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Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration

Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration from their 2023 GAL Convention workshop by Evan Gluck and Larry Fitzgerald Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Evan Gluck: We’re going to talk about setups, fret work, and stuff that inspires us and keeps us jazzed about the profession. I run New York Guitar Repair […]

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Letter: How the GAL Got Started

Letters and more from our readers Originally published in American Lutherie #152, July 2024   Tim — In 1946 I entered the 7th grade, which was then known as junior high school. It was an OK experience, but it was made particularly interesting by an activity called “Industrial Arts.” I had a fine instructor who taught us […]

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Summer 2024 American Lutherie – Mobile Friendly

American Lutherie #152 Summer 2024 Letters and more from our readers Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration from their 2023 GAL Convention workshop by Evan Gluck and Larry Fitzgerald Construction of a Tielke Viol by Derek Porter Beautiful Bog Oak by Gary Southwell The Black British Timber by Kevin Aram Meet Brad Goodman by […]

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Heat Pressing

Heat Pressing

by Leo Bidne

Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #43, 1977



Heat pressing is the art of forming wood to a new and permanent shape with heat and pressure. With practice, it is an effective method of action adjustment when extreme measures are necessary; when time or poor construction methods develop a problem, has a fair idea of what a “good” action is, and is familiar with such terms as “action”, “buzzing”, “truss rod”, and the numbering system of frets, etc. The term “buzzing” assumes that the string is plucked moderately hard. Applied to guitars, the art of heat pressing is to create the optimum neck shape for a fretted, plucked string. This means a buzz-free, even action over the entire length of the fretboard. Part One explains what that neck shape is, clears up some of the fallacies and old wives’ tales on the subject, and points out some common neck problems.


The Bow

Basically, a plucked string travels in a bow, like this:

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This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 3 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page.

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Meet the Maker: Michael Darnton

Meet the Maker: Michael Darnton

by Jonathon Peterson

Originally published in American Lutherie #27, 1991 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Three, 2004



How did your lutherie career get started?

I started playing cello when I was in 6th grade and immediately got more interested in the instrument than I was in the playing. When I was about twelve years old I got some money for Christmas from my grandmother. The very next day I ran out and bought Heron-Allen’s Violin Making, As It Was and Is, which I had spotted at a local bookstore. I talked to my mother a couple of weeks ago and she told me that she took one look at the book and thought, “This is a waste of money! He’s never going to do anything with it. It’s much too complex.” But she was wrong. I really surprised her.

It took awhile to get around to it, though. Five or six years later I bought a piece of wood and some tools. I started a violin, but I didn’t get very far. I just put the whole thing aside.

Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article

This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 3 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page.

MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.