Tag Archives: Ham¸ James

James Ham

James Ham

Six-year Guild member James Ham has recently seen his focus shift from making bass viols and cellos with traditional methods and materials to exploring the use of carbon fiber and balsa wood.

▪ bio current as of 2013

Ultralight Cello and Other Heresies

2012
AL#112 p.6               
James Ham                                                                                           

▪ Using a variety of unusual instruments, Ham attempts to debunk the myth in traditional violin making that the classical solution is the only good solution. From his 2011 GAL convention lecture.

Steaming Hide Glue and Laminating Ribs

2012
AL#109 p.6               
James Ham                                                                                           

▪ Ham demonstrates his technique of activating hot hide glue with steam to glue top and back plates to ribs. From his 2011 GAL convention workshop.

Meet the Maker: James Ham

2010
AL#102 p.18               
Roger-Alan Skipper   James Ham                                                                                       

▪ Ham operates from a shop in Victoria, B.C. where he repairs and restores violin family instruments and constructs world class double basses.

Activating Hide Glue With Steam

2010
AL#102 p.26               
James Ham                                                                                           

▪ Ham’s technique involving the use of fresh hide glue in assembling basses which involves reactivating dried glue with a steamer after pieces have been aligned and clamped.