Posted on July 1, 2024May 14, 2025 by Dale Phillips Opinion Opinion by Keith Hill Originally published in American Lutherie #63, 2000 Everyone who practices an art, a craft, or a profession belongs to only one of two groups: Those who love the art, craft, or profession; or those who love being involved in the art, craft, or profession. That which distinguishes these two groups is that those in the latter group are in love with the idea of being an artist, craftsman, or professor while those in the former love the art itself. What does this have to do with being a musical instrument maker? Everything. The art and craft of the professional instrument maker hinges on knowing how to reliably produce a musical instrument which equals in every way the quality of the best that has gone before. To deny this reality makes a farce of the whole business. Why? Because if you replace the words “musical instrument maker” with the word “chef” (as in gourmet cook) and the words “musical instrument” with the word “food,” no one would quibble with that statement. Since musical instruments produce sound which the ears “eat,” I see no difference (nor did Mattheson who used the same metaphor in discussing music back in the 18th century) in how the standards of quality should apply. Yet, the field of professional musical instrument making is plagued with the attitude that “because we don’t know and can’t know how the great instruments from the past were made, we do the best we can and focus our attention on what we can do well” which, unfortunately, means building instruments that appeal to the eye and not to the ear. No one would hire an engineer to build a bridge who had that attitude. No one would hire a chef who had that attitude, much less want to eat anything cooked up by such person. Yet, in the field of music, such an attitude is normal. 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.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Art As Adventure Art As Adventure by William Eaton Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly Volume 10, #3, 1982 Dear Fellow Luthiers — Guild Members, If I could hold a pen as a chisel and feel the inspiration and enjoyment that comes with instrument building and music I think it would take few words to express myself. Surely the power of words and thoughts reaches everywhere for those with open reception — all in time — and so my communication with you — if not from words — then from a common interest for buiding and repairing musical instruments. For the musical instrument becomes a magical messenger to voice the sound of its being — in all ways and all forms, for all to play and listen — in all styles. The builder and restorer of the instrument holds a noble role in the adventure of human action, if we are to perceive our activities with purpose — the bringers of music, the singers of music. For the instrument is born before the musician — except for the hallowed voice, the instrument of the body. I truly look upon this art as an adventure. To envision music — to imagine a new instrument — to build the instrument — to play upon strings — this makes me sing — to conplete the whole — from imagination to manifestation. 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 June 13, 2024May 14, 2025 by Dale Phillips Yoga and the Ghosts of Dogs Yoga and the Ghosts of Dogs by Fred Carlson Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 5, #2 1977 The day has been slow. I watch a fat spring woodchuck dragging his ail down the hill toward the poplars, which smile green, and bow. I have been reading my latest copy of the Quarterly (5#1) and going through my usual mental/emotional contortions. Feelings of being personally attacked by denunciations of novices and information seekers; feelings of elation at reading of people’s enthusiasm for this magic thing we’re involved in; incredible fears brought on by the thought of business, of things having to be a certain way to be “right”. But in the end, I am impressed by how wonderfully crazy you all are, we all are, in all is. 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.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 9, 2025 by Dale Phillips Entrepreneurs In Spite Of Ourselves Entrepreneurs In Spite Of Ourselves by Ralph Novak Originally published in American Lutherie #28, 1991 I‘ve always had an affinity for the sciences, strong curiosity, and a penchant for experimenting. How something worked was more important to me than if it actually did. My dad, who has exceptional skills in woodworking, model building, and aircraft design, taught me about wood, tools, mechanics, and bringing a job to completion. He answered endless questions and helped me fix things that became the objects of my curiosity. To this day he is an inspiration. I got my first guitar, a Stella acoustic, for my 14th birthday in 1965. The next year I got an electric guitar and amp, and my dad helped revive it after my experiments. Soon, neighborhood musicians had me modifying and repairing their guitars and I even did some refrets and pickup installations for a very small local store. I built my first guitar in that basement, making pickups from old TV and radio parts. 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.
Posted on June 13, 2024May 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips A Comment on Symmetry A Comment on Symmetry by Thomas Greene Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, Volume 8, #4, 1980 There is a particular symmetry of adornment with which I’m quite taken. Albeit not the first guy to do it, I match the pickguard to the peghead veneer, the bridge to the fingerboard and the neck to the body wood. I am a bit disappointed in the many luthiers who put such integrity into their work only to debase the beauty of a fine handcrafted instrument with a plastic pickguard. I use wood veneer for both pickguard and peghead, cut from the same stock so the color and figure will be consistent, and each is bookmatched. A thin black/white/black purfling strip in the center joint of each make them so much prettier. 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.
