Posted on May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 by Dale Phillips Remembering Manuel Remembering Manuel by Eugene Clark, Armin Kelly, Robert Ruck, Jeffrey Elliott, Cyndy Burton, and Paul Szmanda Originally published in American Lutherie #119, 2014 Manuel Velázquez was making fine guitars in the 1940s, before I knew what a guitar was. I had always assumed his presence, that he would always be with us, like the New York Yankees, like the Statue of Liberty. But now he is gone. Manuel visited Tacoma with his son Alfredo in 2006. Alfredo thanked me for recognizing his father in some of my published articles. I explained that Manuel meant a lot to me — not so much for the guitars he made, but for the man he was. I have said to many people over the years that the most important thing in making guitars is the name that is on the label. It is because of Manuel that I have come to that position. Manuel’s guitars do not sound like the work he has copied ever so carefully. They sound like Manuel — warm and loving, very clear, very Latin. His student-grade guitars, better than many first-class guitars, are very popular in New York City. 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 1, 2026May 1, 2026 by Dale Phillips Manuel Velazquez, In His Own Words Manuel Velazquez, In His Own Words by Cyndy Burton and Manuel Velazquez Originally published in American Lutherie #119, 2014 Manuel’s example of excellence inspired all who had the good fortune to know him. On the several occasions he participated in GAL Conventions or gave interviews, he freely advised us on how to carry out the difficult task of finding one’s way in the world of instrument making, and with remarkable generosity, shared the nuts and bolts of that perilous adventure as well. Manuel is quoted directly from the following previously published articles. — Cyndy Burton I am still a student. I will always be a student. From “Manuel Velázquez: An Appreciation,” by William Cumpiano (AL#4, Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One) 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 21, 2026April 21, 2026 by Dale Phillips Let’s Catch Up with Jeffrey R. Elliott Let’s Catch Up with Jeffrey R. Elliott by Chris Sobel Originally published in American Lutherie #127, 2016 The distinguished career of Jeffrey R. Elliott has spanned over fifty years, from his beginnings as an apprentice to Richard Schneider in Detroit, to his rise as one of the foremost 20th-century American luthiers. Among his credits are a long list of high-profile clientele and the selection of one of his guitars for exhibit at the Smithsonian. His careful stewardship of the traditional guitar design has both preserved the tradition and furthered its evolution, and to these ends, he has spent considerable time teaching and mentoring the next generation of luthiers. Indeed, his meticulous craft and strikingly beautiful aesthetics, combined with the allure of his characteristic sound, have fostered a formidable backlog of orders that has lasted his entire career. A GAL Convention might not seem the same without Jeff, who has attended at least a dozen throughout the years as an exhibitor, a lecturer, and as a panelist and panel moderator on topics including workspace planning, the classical guitar, the flamenco guitar, the archtop guitar, and the mandolin. 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 16, 2026April 16, 2026 by Dale Phillips Remembering Julian Bream Remembering Julian Bream by Cyndy Burton, José Romanillos, R.E. Bruné, Jeffrey R. Elliott, Kevin Aram, Gary Southwell, and Simon Ambridge Originally published in American Lutherie #142, 2021 Julian Bream was born on July 15, 1933, and died on August 14, 2020, one month after his 87th birthday. The accolades that followed were online and in print everywhere, and were consistently filled with superlatives praising his genius as a classical guitarist, his tireless commissioning and presentation of new guitar repertoire from notable contemporary composers, and his teaching and creating opportunities for the next generation of classical guitarists. But commonly overlooked in descriptions of Julian Bream’s achievements in his long career, are the fruits of his relationships with the handful of classical guitar makers he chose to build for him. He sought the best classical guitars possible to serve his musical purposes and, at the same time, inspired their makers to improve their art and craft. We are fortunate that those luthiers are represented here, and that they’ve offered memories of their interactions with Julian Bream. — Cyndy Burton 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 16, 2026April 17, 2026 by Dale Phillips Meet the Maker: Federico Sheppard Meet the Maker: Federico Sheppard by Roger Alan Skipper Originally published in American Lutherie #106, 2011 I’ve studied your website and other Internet articles about you. You’ve led quite an interesting life: you were born in Mexico City; you mentioned that one guitar stayed with you through “five different moves” and “three careers.” You’re a chiropractor, and have been a cab driver, sod cutter, lead Hawaiian guitarist for a Polynesian dance band, a consultant for the National Museums of Paraguay and El Salvador, and have ridden a bicycle around the world. I’ve even stumbled across a rumor that you traveled with a circus. Could you share some of that life with me, and tell me how you got started in lutherie? Everything you read about me on the Internet may not be accurate. I was tempted to join a Mexican midget circus I came across on a bike trip in France, but I didn’t meet the height requirements. And that is God’s own truth. 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.
