American Lutherie #95
Fall 2008

This issue’s front cover shows the end view of a Middle Eastern oud built by Peter Kyvelos in 2007. The end cap and back staves are made from lacewood and figured Honduran mahogany.

Photo by R.M. Mottola

This issue is out-of-print.

The Al-Tho Design: An Experiment in Classic Guitar Bracing

by Alain Bieber

Our member in Paris is a capable and avid experimenter. He also has friends that help him move in a good direction. This time he has made and tested a series of guitars using light spruce rings as bracing elements.

This issue’s front cover shows the end view of a Middle Eastern oud built by Peter Kyvelos in 2007. The end cap and back staves are made from lacewood and figured Honduran mahogany.

Photo by R.M. Mottola

This issue is out-of-print.

This issue’s back cover probably shows your shining face if you were an attendee at the GAL’s 19th National Convention/Exhibition.

Photo by Federico Sheppard

Meet the Maker: Norman Pickering

by N.P. with Barbara Goldowsky

Hey! What’s a dang horn player doing in American Lutherie magazine?! That’s Norman Pickering, the famed violin physics researcher, shown here in one of his early careers as a developer and demonstrator of advanced brass instruments for the C.G. Conn company.

2008 GAL Convention — It Rocked!

Our 19th Convention/Exhibition was a big success! We present a couple pages of photos in the magazine, but the main coverage is right here on the website. Follow this link.

Constructing the Middle Eastern Oud with Peter Kyvelos, Part Two

by R.M. Mottola

Here’s the conclusion of our two-part, lavishly illustrated series on constructing the oud.

Meet the Maker: Chuck Lee

by Stephen Kinnaird

Chuck Lee is a maker of open-back banjos who had an earlier career as a master plumber. He’s shown here with his life-and-lutherie partner Tammy.

From Trash to Treasure: The Restoration of a Spanish Factory-Made Guitar, circa 1900

by Tobias Braun

German classical guitar maker Tobias Braun was brought a much-abused but ornate guitar by a client who had rescued it from a trash bin years before. Braun tracked down the history of the instrument’s maker, and did a full restoration.

Geometric Design of the Stradivari Model G Violin, Part Three: The Scroll

by Robert J. Spear

Here’s the conclusion of our series investigating the possible use of the Golden Section in the design work of Antonio Stradivari. Challenging ideas, and not a lot of heavy math.

Meet the Maker: Dan Fobert

by Andy Avera

Dan likes to make guitars. He also likes to make some unusual tools with which to make guitars.

Casting Custom Plastic Pickup Rings

by Dan Fobert

Need a custom pickup ring, like to mount a humbucker into an over-sized hole? Resourceful and imaginative luthier Dan Fobert says “Make your own!”

Accidental Exotics

by Mike Brittain

After a hurricane blew through his neighborhood in Florida, Mike Brittain was surprised to learn that several of the downed trees were Indian rosewoods. He quickly became a tropical logger.

Florida Gold

by John Calkin

Calkin took a set of Florida rosewood from Mike Brittain and built a test guitar. He loves the stuff.

Letters from our readers

Neil Ostberg gives us the word on horned planes. He was moved to do so by the back-cover photo on American Lutherie #93, which shows a de-horned horned plane.

Product Reviews

by John Calkin

Ever wonder if that plastic dipping stuff for tool handles would work for spring clamp jaws? It does. Our reviewer also likes the Stew-Mac binding laminator.

Questions

edited by R.M. Mottola

Good info about X-bracing mandolins, loosening strings to extend the life of stored instruments, and kauri wood.

It Worked for Me

by Pete Hurney, Luca Milani, Veronica Merryfield, and Scott van Linge

Laser level lutherie, low-cost flat surfaces, a spruce-core bridge for archtops, and a pneumatic sander.

In Memoriam: Thomas Humphrey

by Stephan Connor

Tom Humphrey is well-known for the millennium model classical guitar. He was a mentor to Stephan Connor, who offers a grateful remembrance. Read his memoriam.