Posted on March 3, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips An Interview with Guitarist Roger McGuinn An Interview with Guitarist Roger McGuinn by Rachael Brent Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 9, #3, 1981 Anyone that has ever seen Roger McGuinn perform knows without a doubt that, unlike many other musicians, McGuinn will never disappoint an audience. His singing, playing, selection of songs, and rapport with his audience convinces all that he is one of the most talented, thoroughly professional musicians in the business. Beginning his career as Jim McGuinn, (later changing over to Roger) he was renowned as a fine banjo player and guitarist in the early 60s. He found a place as a accompanist, writer, and /or arranger for such artists as the Chad Mitchell Trio, the Limelighters, Bobby Darin, Tom and Jerry (later renames Simon and Garfunkel), Judy Collins, and the Brothers Gibb (the Bee Gees). 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 March 3, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips An Interview with Guitarist David Tanenbaum An Interview with Guitarist David Tanenbaum by David Fisher Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 8, #3, 1980 With this issue is begun a series of interviews with important and eminent Classic Guitarists on the subject of their tools and their relationships to lutherie. Twenty-four year old virtuoso, David Tanenbaum of Oakland, California, a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is already a veteran of New York City solo recitals, innumerable other solo concerts as well as having served with the Joffrey Ballet on several domestic and international tours including a tour to Russia. He began piano study at the age of four, cello at eight, folk guitar at nine or ten and classic guitar at eleven. David plays a redwood top guitar by José Oribe from 1975. What qualities do you feel you need in an instrument? Fundamentally projection, because the guitar is a small voiced instrument. 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 March 3, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Humbucking Pickup Wiring Humbucking Pickup Wiring by Daniel P. Coyle Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #203, 1982 The use of dual-coil or “Humbucking” pickups enables a wide range of samples of string sounds, along with a heightened complexity of switching problems. A flexible switching installation for either 6-string electric guitars or electric basses has the ability to arrange the coils of the two separate pickups in the following configurations: a) Pickups in either series or parallel configuration. b) Coils within the pickups in either series or parallel configuration. c) Coils within the pickups arranged as “single-coil” or “Humbucking”. d) Ability to select either pickup individually or both pickups at once. e) Phase reversal between pickups. f) Tone control defeat. g) The regular volume control and high-cut tone control. 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 March 3, 2024May 8, 2025 by Dale Phillips Vihuela, Mystery Instrument Vihuela, Mystery Instrument by Wally Eubanks Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 8, #3, 1980 Vihuela is an unusual name for an instrument. It is known today only to a few musicians, some luthiers and not at all to the average person. Pronounced vee-whey-la, it is the Spanish name for a stringed instrument of the Renaissance age. This guitar-like instrument was used in the Iberian peninsula, in Italy and to a small extent in western Europe during the period of the late 1400s to the early 1600s. It was the virtuoso instrument of its type to Spain as the lute was to the rest of Europe in the same period. Spanish nobles cultivated their favorite maestros. Individual musicians vied for attention and favors from the ruling class and developed tablature and special music for the instrument. Several of these composers wrote and published books of instruction and music in tablature. 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 March 3, 2024May 6, 2025 by Dale Phillips The Trade Secret, a true story The Trade Secret, a true story by Michael Dresdner Originally published in American Lutherie #3, 1985 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One, 2000 I had just turned twenty-three and had my first “real” job in a finishing and furniture repair shop after serving a one-on-one apprenticeship for what seemed like forever. Although I was convinced that I knew far more than I really did, the lure of learning offered by a different and much larger employee pool was strong, and I was eager to start. As was to be expected, there was a wealth of new finishes and techniques to absorb. Little by little, cans and bottles of strange brews became familiar and controllable tools, and a baffling array of effects was unveiled. Eventually I got to know the names and uses for all of the coatings and colorings as well as the companies that provided them. 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.
