Posted on September 25, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dale Phillips The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part One The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part One by Mark French Originally published in American Lutherie #139, 2020 See also, A Guitar Is Born: Attending Charles Fox’s Hands-On Guitar Making Course by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Two by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Three by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Four by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Five by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Six by Mark French Charles Fox has been making guitars for about fifty years and, as a master luthier will, he has developed a personal approach to his craft. Building on a solid foundation of experimentation, he has developed a set of processes that let him complete tasks quickly, accurately, and repeatably, but with a deeper purpose. This is the first in a series of articles that describe Charles’ building method in detail. There are some good descriptions in print of how to make an acoustic guitar, so it may not be clear why we need another one. Books and extended articles are usually for beginning builders unfamiliar with making instruments, and describe basic processes for making good, traditional acoustic guitars. Some of these works are quite good and a few are iconic. However, this series of articles has a different purpose. It is intended for readers who have basic familiarity with acoustic guitars and guitar-making skills. 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 September 25, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dale Phillips The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Two The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Two by Mark French Originally published in American Lutherie #140, 2020 See also, A Guitar Is Born: Attending Charles Fox’s Hands-On Guitar Making Course by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part One by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Three by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Four by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Five by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Six by Mark French There are four major subassemblies in Charles’ guitar design. The separately completed rim, soundboard, and back are assembled to create the body, to which the completed neck is then fitted and attached. Given that the design process has highlighted and resolved all their relationships, they can each be considered individually, and created either serially, in any sequence, or simultaneously. Starting the Neck At first glance, Charles’ neck follows a fairly standard design, but it incorporates features that make it work better. One characteristic of Charles’ instruments is that many features and dimensions are shared across different body shapes (“Production Techniques for the Custom Luthier,” AL#110). One of these is the neck. Since most of Charles’ instruments share the same 25.5˝ scale, they can use the same 12-fret or 14-fret necks. The only visible difference is their heel depths, as shown in Photo 1. Even then, there are only two different depths. 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 September 25, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dale Phillips The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Three The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Three by Mark French Originally published in American Lutherie #141, 2020 See also, A Guitar Is Born: Attending Charles Fox’s Hands-On Guitar Making Course by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part One by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Two by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Four by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Five by Mark French The Charles Fox Guitar-Building Method, Part Six by Mark French With the rim, the soundboard, and the back complete, our first three subassemblies are ready to become a body. The body assembly process takes place on two slightly concave benchtop vacuum fixtures (Photo 1). Their hollow surfaces match the guitar plates’ spherical contours, a 30´ soundboard radius and a 12´ back radius. Vacuum holds each plate in place and in its correct spherical shape during that plate’s final fitting and marriage to the rim. Charles notes that: 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 September 9, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dale Phillips Eight Concerns of Highly Successful Guitar Makers Eight Concerns of Highly Successful Guitar Makers by R.E. Bruné from his 2001 GAL Convention lecture Originally published in American Lutherie #79, 2004 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015 Many of you know a little of my history, but I’ll say a bit more so you’ll understand where I’m coming from and why I will espouse some of the radical ideas that you may hear today. I began playing guitar in the early 1960s when I was just a teenager. I taught myself flamenco, then moved to Mexico City in 1968 and lived there for two years. I played in flamenco troupes for a number of dancers and singers including Roberto de Ronda, Lola Golan, and La Poli. Later I worked with other singers like Pepe Culata and Agujetas (Manuel de los Santos). So I began my career by struggling to make a living as a musician. My attitude toward the instrument was from the standpoint of a player. 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 August 26, 2026August 26, 2026 by Dale Phillips Lutherie: Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow Lutherie: Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow by R.E. Bruné Originally published in American Lutherie #107, 2011 Tim Olsen: People who like GAL Conventions should thank R.E. Bruné, our presenter today, because he invented the GAL convention in 1975 when he organized and presented the first one. He’s the founder of a lutherie family dynasty, now beginning its third generation. No instruments from that third generation yet, although I believe that Peter is walking now. (laughter) R.E. Bruné was on the GAL’s first mailing list of forty people. Few of us had anything to offer in the way of information; mostly we had enthusiasm and curiosity. But he was an example of generosity, honesty, and balance that has certainly been an inspiration to me and I think to thousands of others over these many years through the medium of the GAL. So please welcome one of our founders, R.E. Bruné. (applause) The GAL today is the modern organizational manifestation of a formal trade which extends back over five centuries of time. Since there has been music, there have been luthiers, even though they may not have been known by that name. Before I begin however, I would like to recognize some vital folks who have made it possible for us to be here today, starting with J.R. Beall. As the Founding Father of the GAL, he conceived and put in motion the whole concept which we call the Guild of American Luthiers. J.R., who I have known for over forty years, is a true American genius and an inspiration to be around. His many and diverse interests, of which lutherie is but one, are staggering. He is truly an exceptional creator of the highest order. The GAL staff have kept this organization running for forty years through good and tough times, and we are here today because of their tireless efforts. But I would be remiss if I were to omit the most important element of the Guild, and that is you, the membership, for as any good luthier knows, a musician without an audience is like a tree falling in a forest without the philosopher there to hear it. 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.
