Chris Burt lives, works, and plays on the North Olympic Peninsula, where he’s serious about taking life less seriously. When he’s not enjoying the beauty of making and playing mandolins, he’s hanging out with his wife, cat, horses, or the neighbors’ dogs. He can often be found riding Mai, his Icelandic mare, somewhere along the Straits of Juan de Fuca.
▪ bio current as of 2006
2006
AL#86 p.6
Chris Burt
▪ This segment wraps up Burt’s series on plate carving. Every luthier, but especially beginning luthiers, should read his “Word to the wise” paragraph, the best piece of advice you are ever likely to read. With 19 photos and a drawing.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
2006
AL#85 p.30
Chris Burt
▪ Burt’s in-depth examination of plate carving continues. His techniques are old-school, relying on tap tones to define plate stiffness and definite tonal relationships between the top and back plates. With 9 photos and a drawing.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
2005
AL#84 p.36
Chris Burt
▪ This is an in-depth look at the tools and procedures used in carving the plates of an archtop instrument. The first article in this series appeared in AL#83, and subsequent articles will follow.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
2005
AL#83 p.6
Chris Burt
▪ Do you own or have access to archtop instruments that you’d like to duplicate? Ever wonder why they sound so good, or why they don’t? Use this article to map out the plate thicknesses, arch heights, and neck angles. Measure everything you can get your hands on. Become an expert. Tell your friends how they’re going wrong. Be the hero of your lutherie group.With 6 photos.
1994
AL#40 p.7
Chris Burt
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1981
DS#199 BRB2 p.479
Chris Burt
▪ Horsestail weed makes a natural fine sandpaper. Stradivari used it. So can you.
1978
DS#61 LT p.24
Chris Burt
▪ Violin maker’s knife made from a straight razor.