Tag Archives: Benfield¸ Brent

Brent Benfield

Thirty-one-year GAL member Brent Benfield has been making wooden boxes to play music since 1972, if you count loudspeakers. Too much school and highly educated parents are part of the recipe. Millwright, cabinet builder, painter, solder tech, model builder, audiophile, orchardist, luthier. Built a rifle, a canoe, a bicycle, golf clubs, his shop, a car. You’d think he could find a real job.

▪ bio current as of 2023

It Worked for Me: Tape Edges of Cut-Out Drawings

2023
AL#149 p.69               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ Ever snip out a piece from a plan drawing to use as a template? It will work so much better if you put clear tape on both faces of the edge.

I Like the 12-Hole Classical Guitar Bridge

2023
AL#148 p.58               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ It’s an easy improvement over the traditional old-school 6-hole bridge, but you have to do it right. Brent shows you how. Mentions John Gilbert.

Sanding Guitar Plate Seams

2022
AL#147 p.62               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ There are several ways to make a nice tightly-closing seam for a back or top guitar plate. Here’s a low stress method that uses a granite slab, some sticky-back sandpaper, two little C clamps, and a plywood scrap.

It Worked for Me: Post-it Notes Improve Brace Gluing

2018
AL#135 p.65               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ Use Post-it notes to accurately position braces for gluing, and simplify the removal of squeezed-out glue.

Letter to the Editor: Brace Sanding Using Higher Grit Sandpaper

2018
AL#133 p.3               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ Do finely-sanded guitar tops actually sound different from the usual ones? An experienced luthier writes in to aver that they do.

Spherical Workboard Update

2009
AL#97 p.62      ALA2 p.36         
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ the author has been working with spherical workboards for a while now. He shares his latest thoughts.

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

Jim Norris’ Lattice Bracing

2007
AL#89 p.42               
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ Lattice bracing in various forms seems here to stay. Norris’ construction method uses graphite fibers in epoxy, and is unique in that it allows the guitar to be strung before the body is officially closed, permitting tuning of the top while the braces are still completely accessible. With 18 photos and a diagram.

It Worked for Me: Wedges for Classical Sides

2004
AL#80 p.64   BRB7 p.495            
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ Taking the lead from Jose Romanillos in fitting bent sides into slots cut in the sides of the Spanish heel to join the neck to the body.

Soundboard Doming

1997
AL#49 p.36   BRB5 p.34            
Brent Benfield                                                                                           

▪ So you bought a spherically dished form in which to build your guitars. But how do you go about it? Benfield describes a path notable for its lack of complication. This is a painless way to bring your guitars into the 21st century. Most of the ideas are applicable to flattop guitars as well. With 10 photos and 4 drawings.