Letter: Koestler’s “The Act of Creation”

by Richard Schneider

Originally published in American Lutherie #17, 1989

Tim:

In my lecture to the 1978 GAL convention, I made a strong pitch for Arthur Koestler’s 1964 work The Act of Creation as a useful and great book. The Guild ran an interview with me in which I was quoted as recommending it. More than 10 years later, in SIGNAL: Communication Tools for the Information Age, a Whole Earth Catalog, Stewart Brand had the following to say about it:

“Koestler takes his notion of bisociation to be the root of humor, discovery, and art. I take it to be one of the roots of learning, subject to applications of method (on yourself or whomever). Koestler is a scientist of some reputation by now. This is the book — on how discovery of every kind really occurs in the mind — that gave him the reputation. His most lasting contribution. Get this book back in print!”

Letter: Luthiers Must Offer What Factories Can’t

by Alan Carruth

Originally published in American Lutherie #63, 2000

GAL,

I was very taken with Woody Vernice’s review of the Taylor neck design video in AL#62, but I think he sells himself short. As impressive as the video is, I don’t think the joint is beyond the ability of most luthiers to cut to the required accuracy. Of course, it would take us longer by hand than it takes Bob’s machine!

Woody’s overall point is well taken, though. If we are to justify our existence (and our prices!) we have to be offering something that the factories can’t. If you leave out the stash of endangered materials, two possibilities spring to mind: visual art, and tone. There are a number of builders exploiting the aspect of visual creativity. In most cases this takes the form of some sort of “applied” art; whether it be a distinctive soundhole rosette, carving, or inlay work. Often the decorative scheme of an entire guitar will be keyed to one such distinctive element, making it a unique work. In some ways this is the path of least resistance. Luthiers have always built highly-decorated instruments for the elite market. It is easy to add a little pizzazz by slapping on a bunch of pearl, but that way leads in the end to the Rococo and Mannerism: the elaboration of form to the ultimate detriment of function.

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