Posted on July 8, 2024May 8, 2025 by Dale Phillips Pearly Shells and Nichols Pearly Shells and Nichols by David Nichols from his 1984 GAL Convention lecture Originally published in American Lutherie #1, 1985 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie, Volume One, 2000 My shop recently did two guitars for the Martin Company which are elaborate enough that they encompass basically all the different techniques used in pearl inlay. We inlaid the tortoise shell pickguards, the rosewood headstocks, ebony fingerboards, and all edgebinding. I photographed many steps in this process, and we can look at these as examples. Here’s a picture of where I’m going to cut the pearl and do the inlay work (Photo 1). I have taken an extra liberty with our cutting board, drilling a series of holes in the back where I can stand all the little Dremel attachments that I’m going to need. When we cut pearl, it is either filed, or ground with the Dremel to an exacting contour after we saw it. It gives you a much better looking job if you touch up the sawn edges of the pieces before you put them in. 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. Members also receive 3 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: 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.
