Searchable Abstracts Of All Available Guild of American Luthiers Publications Current as of January 1, 2007 The up-to-date version will always be available for download from the Guild’s Web page at www.luth.org. By searching this document you can identify which GAL publications will be most useful to you and order them through our Web page at www.luth.org. Or, we will be happy to send paper order forms by snail mail. We do not take phone orders. You may contact us at: Guild of American Luthiers 8222 S Park Ave Tacoma WA 98408-5226 (253) 472-7853 (phone and fax) orders@luth.org Publications Included In This Document-------------------- American Lutherie magazine, #1 - #88 (1985 - 2006). All AL issues are abstracted here so that this document can serve as an index of your complete collection, but please note that American Lutherie #1 - #48 are out of print. AL#1 - #12 have been superceded by The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One. AL#13 - 24 have been superceded by The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Two. AL#25 - #36 have been superceded by The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Three. AL#37 - #48 have been superceded by The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Four. In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, American Lutherie #10, page 47 would be abbreviated thusly: AL#10 p.47. Lutherie Tools, a 128-page hardback book published in 1990. Lutherie Tools is a compilation of GAL material on the subject of tools published before 1985, plus some new material. None of the material in Lutherie Tools is available in American Lutherie back issues. In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, Lutherie Tools, page 55 would be abbreviated thusly: LT p.55 Lutherie Woods and Steel String Guitars, a 156-page hardback book published in 1997. Lutherie Woods is a compilation of GAL material published before 1985, plus some new material. None of the material in Lutherie Woods is available in American Lutherie back issues. In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, Lutherie Woods, page 44 would be abbreviated thusly: LW p.44 The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One, a 500-page hardback book published in 1999. The Big Red Book One is a compilation of American Lutherie magazine, #1 - 12 (1985 - 1987). It also contains a considerable amount of GAL material published before 1985. In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One, page 401 would be abbreviated thusly: BRB1 p.401 The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Two, a 500-page hardback book published in 2000. The Big Red Book Two is a compilation of American Lutherie magazine, #13 - 24 (1988 - 1990). It also contains a considerable amount of GAL material published before 1985. In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Two, page 447 would be abbreviated thusly: BRB2 p.447 Historical Lute Construction by Robert Lundberg, a 280-page hardback book published in 2002, contains all of the material of Mr. Lundberg’s series which ran in 19 episodes between American Lutherie #12 and #38. Specific book pages are not referenced in the abstracts, as the material was somewhat reorganized for the book, as well as being indexed, outlined, and supplimented with appendices. The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Three, a 500-page hardback book published in 2004. The Big Red Book Three is a compilation of American Lutherie magazine, #25 - 36 (1991 - 1993). In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Three, page 403 would be abbreviated thusly: BRB3 p.403 The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Four, a 500-page hardback book published in 2006. The Big Red Book Four is a compilation of American Lutherie magazine, #37 - 48 (1994 - 1996). In the abstracts below, a reference to, for example, The Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Four, page 404 would be abbreviated thusly: BRB4 p.403 Search Strategies-------------------- This document contains a listing of all current GAL publications, including title, author, keywords, and a short abstract of each article. By using the “find” or “search” capabilities of your word processor, you should be able to locate any word, phrase, or character string that appears in this document. Although you can go ahead and search for any word or name, your searches will be quicker and more fruitful if you bear in mind the tools we have attempted to provide for you. Below you will find a list of keywords. Each article listed in this document has been assigned a few keywords, indicating the main thrust of that article. Keywords are identified by backslashes to set them apart from words appearing in a title or abstract. Only the keywords on the following list are operative. Find the appropriate keyword on the list, then search for that exact character string. Searching for the keywords, along with their backslashes, will enable you to go directly to articles that have the most information on that topic. By thoughtfully using backslashes and spaces, you will be able to control the width of your search. (Note: In the following examples, the underscore character (_) is used to indicate a space. You would enter a space in your search dialog, not an underscore. It is used only to make the space visible for purposes of this explanation.) For example, if you search for the keywords \guitar\archtop you will find only those articles which focus largely on the topic of archtop guitar. If, however, you search for the keyword \guitar your search widens out to include occurrences of the keywords \guitar\archtop, \guitar\baroque, \guitar\classical, \guitar\electric, \guitar\flattop, \guitar\harp, \guitar\resophonic, and \guitar\other. You are still finding only keywords, because only keywords use the backslash. To find all occurrences of “guitar” occurring in titles and abstracts but not in keywords, search for _guitar_ (Remember, the underscores indicate spaces.) Now you will find all occurrences of the whole word “guitar” except those appearing as keywords. (Because no keyword can be preceded by a space and no backslash, get it?) But you will not find “Guitars and Mandolins in America” because you have included the space following the word “guitar.” Your widest search would be for guitar with neither backslash nor spaces. You will find jillions of occurrences, including all the guitar keywords and all forms of the word in any title or abstract. It would be a tedious process to look at every one of the several hundred occurrences that such a search would yield. But you would eventually find what you were looking for. In short, my point is that you will save yourself a lot of time by taking a few minutes to understand our keyword system. But if you choose not to, you can still get there. (Note: The keyword subcategory “\other” when it occurs indicates that there are listings that do not fall in the listed subcategories. For instance, we do list the subcategory \bracing\lute, but not \bracing\dulcimer. If we have something on dulcimer bracing, it would appear under \bracing\other. Searching for \bracing will find all articles to which we have assigned a keyword of \bracing. You will also find all the subcategories, so you will find a lot of info on guitar bracing. But if you are looking for info on dulcimer bracing, search for \bracing\other and you will exclude all the guitar and lute stuff, letting you find any dulcimer stuff sooner. A few notes on finding information about individual makers. Our keyword \people includes all interviews, visits, obituaries, and other articles that deal substantially with the person as opposed to the work. Searching for this keyword will show you all such articles in chronological order. To find just the plans, search on the word \plans and you will get to either the title or the abstract of all appropriate articles. To find individuals by name, go to the list at the end of the document and find the name you want to search for. Then search for that name as a word (not a keyword). You should find all articles which are about that individual or their work, or which are written by them. Hint: Search for “Ramirez,” not “Jose Ramirez III.” Why? Because it is just possible that our abstracts may not be perfectly consistent. We may put “Ramirez” or “Jose Ramirez” or “Jose Ramirez, III” when we really mean “Jose Ramirez III.” And beware of spaces. Don’t search for “Overholtzer_” (with the space). You will not find “Overholtzer’s” or “Overholtzer-style” that way. Here’s a suggestion to speed your searches: Divide this document into two separate documents. Put the instructions, keyword list, and name list in one file, and just the articles/abstracts listing in the other file. Open the articles/abstracts list document, and conduct your keyword search there. Then, for instance, you will not find the word “guitar” in the above examples or in the keyword list itself, and not have to scroll down past all this stuff to start a search. Keywords used in this Document-------------------- (Some words, which are not keywords, are included in this list in order to point you to the keywords. The second entry, “acoustical physics,” is an example of this. Words in parentheses are explanatory and not a part of the search string.) \accessories (other than cases and tuners) acoustical physics (search for \physics) \balalaika (includes domra) \banjo \bass\electric \bass\flattop \bass\viol \bending \binding (includes purfling) bouzouki (search for \instruments\other) \bow (includes all instruments, making and repair) \bracing\classical (guitar) \bracing\flattop (guitar) \bracing\lute \bracing\other (includes violin family tone bars) \bridge\electric (guitar) \bridge\gluing \bridge\guitar \bridge\violin \bridge\other (includes intonation and compensation) \business\accounting \business\ethics \business\promotion \business\other \cases \cello \computers (includes CAD and CNC; also includes internet) conservation or conservator (search for \restoration) conventions (search for \meetings) drawings (search for \plans) \dulcimer\fretted \dulcimer\hammered \electronics environment (search for \health or \wood\trees) fingerboard (violin family; also see \fingerboard\fretboard) \fingerboard\fretboard (includes frets and fret placement) \finish\lacquer \finish\oil \finish\shellac (includes French polish and other spirit varnish) \finish\varnish \finish\water-base \finish\other \finish\spraying \gluing (includes glues) graphite-epoxy (search for \synthetics) \guitar\archtop \guitar\baroque guitar, bass (search for \bass\flattop or \bass\electric) \guitar\classical (includes flamenco) \guitar\electric \guitar\flattop (steel string) \guitar\harp guitar plans (search for \plans) \guitar\resophonic \guitar\other harp (search for \instruments\other) harp guitar(search for \guitar\harp) \harpsichord \health (includes safety) \humidity (includes wood moisture and drying issues) \humor \inlay instrument plans (search for \plans) \instruments\other \ivory \lute \lute plans (search for \plans) lyre (search for \instruments\other) \mandolin mathematics (search for \physics\math) \meetings \neck (search also for \fingerboard\fretboard) \organizations (societies, not companies) \pegs (friction) (tuning gears: search for \tuners) \people (includes interviews, obituaries, and visits. Usually indicates a nontech article) \philosophy \physics\guitar \physics\math \physics\violin pickups (search for \electronics) \plans plastic (search for \synthetics) \repair\bridge \repair\crack \repair\neck (includes broken pegheads and neck sets) \repair\other \restoration \reviews \rosette \schools \sharpening \skin (on an instrument, not on you) \strings\guitar \strings\tension \strings\violin \strings\other \synthetics (includes graphite-epoxy, plastics, plexiglas, etc.) \tools\clamps \tools\created (shop made or adapted from another discipline) \tools\hand \tools\jigs \tools\measuring \tools\power \tools\other \tuners \tuning\temperament \ukulele \vihuela \viol (gamba, not bass viol) \violin \wood\dealers \wood\hard (includes tropical) \wood\soft \wood\trees (includes identifying, pollution, logging) \wood\other (includes alternative) \workshop (includes workbench) Abstracts-------------------- GAL publications are listed below in roughly chronological order of their original publication, so that as you search you should find increasingly current information. LUTHERIE TOOLS Inexpensive Thickness Gauge by Mark Rische LT p.2 \tools\created This simple wood-frame gauge may be all you need to build archtop instruments, though the finest increment it will read (probably) is 1/64” (the ruler is up to you). Cheapness and ease of construction are its reason for being. With 1 drawing. Dial Indicator Caliper by T.E. Owen LT p.2 \tools\created The aluminum frame and dial indicator of this tool puts it in a whole other class of accuracy from the one above, and it should be at least $100 cheaper than its commercial counterpart. The hassle lies in cutting out the thick metal frame. Hardwood should be just as satisfactory if you have an object of known thickness to reset it by from time to time. With 1 drawing. Bass Neck Angle Jig by Frederick C. Lyman LT p.3 \tools\jigs \bass\viol All the adjustments on this jig make it seem sort of rickety, but Lyman was the GAL’s bass guru for years and if he says it works, it works. With 1 drawing. Fret Spacing Template by Tom Peterson LT p.4 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\created To make this template you must know the fret spacing of one scale length and be able to lay it out accurately, but after you’ve done that you can very quickly plot the fret positions for any larger scale length with no math or measuring tools. Very slick! With 1 drawing. Duplicating Fretboards by Tom Peterson LT p.4 \tools\created \fingerboard\fretboard With an accurate miter box and a slotted fingerboard you can easily make any number of boards with the same scale length. No muss, no fuss, no measuring. With 1 drawing. Centerline Square by Donald L. Brown LT p.5 \tools\created Brown’s simple tool is used for marking any lines that must be square to the centerline of a flattop instrument plate, such as back braces or bridges. With 1 drawing. Fluorescent Inspection Lamp by Kent Rayman LT p.6 \tools\created Light up the inside of your guitar for a good look. This lamp even fits through f-holes. With 2 photos and a diagram. Mirror with Penlight by Tim Olsen LT p.7 \tools\created Try taping a tiny flashlight to your inspection mirror to light up the area you wish to scan. With 1 drawing. F-Hole Light by C.F. Casey LT p.7 \tools\created This inspection light uses a flashlight battery and will even fit through a mandolin f-hole. With 1 drawing. Round-hole Light by C.F. Casey LT p.7 \tools\created Try using a night light bulb to set your guitar aglow. Larger bulbs could be used with this rig, but the additional heat could be dangerous to your guitar. With 1 drawing. Adjustable Work Lights by Tom Mathis LT p.7 \tools\created By combining a mike stand, a gooseneck, and a swivel lamp you can put light exactly where you want it. Davis Electric Bending Iron by Ted Davis LT p.8 \tools\created \bending Even fine woodworkers might be thwarted by a project that combines metal work and electrical work. The reason to try it is the opportunity to save a sizable chunk of money. Davis’ iron uses a hot water heater element as a heat source, and it is as complicated as many of us will wish to tackle. It’s about as pretty and useful as any commercial unit, though, and the plan and photo should be all you need. It’s only fair to mention that a bit of the work is jobbed out to a machine shop. Torch and Pipe Bending Iron by Tim Olsen LT p.10 \tools\created \bending This is 4 variations on the same theme: using a propane torch to heat a pipe on which to bend instrument sides. This is the easiest and cheapest way to get into the game. With 4 drawings. Bending with a Flat Iron by Tom Mathis LT p.11 \bending \tools\created Mathis heated small pieces of binding on a laundry iron before bending. No starch, please. Sheet Copper Oval by Larry Lundy and W. Daum LT p.11 \bending \tools\created The authors rolled up a thick tube of copper, bolted it to a board, and shot a propane torch into the back of it for bending ribs. They claim a couple of advantages over round pipe. With 1 drawing. Lead Filled Beer Can by Dick Deneve LT p.11 \bending \tools\created The best thing you can do with a beer can is empty it. The next best thing might be to put a heating element in the empty can and then fill it with lead to make a bending iron. With 1 drawing. More Electric Bending Irons by Tim Olsen LT p.12 \bending \tools\created The focus here isn’t on the design of the iron, but on the source of heat. There is probably a heat element that you can find locally and adapt for the purpose, and Olsen offers some suggestions. With 3 drawings. Heated bending Form by Hugh Manhart LT p.12 \tools\jigs \tools\created \bending The author bends his sides on a cold form after boiling them. He has added heat to the form to dry them quickly once they are bent. With 1 drawing. Tool Steel by H.E. Huttig LT p.14 \sharpening \tools\hand A description of sharpening stones, and how to use and maintain them, follows a short history of steel and its principal alloys. This is a brief overview and doesn’t consider every sharpening technique, but it may be as much as any good woodworker needs to know. With 2 drawings. Hardening and Tempering Steel by Al Carruth LT p.16 \tools\created Carruth describes the general process of identifying and heat treating a piece of steel for use in edged hand tools. It’s not as complicated as you might believe. Making your own chisels will make you feel like a magician. Inexpensive Small Forge by David W. Shell LT p.17 \tools\created An ex-knife maker describes a simple forge that costs very little. By the time you are forging your own tools you have left most luthiers far behind you. In this day of designer tool catalogs its hard to find a tool you can’t buy, no matter how specialized, but you may find that forging steel offers an excellent outlet for the hairy beast, semi-civilized part of you that you never knew you had. With 2 drawings. Grinding, Honing, and Stropping by Lawrence D. Brown LT p.18 \sharpening Everyone agrees that clean work requires sharp tools, but few descriptions of sharpening give a time frame for how long it takes. Neither does this one, but it does lend a feel for time passing as the work is described. There’s an Alabama basket maker who maintains that the first sharpening of a new knife takes at least an hour. So use this guide and hang in there, you won’t get the job done in a jiffy. With 3 drawings. Power Sharpening by Shelly Sax LT p.20 \sharpening \tools\power You can sharpen tools in a jiffy if you have the right wheels for your grinder. Once the right wheels are installed perhaps the machine should then be called a polisher. All sharpening takes a knack, but power sharpening can be down right dangerous if your mind wanders off. But, no, it’s not cheating. With 2 drawings. Sharpening Jointer Knives by Bill McCall LT p.21 \tools\power \sharpening Jointers are wonderful machines until they need sharpening. Resetting the blades in the machine is such a task that most shops let the blades become uselessly dull before they are reground, but McCall’s solution is to sharpen the blades while they are mounted in the machine. It doesn’t seem like a job for the timid, but it’s better than turning your jointer into a shelf for half-finished projects. With 1 drawing. Japanese Water Stones by Dale Brotherton LT p.22 \sharpening Japanese woodworking and the associated tools have nearly reached a cult status in the US, and this has turned off some woodworkers who might otherwise benefit from a little knowledge of Japanese tools and techniques. Water stones have probably received the warmest welcome of all the imported traditional Japanese technology, and Brotherton offers an understanding of the stones and how they are used. With 1 photo. Using Old Sanding Belts by Dick Deneve LT p.23 \tools\power \sharpening Putting metal to a sanding belt will quickly ruin it, but belts that are already worn by wood may have a life left for grinding metals. This short description will get you started. Making a Carving Knife by Chris Burt LT p.24 \tools\created Today you can buy a kit for making knives such as the author describes --- think of an oversize carpenter’s pencil with a blade instead of a lead. Burt’s version is pre-kit and made from a straight razor. It’s more work, but it’s more in the DYI spirit. With 4 drawings. Making a Small Chisel by David W. Shell LT p.25 \tools\created How about making a chisel from a file? It’s a lot of work, but the satisfaction level is high. You’ll need a forge (see LT p.17). If nothing else, you’ll come to appreciate why fine tools cost so much. At best, you’ll have a tool friend for life. With 1 drawing. Crooked Knives by Nicholas Von Robison LT p.26 \tools\hand \tools\created Imagine you’re going to stab yourself in the stomach. That’s how your hand holds a crooked knife. It cuts on the pull stroke. Robison claims many lutherie uses for a crooked knife and explains how to make one. If you accidentally stab yourself in the stomach with it please don’t mention that you read about it here. With 2 drawings. Using Old Bandsaw Blades by Dick Deneve LT p.27 \tools\created Recycle your worn bandsaw blades into useful hand tools. The author makes them into scrapers, handsaws, and knives for removing fingerboards. Pretty nifty. Grinding Scrapers by James Fagan LT p.27 \sharpening Toss out your burnisher and sharpen your scrapers with a power grinder. Sounds unlikely, but the author swears by it Woodcarver’s Scrapers by Louis DeGrazia LT p.28 \tools\created \sharpening These scrapers are made from table knives and are intended to scrape 3-dimensional items, not flat plates. Razor Scrapers by Tim Olsen LT p.29 \tools\created \sharpening You can regrind single-edged razor blades into good little scrapers that will last longer than the raw blade. Here’s how. Refret Saw by Donald L. Brown LT p.29 \tools\created Brown’s saw is a short length of Blitz saw blade mounted in a wooden handle, and used to clean out fret slots on a bound neck. Thumb Gloves David Newton LT p.29 \health Cut the thumbs off a pair of gloves. Wear them while using a cabinet scraper. Now your thumbs shouldn’t suffer burns from the hot tool. Three Tools for Bass Makers by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr. LT p.30 \bass\viol \tools\created The tools are a small electric chainsaw, a cheap block plane, and a Japanese saw rasp. The author uses the chainsaw for rough carving bass plates, the reshaped planes for finer carving of plates, and the saw rasp for truing fingerboards. With 3 photos. Miniature Jeweler’s Saw by Donald L. Brown LT p.31 \tools\created The author made a saw frame with a 1” throat for work in tight places. It uses modified jeweler’s saw blades. With 1 drawing. Using Small Wooden Planes by Al Leis LT p.32 \tools\created \tools\hand The author describes 4 of his shop-made planes. He gives no instruction for their construction, but gives a source (in 1979) for the blades. A brief instruction for making such planes is found in the following article. With 2 photos. Making a Jointer Plane by Paul Estenson LT p.33 \tools\created Estenson supplies all-too-brief instructions for making a wooden jointer plane. The form of construction will lend itself to any type of wooden plane. With 1 diagram. Fret Notching and Cutting Tool by Brian Watkins LT p.34 \tools\created \fingerboard\fretboard When Watkins submitted this article in 1981 there were no fret nippers on the market to trim fret tangs to fit inside the slot of a bound fingerboard. His solution was to build a bench-mounted beast of a tool that chopped the frets to length or trimmed the tangs for bound boards. The 3 diagrams make it look like quite a project. Single Fluted Reamer by Alan Carruth LT p.36 \tools\created \lute \pegs Despite the contemporary proliferation of lutherie tools, making your own is still a reasonable idea, especially if you have more time than money. The author’s 1 diagram gives dimensions for a lute peg reamer, and the directions are clear. It sounds like it may take a fair amount of time, though. Inexpensive Peg Shaver by Henry Aitchison LT p.36 \tools\created \pegs To make this peg shaper you must first have a reamer to make the peg holes (and the hole in the peg shaper). The shaper blade is made from a reground hacksaw blade. Flushing and Beveling Fret Ends by Hank Schrieber LT p.37 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\created The author’s tool is a file mounted in a cool handle that will either mill the fret ends square or ramp them to the angle of your choice (you have to choose during construction, the toll isn’t adjustable). With 2 drawings. Making Aluminum Clamps by James Cassidy LT p.38 \tools\clamps \tools\created These clamps are for light duty, such as gluing a flattop bridge in place. The instructions are good, but no specs are supplied. You make them to fit the job in mind. With 1 drawing. All Wood Cam Clamps by Dave Flager LT p.38 \tools\clamps \tools\created Cam clamps are a standard item in any lutherie shop. The author’s design uses a wooden shaft to support the clamp. This clamp is easier to make than the commercial variety and will suffice for most light duty, but isn’t as satisfying to use as commercial clamps. With 1 drawing. Bridge/Bass Bar Clamp by J.R. Weene LT p.40 \tools\clamps \tools\created \bridge\guitar \violin Weene’s design is a wooden C-clamp intended for specialized uses. With 3 drawings. Brace Gluing Cam by Phillip W. Walker LT p.40 \tools\clamps \tools\created The author’s clamp is a kidney-shaped chunk of plywood meant to be rotated inside a guitar body until it jams a brace back into place. This one wins the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that award for simplicity. With 1 drawing. Two Quick Clamps by Charles A. Palis LT p.41 \tools\clamps \tools\created \violin The two clamps are a simple spool clamp for violins and a handscrew. With 2 drawings Cello and Bass Clamps by Fred Battershell LT p.41 \cello \bass\viol \tools\clamps \tools\created This is simple instructions for a humongous spool clamp. With 1 drawing Fret Clamp by Bob Gleason LT p.41 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\created This tool is actually a caul for clamping frets into their slots before supergluing them in place. The caul clamps all the frets at once, assuring that the fret tops will be level (assuming that your caul is also true). With 1 drawing. Clamping Lining with Clothespins by Bruce Scotten LT p.42 \tools\clamps \tools\created Clothespins make cheap clamps for gluing lining in place, but they are weak and the wrong shape. Here’s how to correct those deficiencies. With 1 drawing. Dulcimer Gluing Jig by Tony Pizzo LT p.42 \dulcimer\fretted \tools\jigs This jig is actually an adjustable-shape mold for dulcimer assembly, though changing its dimensions will make it suitable for any instrument. With 1 photo and a drawing. Lute Rib Clamp by Leo Anway LT p.43 \lute \tools\clamps This slick and simple system uses a guitar string and a mechanical tuner to hold lute ribs to the construction form during assembly. With 1 drawing. Go-Bar Deck by Duane Waterman and David Sheppard LT p.44 \tools\clamping The go-bar deck is an elegantly simple method of clamping parts together, most often used for clamping braces to instrument plates. It’s cheap and easy to make and will awe your friends if they’ve never seen one before. Make sure it’s loaded up before you introduce them to it. Vacuum Press by Reagan Cole LT p.45 \tools\clamps The author wins the DIY award for 1978. Vacuum clamp systems abound today, but they are expensive. This one utilizes an old refrigerator compressor and a shower curtain (not to mention a ton of ingenuity). With 3 drawings. Making a Glue Pot by Wesley Wadsworth LT p.46 \gluing \tools\created Adapting kitchen items for use in the shop is always a clever way to tick off the cook and save some money at the same time. The author finds that a baby bottle warmer or something called a “hot pot” makes a good heater for hide glue, and he describes how to adapt a glass jar as the actual pot. Instructions for building a thermostat for the pot are also included at no extra charge. With 2 drawings. Hide Glue Steamer by Elliott Burch LT p.47 \gluing \tools\created \violin The trouble with hide glue is that it cools so fast, often faster than clamps can be applied. The author says, “Heck, let it cool as fast as it wants!” His simple steamer rejuvenates the glue after it’s been applied and the clamps are in place. He claims that it won’t swell the wood or hurt a violin’s finish, either. Bridge Plate Heating Tool by John M. Colombini LT p.48 \repair\other \tools\created This tool is a brass block mounted to a C-shaped handle. The block is heated and placed inside the guitar against the bridge plate. The arm of the handle tells you where you are and makes the rig manageable. Also included is a diagram for a steel hook used to pry off the bridge plate once the glue has softened from the heat. With 3 drawings. Anesthesia Bag for Clamping by Joyce Westphal LT p.48 \dulcimer\fretted \tools\clamps \tools\created The author cuts 2-liter anesthesia bags into big rubber bands for clamping end blocks onto dulcimers. Perhaps this rig has to be seen to be appreciated, but unfortunately no picture is supplied. Marquetry Sawing Table by J.C. Nelson LT p.49 \tools\jigs \inlay \tools\created Marquetry is a form of inlaying one veneer inside another before the entire assembly is inlayed or applied to another surface. This table aids in getting the pieces to fit together with no gaps. With 2 drawings. Bow Tip Vise by Phillip W. Walker LT p.49 \bow \tools\jigs \tools\created This simple devise should make it easy to glue an overlay on the tip of a bow. With 1 drawing. Pearl Cutting Vise by Charles Wearden and Robert Lenhart LT p.50 \inlay \tools\clamps \tools\created Pearl blanks that won’t hold still while they are cut contribute to broken blades. If you can’t get the hang of it you may find this foot-operated, spring-loaded vise to be just what Doctor Inlay ordered. With 1 drawing. Guitar Body Vise by Duane Waterman LT p.50 \tools\created \tools\clamps When working on the sides of an instrument it’s often a great help to capture the body in certain positions. This stationary vise could be adapted to any instrument. It uses pipe clamp screws as the adjusting mechanism. With 7 photos. Body Mold by Glenn Markel LT p.52 \tools\jigs \tools\created Markel’s design is a basic inside mold that houses the developing instrument body inside a frame of layered wood. More elaborate molds can be made, but this design has sufficed luthiers for hundreds of years. With 2 drawings Instrument Molds by Bo Walker LT p.53 \tools\jigs \tools\created Walker’s inside mold is even more basic than Markel’s. It is little more than a deep plywood frame with a guitar-shaped hole in it. The finished mold uses no hardware other than a few screws. Using such a light mold is delightful, but necessitates the accurate bending of the ribs since a lot of clamping pressure can distort the mold. With 2 drawings. Body Mold and Bending Form by Duane Waterman LT p.54 \tools\jigs \tools\created \bending The only real difference between this mold and the previous two designs is a flange that allows the mold to be clamped upright in a bench vise. However, Waterman goes on to make a side-bending form from the waste material of the mold. With 2 photos and 13 drawings. Banjo Fifth Peg Press by John M. Colombini LT p.57 \banjo \tuners \tools\clamps \tools\created Most banjo fifth-string pegs are held in place by a collar of tapered splines that must be driven into a slightly undersize hole. The author’s design permits the peg to be seated with a C-clamp, rather than a hammer, definitely a step in the right direction. With 1 drawing. Banjo Resonator Clamp Stand by James Gilbert LT p.58 \banjo \tools\clamps \tools\jigs This outfit is used for gluing arched resonator backs onto the resonator rims. That is, the arch is created by the jig while a series of toggle clamps secure the glue joint. With 2 drawings. Tuning Machine Knob Remover by Robert Steinnegger LT p.58 \tuners \tools\created This simple but slick tool uses wedges to drive pressed-on plastic tuner knobs off the shafts. With 1 drawing. Vise Accessories by Kent Rayman LT p.59 \tools\created The accessories are a taper attachment and protective jaws. While designed for the Versa-Vise, they can be adapted to any vise. With 3 drawings. Brace Jacks by Kent Rayman LT p.59 \tools\created \repair\other Similar to machinist’s jacks, these jacks are used inside the guitar while gluing braces or to support the top while bridge work is being done. With 1 photo. Dremel Rosette Attachment by Ted Davis LT p.60 \tools\jigs \rosette Davis’ jig uses an adjustable pin on the router base to register the router in a hole drilled in the center of what will be the soundhole. By sliding the pin about, a rosette cavity (or cavities) of any dimension can be created. With a photo and a drawing. End Mill Cutters by Bruce Scotten LT p.61 \tools\power \rosette \binding The author recommends that luthiers try end mill cutters to machine channels for rosettes and binding. Saddle Slot Dremel Base by Don Alfieri LT p.61 \bridge\guitar \tools\created The author adds nylon bolts to the bottom corners of his Dremel base while routing bridge slots. The tool rides on the bolt heads, raising the router above the level of the bridge. A very cool (not to mention elegantly simple) idea. With 1 drawing. Routing Rosette Slots by John Spence LT p.61 \tools\jigs \rosette Spence uses sub-bases for his router to make rosette cavities. The sub-bases are drilled with holes that fit over a pin mounted in the center of what will be the soundhole. Two Dremel Jigs by J.D. Mackenzie LT p.62 \tools\jigs \binding \inlay The first jig is a Dremel base used while cutting binding channels. The second is another base used to inlay decorative stringing of the face of headstocks. With 1 drawing. Simple Rosette Slot Jig by J.D. Mackenzie LT p.62 \rosette \tools\jigs This is yet another design for routing rosette slots, though it looks rather more cumbersome to set up than others. It uses a full-size router and indexes off a pin in the center of the soundhole. With 1 drawing. Router Guide Base by Al Leis LT p.63 \tools\jigs \binding \rosette Complexity and close-tolerance adjustability seem to go hand-in-hand in this sort of jig, so this version may be a bit more time-consuming to make. On the other hand, it looks more useful than some of the others. The jig uses a full-size router to create binding and rosette slots. With 3 drawings. Archtop Routing Jig by Rion Dudley LT p.65 \tools\jigs \binding Obviously, routers won’t sit flat on an archtop plate. So how can we cut those pesky binding slots? This router guide registers on the sides of the guitar rather than the plates. It is intended for the Dremel tool, though the idea will work just as well with a larger router. With 2 drawings. Pickup Routing Fixture by J.V. Buehrer LT p.66 \guitar\electric \tools\jigs Unlike contemporary pickup routing templates, which are the size and shape of the desired cavity, the author’s design is a frame of wood that the entire router sits into. The amount of travel inside the frame dictates the size of the cavity made in the guitar. Buehrer’s frame specs are for a router with a round base 6” in diameter. A formula is given for laying out frames of different sizes for different needs. It’s harder to envision the finished cavity with this system, but the idea is perfectly sound. With 1 drawing. Router Jointing Jig by George Gawlik LT p.67 \tools\jigs Jointing the center seam of instrument plates with a router is a perfectly sensible idea. Gawlik’s design is pretty complicated, though. With 1 drawing. Peghead Splining Jig by Jim Williams LT p.68 \tools\jigs \repair\neck Broken headstocks sometimes require more than glue for a permanent repair. With a router and this jig splines can be added to the repair on either side of the truss rod. With 2 drawings. Router Templets by James Cassidy LT p.69 \guitar\electric \tools\jigs Templets of this kind use bushings on the router base as a cutting guide. The templates must be accurately made as an oversize version of the actual hole to be made in the guitar. Modern templates use a guide hole of actual size and require the use of a pattern maker’s bit to cut the cavities. Cassidy’s design will work fine, it’s just harder to lay out. With 4 drawings. Ruck-Brune Sanding Machine by Derek Iverson LT p.70 \tools\power \tools\created A good thickness-sanding machine will turn your shop life around. A bad one will only make it more miserable. Iverson’s was the first report on a truly useful shop-made sander at a time when there were no inexpensive commercial units to be had. This design requires machine shop work and some welding, and there is no power feed. Power feed is nice but hardly a requirement on a machine intended for limited production. With 2 photos and 4 drawings. Variation and Taper Sled by Tim Olsen LT p.72 \tools\power \tools\created Variation on the Ruck-Brune sander, that is. The more information you have on keeping your beast up and running, the better. The taper sled is for producing a long board with a tapering thickness. With 4 drawings. Balanced Steel Drum Variation by Kent Rayman LT p.73 \tools\power \tools\created Again, this is a variation in the Ruck-Brune sander. You need to read all these articles before beginning construction of your sander in order to avoid mistakes that others have already made. If you can’t weld or run a metal lathe you’ll have to job out much of the work, and it won’t be long before you’ve spent enough money to buy one of the cheaper machines available today. With 5 photos and a drawing. A Power Feed Model by Hank Schrieber LT p.74 \tools\created \tools\power The power feed for this drum sander uses a separate motor, a very good idea. This version has no dust collector, so one must be adopted from the previous articles. Welding plays a large role in the construction of this machine, as well. With 6 drawings. A Small, Low Cost Sander by Pete Estes LT p.76 \tools\power \tools\created This thickness sander is of all-wood construction, and is intended for lighter duty than the previous models. It’s made with a 12” roller. You’ll no doubt find that it’s still better than no thickness sander at all. With 1 photo. Small, Low Tech Sander by Art Smith LT p.77 \tools\power \tools\created Smith’s is another light duty thickness sander, this time using a 10” sanding drum. With 3 drawings. Dust Free, Open Sided Sander by Al Leis LT p.78 \tools\created \tools\power This mini-thickness sander is a whole other breed than the ones in the previous articles. It utilizes a 6” drum arbor-mounted on an electric motor and covered with a dust collection system. Since it is open-sided it can sand a panel up to 12” wide, but it is only capable of light duty. For sanding small stock, however, it should be a delightful little machine. With 3 photos. Davis Precision Thickness Sander by Ted Davis LT p.79 \tools\power \tools\created This is the most official-looking of all the shop-made sanders included here, though others may prove to be heavier-duty. It requires no welding or machine shop work. The sanding drum is a full 18” wide, and the machine incorporates power feed. If you’re determined to build your own, this may be the machine to copy. If your determination is limited you might want to consider renting time on a production sander from a machine shop. With a photo and 2 pages of plans. Vertical Belt Sander by Rolfe Gerhardt LT p.82 \tools\power \tools\created The author remounted his 6x48 belt sander on edge, and found that it offered a variety of new uses. With 1 drawing. Making an Adjustable Bed by James Cassidy LT p.82 \tools\power \tools\created Make an adjustable work surface for an edge-mounted belt sander to assure you can get it properly perpendicular. With 2 drawings. Edge Sander Jig by Dave Flager LT p.83 \tools\jigs \tools\power Flager made a table to mount his portable belt sander on edge. With 1 drawing. Peghead Joint Sanding Jigs by John Zuis LT p.83 \tools\jigs \tools\power One method of neck construction calls for making the neck and the headstock from different pieces of wood. The author’s jigs are designed for making the necessary joint. The first is intended for the Shopsmith disk sander and the second is for any other disk sander. With 2 drawings. Sandpaper Hints by Boyd Butler LT p.84 \tools\hand \tools\created Butler describes a tool that aids in tearing sandpaper sheets into useful sizes, and a sanding board for use in close places. Sanding Drum Hints by Rich Westerman LT p.84 \tools\power Westerman mentions a source of quality cloth-backed abrasive rolls, and a belt cleaning material. Sanding Drum Hints by Tom Peterson LT p.84 \tools\power The author suggests that spraying them with a silicone lubricant can extend the life of power abrasives. Drum Sanding Hints by Tim Olsen LT p.84 \tools\power Olsen says that sanding drums can be cleaned of wood resin by an application of Plexiglas. The resins stick to the melted plastic and fly off the drum. Sanding Drum Tips by J.D. Mackenzie LT p.84 \gluing \tools\power The author recommends a glue for adhering sandpaper to sanding drums. 22” Three-Wheel Bandsaw by Al Leis LT p.86 \tools\power \tools\created The author made his bandsaw from a kit, customizing it to fit his needs. It cost less than $200 (in 1983) and gave him a machine with which he is very happy. With 2 photos and a drawing. Sharpening Bandsaw Blades by Tim Olsen LT p.87 \sharpening \tools\power This is one of the most useful articles in the book. The sharpening method described is quick and easy (especially if you already own a Dremel tool), and will extend the life of your bandsaw blades by five of six times. With 1 drawing. Bandsaw Dust Collector by Tim Olsen LT p.88 \health \tools\power Machine manufacturers have become hip to the health problems that accompany the use of their equipment, and most incorporate dust collection ports into their new machines. This was hardly the case in the old days, and there are still tons of old machines in use. If you have one you are responsible for your own health, and thus the modification of your machine. The author’s ideas can be adapted to almost any bandsaw. Lining Cutting Jig by William Spigelsky LT p.88 \tools\jigs Use this bandsaw jig to cut rectangular stock into triangular unkerfed lining blanks. This tip is confusing until you realize that the box is a permanent part of the jig, and that the jig should be clamped to the saw table. The binding stock is fed through, and supported by, the box. Lute Neck Block Fixture by Brian Derber LT p.88 \lute \tools\jigs \neck This bandsaw jig will cut the facets on a neck block to which the ribs of a lute are glued. Despite the 6 drawings this article is confusing. Curve-Cutting Bandsaw Fence by Tim Olsen LT p.90 \tools\jigs \tools\power A hinged fence can be used to cut accurate curved pieces. Changing the angle of the hinge changes the radius of the curve. With 3 drawings. Tuner Roller Hole Jig by Derek Iverson LT p.91 \tuners \tools\jigs Iverson’s jig is for drilling tuner holes in the headstocks of classical guitars using plank-mounted machines. With 2 drawings. Purfling Groove Cutter by William Spigelsky LT p.91 \binding \tools\power \tools\created It’s a pleasure to witness the work of an original thinker. This binding cutter is comprised of a stack of small slitting saw blades mounted on a bolt that mounts in the drill press. The rig indexes off the top or back plate and cuts a channel equal to the stack of blades. It looks pretty foolproof, and may be less likely to chip than a router bit. With 1 drawing. Bridge Slot-Cutting Jig by Thomas Rein LT p.92 \tools\jigs \bridge\guitar The jig is adjustable for the amount of compensation. It is intended for use in a drill press using an end mill as a cutter. With 1 drawing. Making Brad-Point Bits by Tim Olsen LT p.92 \tools\created This article may be of more historical significance than anything else. Few people would make their own drill bits today. They don’t have to, since so many specialty tools are available through the mail, or even at a local hardware store. This was hardly the case in 1979 when Olsen wrote this piece. With 6 drawings. Fret Bending Tool by Brian Watkins LT p.94 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\created The author’s tool accurately bends individual frets by using a drill press as press. Such a tool is largely out of date today with the advent of tools that bend a whole stick of fretwire in seconds. With 1 drawing. Archtop Carving Gauge by Glenn Markel LT p.95 \tools\created \guitar\archtop Markel’s gauge is little more than a cone mounted to the drill press table. Adjusting the table height or the quill lock allows the drilling of holes that will guide the carving of the plates. Or, if one side is already carved, one setting will mark the plate to an even thickness. With 2 drawings. Fretboard Jig by Robert Lenhardt LT p.96 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\jigs This jig will cut the taper on a fretboard using a table or bandsaw, and then guide the slotting of the board on a radial arm saw. With a bit of ingenuity a table saw could do the whole job. With 1 drawing. The Shopsmith by Des Anthony LT p.98 \tools\power Combination tools are seldom as useful or fun to use as a collection of specialized machines. But if you have little room and less money they may be the best choice. The Shopsmith is a popular brand of combination tool, and Anthony is enthusiastic about its use in a lutherie shop. Jig For Cutting Side Slots by William Spigelsky LT p.99 \tools\jigs \guitar\classical With this jig a radial arm saw is used to cut the slots in the neck into which the side of a classical guitar are fit. Jig For Cutting Banjo Neck Angle by James Gilbert LT p.100 \tools\jigs \banjo This radial arm saw jig will radius the face of a banjo neck to 10” and cut it to the desired angle. However, it doesn’t cut the relief for the flange or tension hoop. With 2 drawings. Miniature Table Saw by Duane Waterman LT p.101 \tools\created \tools\power Cutting small pieces is more fun (and safer) on a small saw. This simple table saw uses a 3” blade mounted directly on the shaft of a small motor. The version in the 2 drawings has a table that is not adjustable for blade height. Lining Strips by Tim Olsen LT p.101 \tools\jigs This table saw jig is intended to evenly cut the kerfs in rectangular strips of lining. Fingerboard Radiusing Jig by Ron Lira LT p.102 \tools\jigs \fingerboard\fretboard This table saw jig is a swing to the bottom of which a fretboard is mounted. Swinging the board over the saw blade cuts the radius. George Vogl, Toolmaker by H.E. Huttig LT p.104 \people \tools\hand Vogl was a toolmaker who specialized in violin making hand tools. These three small pieces sketch what life was like for one group of Europeans after WWII reduced their life to a near pre-industrial state. And since violinmakers have always had a pre-industrial mindset, they got along quite well. With 1 illustration of old tools. Factory Life by John Judge LT p.106 \people \guitar\flattop The author’s wonderful depiction of life in the Guild guitar factory during the mid-to-late ‘60s may open some eyes about what life is like in an instrument factory. Those who demonstrate that they like to work and can do it well will be given all they can handle and then some, probably with an undersized remuneration. Many will be locked in the same operation for years, but smart bosses are always watching for enterprising workers and will let the cream rise. For those few, factory work can be quite interesting. This is a delightful episode. Two Production Machines by John Judge LT p.108 \tools\power More tales from the Guild factory from the same period of Judge’s life. The two machines are a power-sanding table that trued the edges of ribs to receive the plates, and a huge pin router. A Survey of Seventeen Luthiers LT p.114 \tools\hand \tools\power This collection of luthiers lists the tools, machines, and supplies they find indispensable in creating the diverse work they do. LUTHERIE WOODS and STEEL STRING GUITARS Taxonomy and Nomenclature by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.2 \wood\trees It takes a good writer to make this stuff interesting, but Robison pulls it off. Common names are a lot more fun and will usually get you by, but in the end there’s nothing like knowing a few scientific names of trees to dazzle’em at cocktail parties. Be careful how you try it at guitar conventions, though, some of those guys are pretty hip, scientifically speaking. Glossary of Basic Wood Terms by Hart Huttig and Nicholas Von Robison LW p.6 \wood\trees It seems like there’s 6 ways to say any particular thing about a piece of wood, and you might as well know them all. Here they are. Top 40 Wood List by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.10 \wood\trees \wood\hard \wood\soft You could build guitars and never learn about more than 2 kinds of wood but, boy, would your guitars be boring. Forty kinds are likely more than you’ll ever use, but it’s better to be over-prepared than under. Includes range descriptions, scientific nomenclature, wood description, and uses in lutherie. Wood for Instrument Making by David Sturgill LW p.16 \wood\trees \wood\soft \wood\hard This is not a wood-by-wood list like the above article, but a description of what is required of wood that has to serve the different functions in an instrument, and why certain varieties are most often chosen for those functions. Also includes information about harvesting and processing wood for instruments. World Outlook, a Merchant’s View by Michael Gurian LW p.21 \wood\hard \wood\soft Gurian’s 1979 forecast for the future of lutherie woods was pretty much on the money. When he gave the lecture this piece was taken from he was perhaps the most important supplier of instrument wood, so he was in a position to know. The picture looked gloomy then, and certainly nothing has gotten better since. Wood Bibliography by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.23 \wood\hard \wood\soft \wood\other \wood\trees Most of the objective information you’ll want to know about trees and wood has already been written down somewhere. This is a list of where to look. Moisture Content by Greg Jackson LW p.29 \wood\trees \humidity We all want to work with dry wood, but the subject isn’t as cut-and-dried as you might think (sorry). Jackson has the lowdown on chemically bound water and free water in wood, and why air drying is no guarantee of anything in particular. Quick Humidity Gauge by Anonymous LW p.31 \humidity \tools\created Make a wooden humidity gauge. Really! But you’ll need a hygrometer to build it by. Acid Rain by Nicholas Von Robison and Perry Thomas LW p.31 \wood\trees There are still plenty of people who believe that acid rain, global warming, and ozone problems are hoaxes perpetrated by disturbed liberals with nothing better to do. If this outlook was reported today it would raise eyebrows, but it was 1984 and we were already in trouble. What are the odds that things have gotten better? Harvesting Englemann Spruce by Dennis Coon LW p.34 \wood\soft \wood\trees Small companies that try to service the lutherie world usually struggle to make a go of it. Tonewoods are designer woods required to be nearly perfect in every way, so there is much loss during milling, but first perfect trees must be found, felled, and hauled out of the mountains. It’s hard work for small pay, but there’s a romance to it. And good reading, too. With 2 photos. Early Englemann by Jan Callister LW p.37 \wood\soft \wood\trees Early as in an early supplier of Englemann. Luthiers and musicians have become so spoiled by wood suppliers that it’s a wonder that good top wood doesn’t cost more by now. This story is another example of what a small specialty lumber company has to go through. Wood Salvaging Down Under by Des Anthony LW p.38 \wood\soft \wood\other Tonewood is where you find it, even if you find it in another instrument. Selecting Australian Timbers by Lindsay Hewson and Jim Williams LW p.39 \wood\other If stringed instruments had been invented in Australia they would be very different than they are today. They might have an altogether kind of tone quality, and we'd be struggling to get Sitka to sound like celery top pine. Well, it’s the other way around, which will give you an idea of what Aussie luthiers have to go through to sound like the rest of the world. Osage Orange by Ted Davis LW p.41 \wood\other Davis is a champion of mock orange as a tonewood, and his enthusiasm is catchy. This is just about as much info about it as you’re likely to find. Bubinga by Roger Sperline LW p.42 \wood\other This is one of the first descriptions of this fine wood as a tonewood. Wood Dust: Beware by Ervin Somogyi LW p.43 \health If the dust in your shop is out of control, then so is your health. Dust collection or elimination isn’t difficult. Somogyi explains the dangers and how he minimized them in his own shop. Resawing on a 12” Bandsaw by James E. Patterson LW p.45 \tools\power \tools\created How to convert a Sears 12” bandsaw to cut guitar sets, and how to make a fence for it. With 5 drawings. Resawing on a 14” Bandsaw by Peggy Stuart LW p.46 \tools\power Mostly this is about how to set up a Rockwell bandsaw for best resawing performance, though this will help you with any similar bandsaw. With 3 drawings. Resawing on a 32” Bandsaw by Tim Olsen LW p.46 \tools\power In a small shop a saw this size qualifies as a Big Mamoo. This piece is more detailed than the previous two articles, and as a collection they should put you well on the way to avoiding those pesky tonewood suppliers. Or appreciating them, one or the other. Includes 6 diagrams. Variables in Archtop Design by Jimmy D’Aquisto LW p.50 \guitar\archtop The final decade or so of the 20th century saw an explosion in the number of archtop makers and a maturation of the archtop guitar into a versatile instrument. D’Aquisto pioneered this development beginning just as this article was put to paper in 1979. He abandoned tone bars for an X brace, then manipulated all the variables mentioned here to expand the role of the archtop in contemporary music. With 13 photos. Birth of the Packaxe by Francis Kosheleff LW p.56 \guitar\other Kosheleff invented a dozen ways to hinge or detach the guitar neck in order to make it travel-friendly. He describes the development of his travel guitars and offers some hints about how these patented guitars function. With a photo and 2 diagrams. Resonator Guitar Construction by Dick DeNeve LW p.58 \guitar\resophonic The author builds a somewhat unorthodox Dobro-style guitar, though they look normal from the outside. His variations on the basic design are made to overcome weaknesses in vintage Dobros. Includes 2 photos of DeNeve guitars and 2 drawings. Restoring a ‘20s Gibson L-O by Ted Davis LW p.60 \guitar\flattop \plans \repair\crack \repair\other \restoration This restoration included a new top, fingerboard, and headstock veneer, as well as the repair of numerous side cracks. Davis made a plan of the guitar while it was disassembled which is available as GAL full-size blueprint #6, though a scaled-down version is included with the article. Also includes a photo of the restored guitar. Restoring a Martin Harp Guitar by Ted Davis LW p.62 \guitar\harp \repair\neck \repair\crack \plans \restoration This rare Martin required the creation of a new harp neck as well as the repair of many top and side cracks. The plans included are also available as GAL full-scale blueprint #7. Includes 5 photos. Pearls Before Junk Dealers by Richard Irwin LW p.66 \guitar\flattop \restoration Irwin found a small gold-painted guitar in a junk shop that turned out to be an 1850 2-24 Martin. Removing the gold paint revealed a nearly pristine guitar marred only by some pick wear. With 3 photos and a diagram of the pyramid bridge. Gallagher Factory Tour by Gerald W. Aquino and Don Gallagher LW p.68 \guitar\flattop Just like it says. With 4 photos and a drawing. Life After the Dead by Rick Turner LW p.70 \guitar\electric \binding \tools\power \gluing Turner started his lutherie life as part of the Grateful Dead’s clan of artists, engineers, and craftsmen, but ended up with his own company which built distinctive electric guitars. This shop tour includes 11 photos. Klein Design by Steve Klein LW p.74 \guitar\flattop \bracing\flattop This is a history of Klein’s unusual steel string guitars, as well as a window into the mind of one of lutherie’s most creative thinkers. Includes 5 photos as well as a plan of the top of the guitar Klein built for Joe Walsh. Making Pointy Rosettes by Tim Olsen LW p.78 \inlay \tools\power Are you tired of rosettes that are just rings around the soundhole? Here’s a jumping off point if you want to take the plunge. The next step is to get rid of the round soundhole. With 3 diagrams. Drill Press Rosette Grooves by Larry F. Stevens LW p.80 \inlay \tools\power A drill press only wants to make holes, but you can train it to do a lot of tricks. For instance, why not use it to mill the slots for rosette rings to snuggle into? Groovy! With diagrams of the cutting bits. Cutting and Inlaying Pearl by James E. Patterson LW p.80 \inlay \tools\hand \tools\power This article compresses into less than 6 pages everything you need to know about cutting and inlaying shell, except for how to make up original designs. Creativity is a tough thing to teach. Includes 5 diagrams and 6 photos. Copying Pearl Patterns by Robert A. Steineggar LW p.86 \inlay \restoration 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. Tinting Lacquer Marks Inlays by Michael Dresdner LW p.86 \inlay There are several ways to lay out an inlay pattern before routing, but this one might be the most accurate. More Inlay Tricks by Tim Shaw LW p.86 \inlay \gluing 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 by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.87 \inlay 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. Two Tips on Pearl Inlay by Steve Goodale LW p.87 \inlay The author offers a way to attach the pattern to the pearl, and a method of coloring the pearl. Bending with a Paint Stripper by Al Leis LW p.88 \bending \tools\created Bending sides can be an intimidating process. It was especially so before the advent of the Fox bender. The author found a new method of applying heat to the wood to coerce the bend. With 6 photos to prove it works. Removing Side Ripples by Don Musser LW p.90 \bending \tools\jigs Some wood ripples when it is wetted for bending. Musser describes how to remove the ripples, but you’ll have to have a metal bending form to use his method. With 2 photos. Making Florentine Cutaways by Eric Berry LW p.90 \guitar\flattop Florentine cutaways are the pointy kind. This instruction is for adding the cutaway to your basic design as construction progresses, not for adding a cutaway to an already completed guitar. With 3 drawings. Beware of “Regrind” Plastic by Anonymous LW p.92 \binding Plastic is often recycled in the factory, and various colors may be added to a basic mix. Plastic for instrument adornment is never supposed to be made this way, but it can happen. Your supplier should make good on it. Fixing Shrunken Binding by Michael Breid LW p.92 \binding \repair\other \restoration The author has had good luck heating and stretching shrunken binding back to its original configuration. Here’s how. Making Lining Strips-One by Rolfe Gerhardt LW p.93 \bracing\other The author uses a gang saw to produce kerfed lining strips in quick fashion. With a drawing and a photo. Making Lining Strips-Two by Boyd Butler LW p.93 \bracing\other \tools\power How to jig up a bandsaw to kerf linings one strip at a time. With 1 diagram. Making Ling Strips-Three by William R. Cumpiano LW p.94 \bracing\other Yet another way to make your own kerfed lining, with 4 diagrams of the procedure. More sophisticated than the previous two articles, but not necessarily a better way to go about it. Deep Studding Top Cracks by Al Leis LW p.95 \repair\crack \tools\clamps \tools\created So how does one reach w-a-y back there to reinforce top crack repairs? By making a special clamp, and by evolving a slick method of using it. Here’s how it’s done. Includes 2 photos. Sanding Board Tip by Al Carruth LW p.95 \tools\created The author offers a simple trick for making flat-bottom sanding blocks. Includes a drawing. Positioning Studs for Top Cracks by Mike Janoska LW p.96 \repair\crack Problem: since you began pumping iron your arms are too big to fit through a guitar soundhole. Here’s another way of reinforcing top crack repairs without asking help from your pencil-arm brother-in-law. With 1 drawing. Removing Finish for Bridge Gluing by Tim Olsen LW p.96 \bridge\guitar \gluing Finish your guitar, clean off a footprint for the bridge, then glue it on. It’s easy, here’s how. With 1 sketch. Modified Cam Clamp by John Colombini LW p.97 \bridge\guitar \tools\clamps The author couldn’t reach through the small soundhole of a guitar to bolt the bridge on, so he devised a nifty cam clamp that not only holds the socket but aids in lining up all the pieces during the operation. With 3 diagrams. Splining Soundboard Cracks by Michael Dresdner LW p.97 \repair\crack Dresdner studs the crack, then compresses the edges of the top crack into a wedge shape into which a tapered spline is glued. This technique has become routine, but this is one of the first times it reached print. He also offers a recipe for touching up the new wood to a “vintage” color. Gluing a Cracked Back or Top by Ted Davis LW p.98 \repair\crack \gluing This is a method for mending cracks in free, unbraced plates using only small nails and a workboard. Includes a drawing of the technique. Nuts and Bolts for Bridge Gluing by Tim Olsen LW p.98 \bridge\guitar \gluing \tools\clamps 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. Post and Wedge for Clamping by Bill Colgan LW p.98 \tools\clamps \repair\other \gluing This is a slick way of regluing loose braces deep in an instrument where clamps can’t reach, and simpler than some other techniques we’ve seen. The drawing gives a good illustration of the concept. Capo as Tool in Bridge Work by Tim Earls LW p.98 \tools\clamps \bridge\guitar Here’s a simple trick to keep slack strings out of the way while you work on the saddle. Especially helpful on 12-strings. Flattop Bridge Removal by Jim Williams LW p.99 \bridge\guitar \repair\bridge \tools\created Clean bridge removal is almost an art, but the right heat source and the proper tools can give even the first-timer a fighting chance. Williams offers a dedicated lamp setup for heat and a modified cabinet scraper to slide through the glue joint. With 3 drawings. Rebuilding the Tune-O-Matic by William Hatcher LW p.99 \bridge\electric \repair\bridge This classic piece of guitar hardware suffers from its share of rattles and loose parts, even on new units. You can tune it up and quiet it down. Here’s how. Includes 2 illustrations. Improved X Bracing by Don Musser LW p.100 \bracing\flattop 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. Top and Back Joints by Tim Olsen LW p.101 \tools\clamps \gluing Build a simple shooting board to make plate joints with a plane, then use one of 3 tried-and-true forms of clamping workboards to glue them together. Gluing Pickguards by Robert Steinegger LW p.102 \synthetics \gluing Here’s a good trick for gluing pickguards to raw wood that let’s the ‘guard shrink without cracking the soundboard. Transparent Pickguards by Lester DeVoe LW p.102 \synthetics \gluing The author likes transparent pickguards but doesn’t like commercial pickguard stock. Here’s how he makes his own. Half-and-Half Tops by Harry Fleishman LW p.103 \wood\soft \guitar\flattop Perhaps Harry didn’t invent the guitar top made from two varieties of wood, but he has certainly made it a trademark of his instruments. The text explains the why of it, and the single photo offers a peek at one of Fleishman’s unique designs. Calculating Fret Scales by Bob Petrulis LW p.104 \fingerboard\fretboard \computers The author gives you the math to lay out the frets for any scale length and demonstrates how to use a computer spread sheet to do the same operation a lot faster. With a drawing and two charts. Calculating String Tension by Max Krimmel LW p.106 \strings\tension 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. Cutting Nut Slots with Strings by Michael Trietsch LW p.106 \tools\created The cheapo way to cut perfect nut slots is to use the wound string that will sit in the groove as a saw. It doesn’t work while the nut is mounted on the guitar, though. The unwound string slots are cut with an X-acto saw. With 1 drawing. Nut Slotting Files by Michael Dresdner LW p.107 \tools\hand \tools\created In the “old days” you couldn’t buy a set of nut slotting files. They didn’t exist. The author used pattern makers files with parallel safety sides. He recommends learning about and adapting the tools from every trade that crosses your path. Calculating Neck Angle Changes by Michael Dresdner LW p.107 \repair\neck All right, so you got the neck off of your flattop and you’re about to reset it. How much wood do you have to remove from the heel to achieve the proper correction? It turns out that you can calculate that figure, and here’s how to do it. With 1 sketch. Adjustable Neck Joints by Larry Robinson LW p.107 \neck 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. Neck Relief by Philip Mayes LW p.108 \fretboard 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. Heat Pressing Necks by Tim Olsen LW p.110 \neck No, you don’t press a neck to take the wrinkles out. Sometimes it’s necessary to heat a crooked neck, overbend it with clamps, then hope it cools and relaxes into some semblance of straightness. This sort of caveman lutherie is still called upon from time to time, and you probably won’t find a more detailed description of the operation than this one. With 5 illustrations. Blackboard Eraser Polisher by Michael Dresdner LW p.111 \fingerboard\fretboard \tools\created Dresdner steals yet another tool from another discipline, this time for polishing frets after they’ve been shaped with a file. Doodlebug Pad Polishers by Marvin Tench LW p.111 \tools\created \fingerboard\fretboard Yet another substitute for messy steel wool on your bench (not to mention your pickups). Doodlebug pads are a 3M scouring pad made of nylon. Polish your frets with impunity. Frets and Fingerboard Care by Randy Stockwell LW p.111 \fingerboard\fretboard 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. A Laminated Neck Design by Tim Olsen LW p.112 \neck Necks fashioned from one hunk of wood are beautiful but wasteful. Laminated designs intended to conserve the most wood are often considered unsightly, so Olsen tackled the problem with a laminated design that offers the prettiest wood, the highest strength, and that makes the installation of a curved truss rod a snap. Pretty cool. With 7 drawings. Truss Rod Repair on a Fender by Dave Gentry LW p.114 \neck \fingerboard\fretboard \repair\neck Fender’s unorthodox method of installing a truss rod makes the replacement of the rod a strange undertaking. Gentry’s technique is clever, and far less invasive than removing the entire fingerboard. With 2 drawings. Splicing on a New Peghead by Tim Olsen LW p.114 \repair\neck Sometimes a peghead break is so traumatic that the best plan is just to toss the old one in the trash and start over. Here’s how (using mostly hand tools), and don’t be surprised if the rebuilt neck is better than the original. With 13 illustrations. Fiberglass Headstock Repair by William Hatcher LW p.117 \repair\neck \synthetics \gluing Try this method of repairing a headstock break when you don’t trust Titebond to do the job. It involves extensive touchup work, however. Routing Neck Dovetails by Larry Stevens LW p.118 \guitar\flattop \neck The author borrowed this dovetail system from Max Krimmel. The routing jigs are fully described, and it is recommended that the head block be routed before the body is assembled, Martin-style. With 7 illustrations. Removing Dovetails-One by John Thierman LW p.120 \repair\neck Steam out the neck with a tea kettle. With 2 illustrations. See also the next article. Removing Dovetails-Two by Kent Rayman LW p.120 \repair\neck Steam out the neck with a pressure cooker. With 1 drawing. See the previous article and the next article. Removing Dovetails-Three by Michael Dresdner LW p.120 \repair\neck Steam out the neck with a cappuccino machine. See also the previous 2 articles. This variation involves sawing off the fretboard at the body joint. Neck-to-Body Joint by Garth Fleming LW p.121 \neck How about a locking mortise-and-tenon joint? Works like a dovetail with only half the hassle. With 2 drawings. Adjustable Truss Rod by Jim Williams LW p.121 \neck Make your own Rickenbacker-style double rod. With 3 illustrations. Spiritual Lutherie by Raphael Weisman LW p.122 \philosophy Build your Self while you build your instruments. Without the one, the other would be a pretty empty achievement. Glorious Uncertainty by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.123 \philosophy The author maintains that if we knew that each piece of work was going to turn out perfectly there would be no reason to continue building. Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how narrowly our lives are focused. We should always be a beginner at something. Learning Guitar Making by Tim Olsen LW p.124 \philosophy \schools Now that lutherie has boomed, is it best to attend a school to learn the trade? Or does self-education (and self-discovery) still make sense. It depends. Apprenticeships by Jeffrey Elliott LW p.124 \schools \philosophy The author has been an apprentice and has trained apprentices. Before you face either situation you should read this to learn what you are getting into. Building a First Guitar by Harry Coleman LW p.125 \philosophy The author went all out on his first guitar, using only the best materials he could find. Is this the best way to approach lutherie? He thinks so. Pedagogue’s Lament by William Cumpiano LW p.126 \philosophy \schools 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. In Defense of the Amateur by Nicholas Von Robison LW p.127 \philosophy 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. Lutherie Schools LW p.128 \schools A list of schools, organizations, and periodicals to help you find your way. Sources of Supply LW p.132 \wood\dealers Where to buy your wood and tools. Reviews LW p.134 \reviews Abstracts of reviews of books, videos, and periodicals related to the themes of this book. Further Reading in American Lutherie LW p.142 The material in Lutherie Woods is mostly pre-American Lutherie. This list of related articles will help bring you up to date. BIG RED BOOK ONE (pre-American Lutherie material) Area Tuning the Violin by Keith Hill BRB p.20 \philosophy \physics\violin \violin 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. Violin Ribs/Latent Tension by John Meng BRB p.25 \bending \violin \physics\violin 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. Potassium Dichromate, Oxalic Acid, and Carnauba Wax by Jeff Elliott BRB p.36 \finish\other \tools\power Various chemicals have been used for centuries to color (or de-color) wood. Fiddle makers are hip to tons of these, but Elliott describes a couple that he finds useful on his guitars. He also advocates lubricating tools and work surfaces with carnauba wax, which will not contaminate your wood. Honest Ron’s Lacquer Finishing Technique by Ron Lira BRB1 p.37 \finish\lacquer \finish\shellac 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. Spray Finishing Setup by Rolfe Gerhardt BRB1 p.41 \finish\lacquer \finish\spraying \health That is, setting up the actual spray system from compressor to gun, with additional information about spray room accessories. It’s worth noting that in his update the author (a maker of top quality mandolins) mentions that he has abandoned lacquer in favor of water-base products. The Business of Lutherie by Richard Brune, George Gruhn, Steve Klein, Max Krimmel, and Robert Lundberg BRB1 p.48 \business\ethics \business\other 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. Basic Sitar Repair by Thom Lipiczky BRB1 p.94 \repair\other \instruments\other Sitars are wonderful to look at, strange to hold, lovely to listen to, and peculiar to repair and set up. These days, when vintage instrument values make repair a high-risk endeavor, Lipiczky’s offbeat cures for broken gourds and loose frets are a breath of fresh air. Sitar repair has no doubt advanced since 1979, but we’ll have to take what we can get as far as instruction is concerned. The Indian words make for exotic reading, and the chart of string gauges may save your bacon one strange day. Hide Glue Techniques by Donald Warnock BRB1 p.112 \humidity \gluing Luthiers returning to hide glue have begun a movement, and if you wish to join you’ll need all the help you can get. The stuff can be pretty fussy. Warnock explains the varieties of hide glue, how to live with it, and how to apply it to several different instruments. Where else can you get information about veneering the back of a neck? Seedlac by Nicholas Von Robison BRB1 p.121 \finish\shellac 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. Health Hazards: Solvents, Glues, and Shell by Ervin Somogyi BRB1 p.122 \finish\lacquer \gluing \health \inlay Somogyi wrote this scary little article in 1983, but if you think that the chemicals luthiers encounter have gotten friendlier you better think again. The compounds that have been making people sick for decades are still out there, and regulation doesn’t seem to have made much of an impact. You’ll have to be your own safety cop, and this article is a good place to begin. White, Yellow, and Hide Glues by Lawrence D. Brown BRB1 p.162 \gluing 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. Sponge Soundhole Plug by Glen Markel BRB1 p.166 \finish\spraying Markel offers a simple trick for sealing off instrument ports before finishing. Rosin Varnishes by Louis De Grazia BRB1 p.167 \violin \finish\varnish Rosin varnishes preceded the varnishes developed by the Cremonese violin masters. Though they are often scorned by experienced luthiers, De Grazia maintains that the ease with which they can be mixed and applied makes them a good starting point for the budding violin builder. Several Glue Tricks by Tim Earls BRB1 p.171 \gluing Handy tips for spreading and cleaning up Titebond and epoxy. Finishing With Lacquer by Glen Markel BRB1 p.178 \finish\lacquer \finish\spraying These are finishing tips picked up while Markel worked at Guild. The best of them involve heating the lacquer and building a stationary buffing wheel. Twenty Ancient Dyestuffs and Eleven Mordants by Nicholas Von Robison BRB1 p.210 \finish\lacquer \finish\other 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. Soundhole Plug for Spraying by Pete Estes BRB1 p.213 \finish\spraying Don’t get finish inside your flattop when you spray, use this handy, easy-to-make gizmo. With diagram. Kasha Guitar Soundboard by Gila Eban BRB1 p.214 \bracing\classical \guitar\classical \plans \physics\guitar Eban offers an eloquent argument for trying the Kasha system in your own shop, as well as many details of her own guitars. A page-sized blueprint is included. She maintains that there is a philosophy and an aesthetic behind the Kasha design that is self-revealing and pleasing to work with, and that the design will always be under-realized until a larger number of builders have come to understand and absorb it. Bass Crate by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr. BRB1 p.254 \bass\viol 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 by Graham Caldersmith BRB1 p.262 \violin \finish\other \finish\varnish 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. Sealing With Shellac and Varnishing Rosewood by Neil Hebert BRB1 p.264 \finish\varnish \finish\shellac This guitarmaker has adopted finishing techniques that are often reserved for violins, and claims that in eye and tactile appeal it is superior to lacquer. Particularly important is how he deals with rosewood’s tendency to bleed color, a problem that fiddle finishers don’t have to face. Finishing Lute Soundboards by Lawrence Brown BRB1 p.265 \lute \finish\lacquer 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. Oil Varnish Techniques by David Rolfe BRB1 p.284 \finish\varnish Violinmakers can (and do) talk at length about varnish formulas. Rolfe leaves that to others, and instead describes at length the process of getting the varnish onto the instrument with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of cleanliness. Included is a discussion of brushes, rags, rubbing down and polishing materials, drying boxes, and where in your shop to varnish. Tuning the Guitar by Ian Noyce BRB1 p.288 \tuning\temperament \bridge\other \fretboard \guitar\classical \guitar\flattop ‘Bet you thought you knew how to tune a guitar. Some are fussier than others, right? Noyce explains that fussiness, and by examining the fussiness it can in part be designed out of the guitar. On the other hand, part of the problem is psycho-fussiness, meaning that you have to tune to suit the peculiarities of human hearing. They say that horses have perfect pitch, so tuning up must be much less of a chore for them. Controlling Strings, Wood, and Air by Carleen Hutchins BRB1 p.300 \physics\guitar \physics\violin Hutchins is an acoustician who knows how to talk to a crowd of rookies. This 1980 lecture is loaded with cool anecdotes, impressive facts, and news of the newly developed (though long thought about) violin octet. Whoever would have thought that the physics of sound could be fun? Dissolving the Mysteries by Graham Caldersmith BRB1p.346 \physics\guitar \guitar\classical \guitar\flattop 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. Includes a photo, a drawing, and 3 frequency response graphs. Lemon Oil and Carnauba Wax by Jimmie Van BRB1p.352 \wood\hard \finish\lacquer \finish\other Discusses the advantages of cleaning instruments with lemon oil and resealing the finish with carnauba wax. Epoxy by Paul Jacobson BRB1p.353 \gluing There is a small but vocal movement afoot to return lutherie to a “purer” state by (among other things) reverting to hide glue and French polish. Don’t be too quick to sign on until you’ve read this article. There is no such thing as “pure” lutherie, and you should understand what you’re surrendering before you relinquish modern techniques. Epoxies have advanced since this was written in 1978, but the reasons for using them remain the same. The Case for Using Natural Dyes by Nicholas Von Robison BRB1p.372 \finish\lacquer \finish\other \wood\hard 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. Spraying Lacquer With Nitrogen by Harry Coleman BRB1p.373 \finish\spraying \finish\lacquer If you’re hurting for space or can’t yet afford a compressor, you may find that spraying with a tank of nitrogen makes sense. You may find that it makes sense no matter what, depending on the volume of your finish work. The Truth About Temperaments by Edward Kottick BRB1p.386 \tuning\temperament 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. Hangers for Spraying and Storage by Bill Colgan BRB1p.458 \finish\spraying A case is made for suspending instruments to be finished by hooks attached nylon cord, both during spraying and while drying. Big Red Book Two (Pre-American Lutherie Material) Charlie Christian Pickup by Doc Kauffman BRB2 p.19 \electronics One of the pioneers of the solidbody guitar gives a brief description of one of the first successful pickups, complete with 3 full-scale drawings of the pickup and a sketch of its flux pattern compared to a more contemporary pickup. Epitaph for a Luthier: Miguel Company by H. E. Huttig BRB2 p.23 \people A number of builders impacted the lutherie scene simply by keeping the craft alive during the dark days of the ‘50s and early ‘60s, even though they are all but forgotten today. Company fled Castro’s Cuba to Florida, where he made all manner of guitars and Latin instruments. Flamenco Capo by D. Alfieri BRB2 p.25 \accessories Flamenco guitars are very light in weight, and a conventional capo could unbalance them and even change their sustain. This all-wood capo should correct the problem. Diagnosing with an Ohmmeter by Bob Petrulis BRB2 p.31 \electronics \repair\other The author discusses ways to diagnose various electric guitar repairs before the instrument is even disassembled. Museum Services for Luthiers by Laurence Libin BRB2 p.48 \organizations \business\other Luthiers who deal in restoration and re-creation of old instruments may find that museums may harbor help that is otherwise unavailable, and you may not have to visit the museum to avail yourself of its services. Libin discusses what museums are usually prepared to do to help researchers, and how to deal with museums when you need their help. Design Factors in the String Bass by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr. BRB2 p.52 \bass\viol Lyman has made basses for several contemporary bass luminaries and has decided that they need qualities in the bass that weren’t called for in the past. He offers specific ways to match a bass to the requirements of the player. With one photo of the author. Meet the Maker: Manuel Davila by H. E. Huttig BRB2 p.61 \people Davila made flamboyantly decorated instruments in Guatemala with little regard to contemporary customs. He also built with home-made toad glue. Too bad we don’t know more about him. With 1 photo of Davila and a guitar. An Overview of Pickup Design by Tim Shaw BRB2 p.62 \electronics \guitar\electric This is just about as good a description of how pickups work as you are going to find. Shaw was a main man at Gibson, and relates several of the design considerations to specific guitars. If pickups are really this easy to understand why do they seem so mysterious? Includes 4 diagrams of how pickups are built. Lute Making by Lawrence D. Brown BRB2 p.68 \lute During the ‘70s it was common for guitarmakers to build lute-shaped instruments utilizing the technologies of the guitar, even to the point of designing their own shapes. Brown offers a large number of reasons why this was a mistake and a disservice to the instrument and modern lutenists, citing the many factors of historical lutes that should be retained rather than messed with. It’s interesting to note that in the years following this article the emphasis of lute making returned to following historical guidelines. With 2 photos. Meet the Maker: Robert Lundberg by Kent and Aggie Rayman BRB2 p.78 \people \lute Lundberg is a classic example of a man who couldn’t fit into any of the slots society tried to force him into, yet who went on to become an important individual in his field. Lute players of the world couldn’t be happier about it. With 4 photos. Acoustic Variables in Fretted Dulcimer Construction by Bonnie Carol BRB2 p.96 \dulcimer\fretted Despite its simplicity, the lap dulcimer can be ruined by poor design as easily as any other stringed instrument. The author describes ways to deal with different varieties of wood and fingerboard design to achieve maximum tone and volume from a given shape and size dulcimer. With 3 photos and 2 drawings. Resonance by Roger Siminoff BRB2 p.99 \bracing\flattop \physics\guitar The author considers X braces as structural elements and tone bars as tone adjusters, and that tone color can be altered by the stiffness of the tone bars and the size of the soundhole. Despite the possibilities, no examples for use are given. Remembering Hermann Hauser II by H. E. Huttig BRB2 p.154 \people \guitar\classical The author visited Hauser in Germany in 1966. This short biography and remembrance adds a bit of humanity to a man who is usually only thought of in terms of the guitars he left behind when he died. With 2 photos. Meet the Maker: Victor Gardener by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr. BRB2 p.158 \people \violin Gardener was an independent sort from Oregon who built closely in the style of the violins of the classic period in Italy. Mentions Hans Weishaar. With 2 photos. Aesthetics of Restoration by D. Alfieri BRB2 p.176 \restoration The goal and duties of the instrument restorationist are not always clear cut since the philosophy of restoration is not universally agreed upon. The author makes a good case for a conservative approach to the subject and the work. Guitar Sound Criteria by Thomas Knatt BRB2 p.200 \guitar\classical Knatt discusses the elements of classical guitar construction that help create the sound he is after, such as thinning the top, the characteristics of the action and saddle, accuracy of fret placement, and the effects of brace shaving. Mentions Carleen Hutchins. Soundboard Bracing Considerations by Paul Wyszkowski BRB2 p.201 \guitar\classical \bracing\classical \physics\guitar The author uses a light approach to science to explain the function of the classical guitar top and attempts to translate the functions of physics into a form the luthier can use at the bench. Sound Generator for Experimentation by Matt Fichtenbaum BRB2 p.203 \physics\guitar \physics\violin \electronics The author supplies schematics for anyone wishing to build their own tone generator. Dulcimer String Pins by Bud Ingraham BRB2 p.209 \dulcimer\fretted \accessories \strings\other Ingraham uses guitar bridge pins to fasten the ends of his dulcimer strings. With a pair of drawings. Hammer Dulcimer String Pins and Loops by Ed Damm BRB2 p.236 \dulcimer\hammered \strings\other By using a collection of drawings the author demonstrates many ways to string the hammered dulcimer. Hammer Dulcimer by Al Carruth BRB2 p.242 \plans \dulcimer\hammered A drawing, a photo, and a one-page blueprint help explain the unique way Carruth constructs his hammered dulcimers. Calfskin Banjo Head by Kirk Hogan BRB2 p.244 \banjo \skin Mounting a skin head on a banjo has become a lost art. Here’s how to do it. Includes 4 drawings. Constructing a Medieval Lyre by John Taye BRB2 p.258 \instruments\other There must certainly be more than one way to make a lyre, especially since the instrument was never standardized. Taye uses a series of drawings, a blueprint, and a photo to help explain how he chose his version and how he builds them. Fitting Lute Pegs by Lawrence D. Brown BRB2 p.260 \lute \pegs Lute pegs are different than violin pegs and have their own requirements if they are to function properly. Brown gives a thorough explanation. Head V-Joint by Duane Waterman BRB2 p.282 \neck \guitar\classical The author uses a series of drawings to help explain the creation of a unique but tradition method of attaching the headstock to a guitar neck. Folk Harp Design by R. L. Robinson BRB2 p.284 \instruments\other Robinson was a champion of the folk harps long before the current Celtic music craze. He built a lot of harps, and had some strong opinions about how it should be done. With a photo and 14 drawings. Making Bridges Using Power Tools by Kent Rayman BRB2 p.289 \bridge\guitar \guitar\classical The author uses a table saw and no jigs to help speed up the creation of classical guitar bridges. With 5 drawings. Updating the Mountain Dulcimer by Hardy B. Menagh BRB2 p.290 \dulcimer\fretted \bridge\other Menagh’s dulcimer utilizes a shortened fretboard, a banjo-ish bridge, and a tailpiece to help make the instrument louder. He also employs an X brace under the top. With 2 photos and a drawing of his dulcimer innards. Patents by Scott McKee BRB2 p.292 \business\other So, your brand new gadget is about to change music forever, huh? You’d better know how to protect it and yourself. McKee explains the patent process and how to do much of your own footwork. Hurdy-Gurdies by Alan Carruth BRB2 p.298 \instruments\other There’s nothing like a hurdy-gurdy to help you win the hearts of the damsels at a Renaissance fair. Carruth offers helpful advice about making one that even plays music! Turn that crank and relive the Middle Ages! With 5 drawings. Floating Saddle for Dulcimer by Jeff Feltman BRB2 p.315 \bridge\other \dulcimer\fretted Feltman offers a dulcimer bridge design that hardly changes the traditional look of the instrument but is said to dramatically improve the volume of the instrument. It’s a sad commentary on our noisy society that the only way to improve volume is by making it louder. Oh, well. With drawings enough to make things clear. Hammer Dulcimer Tuning Tricks by Edward Damm BRB2 p.335 \dulcimer\hammered Some of these tricks need to be built into the instrument. The others are useful after it’s complete. With hammered dulcimers you need all the tuning help you can get. With 5 drawings. Evolving the Classic Guitar Soundboard by Ted Davis BRB2 p.340 \guitar\classical \bracing\classical \wood\soft The author began building classical guitars before there was much written help out there, and he evolved his design specs by making a lot of guitars. Some of these have been absorbed into the general body of classical guitar literature, other remain unique. With 14 drawings and 2 photos. Violin Bridge Tuning by Alan Carruth BRB2 p.349 \bridge\violin Unhappily, a new violin bridge is just an unusable flake of wood. You not only need to adjust it for proper action but tune it to help bring the most out of the instrument. Here’s how. With 5 drawings. Adjustable Bass Bridge by Peter Psarianos BRB2 p.356 \bridge\other \bass\viol There are two main styles of commercially available bass bridge adjusters. Here’s how to fit them to a bridge. With 6 drawings and a handy spec chart of the two adjusters. Laminated Dulcimer Fretboard by C. F. Casey BRB2 p.361 \dulcimer\fretted \fingerboard\fretboard The laminated, hollow fretboard is one of the standard designs of the dulcimer industry. Casey’s is a bit nicer than most. With 6 drawings. Purfling Lamination by Duane Waterman BRB2 p.367 \binding This is a trick method of laminating wood purfling strips and bending them to shape at the same time. With 5 photos. Lute Action by Lawrence D. Brown BRB2 p.394 \lute It is perhaps true that a good playing action must be built into the instrument, and that less adjustment can be done to a finished lute than to other instruments. Brown explains lute action adjustment from the perspectives of both the builder and the repairperson. With 9 illustrations. Testing Tonewood Samples by Graham Caldersmith BRB2 p.400 \wood\soft \wood\hard \physics\guitar The “Young’s Modulus” of any piece of wood can be calculated, giving a result measurable in frequency. Comparing the Young’s Modulus of a wood species with unknown qualities with a chart of other species of known characteristics can tell you what to expect before any instrument work is commenced. Here’s how to calculate the Young’s Modulus of any piece of wood you have on hand. With 1 drawing and a sample wood chart. Hammer Dulcimer Partials by Nicholas Von Robison BRB2 p.418 \dulcimer\hammered This is a physics of sound primer for the hammered dulcimer. Banjo Block Rim by Elliott Burch BRB2 p.444 \banjo Most banjo rims (or pots) are laminated from one long strip of steam-bent wood. An even stronger rim can be made of blocks laid up like a brick wall. Here’s how to make one. With 7 illustrations. Basic Bass Adjustments by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr. BRB2 p.450 \bass\viol The rude construction of many basses prevents them from being as subtle an instrument as a violin, but they have their own setup requirements that may not be obvious to the uninitiated. Lyman shares his years of experience with bass creation and repair to help us get the most from any bass, however crudely fashioned or maintained. Structural Considerations by Paul Wyszkowski BRB2 p.452 \guitar\classical \bracing\classical It’s well known that designing a guitar for longevity and designing a guitar for best performance may drag the designer in opposite directions. Guitar construction is a compromise (like life itself). The author takes a closer look at the situation. With 1 drawing. Handmaking Zither Pins Bruce Day BRB2 p.455 \pegs \instruments\other Tuning pins on antique zithers are different and larger than modern steel pins. Fortunately they are not hard to make. Here’s how, including 2 drawings. Bob Mattingly’s Building Process by Duane Waterman and William Tapia BRB2 p.456 \guitar\classical \bending Mattingly was one of the most respected classical builders in America before his death. This article examines some of the unusual construction techniques he used. In Search of the Lost Cobza by Hardy B. Menagh BRB2 p.458 \instruments\other The cobza is an obsolete, nearly-neckless lute from Romania. The author capitulates his efforts to track one down while touring the cobza's homeland. With 3 photos. Irish Bouzouki by Rich Westerman BRB2 p.462 \instruments\other \plans Westerman was among the first to produce quantities of Irish bouzoukis, or citterns. Here he offers an explanation of his design, as well as a blueprint for the instrument. The plans are available as GAL full-scale blueprint #3. With 2 photos. AMERICAN LUTHERIE #1 Spring 1985 Letter to the editor by Paul Wyszkowski AL#1 p.5 \guitar\classical \physics\guitar Wyszkowski defends assertions he made in a previous article (Vol. 12, #4, GAL Quarterly) concerning sound radiation of the (1,0) mode in the classic guitar. His assertion is based on the work of William Strong and Graham Caldersmith. Criticism was made by Gila Eban. Letter to the editor by Michael Dresdner AL#1 p.3 \tools\hand Dresdner discusses the availability of files suitable for nut slotting, and supplies an address for the Grobet Company. Letter to the editor by Jose Llorens AL#1 p.5 \tuners \repair\other Llorens describes methods of fixing mechanical flaws in Schaller classic machines. Pearly Shells and Nichols by David Nichols BRB1 p.2 AL#1 p.10 \inlay \gluing 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. Basics of Air Resonance by W. D. Allen BRB1 p.8 AL#1 p.16 \physics\guitar \physics\violin 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. Hints for Area Tuning the Violin by Keith Hill BRB1 p.30 AL#1 p.21 \physics\violin \philosophy 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 1918 Martin 1-18, #13336 by Ted Davis BRB1 p.38 AL#1 p.27 \guitar\flattop \plans The article contains 4 photos, a short text, and a reduced image of our full-scale instrument Plan #8. Both pages of the very thorough drawing are presented. A chance to get an accurate preview of the plan before you buy. This is a very small flattop guitar, less than 13" at the lower bout. Ukuleles Are For Real! by Bob Gleason AL#1 p.31 \ukulele Gleason admonishes luthiers to respect the ukulele as a legitimate instrument with its own challenges and rewards. Martin and Kamaka ukes are mentioned. Dalbergia Nigra and Friends by William Cumpiano BRB1 p.14 AL#1 p.32 \wood\hard \wood\trees 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. Workbench Design Ideas by Mark Stanley BRB1 p.18 AL#1 p.36 \workshop Stanley proposes a lutherie workbench of an unusual stepped-width design and gives thoughts on the materials and carpentry involved in constructing it. Lutherie: Art or Science? by R. E. Brune AL#1 p.38 \philosophy \guitars\classical \physics\guitar 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. Dulcimer Frets: My Way by Merv Rowley BRB1 p.42 AL#1 p.40 \dulcimer\fretted \fingerboard\fretboard Rowley describes a method of setting nails into half-round slots in a dulcimer fretboard. The slots are made by passing the fretboard over a veining bit in a router table with a miter fence. Guitar Back Fitting Jig by Ted Davis BRB1 p.13 AL#1 p.42 \tools\jigs \guitar\classical \guitar\flattop \tools\created Davis presents a drawing of a jig for properly forming the sides and lining of a guitar to accept a domed back. The sides are held in a mold while a sanding stick, held by a central post, is passed over them. Finding That Part by Bill Hultgren AL#1 p.43 \business\ethics \business\other Hultgren offers advice to those conducting telephone searches for parts or materials. Electronic Moisture Meters by Gregory Jackson BRB1 p.44 AL#1 p.44 \tools\measuring \humidity \wood\other Jackson comments on the basic principle upon which electronic moisture meters work, use of the meters, and why you should not try to cobble together your own. Internal Probing Tool by Elliot Burch BRB1 p.45 AL#1 p.45 \tools\hand \repair\crack \tools\created Burch describes modifying an automotive part-retrieving claw into a device for positioning small crack-reinforcing studs. Pneumatic Cylinders by Michael Jacobson-Hardy BRB1 p.26 AL#1 p.46 \tools\power \tools\clamps \tools\created Jacobson-Hardy describes devices based on pneumatic cylinders for bending sides, clamping braces to plates, clamping plates to sides, and holding neck blanks in a lathe. Luthier's Long Knife by C. F. Casey BRB1 p.17 AL#1 p.49 \tools\hand \tools\created Casey briefly describes the construction and use of a long-handled knife designed to be used with two hands. Illuminating Instrument Repairs by John Jordan BRB1 p.73 AL#1 p.50 \tools\hand \tools\other \tools\created Jordan describes two incandescent lights designed for use inside guitars. One uses a 7½-watt bulb on a standard power cord. The other uses tiny low-voltage bulbs and a step-down transformer. Bandsaw Riser Block by Joel Ivan Hawley BRB1 p.29 AL#1 p.51 \tools\power tools\created Hawley describes a method of sawing part way into a 4x4, then clamping it to the bandsaw table and using it as a table for sawing the outline of a guitar or banjo peghead. The Right Stone by Ervin Somogyi AL#1 p.52 \sharpening \tools\hand Somogyi comments briefly on the relative merits of oil stones and water stones. Embarrassing Moments in Lutherie by Carl McFarland AL#1 p.53 \health \humor \instrument\other McFarland drilled up through the face of a finished tamburah when drilling holes for string anchors in the tail area of the sides. Embarrassing Moments in Lutherie by William McCaw AL#1 p.53 \tools\power \health \guitar\classical McCaw ruined a classic peghead when the cheap collar of his router gave way. Review: Classic Guitar Making by Overholtzer. Reviewed by William McCaw. BRB1 p.486 AL#1 p.54 \reviews \guitars\classical The reviewer praises the book as the most logical of the construction methods he has read, but takes issue with some specific techniques. Review: Constructing the Mountain Dulcimer by Kimball. Reviewed by Peter Estes. BRB1 p.486 AL#1 p.54 \reviews \dulcimer\fretted The reviewer praises the book in general, and especially the quality of the diagrams. AMERICAN LUTHERIE #2 Summer 1985 Letter to the editor by Tony Pizzo AL#2 p.3 \instruments\other \wood\other Where to get gourds and gourd seeds for building ethnic instruments. More on Template Routing by Ron Lira BRB1 p.47 AL#2 p.7 \tools\power \tools\jigs Lira recommends specific routers and bits. 1984 Lutherie Biz Panel BRB1 p.48 AL#2 p.8 \business\ethics \business\promotion \business\other 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? by Tim Olsen BRB1 p.56 AL#2 p.13 \business\ethics \business\other \philosophy \people An update of the 1980 Lutherie Business panel discussion, featuring George Gruhn, Max Krimmel, Steve Klein, Robert Lundberg, and R. E. Brune. Radiation from Lower Guitar Modes by Graham Caldersmith BRB1 p.68 AL#2 p.20 \guitar\classical \physics\guitar \bracing\classical Caldersmith discusses the efficiency and pattern of sound radiation in the classic guitar produced by the four lower resonance modes, which he calls monopole, cross dipole, long dipole, and tripole. Mentions Tom Rossing, Gila Eban, Paul Wyzskowski, Fred Dickens, Michael Kasha, Richard Schneider, and Greg Smallman. Four charts. Wood's Appearance by William Cumpiano BRB1 p.74 AL#2 p.25 \wood\trees \wood\hard \wood\soft Cumpiano discusses wood color and figure on the cellular level. The Geophysical Guitar by H. E. Huttig AL#2 p.25 \humor Humorous fiction. A guitar of continental proportions is constructed with disastrous results. Mario Maccaferri: Feisty as Ever by Michael Dresdner AL#2 p.32 \guitar\flattop \guitar\other \synthetics \people A brief life history of Mario Maccaferri, including his career as a musician, his work with the Selmer Company and the Django Reinhardt guitars, his plastics manufacturing, his association with John Monteleone, and his projects as he nears retirement. Western Forestry Center Show by Mark Humpal AL#2 p.35 \meetings The 1985 annual exhibition of instruments from the area around Portland, Oregon. Some of the people involved are Paul Schuback, Jeffrey Elliott, Robert Steinegger, William McCaw, Ken Butler, and Robert Lundberg. 5 photos. Fresno Classic Guitar Festival by David Macias AL#2 p.38 \meetings \guitar\classical Brief overview of the 1985 event. 5 photos. AAMIM Convention by Jim Williams AL#2 p.40 \meetings \organizations Brief overview of the 1985 meeting of the Association of Australian Musical Instrument Makers. Attendees included Graham Caldersmith, Alistair McAllister, Greg Smallman, Mark Lewis, and Gerard Gilet. The Red (Spruce) Scare by Ted Davis BRB1 p.46 AL#2 p.41 \wood\soft \wood\trees Davis tells of his long, difficult, and ultimately successful quest to obtain logs of red spruce (Picea rubens). Calculating String Tension and Gauges by Graham McDonald BRB1 p.78 AL#2 p.42 \physics\guitar \guitar\flattop \strings\tension \strings\guitar McDonald gives formulae and graphs to determine appropriate steel string gauges for nonstandard scale lengths. One Way to Make Kerfed Lining by Richard Ennis AL#2 p.44 \bracing\other \bending \tools\power \tools\jigs Ennis kerfs wide boards on the table saw, then rips them to twice the desired width. He then rips each of these at an angle with a bandsaw to produce (after they are sliced lengthwise) two lining strips. Ocelot Ear and Spruceana by Don Musser BRB1 p.135 AL#2 p.45 \wood\hard \wood\trees Musser describes two Amazon woods with properties similar to Dalbergia nigra. Skin Heading Ethnic Drums, etc. by Topher Gayle AL#2 p.46 \skin \instruments\other \tools\jigs A jig for holding a natural-skin head at tension while it is being glued to a drum. Cheap Brune Sander Drum by Mark Goulet AL#2 p.48 \tools\power \tools\created A thickness sander drum is produced from scrap lumber without the use of a lathe. Two Lacquer Tips by Ted Kellison BRB1 p.72 AL#2 p.49 \finish\lacquer \tools\other \finish\spraying Kellison presents a safe method for preheating lacquer before spraying, and recommends an anti-static gun. Laminate Trimmer by C. F. Casey AL#2 p.49 \tools\power \binding Casey prefers laminate trimmers to Dremels. No, It's a Craft by Al Carruth AL#2 p.50 \philosophy Philosophical musings. Is lutherie an art or a science? Review: Guitars and Mandolins in America Featuring the Larsons' Creations by Robert Hartman. Reviewed by John Bromka. Also reviewed by Ron Lira. BRB1 p.487 AL#2 p.51 \reviews \guitar\flattop \mandolin \guitar\harp 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: The Strad Facsimile - An Illustrated Guide to Violin Making by Edwin John Ward. Reviewed by Fred Battershell. BRB1 p.487 AL#2 p.51 \reviews \violin The reviewer praises the concise approach of the book as it describes one builder's construction of a violin. Review: Lutes, Viols and Temperaments by Mark Lindley. Reviewed by Edward Kottick. BRB1 p.488 AL#2 p.52 \reviews \lute \viol \physics\guitar \tuning\temperament 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. Reviewed by C. F. Casey. BRB1 p.488 AL#2 p.53 \reviews \guitar\classical \guitar\electric \guitar\flattop The reviewer calls this the best of the popular (as opposed to scholarly) histories of the guitar. Three Helpful Tools by Brian Mascarin BRB1 p.77 AL#2 p.54 \tools\hand repair\other fingerboard\fretboard \guitar\archtop \tools\created They are: an archtop guitar brace jack, a modified 1/4" phone plug to position an output jack, and a clear plastic square for scribing fret positions on a fretless bass. AMERICAN LUTHERIE #3 Fall 1985 Letter to the editor by Bob Benedetto BRB1 p.79 AL#3 p.2 \business\other Benedetto offers advice on making a living as a luthier. Letter to the editor by Paul Wyszkowski AL#3 p.2 \guitar\classical \philosophy Wyszkowski rebuts R. E. Brune's criticism of the work of Dr. Kasha in AL#1 and mentions the work of Richard Schneider, then goes on to counter a criticism of the GAL. Letter to the editor by Jamey Hampton AL#3 p.5 \guitar\classical \philosophy Hampton counters R. E. Brune's criticism of Michael Kasha in AL#1, and draws upon Jose Ramirez III to help defend the scientific philosophy of guitarmaking. Rendezvous with Destiny, a Symposium '85 talk by Chris Martin BRB1 p.80 AL#3 p.8 \guitar\flattop \business\other \people Martin, currently head of the Martin Guitar Company, offers some personal history and business advice to luthiers. A Love Affair with Wood, a Symposium '85 talk by C. F. Martin III BRB1 p.84 AL#3 p.11 \guitar\flattop \wood\hard \people The former head of the Martin Guitar Company reminisces about his life as a guitar maker, offers a short history of the company and certain guitar models, and in the process mentions C. F. Martin Jr., Frank Henry Martin, and Mike Longworth. How to Get Free Advertising by Larry Robinson AL#3 p.15 \business\promotion Robinson suggests methods of getting your name and work into newspapers and periodicals. The Trade Secret, a true story by Michael Dresdner BRB1 p.83 AL#3 p.16 \business\ethics \philosophy Dresdner relates a story from his early days which illustrates the fact that only the ill informed believe in trade secrets. Lutherie's Contribution to Science by Paul Wyszkowski AL#3 p.17 \philosophy Wyszkowski submits that the generations of luthiers have intuitively followed the scientific method. Practical Guitar Maker's Bibliography by Paul Wyszkowski AL#3 p.19 \guitar\classical \physics\guitar \wood\hard \wood\soft Sixty books and articles dealing with guitar acoustics are rated for legitimacy, clarity, and usefulness. Trends: 1985 Lute Society Seminar by Lawrence D. Brown AL#3 p.22 \lute \organizations \meetings Brown comments on trends in lute making toward Baroque instruments, all-gut stringing, larger body sizes, and lower pitches. Bow Hair Jig by Thomas Snyder BRB1 p.88 AL#3 p.24 \bow \tools\jigs \violin \tools\created Measured drawings are presented for building a jig to facilitate rehairing bows. A detailed method for using the jig is also presented. Symposium '85 Overview by Dick Boak AL#3 p.26 \meetings \organizations Coverage of the 1985 regional GAL meeting is presented with 29 photos. Oh, Wonderful Cyanoacrylate! by Chris Pile AL#3 p.37 \gluing \repair\crack \repair\other Pile offers tips on using superglue. First Class Travel Guitar by Ed Mettee BRB1 p.90 AL#3 p.38 \guitar\electric \guitar\other \finish\other Photos and sketches fill out a description of a knockdown solidbody guitar that fits into a briefcase. Screw Misc. by Chris Pile and Tim Earls AL#3 p.41 \repair\other \tuners Pile contends that Schaller and Badass hardware comes with inferior screws, and that the good screws that come with cheaper machine heads should be swapped for them. Mr. Earls offers a method of cleaning bolt threads after cutting the bolt. Building a Plywood Bass by Richard Ennis BRB1 p.92 AL#3 p.42 \bass\viol \wood\other 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. Embarrassing Moments in Lutherie by Larry Robinson AL#3 p.45 \inlay \business\other \humor Robinson cut an elaborate inlay pattern to the wrong scale, but made it work. Luthier's Hotline by Bill Hultgren AL#3 p.46 \repairs\other \inlay \tools\hand \synthetics A question/answer format offers sources for micarta, pearloid inlay materials, and small files. Custom Paint Aftermath by Tim Earls AL#3 p.46 \finish\lacquer \repair\other \finish\spraying Earls describes his ordeal of completing a guitar painted by an auto body shop. He finds that even the best auto painter may not understand the intricacies of the guitar. Review: The Technique of Violin Making by H. S. Wake. Reviewed by Frederick Battershell. BRB1 p.489 AL#3 p.48 \reviews \violin 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. Reviewed by Paul Wyszkowski. BRB1 p.491 AL#3 p.48 \reviews \physics\guitar \physics\violin 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. Reviewed by Edward L. Kottick. BRB1 p.490 AL#3 p.49 \reviews The reviewer finds the journal interesting, yet is nevertheless critical of its informational accuracy. Review: Experimental Musical Instruments. Reviewed by Fred Carlson. BRB1 p.490 AL#3 p.50 \reviews \instruments\other The reviewer finds the newsletter “thin”, but is enthusiastic about its future. AMERICAN LUTHERIE #4 Winter 1985 Letter to the editor by Patrick W. Coffey BRB1 p.147 AL#4 p.3 \gluing \tools\other \tools\created Coffey describes how to make a small electric glue pot for under $13. Letter to the editor by Michael Knutson AL#4 p.3 \strings\tension \strings\guitar Knutson suggests changes to a string tension formula previously published in AL#2. Letter to the editor by Peg Willis AL#4 p.7 \philosophy Willis makes interesting comments about the musicians' responsibility to an instrument's compensation factor. She contends that a musician's technique can help an instrument play in tune. Manuel Velazquez: An Appreciation by William Cumpiano BRB1 p.96 AL#4 p.8 \guitar\classical \wood\hard \people Cumpiano shares a pleasant visit with Velasquez in Puerto Rico where the conversation is all about classical guitars, wood, compensation factors, and balancing the tone of the instrument. Remarks to Symposium '85 by Manuel Velazquez BRB1 p.96 AL#4 p.10 \philosophy Velazquez speaks briefly about the qualities that make a good luthier. A Chat with Don Manuel transcribed by William Cumpiano BRB1 p.96 AL#4 p.11 \guitar\classical \wood\hard \gluing \people Velazquez fields a number of questions about the specifics of building the nylon-strung guitar, including types of glue, choice of wood, construction design, and finishing. Drafting Instrument Plans by Ted Davis BRB1 p.108 AL#4 p.16 \plans \tools\hand In this lecture Davis describes his method of making instrument plans from a guitar, then fields questions and takes suggestions. Tarrega Played a Maple Guitar by David Macias BRB1 p.114 AL#4 p.20 \guitar\classical \wood\hard \people Macias relates an interesting anecdote about the first maple classical guitar he built, then translates a Pujol description of the Tarrega guitar made by Torres. Devolution of the Modern Lute by Robert Cooper BRB1 p.116 AL#4 p.22 \lute \bracing\lute \strings\other 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 by Nasser Shirazi BRB1 p.126 AL#4 p.27 \plans \instruments\other \wood\other \bow \skin 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 by John Jordan BRB1 p.132 AL#4 p.31 \wood\trees \wood\hard \wood\other 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. In the Ramirez Workshop by William Tapia BRB1 p.140 AL#4 p.36 \guitar\classical \people \business\other Tapia relates the history of Ramirez guitars and tells of his time there learning to properly repair them. Making the Ramirez Guitar Nut by William Tapia BRB1 p.140 AL#4 p.39 \guitar\classical \fretboard \repair\other Tapia describes the method used to make guitar nuts in the Ramirez shop. Comments on the Kasha Question by Gila Eban AL#4 p.42 \guitar\classical \physics\guitar \bracing\classical Eban takes on Paul Wyzskowski as she champions the design innovations of Michael Kasha. She has incorporated many of Kasha's changes into her own classical guitars. Her rebuttal mentions Richard Schneider, Jamey Hampton, and Graham Caldersmith. Comments on the Kasha Question by R. E. Brune AL#4 p.42 \guitar\classical \philosophy Brune, a defender of traditional values, defends his criticism of the Kasha innovations, along the way mentioning Schneider, Hampton, and Segovia. Micro Table Saw by William Conrad BRB1 p.136 AL#4 p.43 \tools\power \tools\created Conrad explains how he converted his Dremel moto-lathe into a miniature table saw. Dulcimer Fretboards: My Way by Peg Willis BRB1 p.146 AL#4 p.46 \dulcimer\fretted \fingerboard\fretboard Willis explains the construction of her unique hollow dulcimer fretboard, which has coved sides that blend into the soundboard. In Praise of the Plywood Bass by Frederick C. Lyman, Jr BRB1 p.148 AL#4 p.48 \bass\viol \wood\other \philosophy 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. Luthier's Hotline by Bill Hultgren AL#4 p.50 \instruments\other Hultgren offers quick advice about obtaining instrument kits and why one should use them, and mentions two sources of used instruments. Why I Am a Guild Member by Paul Wyszkowski AL#4 p.51 \philosophy Wyszkowski, a member of the GAL Board of Directors, gives a pep talk about the advantages and philosophy of GAL membership. Review: The Luthier's Mercantile Catalog for Stringed Instrument Makers by Luthier's Mercantile. Reviewed by Frederick Battershell. BRB1 p.492 AL#4 p.52 \reviews \wood\hard \wood\soft \wood\dealers 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. Reviewed by Kirk A. Janowiak. BRB1 p.494 AL#4 p.52 \reviews \violin 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 by Kevin Coates. Reviewed by R. E. Brune. BRB1 p.492 AL#4 p.53 \reviews \guitar\baroque \instruments\other \lute 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. AMERICAN LUTHERIE #5 Spring 1986 Letter to the editor by Bob Benedetto AL#5 p.3 \schools \business\other Benedetto suggests that lutherie schools be taken seriously. Letter to the editor by Jim Williams AL#5 p.7 \guitar\classical \philosophy Williams endorses scientific guitar design and refers to the work of Australian guitar maker Greg Smallman. Also brings up the names of Kasha and Brune. Letter to the editor by Michael Knutson AL#5 p.7 \strings\tension \strings\guitar Knutson makes a correction to his earlier letter about wire strength and string tension printed in AL#4 (which was a response to an article in AL#2). Letter to the editor by Peter Estes AL#5 p.7 \guitar\other \guitar\flattop \guitar\classical Estes mentions the negative feedback he received about his GAL contribution, Data Sheet #290, in which he recommended a specific method of fitting backs to guitars. GAL Members at BDAA Meeting by James Flynn AL#5 p.6 \balalaika \organizations Flynn sends a picture of six Guild members at the Balalaika and Domra Association of America. Interview with William DelPilar by Ted Davis BRB1 p.150 AL#5 p.10 \guitar\classical \finish\shellac \wood\hard \people \wood\soft Davis offers his conversation with a professional luthier who made over 800 classical guitars between 1956 and 1986. The Bluegrass Dobro by Bobby Wolfe BRB1 p.154 AL#5 p.14 \guitar\resophonic \repair\other 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. Regluing Guitar Bridges by Ken Donnell BRB1 p.168 AL#5 p.22 \repair\bridge \bridge\gluing \bridge\guitar Donnell gives a thorough description of his methods of bridge removal and regluing. Both classical and steel string guitars are covered. Continental Plank Fest, a German wood buying adventure by Ervin Somogyi BRB1 p.172 AL#5 p.26 \wood\soft Somogyi describes his adventure of buying guitar tops in Germany, and the extent to which bowed instruments dominate the German market. Two Spruces, a comparison of Sitka and German spruce by Ervin Somogyi BRB1 p.172 AL#5 p.27 \wood\soft Somogyi uses personal experience to compare Sitka and European spruces. Recombinant Guitar Design by Gary Frisbie AL#5 p.31 \philosophy Frisbie states his philosophy of how a luthier should evolve his designs. The Travielo, a highly transportable 'cello by Ernest Nussbaum BRB1 p.180 AL#5 p.32 \cello \instruments\other Nussbaum describes his “travel cello,” a takedown frame-body/neck which uses a transducer to produce full sound. Honesty by George Manno AL#5 p.33 \business\ethics \violin Manno makes a plea for fairness when buying vintage instruments from unsuspecting owners.