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Make a Fret Press or Two

Make a Fret Press or Two by Steve Kennel Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Here are two variants of a fret press clearly derived from the usual retail sources. I’m grateful to them for the inspiration. This also may bear some resemblance to the pivoting jaw made for a Zyliss vise […]

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Changing Guitar-Body Resonant Frequencies

Changing Guitar-Body Resonant Frequencies by Devon Pessler, Alyssa Fernandez, and Mark French Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Two of the most important design parameters for acoustic guitars are the body volume and the soundhole diameter. Both strongly affect the lower resonant frequencies of the instrument, and most designers have at least […]

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Meet the Maker: Brad Goodman

Meet the Maker: Brad Goodman by Raymond Bryant Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Sometimes you find gold in your own backyard. The first time I picked up a Goodman guitar at my local music shop, I knew it was something extraordinary. I’ve played a lot of guitars, but this one just felt different; […]

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The Black British Timber

The Black British Timber by Kevin Aram Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   When I first met Bruce Harvie, it would have been about forty years ago. My wife and I had a flat in North London, and a mutual friend asked if Bruce could stay overnight as he was catching a flight home […]

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Beautiful Bog Oak

Beautiful Bog Oak by Gary Southwell Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Black Oak, Fenland black oak, and bog oak are all names commonly used for this remarkable timber, which is over 5,000 years old. The wood I use comes from the English East Anglian Fenlands of Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Let us start […]