Posted on May 20, 2026May 20, 2026 by Dale Phillips Making Mother-of-Pearl Nuts Making Mother-of-Pearl Nuts by Ted Megas Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010 Mother-of-pearl nuts are a beautiful accent to a custom instrument. I used to make all my own. Now you can buy them for 6-strings, but I still make them for 7-strings. Shells that are big enough are getting harder to find, but I still have a few. I’ll walk you through the process. Photo 1 shows a section from the hinge of a cut shell on top of a half shell. The hinge is the only part of the shell thick enough for nuts. 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 20, 2026May 20, 2026 by Dale Phillips Testing Threaded Inserts Testing Threaded Inserts by R.M. Mottola Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010 Threaded inserts are used in bolt-on acoustic guitar necks, in the style of neck joint popularized by Taylor guitars. An example of a butt-joint neck heel with threaded inserts is shown in Photo 1. I have posted instructions for constructing this style of neck joint on my lutherie info website and not long ago received an e‑mail message from someone taking me to task for the type of threaded inserts specified there. For years I have used self-tapping machine screw threaded inserts and have had good success. But the writer pointed out that these inserts were “not for wood” and so I thought a test of these and other types of threaded inserts would be an appropriate thing to do. There may be better inserts than the ones I was using, and testing is the only way to find out. What I wanted to discover was how strong the hold of the insert was on the wood into which it is inserted. 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 12, 2026May 13, 2026 by Dale Phillips Meet the Maker: Rick Turner Meet the Maker: Rick Turner by Jonathon Peterson Originally published in American Lutherie #64, 2000 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Six, 2013 One of the great pleasures of my job here at the Guild is that I get to meet and talk with luthiers I’ve admired from afar. As the 1999 Healdsburg Guitar Festival was winding down, I approached Rick Turner and asked if he would be willing to be interviewed for this journal. Rick’s name will be familiar from his work with the Alembic company and the Grateful Dead; from his writing in American Lutherie, Guitar Player, and other magazines; and from his attendance at various instrument shows and conventions, including our own. I first heard him speak at the 1980 GAL Convention in San Francisco and have been a great admirer ever since. Rick graciously agreed, and we sat on the veranda outside the display hall and talked while the last tables were being folded and put away. We were the very last ones to leave. Rick spoke about the winding path of his career, the rock-and-roll world of the ’60s and ’70s, his approach to pickup and instrument design, and his current work, which includes a totally cool acoustic steel string and his Renaissance series of “amplicoustic” guitars. It was so much fun! 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 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 April 15, 2026April 15, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Floss Sanding Neck Joints It Worked for Me: Floss Sanding Neck Joints by Jon Simpson Originally published in American Lutherie #107, 2011 To avoid tearing when floss-sanding a neck joint, I line the back side of the sandpaper with clear shipping tape. It not only makes the paper infinitely stronger, but also slicker on the nonabrasive side. ◆ Both photos by Jon Simpson.
