Posted on October 10, 2025October 10, 2025 by Dale Phillips A Savart-Style Upright Bass A Savart-Style Upright Bass Constructing a Simple 34" Scale Upright Bass Suitable for Bass Guitarists by R.M. Mottola Originally published in American Lutherie #80, 2004 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015 Regular experimentation on my part is directed toward the goal of producing the sound of the double bass from instruments that can be readily played by the bass guitarist. Many approaches are possible and the instrument described here is the result of one of these. The design process began with functional requirements for the bass. This list was pretty basic. The target group of musicians was bass guitarists, and this constrained the scale length and a number of the critical dimensions of the neck and fingerboard to be similar to those of bass guitars. The instrument had to be musically viable in all styles in which the double bass is played pizzicato. It had to be transportable too, an easy design goal given the standard for portability set by the unwieldy double bass. To that list I added one more requirement — that the prototype be relatively simple and cheap to build. The bass is just like any other instrument, only more so. Material cost is higher because there is more material. Construction time is greater because there is simply more to construct. The upshot is that a bass design experiment can consume a lot of time, effort, and money before the success or failure of the experiment is known. I wanted to keep both cost and effort down for the prototype. 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 October 9, 2025October 9, 2025 by Dale Phillips An Authentic Hurdy-Gurdy An Authentic Hurdy-Gurdy by Wilfried Ulrich Originally published in American Lutherie #77, 2004 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015 The dispute between guitarists and hurdy-gurdists is an old one. In the early 1700s, when French aristocrats became interested in playing the hurdy-gurdy and pretty good composers such as Baton, Chedeville, and others began to compose for it, prominent guitarists contended that the hurdy-gurdy was only good enough for cat music! However, the queen was an eminent player of the instrument, and the two daughters of King Louis XV were trained by Charles Baton. A hurdy-gurdy teacher of the time is said to have wanted to change the outstanding and worthy guitar of a marquis into a hurdy-gurdy. In his opinion, this was the only fit use for such an instrument. The hurdy-gurdy and the musette (a small bagpipe) were the beloved instruments of the leading society. To dignify the instrument, its origin was attributed — without proof — to ancient Greece. 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 October 9, 2025October 9, 2025 by Dale Phillips The Colombian Tiple The Colombian Tiple by Luis Alberto Paredes Rodríguez Originally published in American Lutherie #82, 2005 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015 In an article published in American Lutherie #39 (Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Four) by Jorge Gonzalez Jr., several important statements are made in connection with the tiple. The first of them says that, “The origin of the tiple is still a subject of debate, but the modern tiple is thought to have been developed in Colombia.” It states further that “...the early Colombian tiple had four single gut strings which later evolved into four courses of triple steel strings with a requintilla (the center string of each course, tuned an octave lower than the others) on the lower three courses. There are also examples of Colombian tiples with ten steel strings in which the outer courses are double and the inner courses are triple.” Lastly, “The tiple is, in essence, a small guitar indigenous to Spain and many South American nations. Construction is similar, if not identical, to that of a guitar.” 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 March 1, 2025April 15, 2026 by Dale Phillips Stahl Style 6 Guitar Stahl Style 6 Guitar built by Carl and August Larson, Serial #81225 “Lisa” by January Williams Originally published in American Lutherie #112, 2012 I first saw this instrument when Denis Merrill brought it to Harp Guitar Gathering VI at Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon, October 2008. Bob Hartman saw it then and confirmed that this is an authentic instrument built by the Larson brothers in Chicago.1 (see A Brief History of The Larson Brothers) I liked it immediately; it has a wonderful sound, dynamic range, and clarity. It came to me again at the next NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit (also at Marylhurst) in April of 2009, as Denis kindly loaned it to me for an extended time, and the idea of documenting and duplicating it bloomed into a project.2 This guitar has nicely figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides and a spruce top, all bookmatched. It has a one-piece mahogany neck, an ebony fingerboard, and an ebony bridge with a slanted saddle.3 The bracing is spruce; the shop-made triangular kerfed lining is Spanish cedar with a very thin web, and there is a thin mahogany reinforcement plate under the bridge. The guitar is decorated with classical-style multicolor wood purfling around the front and back edges, and down the center strip on the back. The rosette is typical of American steel-string instruments with three separate elements: narrow inner-and-outer veneer line motifs (B-W-B) and a separate wider central design of colored mosaic similar to the other inlay. White plastic is used for binding the front and back, the heel cap, and a wedge at the tail joint. Mother-of-pearl is used for inlays on the headstock and bridge, and for fingerboard position markers. The instrument is lightly built and rather thin — less than 3" deep at the heel. On each side there are two cloth-tape reinforcements that extend under the kerfing, and three cloth reinforcing patches along the top joint in the lower bout between the bridge plate, the tone bars, and the tail block. There is a thin spruce reinforcement glued cross grain to the mahogany tail block. The neck has a slight V shape and a slotted headstock, and is joined at the 12th fret. The body is domed or arched to an unusual extent; measured across the lower bout at its widest, about a 10' radius of curvature across the back and 12' radius across the top. 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 November 30, 2024May 30, 2025 by Dale Phillips 1902 Martin 1902 Martin by Anonymous Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #21, 1975 This pair of informative pictures was contributed to the Guild by repairman of long experience and excellent reputation. He wishes to remain anonymous, however, to avoid being hounded by collectors. Just below and to the right of the soundhole (back view) the date, initials of the luthier, and serial number have been written in pencil. Of these, only the serial number is decipherable: #9434. Noting the lack of a 17th fret marker, the instrument appears to be a 1902 0-41 or 42. The bridge and saddle are both ivory and, typically of the period, provide no string length compensation. This particular bridge has suffered the disgrace of having been bolted to the top with flathead bolts as part of an astonishingly shoddy repair. (Note the additional “reinforcement” plate, back view). The diamond between the second belly brace is original equipment, however. This feature is still to be found on modern 0 16 NY models. This guitar has been completely restored, and we hope that it’s next 72 years are less prone to abuse. ◆ Posts pagination Previous 1 2 3 … 10 Next
Posted on March 1, 2025April 15, 2026 by Dale Phillips Stahl Style 6 Guitar Stahl Style 6 Guitar built by Carl and August Larson, Serial #81225 “Lisa” by January Williams Originally published in American Lutherie #112, 2012 I first saw this instrument when Denis Merrill brought it to Harp Guitar Gathering VI at Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon, October 2008. Bob Hartman saw it then and confirmed that this is an authentic instrument built by the Larson brothers in Chicago.1 (see A Brief History of The Larson Brothers) I liked it immediately; it has a wonderful sound, dynamic range, and clarity. It came to me again at the next NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit (also at Marylhurst) in April of 2009, as Denis kindly loaned it to me for an extended time, and the idea of documenting and duplicating it bloomed into a project.2 This guitar has nicely figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides and a spruce top, all bookmatched. It has a one-piece mahogany neck, an ebony fingerboard, and an ebony bridge with a slanted saddle.3 The bracing is spruce; the shop-made triangular kerfed lining is Spanish cedar with a very thin web, and there is a thin mahogany reinforcement plate under the bridge. The guitar is decorated with classical-style multicolor wood purfling around the front and back edges, and down the center strip on the back. The rosette is typical of American steel-string instruments with three separate elements: narrow inner-and-outer veneer line motifs (B-W-B) and a separate wider central design of colored mosaic similar to the other inlay. White plastic is used for binding the front and back, the heel cap, and a wedge at the tail joint. Mother-of-pearl is used for inlays on the headstock and bridge, and for fingerboard position markers. The instrument is lightly built and rather thin — less than 3" deep at the heel. On each side there are two cloth-tape reinforcements that extend under the kerfing, and three cloth reinforcing patches along the top joint in the lower bout between the bridge plate, the tone bars, and the tail block. There is a thin spruce reinforcement glued cross grain to the mahogany tail block. The neck has a slight V shape and a slotted headstock, and is joined at the 12th fret. The body is domed or arched to an unusual extent; measured across the lower bout at its widest, about a 10' radius of curvature across the back and 12' radius across the top. 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 November 30, 2024May 30, 2025 by Dale Phillips 1902 Martin 1902 Martin by Anonymous Originally published as Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #21, 1975 This pair of informative pictures was contributed to the Guild by repairman of long experience and excellent reputation. He wishes to remain anonymous, however, to avoid being hounded by collectors. Just below and to the right of the soundhole (back view) the date, initials of the luthier, and serial number have been written in pencil. Of these, only the serial number is decipherable: #9434. Noting the lack of a 17th fret marker, the instrument appears to be a 1902 0-41 or 42. The bridge and saddle are both ivory and, typically of the period, provide no string length compensation. This particular bridge has suffered the disgrace of having been bolted to the top with flathead bolts as part of an astonishingly shoddy repair. (Note the additional “reinforcement” plate, back view). The diamond between the second belly brace is original equipment, however. This feature is still to be found on modern 0 16 NY models. This guitar has been completely restored, and we hope that it’s next 72 years are less prone to abuse. ◆
