Posted on March 4, 2022May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips Business Ethics in Lutherie Business Ethics in Lutherie by Lawrence Lundy Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 6 ,#2, 1978 Among the purposes listed in the G.A.L.’s charter is to encourage among luthiers the highest possible standards of ethical business practices in the operation of their enterprises. The questionnaire sent out at the end of last year was intended to acquire a range of ideas on the subject of current business practices as they relate to the customer. The response was surprisingly good with over 90 members responding to the joint questionnaires. In writing this report, I have tried not to set any standards by suggesting what the average policy is, or the one followed most frequently, or by inserting any of my own values. The idea was to make a shopping list by including every idea mentioned by respondents for modifying their own practices. Because such reporting lacks personality (both mine and those of the respondents) and tends, therefore, to be inherently dull, I have also tried to be as brief as possible. 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, 2021May 14, 2025 by Dale Phillips 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. 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 May 6, 2021May 19, 2025 by Dale Phillips Accident Prevention: A Case History Accident Prevention: A Case History by Jeffrey R. Elliott Originally published in American Lutherie #14, 1988 Aa a luthier who has repaired several thousand guitars over the past 20 years, I have developed a growing obsession over guitar care and safety. Much of this is due to my realization that nearly half those repairs may not have been necessary had they been properly handled. Significantly, they were often not in their owner’s possession at the time of “the accident”. In such a case a few years ago, the culprits appeared to have been the baggage handlers of several airlines during a rigorous two month international tour. The owner took all the proper precautions before and after each flight, and the guitar was in an expensive custom case made especially to accommodate its shape and dimensions. So I was upset, but not surprised, when I learned of the first incident, as airline handling of instruments remains notoriously poor. However, upon learning of three more identical mishaps, I became increasingly concerned for the 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 December 28, 2020May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips The Well-Unpublished Luthier The Well-Unpublished Luthier by William R. Cumpiano Originally published in American Lutherie #6, 1986 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One, 2000 Gather around and listen to a strange tale; a saga of oppression and self-imprisonment and of unending, grueling effort; of frustrated expectations and missed opportunities. But it is a sad story with a happy ending. My story begins ten years ago when I, a budding young luthier, hired a booth in a large Northeastern crafts fair. It was the dawn of my career: I was green and I was anxious and I could not have known then that craft fairs are worthwhile for makers of multiples, such as ceramic pots and leather bags, but a waste of time for guitar makers. But I had to learn that for myself. Think of the exposure, I was told. Just think of the exposure... Yes, I was to learn. There I stood, an innocent with a hopeful smile on my face, my shiny wares hanging on a makeshift masonite wall behind me, each one of my little babies stamped with the mute evidence of all the care, sacrifice, and painful experience that had brought them into the world. “Wow!” a voice in the crowd exclaimed, “what are you asking for one of those?” Haltingly, I responded, a little tongue-tied: “Sev... six... five... five hundred and fifty dollars.” 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 January 6, 2020May 12, 2025 by Dale Phillips Meet the Maker: Bart Reiter Meet the Maker: Bart Reiter by Paul Hostetter previously published in American Lutherie #34, 1993 and Big Red Book of American, Volume Three, 2004 As a card-carrying guitar nut, guitar player, and luthier, I’ve always felt a bit like a turncoat because of my jaundiced view that our current vibrant lutherie world is somewhat top heavy with guitar nuts. It’s one reason I like the GAL so much: there are all these wild cards who have a very nonflattop agenda. I love it! But it seems that every time I go to a Guild convention someone I really want to meet doesn’t show up for some reason. It happened again last summer, though I knew I’d find dozens of other surprises amongst the corn fields and bomb threats ‘way over there in Vermillion. Among them were two of the very top figures in the world of banjo, Bart Reiter and Ron Chacey. Dan Erlewine issued me a blank cassette and commanded: “Go forth and interview!” Dutifully, and happily, I did. I’d always wanted to meet these guys anyway. Here’s the first one I talked to. 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.
