Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: 17″ Scale Length String Questions: 17" Scale Length String by R.M. Mottola Originally published in American Lutherie #87, 2006 Rob E. of Lexington, MA asks: Does anyone know of a string that can be put on a 17" scale length instrument, with an after length to the tailpiece of about 6", that is strong enough to reach a mandolin E tuning without breaking? “Questions” editor R.M. Mottola answers: A string with a small enough diameter to be tuned to this pitch at this scale length will have a breaking tension that is too close to its static tension to be of much practical use. When specifying the scale length for a new type of instrument, use a length similar to that used by existing designs with the same pitch range. For high-pitched instruments with long scales (such as the instrument in question) the issue is finding a string with high enough breaking tension to be useful. Unfortunately there are no simple solutions short of having strings custom-made of high-tensile-strength materials. For low-pitched instruments with short scale lengths the issues are tone and, for fretted instruments, intonation. Short, fat bass strings don’t behave much like ideal strings and their partials tend to skew way sharp as they are further shortened by fretting. There is a mathematical relationship among scale length, pitch, tension, and mass per unit length of a vibrating string. Download the paper entitled “Catalog Supplement / String Tension Specifications” from the D’Addario website. The paper (in PDF format) can be found at www.daddariostrings.com/Resources/JDCDAD/images/tension_chart.pdf. It contains comprehensive info on the string formulae as well as mass-per-unit-length (unit weight) data for every string D’Addario makes. Unfortunately, breaking strength data is not available in this paper as the issue of specifying the tension at which a real string will break is more complicated than it might appear. Tensile strength data is available from wire manufacturers but the best bet is to design high-pitched instruments using short enough scale lengths.
Posted on June 6, 2024January 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Banjo Fifth Peg Press Banjo Fifth Peg Press by John M. Colombini Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #207, 1982 and Lutherie Tools, 1990 Procedure: Make a bushing from a 3/4"×3/8" piece of steel or brass round by drilling a 7/32" hole and countersinking one end. Round off the bottom of a 4" C clamp screw so it seats in teh countersunk hole in the bushing centering the clamp. Cut a hardwood block 2"×1 5/8"×1 5/8" cutout to fit the banjo neck. I use a contour gauge or my actual size templet. Apply 1/16" piece of leather to the cutout using contact cement. The drawing should explain the usage. The important part is to be sure the bushing is longer than the shaft of the tuning peg. Add spacers between the bushing and the peg shaft if you should come across a longer shaft or make a slightly longer bushing. ◆
Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Santuri Questions: Santuri by Peter Kyvelos Originally published in American Lutherie #91, 2007 See also, Questions: Santuri by Roger Reid Steven Bernstein from the Internet asks: In Zorba the Greek, Zorba played a Turkish instrument called the santuri. If you could point me toward a photo of it, or better yet plans and recorded music, I’d like to know more about what Kazantzakis, the author, was talking about. Peter Kyvelos of Belmont, Massachusetts, replies: The sandouri or santouri (most common English spellings) is an instrument of the hammered dulcimer type. They are common in Greece and are related to the much smaller Persian santur. Pictured is a sandouri built by Chris Pantazelos in our shop, Unique Strings. I know of no plans for the instrument. There are recordings that feature the instrument, such as Axion Esti, written by Mikis Theodorakis, composer of the soundtrack for the movie version of Zorba. ◆ Photo by R.M. Mottola See also, Questions: Santuri by Roger Reid
Posted on June 6, 2024January 16, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Kenny Hill Responses in AL#98 Letter: Kenny Hill Responses in AL#98 by Alan Carruth Originally published in American Lutherie #100, 2009 Tim — I found Kenny Hill’s response (in AL#98) to R.M. Motolla’s study of ports (in AL#96) interesting. I’m not going to answer every point he made; some are more properly addressed by R.M. himself. However, there are a couple of things I would like to comment on. Kenny wrote: “I’m guessing that Al’s cool Corker was not really constructed as a concert instrument, that it does a good job at its original intended purpose but was not built to prove or disprove the validity of soundports as a useful design element.” I think the concept of what is or is not a “concert instrument” is slippery enough that we won’t settle it here. Nobody is likely to appear on the stage with something as rough as the “corker” so that in itself excludes it from that class. I will note, though, that several people, including one very fine maker, have remarked that it is at least “not bad”, and R.M. told me that most of the players had a much higher opinion of it when they were blindfolded. 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, 2024January 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Opinion Opinion by Harry Fleishman Originally published in American Lutherie #74, 2003 As a builder of many years experience, I have my own methods and views. I try to teach, but more important, I try to learn. We each have our own approach and I’d never want to censor anyone’s right to spread their ideas. At this point in my career it is clear that some ideas may seem wrong, but only seem so because of my own limitations. That said, I do feel a need to respond to a recent article that purports to tell ``the truth,’’ exposing other views as false. John Calkin’s article “The Heretic’s Guide to Alternative Lutherie Woods” in AL#69 offers some very useful information about the working properties of a good assortment of materials. I appreciate the info and will refer to it as I build and teach. However, I think he does a disservice to many luthiers who have worked hard to train their ears and to understand tone. Yes, as John says, “Guitars sound like guitars.” They do not all sound alike, though, as he implies throughout the article. He asserts that, “The concept of tonewood is a hoax.” Then am I a charlatan? I teach that each tonewood has its own qualities that have small but discernible affects on the voice of a guitar. He asks, “Can you tell what a guitar is made of while listening to an unfamiliar recording?” and answers that no one can. Well, I often can. On more than one occasion I have correctly identified the woods used in guitars that I had not seen and was unfamiliar with. On many occasions I have even identified the luthiers who built guitars, based on listening to recordings and recognizing their “voice.” I’d be surprised if many well-trained, thoughtful, and sensitive luthiers cannot do the same. John should not assume that just because he cannot hear these subtleties, no one can. Many people are colorblind, but that does not negate the difference between red and green. 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.
