Posted on January 9, 2010May 28, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Remembering José Rubio Letter: Remembering José Rubio by Keith Watson Previously published in American Lutherie #79, 2004 Dear Sir or Madam, AL#65 was recently passed on to me by Jack Spira of Melbourne, a builder of guitars and related instruments. For several years I had been attempting to find the whereabouts of David Spinks (aka José Rubio) in order to renew a friendship that we had in London in the mid-’50s. I had come to London from the north to study flamenco and wood carving and had started my classical guitar tuition in with Alexis Chesnicov. I then went to Paco Juanos who gave lessons in Hampstead at a coffee house called El Serrano. It was there I met David. 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 7, 2010May 19, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Classic Gutiar Making by Arthur E. Overholtzer Review: Classic Gutiar Making by Arthur E. Overholtzer Reviewed by Robert S. Anderson Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Newsletter, Volume 2 #3, 1974 Classic Guitar Making Arthur E. Overholtzer $13.00 Published by: Lawrence A Brock 1929 Mangrove Ave. Chico, California 95926 This book is a comprehensive work of the classic guitar. It is a large book, 8 1/2"×11" with over 300 pages, well illustrated, with more than 300 drawings and pictures. Beginning with the selection of the proper wood, to the application of a mirror-like finish, it is quite complete. It also tells how to do many things with different methods; by hand, with a router and jig, etc. 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 7, 2010May 19, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Guitar Repair “A Manual of Repair for Guitars and Fretted Instruments” by Irving Sloane Review: Guitar Repair “A Manual of Repair for Guitars and Fretted Instruments” by Irving Sloane Reviewed by Leo L. Bidne Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Newsletter Volume 2 #2, 1974 Guitar Repair “A Manual of Repair for Guitars and Fretted Instruments” Irving Sloane 1973; 95pp. $8.95 postpaid from; E.P. Dutton 201 Park Avenue New York, NY 10003 This book should have been written years ago. It would have saved us all the trouble of figuring out these techniques ourselves, and given us more time to develop our Art. Compiled with the C.F. Martin Organization, Mr. Sloane’s book deals in all facets of repairing acoustic guitars, including what to do with: 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, 2010May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Julian Bream: A Life on the Road by Tony Palmer Review: Julian Bream: A Life on the Road by Tony Palmer Reviewed by Gila Eban Originally published in American Lutherie #5, 1986 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000 Julian Bream: A Life on the Road Tony Palmer McDonald & Co., 1982 Out of print (1999) Most of the material for this book was gathered while its author, along with photographer Daniel Meadows, traveled with Julian Bream on one of his tours. Although there is no chronological “plot,” the book is packed with “action”: Being stuck after a concert, in an unfamiliar “sleazy part of town” in Italy, or in an unpredictable snowstorm on America’s East Coast; guitars cracking after passage through the Alps; choosing to play a concert in a remote part of India, only to find out that the local inhabitants are accustomed to concerts of Indian music, which last twice as long as the standard classical music concert in the West! In order to prevent a riot, Bream has to play every piece he can possibly remember. In South America or at a quiet chapel in the English countryside, there is always an element of the unexpected, provided by an angry dictator’s wife or a nearby artillery firing-range. 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, 2010May 16, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Making Guitar 1 by Daniel Fort and Owen Riss Review: Making Guitar 1 by Daniel Fort and Owen Riss Reviewed by Lloyd Zsiros Originally published in American Lutherie #29, 1992 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Three, 2004 Making Guitar 1 Daniel Fort and Owen Riss Video tape, 60 min. 1990 Building your first acoustic guitar from scratch with no instructor can be a difficult and intimidating task even for an experienced woodworker. We are now lucky enough to have several fine books on the subject, but I was interested to see how well the information could be presented in a video format. Few of us have the luxury of an experienced luthier to guide us along. A video should be the next best thing to being there. According to the narration, Making Guitar 1 documents the first attempts at guitar making by two individuals; one makes a traditional nylon-string classic and the other a steel-string acoustic. Although most construction steps are covered fairly well, this should not be considered a complete do-it-yourself guide to building either instrument. It would not be practical to present dimensions or plans on a video, so a good text is still going to be required for the first-time builder. 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.
