Posted on June 13, 2024May 6, 2025 by Dale Phillips Mike Longworth: Questions and Answers Mike Longworth: Questions and Answers from his 1978 GAL Convention lecture by Mike Longworth Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 6 ,#4, 1978 The Martin research department is much talked about. Can you tell us what effect, if any, it has on the production line? We had a full fledged research department back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, we were experimenting with tuning tops and bodies, and were taking measurements on different kinds of bracing. Two of the models that came out of that were the N-10 and N-20 guitars. The fellow who ran our research and development department went to Europe and his successor eventually became honcho of our sawmill operation. When we go to develop something new, like the new M-38 guitar, he definitely has a hand in it. We are not actively researching at the present time. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 14, 2025 by Dale Phillips Ukuleles Are For Real! Ukulele Are For Real! by Bob Gleason Originally published in American Lutherie #1, 1985 Two years ago, when I moved to Hawaii, I told my cabinet maker shop partner that I’d never build a ukulele. I just did not consider them real instruments. I mean, when they were regularly on sale from the wholesaler at $10 to $15 each, how could I think of them as anything but toys? Well, two years down the road they earn me at least 50% of my income and sell for $275 to $500. In Hawaii they are a very real instrument. The ukulele is commonly thought of as being Hawaiian in ethnic origin. Not so; it is of Portuguese descent. It has evolved from a small guitar called a Braguinha brought to Hawaii by the Portuguese around 1879. In Hawaiian the name ukulele means jumping flea. This refers to the rapid movement of the fingers while playing. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips A Comment on Symmetry A Comment on Symmetry by Thomas Greene Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 8, #4, 1980 There is a particular symmetry of adornment with which I’m quite taken. Albeit not the first guy to do it, I match the pickguard to the peghead veneer, the bridge to the fingerboard and the neck to the body wood. I am a bit disappointed in the many luthiers who put such integrity into their work only to debase the beauty of a fine handcrafted instrument with a plastic pickguard. I use wood veneer for both pickguard and peghead, cut from the same stock so the color and figure will be consistent, and each is bookmatched. A thin black/white/black purfling strip in the center joint of each make them so much prettier. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 14, 2025 by Dale Phillips Violin Bridge Holder Violin Bridge Holder by Alan Carruth Originally published in American Lutherie #7, 1986 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000 Thanks to George Manno for some feedback on his experience with bridge tuning. Bridges on good violins do tend to be quite similar, but I still like to work them up individually. And he is certainly right about fitting the feet! One dimension he seems to have left out is the thickness of the feet at the bottom of the bridge, generally given as 4.5MM (3/16"). If this is too heavy it can make the instrument sound “closed.” If you don’t want to thin it anymore a bit of wood can be removed from the end of the leg without affecting the stiffness too much. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 6, 2024May 28, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Stainless Steel Rusting Properties Questions: Stainless Steel Rusting Properties by Peter Dyer Originally published in American Lutherie #58, 1999 Peter Dyer of Winters, CA has perhaps the last word on the subject of stainless steel and its rusting properties and the Universal Side Bender: The Metals Handbook, Desk Edition, published by the American Society for Metals (6th printing, 1991) says, “In atmospheres free from chloride contamination, stainless steels have excellent corrosion resistance. Types 430, 302, 304, and 316 normally do not show even superficial rust. Some rusting may occur in marine atmospheres or in industrial exposure where surfaces become contaminated with chloride salts.” So, if you’re building guitars and using 302 or 304 stainless on the Universal Side Bender, absent the conditions described above, don’t worry about rust. I hope that this resolves any confusion generated by the seemingly contradictory statements earlier. ◆
