Posted on August 12, 2021March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips Musical Strings Musical Strings by H.E. Huttig Originally published in American Lutherie #9, 1987 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000 In the realm of stringed musical instruments, logically enough, the quality and strength of the sound produced is largely dependent upon the strings that the instrument maker must use. To be sure, a string tensioned between two fixed points with no sounding box will scarcely make an audible response when plucked. On the other hand, the sound made by a finished instrument varies widely with the qualities of the strings that are used. There is a Persian legend to the effect that the stringed instrument concept was discovered by a person wandering in a desert. He came upon the shell of a tortoise. The bottom was lost but the top part still had dry sinews stretched across the hollow shell. The wind blowing across them made a musical sound. The Chinese gave us the idea of strings made of silk. There is still controversy as to whether the hunting bow with its vibrating string gave man the idea of a musical application or whether it was the other way around, the stringed instrument providing the idea of the archer’s bow. 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 August 12, 2021March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips Remembering Harry LeBovit Remembering Harry LeBovit by Fred Calland Originally published in American Lutherie #10, 1987 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000 Harry LeBovit’s company was always and unvaryingly a pleasure, and his companionship was never touched by shyness, aloofness, or anything boring like that. I can’t remember the first time I met him, and I know why I can’t; the man put me at ease on the spot, probably saying something like, “You must be very happy doing something so interesting so well.” Now add to that a sort of uneven smile and a warm welcoming expression, and you have a master of diplomacy, a man capable of aggressive friendship, and an irresistible companion in spirit. 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 August 12, 2021March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips Your Most Important Machine Your Most Important Machine by Teri K. Novak, D.C. from her 1995 GAL Convention workshop Originally published in American Lutherie #46, 1996 How many of you have back or neck pain at work or after your work day? In this workshop we will cover: 1) body mechanics, 2) the two main rules you should follow to avoid pain, and 3) how to apply the rules in your shop. Rule #1: All structures of your spine are under the least amount of stress when you maintain the normal curves. This means twenty-four hours a day no matter what you are doing! Fig. 1 shows what the normal curves are from the side. From the back, your spine should be maintained in a straight line. Let’s look at how your body is built to see why this rule is true. To have any body movement, (except the movement from gravity) or to change position, a muscle must contract, that is, get shorter. 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 August 11, 2021March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips Calculating Fret Scales Calculating Fret Scales by Bob Petrulis Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #4, 1974 and Lutherie Woods and Steel String Guitars, 1998 When many of us were starting out, calculating fret scales seemed an arcane and mysterious art, something known to a few high priests of the craft. As kids, we copied scales from existing guitars, or got a list of measurements from a book or by pestering an instrument maker. We did this partly because we knew little of the physics of music, and partly because, back in the dark ages, calculators and computers were not easily available to teenage kids trying to make musical instruments in their basements or in wood shop at school. This article provides the information you need to calculate any fret scale in any unit of measurement you wish. I am assuming you are calculating a chromatic scale, twelve notes to the octave. If you need to calculate a scale, say, for a dulcimer, I recommend that you calculate the entire fret scale, and then remove the unneeded frets from your listing. 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 August 11, 2021March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips Pearl Inlay Method Pearl Inlay Method by John Thierman Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #29, 1976 Many instruments made today, as well as in the past, have included the added artistry of inlaid patterns. Inlay is the process by which one substance is inserted into a background, then sanded off flush, creating a pattern within the background substance. Inlay work, or marquetry, can be beautiful and impressive; or it can be gaudy and impractical in terms of the stability of the instrument, and in the problems encountered in future repair. If the inlays are designed tastefully, and are put in correctly, you can achieve an added dimension in instrument building, and not noticeably impair the practical aspects of the instrument. The two major materials used in inlay patterns are wood veneer, and shell (abalone or mother of pearl). Thickness of this inlaid material is of prime importance to all practical aspects of the instrument — the thicker, the better — (up to 1/16"). For wood inlays on the headstock, I use 1/28" veneer, or thicker for, if it needs to be refinished in later years (hopefully many), I don’t want someone, myself included, sanding through the inlaid pattern. On fretboards, sufficient depth is imperative, as the board must be sanded down when refretted. If your inlays are too thin — they will disappear before your very eyes. Therefore, I only use 1/16" wood stock for inlays on the fingerboard, and I have to keep that pattern simple, as 1/16" wood stock is not as easy to cut as pearl. Wood veneers of many colors and grain patterns are readily available from most supply houses, Pearl of abalone is harder to come by, and more expensive. As with wood, I use as thick as possible, without having a hernia cutting it. .080" seems to be my limit, and it’s just thick enough for arched fretboards. Shell comes in different grades — #1 will have more color and brighter hues; whereas #3 may be pale, or have some pin holes (caused by worms), or have bad grain. 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.
