Overview Schedule Presenters Registration Lodging & Meals FAQ Auction Shipping Travel & Tourism Public Exhibition 2023 GAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE Wednesday, July 5 1:00pm Registration check-in 2:30pm Workshops (concurrent): ◆Larry Fitzgerald and Evan Gluck, Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration ◆Stephen Marchione, Spirit Varnishing an Archtop Guitar, Spanish Guitar, or Violin ◆ Pat Megowan, Hand Planes: Effective Sharpening and Use ◆ Science and Technology Seminar 7:30pm Concert: Pearl Django, Hot Club-style jazz group Thursday, July 6 8:30am Lecture: ◆ Federico Sheppard, The Guitars of Augustin Barrios: History of the Guitar Rewritten 10:30am Workshops (concurrent): ◆ Mike Doolin, Replicating Existing Archtop Plates with 3D Probing and CNC ◆ Alex Glasser and Brian Michael, Acoustic Guitar Repair: Worn Out Frets and Sticky Necks ◆ Classical Guitar Listening Session with Jeff Elliott, moderator 1:00pm Workshops (concurrent): ◆ Pat Megowan, The Alluring Ukulele: A Design Adventure ◆ Jeffrey Yong, Alternative Woods for Instrument Making ◆ Stephen Marchione, Marchione Fretting Techniques 3:30pm–6:00pm Exhibition (open to registered participants only) 8:00pm Concert: Michael Partington, classical guitar Friday, July 7 8:30am Lecture: ◆ Barry Grzebik, Thoughtful Electric Guitar Deisgn 10:30am Workshops (concurrent): ◆ James Buckland, Proportional Design Aesthetics of the Early Guitar ◆ Federico Sheppard, The Simplicio Classical Guitar Bridge: Elegance and Genius ◆ Steel String Guitar Listening Session with Mike Doolin, moderator 1:00pm Workshops (concurrent): ◆ Todd Cambio, Making Instrument Cases ◆ James Condino, Vacuum Laminating Sides, and Beyond ◆ Electric Guitar Listening Skills with Jason Lollar, moderator 3:00pm–6:00pm Exhibition (open to registered participants only) 8:00pm Concert: Alex de Grassi, steel string guitar Saturday, July 8 8:30am Lecture: ◆ Todd Cambio, Finding Inspiration in Early 20th-Century Instruments 10:30am Workshops (concurrent): ◆ Monica Esparza, The 18-Hole Classical Guitar Bridge ◆ Alex Glasser, A Brief History of American Steel String Guitar Building ◆ Ukulele Listening Session with Nathan Ching, moderator 1:00pm–5:00pm Exhibition (open to public) 7:30pm GAL Benefit Auction Sunday, July 9 9:00am Lecture: ◆ Monica Esparza, Homage to José Romanillos in Badalona, Spain 10:30am Lecture: ◆ Steve Kauffman, A Steel-String Guitar Maker's Journey 2:00pm–5:00pm GAL Headquarters Open House Presentation Descriptions Wednesday, July 5, 2:30pm – Workshop: Electric Guitar Repair: Setups, Frets, and Inspiration Participants: Larry Fitzgerald and Evan Gluck Evan and Larry will demonstrate and discuss several ways to get your setups and fret work dialed in. Topics will include: Why its so important to do good setups. How to develop your "brand" of setups. Fret leveling and installation. What has inspired us of late and where to get inspiration in guitar repair. Wednesday, July 5, 2:30pm – Workshop: Spirit Varnishing an Archtop Guitar, Spanish Guitar, or Violin Stephen Marchione Wednesday, July 5, 2:30pm – Workshop: Hand Planes: Effective Sharpening and Use Pat Megowan There are innumerable uses for a tool that works quietly, cleanly, and pleasurably at .001" resolution. Topics include the surprising diversity of uses, choosing planes, sharpening easily, setting up for a cut, reading wood, work-holding, technique, difficult woods, pitfalls, and when to reach for a scraper (or bourbon). We will make shavings. Wednesday, July 5, 2:30pm – Workshop: Science and Technology Seminar Thursday, July 6, 8:30am – Lecture: The Guitars of Augustin Barrios: History of the Guitar Rewritten Federico Sheppard Using the Paraguyan guitar composer Agustín Barrios as a reference point, the guitar world will be turned on its head by new research discoveries that will rewrite the history of the guitar as we know it. Other topics to be covered include a history lesson in woodworking steel tools, comments on luthier longevity, immortality, and as always, surprises. Thursday, July 6, 10:30am – Workshop: Replicating Existing Archtop Plates with 3D Probing and CNC Mike Doolin Scanning the back of an existing archtop guitar with a 3D touch probe to create a 3d model of the arch. Importing the model into CAD/CAM software and manipulating it to create the inside and outside arches for both top and back plates. Carving the plates on CNC. Thursday, July 6, 10:30am – Workshop: Acoustic Guitar Repair: Worn Out Frets and Sticky Necks Participants: Alex Glasser and Brian Michael Alex and Brian will be discussing various guitar repair techniques, while demonstrating some of them live. Topics will include binding repair, truss rod repairs, and common repairs on Martin guitars. Thursday, July 6, 10:30am – Classical Guitar Listening Session Moderator: Jeff Elliott Hear contemporary maker's guitars in brief performances played by a professional in a concert setting. This is not a competitive event. Rather, it's an opportunity to test your objectivity, and glean cause-and-effect impressions of how various tone woods and top bracing designs influence the sound. Thursday, July 6, 1:00pm – Workshop: The Alluring Ukulele: A Design Adventure Pat Megowan What sort of ukulele might Julian Bream have enjoyed playing? How about Jimmy Page, or Ani DiFranco? Less speculatively, what about great contemporary players like James Hill, Donald Bousted, Gerald Ross, or Philip Griffin? Early thoughts on a journey of exploration. Thursday, July 6, 1:00pm – Workshop: Alternative Woods for Instrument Making Jeffrey Yong Thursday, July 6, 1:00pm – Workshop: Marchione Fretting Techniques Stephen Marchione Friday, July 7, 8:30am – Lecture: Thoughtful Electric Guitar Deisgn Barry Grzebik Friday, July 7, 10:30am – Workshop: Proportional Design Aesthetics of the Early Guitar James Buckland Proportional ratios and geometry were once the primary tools of design and layout aesthetics. They were also considered essential to the construction of harmonious musical instruments. Learn about their application in historical early guitars, and how you can apply them to your own work Friday, July 7, 10:30am – Workshop: The Simplicio Classical Guitar Bridge: Elegance and Genius Federico Sheppard Francisco Simplicio never made a guitar before he turned 45, but before his death at age 58 he set a standard of guitarmaking excellence never equalled. The Simplico bridge at first glance looks like most other bridges, but this lecture will give the methodology of constructing and fitting the exquisite Simplicio bridge using common tools. Friday, July 7, 10:30am – Steel String Guitar Listening Session Moderator: Mike Doolin Hear your guitar in a brief performance by a professional in a concert hall setting. It’s an opportunity to test your objectivity, and glean cause-and-effect impressions of how various tone woods and top bracing designs influence the sound. Friday, July 7, 1:00pm – Workshop: Making Instrument Cases Todd Cambio Friday, July 7, 1:00pm – Workshop: Vacuum Laminating Sides, and Beyond James Condino Friday, July 7, 1:00pm – Electric Guitar Listening Skills Moderator: Jason Lollar Saturday, July 8, 8:30am – Lecture: Finding Inspiration in Early 20th-Century Instruments Todd Cambio Saturday, July 8, 10:30am – Workshop: The 18-Hole Classical Guitar Bridge Mónica Esparza Saturday, July 8, 10:30am – Workshop: A Brief History of American Steel String Guitar Building Alex Glasser A journey through the world of guitar building from 1833's arrival of the Martin family in New York until the present day. Will focus on the progression, improvements in manufacturing, trends and the overall creative spirit of the entrepreneurial guitar builders of the last 200 years. Saturday, July 8, 10:30am – Ukulele Listening Session Moderator: Nathan Ching Sunday, July 9, 9:00am – Lecture: Homage to José Romanillos in Badalona, Spain Mónica Esparza Sunday, July 9, 10:30am – Lecture: A Steel-String Guitar Maker's Journey Steve Kauffman