Posted on January 11, 2010February 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Letter: Installing Pegheads Letter: Installing Pegheads by David Golber Originally published in American Lutherie #102, 2010 Dear American Lutherie, A couple years ago a customer asked me about installing Pegheds/Knilling Perfection Planetary Pegs in his instrument. I read the instructions, sent by Mr. Herin, for installing them: he said to use Gorilla Glue. Now I get nervous. I’m being told to glue something into a $5000 instrument with Gorilla Glue. Hmm. I wrote to him asking how to remove them. I got no reply. These are mechanical devices. What lifetime do they have? Ten years? Twenty? Thirty? (Thirty years is a good lifetime for industrial products.) Does the manufacturer put a warranty on them? For how long? Will the manufacturer even be in existence thirty years from now? 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 10, 2010February 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Letter: Don’t Replace Bridge Plate Letter: Don't Replace Bridge Plate by John Higgins Originally published in American Lutherie #41, 1995 Greetings to All- As usual, the last issue of the quarterly was filled with loads of good stuff, with useful information available in all the articles. However, I must take exception to the premise of Bryan Galloup’s reason for replacing the bridgeplate on the 1962 D-28. He states he replaced it because “the balls on the string ends have worn all the way through (the plate) and into the top.” Had the top “bellied up” behind the bridge or sunk toward the soundhole, I would say such a repair would be warranted. Since only the ball ends are involved, I feel the better option is to install a piece of quartersawn maple, cut 0.100" thick by 5/8"×2 3/4", onto the existing plate with some yellow glue. When redrilled and slotted, it seats the ball ends properly, as well as pulling the winding back into the pin hole and off the saddle. The small amount of wood added doesn’t seem to affect the tone adversely, but helps due to the windings being off the saddle. Martin recommends this method when only ball-end wear is a factor, and I’ve found it to be very effective. 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 10, 2010February 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Questions: Sadolin Varnish Questions: Sadolin Varnish Originally published in American Lutherie #32, 1992 George Rizsanyi from Greenbank, Ontario responds to Weldon Kirk’s inquiry about a source for Sadolin varnish: There is a Chemcraft Sadolin here in Ontario, Canada in a town called Port Hope. I buy all my lacquer and sealer there: (416) 885-6388.
Posted on January 10, 2010February 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Questions: Dulcimer Plans Questions: Dulcimer Plans by Owen Couch Originally published in American Lutherie #39, 1994 Owen Couch from Zuni, New Mexico responds to requests for dulcimer plans: In response to your piece on where to obtain plans I thought I’d mention How to Make and Play the Dulcimore by Chet Hines. It has plans for one of the nicest dulcimer designs I’ve ever seen (designed by the author). Mr. Hines calls it the “masterpiece dulcimore” and it is a truly beautiful design. The book includes full-scale drawings in a pullout section in back, detailed descriptions of all phases of construction, and, as the title suggests, instructions on how to play. It also has excellent black and white photos of some unique antique dulcimers. It was published in 1973 by Stackpole Books in Harrisburg PA. (Note: the publisher tells me this book has been out of print for some time, but perhaps copies can be found.)
Posted on January 10, 2010February 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Questions: Lute Strings Questions: Lute Strings by Robert Lundberg Originally published in American Lutherie #39, 1994 Robert Lundberg from Portland, Oregon responds to the oft-asked question, “Where do I get lute strings?” AQUILA String-Makers S.a.s., Via Costantini 16, 36100 Vicenza, Italy. Gut strings and plain nylon. Boston Catlines (Olav Chris Henriksen), 34 Newbury Street, Sommerville, MA 02144 (716-776-8688). Savarez nylon strings, catlines, and plain gut strings. Donna Curry’s Music, 1780 Fort Union Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. Pyramid and gut strings. E. & O. Mari, Inc., 256 Broadway, Newburgh, NY 12550. La Bella nylon and gut strings. Gamut Musical Strings (Daniel Larson), 26 N. 28th Ave. E., Duluth, MN 55812 (800-723-8011). Makes many types of gut strings. Pyramid Strings, Saiten und Stimmpfeifenfabrik Junger GmbH, P.O. Box 6, 91088 Bubenreuth/Erlangen, Germany. Overspun and plain nylon strings, gut strings, and frets. Savarez, B.P. 4356, 69242 Lyon Cedex 4, France. Sofracob S.A., Zone Industrielle, 38121 Reventin-Vaugris, France. Plain gut strings and frets.
