Posted on January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 by Dale Phillips Fall Collection 2024 Articles Online Fall Collection 2024 GAL Members – Login first before clicking on article titles to read the full articles. Not a 2024 member? You can join or renew here. Radiation from Lower Guitar Modes by Graham Caldersmith (1985) Caldersmith discusses the efficiency and pattern of sound radiation in the classic guitar produced by the four lower resonance modes, which he calls monopole, cross dipole, long dipole, and tripole. Inside Pacific Rim Tonewoods by Steve McMinn (1993) McMinn’s lutherie wood business has turned out to be a pretty big deal. Here we gain perspective by seeing it at the very beginning. The Great White Sitka by Jeffrey R. Elliott (1993) Holy Moby Spruce! How does one hack a log that’s eleven feet wide into 4000 guitar tops? Very carefully! By the way, this is a log that Steve McMinn rescued from the pulp mill. Meet the Maker: Bernard Millant by Jonathon Peterson (2006) Millant is a violin maker, a bow maker, an appraiser, an author, and a man of high repute within the violin world. The depth of training behind many old-school fiddle people will astonish most guitar makers, and it makes for entrancing reading. Meet the Maker: Dmitry Zhevlakov by Federico Sheppard (2007) This is not only the story of a Russian luthier who also makes beautiful rosettes for other builders, but is another example of how the Internet has changed the world — in this case for better. Aluminum Sonatas: A Brief History of Aluminum Stringed Instruments in the Last 120 Years by James Condino (2007) Every luthier knows how fickle and finicky the market is, so it’s no wonder that musical instruments made of aluminum didn’t catch on. Examined here are a violin, a mandolin, and a pair of bass viols. Fun stuff! Mechanical Compliance for Soundboard Optimization by David Hurd (2007) Hurd believes that the fastest way to great instruments is science, and it’s hard to argue with such a rational man. His jigs measure the deflection of top plates while under tension, and once he carves the top and braces to the numbers he wants, he’s done. This could be math heavy, but he offers an Internet spread sheet to ease the pain. Construction of the Colombian Tiple by Anamaria Paredes Garcia and R.M. Mottola (2007) Cross a 12-string flattop with a classical guitar and you get the Colombian tiple. The tiple has four courses of three steel strings, but on the inside, it’s a classical. Follow Alberto Paredes as he builds the instrument in this photo tour. See GAL Plan #51. Meet the Maker: Mervyn Davis by Rodney Stedall (2007) Davis’ South African upbringing inspires a wonderful decorative sense in his instruments. He’s built a ton of different stuff but may end up best known for his wildly unique modular guitars called Smooth Talkers. Cricket: A Reclaimed Salvage Recovery by James Condino (2007) Condino’s mandolin is made from recycled materials, mostly Douglas fir and katalox. It is unique and beautiful, and the story behind it is pretty cool, too. Grading on the Curves: Fitting Bars and Bridges on Archtop Guitars by Steve Andersen (2007) This is a very detailed look at how a notable builder of archtop guitars fits tone bars and bridges to his instruments. The Venezuelan Cuatro by Aquiles Torres (2008) Traditionally, this instrument is a small 4-string guitar with 14 frets clear, no frets over the body, a flush fretboard, and a large veneer tap plate. Note that the cuatro built for the article has 17 frets clear of the body. See GAL Plan #58. The MacRostie Mandolin Deflection Jig by Don MacRostie (2008) MacRostie’s clever jig measures the top deflection of a carved mandolin under string load at any stage of its construction. It is a valuable tool within the reach of any luthier. The “Corker” Guitar: A Sideport Experiment by Alan Carruth (2008) Carruth built a classical guitar with many small ports drilled in the side. By plugging the ports in various combinations he investigated the usefulness and physics behind them. Though this guitar did not make a believer out of him, he admits that his results are somewhat inconclusive. Electric Guitar Setup by Erick Coleman and Elliot John-Conry (2009) Two disciples of Dan Erlewine explain the latest techniques of setting up the electric guitar. All the details and specs are there, as well as a bit of philosophy. Dulcimer 101 by John Calkin (2009) Dulcimers are needlessly maligned and in need of advocates, and the author is a strong one. Tools and jiggery are kept to a minimum to make construction of this entry level instrument as accessible as possible. The Guitar as a Structure and Some Practical Information on Bracing by James Blilie (2009) A structural engineer and guitar builder sees the guitar as a thing buffeted by forces and stresses. Total Flame Out: Retopping a Harp Guitar by Harry Fleishman (2009) Harry replaces the failed soundboard on a complicated instrument with as little refinishing and other stress as possible. Strings: The (Often) Forgotten Accessory by Fan Tao (2010) D’Addario's resident scientist Fan Tao helps us understand string issues in relation to custom instruments and customized tuning. Practical Acoustics by Michael Cone (2010) Cone describes his advanced apparatus and method for acoustically testing classical guitars. Meet the Maker: James Ham by Roger Alan Skipper (2010) Ham operates from a shop in Victoria, B.C. where he repairs and restores violin family instruments and constructs world class double basses. It’s All About the Core or How to Estimate Compensation by Sjaak Elmendorp (2010) Mathematics and parameters used to address the problem of string compensation estimation. Articles Online Fall Collection 2024 Radiation from Lower Guitar Modes by Graham Caldersmith (1985) Caldersmith discusses the efficiency and pattern of sound radiation in the classic guitar produced by the four lower resonance modes, which he calls monopole, cross dipole, long dipole, and tripole. Inside Pacific Rim Tonewoods by Steve McMinn (1993) McMinn's lutherie wood business has turned out to be a pretty big deal. Here we gain perspective by seeing it at the very beginning. The Great White Sitka by Jeffrey R. Elliott (1993) Holy Moby Spruce! How does one hack a log that’s eleven feet wide into 4000 guitar tops? Very carefully! By the way, this is a log that Steve McMinn rescued from the pulp mill. Meet the Maker: Bernard Millant by Jonathon Peterson (2006) Millant is a violin maker, a bow maker, an appraiser, an author, and a man of high repute within the violin world. The depth of training behind many old-school fiddle people will astonish most guitar makers, and it makes for entrancing reading. Meet the Maker: Dmitry Zhevlakov by Federico Sheppard (2007) This is not only the story of a Russian luthier who also makes beautiful rosettes for other builders, but is another example of how the Internet has changed the world — in this case for better. Aluminum Sonatas: A Brief History of Aluminum Stringed Instruments in the Last 120 Years by James Condino (2007) Every luthier knows how fickle and finicky the market is, so it’s no wonder that musical instruments made of aluminum didn’t catch on. Examined here are a violin, a mandolin, and a pair of bass viols. Fun stuff! Mechanical Compliance for Soundboard Optimization by David Hurd (2007) Hurd believes that the fastest way to great instruments is science, and it’s hard to argue with such a rational man. His jigs measure the deflection of top plates while under tension, and once he carves the top and braces to the numbers he wants, he’s done. This could be math heavy, but he offers an Internet spread sheet to ease the pain. Construction of the Colombian Tiple by Anamaria Paredes Garcia and R.M. Mottola (2007) Cross a 12-string flattop with a classical guitar and you get the Colombian tiple. The tiple has four courses of three steel strings, but on the inside, it’s a classical. Follow Alberto Paredes as he builds the instrument in this photo tour. See GAL Plan #51. Meet the Maker: Mervyn Davis by Rodney Stedall (2007) Davis’ South African upbringing inspires a wonderful decorative sense in his instruments. He’s built a ton of different stuff but may end up best known for his wildly unique modular guitars called Smooth Talkers. Cricket: A Reclaimed Salvage Recovery by James Condino (2007) Condino’s mandolin is made from recycled materials, mostly Douglas fir and katalox. It is unique and beautiful, and the story behind it is pretty cool, too. Grading on the Curves: Fitting Bars and Bridges on Archtop Guitars by Steve Andersen (2007) This is a very detailed look at how a notable builder of archtop guitars fits tone bars and bridges to his instruments. The Venezuelan Cuatro by Aquiles Torres (2008) Traditionally, this instrument is a small 4-string guitar with 14 frets clear, no frets over the body, a flush fretboard, and a large veneer tap plate. Note that the cuatro built for the article has 17 frets clear of the body. See GAL Plan #58. The MacRostie Mandolin Deflection Jig by Don MacRostie (2008) MacRostie’s clever jig measures the top deflection of a carved mandolin under string load at any stage of its construction. It is a valuable tool within the reach of any luthier. The “Corker” Guitar: A Sideport Experiment by Alan Carruth (2008) Carruth built a classical guitar with many small ports drilled in the side. By plugging the ports in various combinations he investigated the usefulness and physics behind them. Though this guitar did not make a believer out of him, he admits that his results are somewhat inconclusive. Electric Guitar Setup by Erick Coleman and Elliot John-Conry (2009) Two disciples of Dan Erlewine explain the latest techniques of setting up the electric guitar. All the details and specs are there, as well as a bit of philosophy. Dulcimer 101 by John Calkin (2009) Dulcimers are needlessly maligned and in need of advocates, and the author is a strong one. Tools and jiggery are kept to a minimum to make construction of this entry level instrument as accessible as possible. The Guitar as a Structure and Some Practical Information on Bracing by James Blilie (2009) A structural engineer and guitar builder sees the guitar as a thing buffeted by forces and stresses. Total Flame Out: Retopping a Harp Guitar by Harry Fleishman (2009) Harry replaces the failed soundboard on a complicated instrument with as little refinishing and other stress as possible. Strings: The (Often) Forgotten Accessory by Fan Tao (2010) D'Addario's resident scientist Fan Tao helps us understand string issues in relation to custom instruments and customized tuning. Practical Acoustics by Michael Cone (2010) Cone describes his advanced apparatus and method for acoustically testing classical guitars. Meet the Maker: James Ham by Roger Alan Skipper (2010) Ham operates from a shop in Victoria, B.C. where he repairs and restores violin family instruments and constructs world class double basses. It’s All About the Core or How to Estimate Compensation by Sjaak Elmendorp (2010) Mathematics and parameters used to address the problem of string compensation estimation.
Posted on June 30, 2024January 6, 2025 by Dale Phillips Meet the Maker: James Ham Meet the Maker: James Ham by Roger Alan Skipper Originally published in American Lutherie #102, 2010 Professional luthier James Ham operates from a shop in Victoria, British Columbia. Though he continues to repair and restore violin-family instruments and bows, he is perhaps best known for his construction of world-class double basses. Mr. Ham is a board member of the Catgut Acoustical Society and a founder of the VSA Festival of Innovation. His time and talents are in great demand, but he graciously found the time to respond to yet another inquiring writer. You’ve been involved with lutherie for a long time, and you’ve achieved some real success. Your name appears often in the upper echelons of the double bass and cello worlds, where you’re widely known as a superb craftsman and a remarkable innovator. Tell me a bit about how you started. 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 April 21, 2023March 5, 2024 by Dale Phillips The Two-Storey Dulcimer The Two-Storey Dulcimer by Roger Alan Skipper Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010 I read John Calkin’s “Dulcimer 101” in AL#98 with interest, but with little expectation of practical application. I’ve never built a dulcimer; I’ve never wished to build one (sung to the “Purple Cow” jingle). Within a month, though, my best customer and great friend Dr. Gerry Snelson asked me to do exactly that. Perhaps anticipating my reluctance to regress to such a basic instrument, Gerry came armed with photos of high-end dulcimers, video clips of accomplished players, and with his normal bundle of challenging demands and fresh ideas. 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 September 10, 2019March 7, 2024 by Dale Phillips Meet the Maker: Dan Kabanuck Meet the Maker: Dan Kabanuck by Roger Alan Skipper previously published in American Lutherie #104, 2010 Dan, you look familiar, yet you’re from my opposite side of the country, and you’re new to lutherie. I’ve met scores of luthiers, spoken to hundreds more, and processed thousands of your orders. I’m a customer service rep at Luthiers Mercantile International, LMI, and you probably saw my picture gracing page four of the latest catalog, holding the “new LMI Shred-o-matic ‘Dandolin’ guitar kit.” It’s not a real instrument, by the way; several people have asked. I was in the middle of building my electric guitar when my picture was taken, and I grabbed a ukulele neck and held it on my body, and Chris Herrod snapped a picture. Chris is the Sales Manager, and the most brilliant person at LMI — he hired me! Your first two instruments, an OM-sized acoustic and a Les Paul electric, seem several cuts above most beginning luthiers’, with marvelous wood and beautiful detail and finish. Do you have a woodworking background? I actually sold real estate for sixteen years — I’m a licensed broker — but burnout and a tanking market led me to find a real job. My woodworking background is fairly limited: shop classes as a kid and some construction work in my late teens. Quite often I’d do repairs on the homes I was selling rather than deal with a contractor. My father is a furniture refinisher and repairman, so I’ve learned some of that. I’m by nature an arts-and-crafts person and have a general knowledge of tools. I discovered LMI just over three years ago on Craigslist. When I started, I had no lutherie knowledge, and had never considered building an instrument. I wanted to be able to talk intelligently about LMI’s products and how they work, and my nature urged me to build not one, but a couple of guitars. 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 January 5, 2010March 11, 2024 by Dale Phillips Review: The Responsive Guitar & Making the Responsive Guitar by Ervin Somogyi Review: The Responsive Guitar & Making the Responsive Guitar by Ervin Somogyi Reviewed by Roger Alan Skipper Originally published in American Lutherie #102, 2010 The Responsive Guitar ISBN 978-0-9823207-0-9 Making the Responsive Guitar ISBN 978-0-9823207-1-6 Two-book hardback boxed set Ervin Somogyi Luthiers Press, 2009 To suggest that this two-book set is striking would be an understatement. Contained in this box is more than eight pounds of quality glossy paper, and a quick fanning reveals a large section of stunning color photographs, plus sharp black-and-white images and sharply detailed drawings throughout. Also of immediate note is the price: $140 per book, $280 for the set; that this is intended as a serious and significant work is clear. A bit of investigative work (this information is found in the introduction of one book, on the back cover of the other) reveals that The Responsive Guitar is the first of the set, with Making the Responsive Guitar an accompanying and subsequent tome. The first book’s purpose and the author’s qualifications are clearly defined on the cover: “The Responsive Guitar is about the physics, dynamics, acoustics and construction of the guitar”; “Somogyi is arguably the premier maker, theoretician and expert of the modern acoustic guitar for his generation.” The last page of text is numbered 339, but the numbering doesn’t begin until approximately fifty pages in, after a logical and concise table of contents, a brief foreword by musician and recording artist Martin Simpson, and an introduction and acknowledgments page by the author. This is followed by thirty-two pages of professional color photographs of contemporary guitars of all descriptions — innovative, artful, minutely detailed, and divinely crafted — to quicken the pulse of any luthier. Only ten pages are of the author’s work, as he pays homage to other makers. 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.
