Posted on May 8, 2026May 8, 2026 by Dale Phillips V Joint à la Géza V Joint à la Géza by Cyndy Burton Originally published in American Lutherie #63, 2000 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume Six, 2013 The elegant V joint was once the usual way of joining the head to the neck of the guitar. Early guitars made in Spain, such as those of the Pagés family in the 1700s, French guitars including René Lacôte’s in the 1800s, Italian makers like Panormo (even Stradivari), and so on, all typically used the V joint. C.F. Martin brought the tradition with him to this country in the mid-1800s, but its use on steel strings never really caught on beyond the early Martins. The father of the modern classical guitar, Antonio de Torres, did not use a V joint, and I think it’s fair to say that a majority of makers since Torres, in Spain and worldwide, have not. However, things may be changing back. Two very notable makers of the 20th century, Hermann Hauser Sr. and José Romanillos use it, and a large number of highly respected makers (Kevin Aram, Richard Bruné, Géza Burghardt, Greg Byers, Hermann Hauser III, Robert Ruck, Gary Southwell, and Gernot Wagner to name a few), use it today. I first saw a V joint in the flesh on a Romanillos guitar and heard its maker speak about it at the Toronto Guitar Festival in 1981. It struck me as beautiful, but beyond my woodworking skills. Although I’ve seen many since then, it wasn’t until my visit to Géza Burghardt’s shop (American Lutherie #61) that I met someone with such unabashed enthusiasm both for the joint and for sharing with others the exact process he uses to achieve perfect results. He calls it “foolproof.” His jigs and templates are what make precise work relatively easy and certain. (Sharp chisels help, too.) The point Géza makes is that anyone with reasonable woodworking skills can do a perfect V joint every time. He inspired me; I hope he inspires you, too. Géza’s tools, jigs, and templates are made for permanence and work equally well for steel string and classical necks, both of which are seen in the photos. It is certainly possible to use his ideas to make tools which will serve well without having to take out a bank loan. Proponents of the V joint cite its beauty and strength, very nice qualities to find together! ◆ 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. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on May 6, 2026May 6, 2026 by Dale Phillips Seven-String Surgery Seven-String Surgery by Robbie O’Brien with Antonio Tessarin Originally published in American Lutherie #127, 2016 The 7-string guitar is a very popular instrument in Brazil. It is used as an accompaniment instrument for a style of music known as chorinho. However, many classical players also find themselves migrating to the 7-string instruments. So, what do you do if you currently have a 6-string instrument but desire the broader range of possibilities that a 7-string instrument can offer? You take your guitar to Brazilian luthier Antonio Tessarin and let him work his magic. Antonio taught me guitar building years ago when I lived in Brazil and we often exchange pictures and information about projects that are on our benches. The following pictures were recently sent to me by Antonio. They show the process of him converting one of his 6-string guitars into a 7-string guitar. With his permission I am sharing them with the Guild of American Luthiers so that others may benefit. Warning: Contains graphic images that may not be for the faint of heart! 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. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on May 5, 2026May 5, 2026 by Dale Phillips Norwegian Spruce Norwegian Spruce by Leonardo Michelin-Salomon Originally published in American Lutherie #143, 2021 In 2017, the Norwegian Crafts Institute and the Norwegian Luthiers Association came together and held a seminar about spruce — and specifically Norwegian spruce — as tonewood. Different panelists explored the topic from different angles: Violin maker Magnus Nedregaard presented us with a historical perspective on the quality of the spruce seen on old violins, also in light of dendrochronological analysis; a retired biologist and forest researcher talked about wood technology in general and about the growth conditions in Italy’s Val di Fiemme area and how it might translate to Norwegian conditions; Roald Renmælmo, Assistant Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, introduced us to traditional Norwegian practices in selecting and harvesting spruce in small scale and for specific purposes; and we also heard the accounts of Karl Otto Mikkelsen, a biologist and violin maker used to looking for and harvesting Norwegian spruce for his instruments. Later, material samples were gathered so interested members could test them at will. As part of my fellowship research I wanted to make several copies of the same guitar. One of the reasons for this was indeed to test some of these different spruce samples and compare them to commercial grade spruce from the Alps, the kind we are all used to seeing and using. My work merely scratches the surface of the possibilities. 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. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 by Dale Phillips Remembering Manuel Remembering Manuel by Eugene Clark, Armin Kelly, Robert Ruck, Jeffrey Elliott, Cyndy Burton, and Paul Szmanda Originally published in American Lutherie #119, 2014 Manuel Velázquez was making fine guitars in the 1940s, before I knew what a guitar was. I had always assumed his presence, that he would always be with us, like the New York Yankees, like the Statue of Liberty. But now he is gone. Manuel visited Tacoma with his son Alfredo in 2006. Alfredo thanked me for recognizing his father in some of my published articles. I explained that Manuel meant a lot to me — not so much for the guitars he made, but for the man he was. I have said to many people over the years that the most important thing in making guitars is the name that is on the label. It is because of Manuel that I have come to that position. Manuel’s guitars do not sound like the work he has copied ever so carefully. They sound like Manuel — warm and loving, very clear, very Latin. His student-grade guitars, better than many first-class guitars, are very popular in New York City. 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. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on April 29, 2026April 29, 2026 by Dale Phillips The Mariachi Humpback The Mariachi Humpback by C.F. Casey Originally published in American Lutherie #116, 2013 MariachI humpback? A sombrero-wearing whale that plays trumpet through his blowhole? A deformed bell-ringer who plays “Cielito Lindo” on his carillon? Nah. Those images would probably be too bizarre even for Disney. “Mariachi Humpback” is a name I use to describe the shape of two related instruments which form the rhythmic foundation of the mariachi band: the vihuela and the guitarrón (Photo 1). The vihuela is a small 5-string guitar with a re-entrant tuning; the pitch names are the same as the first five strings of the regular guitar (ADGBE), but strings 3, 4, and 5 are an octave high. The guitarrón is a bass guitar with the tuning ADGCEA. Though these two instruments are at opposite ends of the sonic scale, they share a number of characteristics. In both, the bridge is a simple bar with string holes and no saddle (like a heavy lute bridge). The guitarrón is fretless, and while the vihuela has frets, often they are tied on (again, like a lute), and frequently there are only three. Traditionally, the binding of both is rope-patterned, and is glued to the surface of the sides rather than inlaid. 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. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
