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Folding Banjo Stand

Folding Banjo Stand

by Dick Kenfield

Originally published in American Lutherie #8, 1986 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000



Material: I used 1/8" masonite. Plywood, plastic or strong cardboard might work. Thicker material would require the egg-crate slots to be at an angle.

Layout: Use 2" squares. You can make adjustments later to fit the banjo.

Assemble: With egg-crate slots. Snug fits make the stand more ridgid.

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Fiddle Facts

Fiddle Facts

by Al Stancel

Originally published in American Lutherie #8, 1986 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000



Steel Wool: A No-No. Steel wool is still used by some players to clean strings and momentarily increase bow hair grip. Warnings: 1) Steel wool destroys strings with repeated use; 2) Steel wool contains an oil to prevent its rusting. This oil transfers to the bow hair, the case, the blanket and everything, compounding the bow skip problem. The solution is to stop using steel wool and start with fresh hair and a cleaned case plus new strings.

Spotlight on the Bow Bug. Bow bugs are in Indiana, New York, Miami, and all points! A bow used once per day will not be cut up by the bow bug; he (it) hates light, and will not park on a bow used or kept in light. The bow case closed for a few weeks is an open invitation for him to munch on the rosened hair. The bug can get in the case at any time, or never. It is not predictable. However, if you have chunks of hair cut in the case, be sure to vacuum the case thoroughly and add two plain moth balls to the closed case.

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Jack Batts

Jack Batts

An interview by Jeff Feltman

Originally published in American Lutherie #10, 1987 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000



You can walk into a clockmaker’s shop and see fifty clocks. One reads 12:00, another says 11:55, another 12:05. Only one can be right, and it probably isn’t a bad guess that none of them is right. Searching for the right varnish is like being in that clock shop.”

“A man could make 150 more violins in his life if he wasn’t so worried about concocting some witches brew. He would do well to spend his time learning to make a fine violin.”

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Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

by Russ Carlisle

Originally published in American Lutherie #10, 1987 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000



Quote from an 1895 Montgomery Ward catalog: “Dulcimer beaters, flexible handles, felt covered heads. $.35”

Train of thought: The hammered dulcimer is a fun instrument. Hammering is fun. Hammers are the link between player and instrument. Better hammers can contribute significantly to the fun experience.

Some important elements of hammer design are: weight and balance, length and proportion of shaft, shape of head and shape of grip end.

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“1704” Varnish Recipe

“1704” Varnish Recipe

by George Manno

Originally published in American Lutherie #12, 1987 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000



The subject of violin varnish and its making has been the topic of great debate and secrecy for the last hundred years. Many makers still spend a great deal of time chasing the elusive dream of coming up with the perfect varnish. Books and manuscripts are filled with endless recipes from the very basic to the most absurd. I have seen some formulas that call for ingredients such as goat urine, sheep bile, gold, and other even more exotic organic extracts that have to be boiled, dried, and then mixed with many different hazardous chemicals. I showed Dr. James Martin, head chemist for Bradshaw and Praeger Shellac Co., one of these more eccentric recipes. His reply to me was, “If you heat these chemicals, you will probably blow your shop to smithereens.” Needless to say, I took his advice.

The varnish recipe described on the preceding page is known throughout the world as “1704”. The recipe came out of the old Wurlitzer shop in the early ’50s. As you can see, the varnish is a simple mixture of seedlac, gum, resin, and oil mixed with alcohol.

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