as a Luthier

1985
AL#3 p.2   BRB1 p.79            read this article
Bob Benedetto                                                                                           

▪ Benedetto offers advice on making a living as a luthier.

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

The Trade Secret, a true story

1985
AL#3 p.16   BRB1 p.83            read this article
Michael Dresdner                                                                                           

▪ Dresdner relates a story from his early days which illustrates the fact that only the ill informed believe in trade secrets.

The Business of Lutherie: 1984

1985
AL#2 p.8   BRB1 p.58            read this article
Ted Davis   Steve Grimes   Bob Meltz   Matt Umanov                                                                               

▪ This panel discussion from the 1984 GAL Convention features Bob Meltz, Matt Umanov, David Sheppard, Ted Davis, and Steve Grimes. Straight talk on the realities of being a one-man lutherie shop.

Where Are They Now?

1985
AL#2 p.13   BRB1 p.56            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ An update of the 1980 Lutherie Business panel discussion, featuring George Gruhn, Max Krimmel, Steve Klein, Robert Lundberg, and R.E. Brune.

Pearly Shells and Nichols

1985
AL#1 p.10   BRB1 p.2            read this article
David Nichols                                                                                           

▪ Nichols does a lot of custom inlay work, including ultra-fancy work on new instruments for the Martin Company. He describes his entire process here, illustrated with 15 photos. He also reveals his tool choices and sources of supply.

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

Basics of Air Resonance

1985
AL#1 p.16   BRB1 p.8            read this article
W.D. Allen                                                                                           

▪ Allen attempts to introduce the nonphysicist to useful concepts of resonance including standing waves, captured air mass, and soundhole size. Illustrated with the author’s own sometimes-whimsical drawings, the article aims at preparing luthiers to understand heavier fare on the physics of musical instruments.

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

Hints for Area Tuning the Violin

1985
AL#1 p.21   BRB1 p.30            read this article
Keith Hill                                                                                           

▪ Hill theorizes that the violinmakers of the classical period tuned tap tones of certain areas of their instruments to desired pitch relationships. He finds these to be consistent within the work the individual makers, and suggests that the natural resonances of the human body may be a model for this idea. Specific techniques and tools are described.

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

Dalbergia Nigra and Friends

1985
AL#1 p.32   BRB1 p.14            read this article
William Cumpiano   Bruce Hoadley                                                                                       

▪ In this interview with well-known author and wood expert Bruce Hoadley, Cumpiano seeks to clear up certain questions about Brazilian rosewood relating to identification and confusion with other Dalbergias and so-called rosewoods.

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

Lutherie: Art or Science?

1985
AL#1 p.38               read this article
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ Brune criticizes the theoretical design work of Dr. Michael Kasha, concluding that it is in fact less scientific than the empirical work of luthiers untrained in physics.

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

The Truth About Temperaments

1984
GALQ Vol.12#2 p.10   BRB1p.386            read this article
Edward Kottick                                                                                           

▪ Nearly every person alive in the western world has grown up with music that sounds the same in every key, but there was once a time when music had no keys, and later a time when each key had its own particular sound. We are perfectly comfortable with how our music sounds, but are we richer for it? More importantly, people once had different concepts of music, and perhaps different expectations. They thought differently. And if they thought differently about music perhaps they thought differently about everything. How can we understand their times if we can’t understand the way they thought? Kottick doesn’t delve into this, but you might be tempted to after reading this article.

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

Violin Ribs/Latent Tension

1984
DS#287   BRB1 p.25            read this article
John Meng                                                                                           

▪ Meng suggests bending violin ribs using a backer of sheet aluminum to prevent shattering the wood, then goes on to suggest that tensions in the wood are often inadvertently built into instruments. Given time, the wood relaxes into its new shape, and the tone of the instrument improves at the same rate.

Blackboard Eraser Polisher

1984
DS#288   LW p.111            read this article
Michael Dresdner                                                                                           

▪ Dresdner steals yet another tool from another discipline, this time for polishing frets after they’ve been shaped with a file.

Bass Crate

1984
DS#273   BRB1 p.254            read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman created a shipping crate for the bass viol that will take abuse without damaging the bass, which is suspended in the crate without touching any of the walls. With 5 good drawings of crate details. It’s not lutherie, but it might save your instrument.

Violin Varnish and Sealers

1984
DS#276   BRB1 p.262            read this article
Graham Caldersmith                                                                                           

▪ The Sacconi technique of sealing fiddles with silicates has not been widely accepted. Nevertheless, the author explains how he has successfully used silicates to seal and harden violin wood before varnishing, as well as the use of vernice bianca (basically whipped egg whites) to act as an interface between the silicate and the varnish.

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

Area Tuning the Violin

1984
DS#283   BRB1 p.20            read this article
Keith Hill                                                                                           

▪ Hill advocates tuning different portions of the plates to segments of the overtone system, using various tonic notes to suit the particular wood before you. No measuring tools are necessary during tuning since the actual thickness of the plate portions is of no consequence. He maintains that this is the tuning system used by the Italian masters.

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

In Defense of the Amateur

1983
GALQ Vol.11#4 p.30   LW p.127            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Amateurs, by definition, love what they do. Professionals may start out that way and then find out that it’s not so hunky-dory. Amateurs are free to discover, but professionals are locked into the expectations of their clientele. Are we building instruments or are we building a life? Just something to think about.

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

Honest Ron’s Lacquer Finishing Technique

1983
DS#262   BRB1 p.37            read this article
Ron Lira                                                                                           

▪ How to deal with lacquer in less than one page. Heavy on Sherwin-Williams products and short on details, it is nevertheless interesting for his use of heated lacquer.

The Case for Using Natural Dyes

1983
GALQ Vol.11#1 p.8   BRB1p.372            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Robison offers a convincing, multi-pronged philosophical stance for using natural dyestuffs that should lodge firmly among the luthiers that build ancient instruments or see them on their repair bench. Or anyone else who admires subtlety more than bright pizzazz.

Dissolving the Mysteries

1982
GALQ Vol.10#4 p.8   BRB1p.346            read this article
Graham Caldersmith                                                                                           

▪ Caldersmith loves the scientific aspects of instrument design, and offers this primer to help explain what’s going on in an excited classical or steel string guitar without going off the scientific deep end. The most interesting part is that in his update (17 years later) he has reversed is position on how to use this information. Information doesn’t change as much as how we use it, and we can’t use it if we don’t understand it. That, in a nutshell, is the acoustician’s tenant.

Twenty Ancient Dyestuffs and Eleven Mordants

1983
DS#236   BRB1 p.210            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ The dyestuffs are from bugs, flowers, and tree parts. Mordants are chemicals that set the colors and may shift the hue. Dyers’ hip talk is a lot of fun, and the bits of dye history Robison includes add sparkle to a colorful article. Working with these materials could add mountains of snob appeal to a guitar. Rather than describe a three-color ‘burst as yellow/red/brown it might be described as fustic/madder/walnut hull. Be the first on your block to give it a go.

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

Rosin Varnishes

1982
DS#226   BRB1 p.167            read this article
Louis DeGrazia                                                                                           

▪ Rosin varnishes preceded the varnishes developed by the Cremonese violin masters. Though they are often scorned by experienced luthiers, DeGrazia maintains that the ease with which they can be mixed and applied makes them a good starting point for the budding violin builder.

Finishing Lute Soundboards

1982
DS#229   BRB1 p.265            read this article
Lawrence-D. Brown                                                                                           

▪ Historically, lute soundboards were left unfinished in order to produce the best sound. However, the raw wood collected dirt at a rate that is unacceptable to contemporary musicians. Brown has found a compromise using lacquer that doesn’t affect the sound production of the instrument.

Humbucking Pickup Wiring

1982
DS#203               read this article
Daniel-P. Coyle                                                                                           

▪ The use of dual-coil or ‘humbucking’ pickups enables a wide range of samples of string sounds, along with a heightened complexity of switching problems.

Pedagogue’s Lament

1981
GALQ Vol.9#2 p.24   LW p.126            read this article
William Cumpiano                                                                                           

▪ An instructor of guitar making examines the potential impact of his students upon the lutherie world, and decides that it may not be all positive. There’s no accounting for human nature, no matter how good a teacher you may be.

An Interview with Guitarist Roger McGuinn

1981
GALQ Vol.9#3 p.26               read this article
Rachael Brent   Roger McGuinn                                                                                       

▪ Anyone that has ever seen Roger perform knows that unlike many other musicians, he will never disappoint an audience.

De Grassi and Dawgs: Our Hates and Loves

1981
GALQ Vol.9#3 p.32               read this article
David-B. Sheppard                                                                                           

▪ Brief interviews with some of the top notch performers at the 1980 GAL convention: David Grisman, Mike Marshall, Mark O’Conner, and Alex DeGrassi.

The Business of Lutherie

1981
GALQ Vol.9#4 p.10   BRB1 p.48            read this article
R.E. Brune   George Gruhn   Steve Klein   Max Krimmel   Robert Lundberg                                                                           

▪ The economic atmosphere surrounding lutherie has changed a lot since this 1980 panel discussion, but tapping into the lutherie boom is no easier than it ever was. Max Krimmel followed his genius out of guitarmaking many years ago, but the rest of these gentlemen are still active, and their longevity suggests that they knew what they were talking about so long ago. Panel discussions aren’t often as much fun as this one.

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

Guilds of the Middle Ages

1981
GALQ Vol.9#4 p.22               read this article
Gregory Smith                                                                                           

▪ The collective power and influence of a large group of craftsmen or businessmen could wield enough force to effectively combat the oppression of the feudal lords in the Europe of the middle ages.

Adjustable Neck Joints

1981
DS#190   LW p.107            read this article
Larry Robinson                                                                                           

▪ Put a hinge on your guitar neck and change the angle any time you please. Really. The design leaves the fingerboard floating over the body, though. With a pair of illustrations.

Improved X Bracing

1981
DS#172   LW p.100            read this article
Don Musser                                                                                           

▪ Get rid of those scalloped braces and the bulge in the top of the guitar in one operation. Musser’s design is asymmetrical and pretty radical from a “vintage” view point, but a number of luthiers have confessed that it has improved their guitars.

Systems Analysis of the Violin

1981
DS#173               read this article
A.F. Standing                                                                                           

▪ The results of the author’s cogitations are presented in the hope that a different and unbiased viewpoint will aid in the understanding of the violin, its operation and adjustment.

White, Yellow, and Hide Glues

1981
DS#174   BRB1 p.162            read this article
Lawrence-D. Brown                                                                                           

▪ Brown urges luthiers not to use white glue, to be careful where we use yellow glue, and to explore the possibilities of hide glue. As a maker of instruments that are commonly disassembled during repair, his stilt is natural. His advice is well grounded, though, and you’ll do well to examine his arguments before you build anything.

The Piccolo Bass

1980
GALQ Vol.8#1 p.36               read this article
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ A new instrument which fills the gap between the bass and the cello and which can be used in the melodic register but with the tonal density of the bass, rather than cello.

A Friendly Interview with Donald Warnock

1980
GALQ Vol.8#2 p.16               read this article
David-B. Sheppard   Donald Warnock                                                                                       

▪ Instrument maker Donald Warnock was a major figure in the early-music revival of the 1960s and ’70s.

Controlling Strings, Wood, and Air

1980
GALQ Vol.8#3 p.8   BRB1 p.300            read this article
Carleen Hutchins                                                                                           

▪ Carleen Hutchins gives an introduction to the work of the Catgut Acoustical Society at the GAL’s 1979 Convention in Boston.

Vihuela, Mystery Instrument

1980
GALQ Vol.8#3 p.36               read this article
Wally Eubanks                                                                                           

▪ The vihuela (Spanish name for a stringed instrument of the renaissance age) is a guitar-like instrument and was used in Italy and Western Europe in the late 1400s to the early 1600s.

An Interview with Guitarist David Tanenbaum

1980
GALQ Vol.8#4 p.14               read this article
David Fisher   David Tanenbaum                                                                                       

▪ 24 year old virtuoso David Tanenbaum of Oakland, CA is already a veteran of New York solo recitals and concerts and tours with the Jeffrey ballet.

Seedlac

1980
DS#150   BRB1 p.121            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Robison insists that as an instrument finish seedlac is superior to shellac in every sense. You never heard of seedlac? Jeez, you better get on the bus! If French polish thrills you but it’s fragility gets up your nose, seedlac could make your day.

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

Calculating String Tension

1980
DS#144   LW p.106            read this article
Max Krimmel                                                                                           

▪ To use this article you’ll need a gram scale, a Hz frequency chart, and a calculator. You can figure for yourself what some of the string makers won’t tell you.

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

Frets and Fingerboard Care

1979
GALQ Vol.7#2 p.17   LW p.111            read this article
Randy Stockwell                                                                                           

▪ Once again finesse in refretting is used to match the shape of the fingerboard to the arc of the plucked strings. Stockwell’s method calls for experience rather than formulae, however. Compare this to the method on p.108.

Neck Relief

1979
DS#124   LW p.108            read this article
Phillip Mayes                                                                                           

▪ The arc of a plucked string can be calculated. Therefore, it stands to reason that that arc could be built into the neck relief, giving the lowest possible buzz-free action. Yup, but it’s tough to make such minute adjustments to a flexible stick like a guitar neck. Still, the concept is interesting, and on a graphite neck might be entirely practical. With 4 illustrations and a pair of charts.

Copying Pearl Patterns

1979
DS#125   LW p.86            read this article
Robert Steinegger                                                                                           

▪ The author keeps a comprehensive file of all the cool patterns that cross his bench, and here’s how he does it. It’s not quite as easy and obvious as you might think.

Nuts and Bolts for Bridge Gluing

1979
DS#126   LW p.98            read this article
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ How to use bolts and wing nuts to align a bridge through the pin holes and form part of the clamping force. With 1 drawing.

More Inlay Tricks

1979
DS#129   LW p.86            read this article
Tim Shaw                                                                                           

▪ Sometimes a little finesse in the way we work can be as important as the basic job. In fact, lutherie is all about finesse. If you glue your pearl pieces in place before tracing them Shaw’s bit of finesse may save you some broken shell.

Gold Leaf

1979
DS#102   LW p.87            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Traditional ways of decorating instruments follow a narrow path. The author uses gold leaf to enhance his inlays. The path grows a little bit wider. Includes 3 illustrations of the steps involved.

The Early and the ‘Modern Viol’

1978
GALQ Vol.6#1 p.35               read this article
Theron McClure                                                                                           

▪ All the viols made and played today are copied from those made during the final 75 years of the 3 century span of viol playing.

Business Ethics in Lutherie

1978
GALQ Vol.6#2 p.14               read this article
Lawrence Lundy                                                                                           

▪ Warranties, delivery deadlines, return of instruments, care and feeding, payments and pricing, customer info, and happy transactions.