Twenty-year GAL member Dave Cohen built his first mandolin in 1973 while a graduate student at Florida State U. He taught college chemistry and did research in Richmond, Virginia, from 1974 to 2003. He returned to lutherie in 1997, and in 1999 began a collaboration with Dr. Tom Rossing, researching the physics of mandolin-family instruments.
▪ bio current as of 2015
2015
AL#124 p.71
David Cohen
▪ Would a guitar be twice as loud if it to be all strung in double unison courses? The short answer is no. Dr. Dave gives the long answer.
2014
AL#117 p.69
David Cohen
▪ Breaking in a new steel string guitar and evaluation of the time this takes and the effect this has on the instrument and it’s sales.
2013
AL#114 p.20
David Cohen Don MacRostie Lawrence Smart Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Panelists discuss the mandolin family’s history and building practices. From 2011 GAL convention panel discussion moderated by Jeffrey R. Elliott.
2012
AL#111 p.68
David Cohen
▪ Interpreting acoustic bass guitar plans for top thickness.
2010
AL#104 p.68
David Cohen
▪ For resources to build a Neapolitan bowl back mandolin and mandola, visit www.iror.it/pubblicazioni/disegni/mandolino_embergher.htm.
2009
AL#99 p.14
Roger-Alan Skipper David Cohen
▪ Cohen’s life followed an unusual progression—scientist, professor, mandolin maker, sort of in that order. He has a different take on instrument theory than some of us, but the work is the same as is the hard road most luthiers walk. Fortune and fame are elusive, regardless of ones background, but at least the work is satisfying. Cohen is also the author of several scientific papers concerning mandolins. His instruments look quite tasty. With 17 photos.
2008
AL#96 p.26
David Cohen
▪ There are reasons why you might wish to describe the arch of an instrument mathematically. You might also wish to create an arch template by using math. Here’s a way to go about it. This is not for the math challenged among us. With 4 photos and 9 charts/diagrams.
2008
AL#95 p.66
David Cohen
▪ Reference to plans for mandolin X-bracing and general discussion on this topic in the article, The Modern Mandolin by Lawrence Smart in AL#56 and BRB5.
2000
AL#64 p.3 read this article
David Cohen
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