Posted on June 6, 2024January 16, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Power Buffer For Finish Questions: Power Buffer For Finish by Charles Fox Originally published in American Lutherie #79, 2004 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015 See also, Questions: Post Buffing Finish Scratches by Brian Boedigheimer Mario from cyberspace asks: I use a power buffer to rub out my finish. It looks perfect to me at the time, but sometimes in other light I can see little tiny scratches that I’ve missed. Any advice? Charles Fox of Portland, Oregon responds: That reminds me of when I brought instruments to my first music trade show a few decades ago. Under the unforgiving glare of the convention center’s halogen lights I was appalled to see that the guitars, which I thought were perfectly finished, were in fact covered with tiny scratches that hadn’t been visible to me under either tungsten, fluorescent, or natural sun light. Now I do all of my finish work beneath halogen work lights. You can get an excellent ceiling shop light with double halogen lamps (part # 73995) from www.Rockler.com for $34.99. ◆
Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Bracing Reinforcement Questions: Bracing Reinforcement by Jeffrey R. Elliott Originally published in American Lutherie #91, 2007 François Leonard of Port-Louis, France, asks: I’m guitar maker in France and I’ve been following and reading articles in American Lutherie since many years. I had recently an order for a 10-string guitar and I’m asking myself how much I need to reinforce the design of the bracing. My bracing is not so different from the one Jeffrey Elliott uses and talks about in his AL#56 article “Shaping the Sound.” Jeffrey R. Elliott of Portland, Oregon, responds: My experience is more extensive with 8-string guitars, but I believe the same principles apply. I suggest the following: Select top wood that is more stiff than you would choose for a 6-string, one with all the characteristics you usually look for, but also with a somewhat extended tap-tone range toward the lower pitches. 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 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Side Soundhole Guitar Letter: Side Soundhole Guitar by Marc Connelly Originally published in American Lutherie #93, 2008 Dear GAL Family, Thank you Cyndy Burton for the exploration of side-ported instruments. It was a terrific affirmation for this most interesting fenestration option. Like Mr. Montelone, at some point I laid my head on the side of my old Martin, strummed, and wondered how to get more of that big wood and bronze sound into my face. I started experimenting with a “side hole” variant, and it changed the way I think about what I am doing — not because it was “better,” but because it was clearly different in a thought-provoking way. In fact, this exercise has finally purged the word “better” from my lutherie vocabulary, and that’s a good thing. My side-hole instruments (which I call “Atlas”) are from the same plantilla as my front-hole models, so I can make some general comparisons. At first, the Atlas models seemed a bit too percussive and weighted toward the bass. So I made some small modifications in the way I tune the box and tamed the bass. The percussive nature of these guitars is simply a component of getting a more direct blast of wavy air into the player’s face. I have come to like this. Several Atlas owners have agreed it has an appeal and have readily adapted to it. But a truly freakazoid experience is to stick your left ear in the hole and play! There isn’t a prewar D-45 on the planet that sounds like that! Until I read Montelone’s article, I never even considered the possibility of weakening the side. What was I (not) thinking! None have folded up, but future Atlas models will have some consideration for this possibility. Fusion jazz player Don Mock owns an Atlas and loves it. Don enjoys having people ask “What’s that?!” Of the folks who play my guitars with some interest in commissioning one, the Atlas is always the first off the rack. But guitar players are an amazingly conservative lot, I find. Selling a side-hole guitar is like selling a blonde guitar. You are either open to them or you are not. It is personally rewarding to watch the tug of war between the conventional and the unconventional. ◆ Photo by Marc Connelly.
Posted on June 6, 2024January 16, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Jig for Oval Rosettes Questions: Jig for Oval Rosettes by R.M. Mottola Originally published in American Lutherie #97, 2009 Greg Pacetti of Fairbanks, Alaska asks: I’m in pursuit of some kind of jig for oval rosettes. The Questions column editor responds: Probably the single best source of info on cutting oval rosette channels appeared in the American Lutherie article “Making Oval Mandolin Rosettes” by Jonathon Peterson, et al. (AL#41 p. 34, BRBAL4 p. 140). In it, seven builders describe their methods. ◆
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. ◆
