Forty-nine-year member Jeffrey R. Elliott has frequently contributed both to American Lutherie and GAL Conventions. When hes not building guitars, he can be found spotting the International Space Station, listening to music of all sorts, and baking bread in the night kitchen.
▪ bio current as of 2023
2023
AL#150 p.56
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Whatever the task may be, million-year GAL member Jeff Elliott does it right. Here he turns his attention to a jig for accurately placing and cleanly cutting a side sound port in a classical guitar.
2022
AL#146 p.2
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Gives updated info on guitar restoration materials that were mentioned by Elliott in AL#145.
2022
AL#146 p.5
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Mentions Richard Schneider, Michael Kasha, and how to determine guitar value for appraisal and considerations for purchase. See letter same issue same title from Ted Moniak.
2022
AL#145 p.16
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott is best known for his long career of making classical guitars of the highest quality, but he has also undertaken some major restorations of important historic instruments. Here he reviews three projects and shares thoughts about his approach. Mentions Jose Romanillos, Hermann Hauser Sr., Antonio de Torres, Francisco Tarrega, Francisco Gonzalez, Peter Radcliff.
2022
AL#145 p.64 read this article
Staff Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott Woodley White
▪ Jon was a member of the GAL staff for over two decades. He wrote many articles, and did all the photography for Robert Lundberg’s landmark book Historical Lute Construction.
2021
AL#142 p.6
Cyndy Burton Jose Romanillos R.E. Brune Jeffrey R. Elliott Kevin Aram Gary Southwell Simon Ambridge
▪ The great classical guitarist Julian Bream was well known for supporting and encouraging contemporary composers and promising young players. Less noticed by the public, but of special importance to luthiers, was Bream’s work with a handful of classical guitar makers from whom he commissioned the fine instruments that he played. In this article, those luthiers offer memories of their interactions with Julian Bream. Mentions Hermann Hauser Sr.
2017
AL#129 p.56 read this article
Cyndy Burton Marc Silber Brian Burns Michael Gurian Jay Hargreaves R.E. Brune Jeffrey R. Elliott Federico Sheppard
▪ Eugene Clark (1934-2016) was one of the earliest and most influential pioneers of the American Lutherie Boom. Mentions Manuel Ramirez, Domingo Esteso, Santos Hernandez, Jon Lundberg, Freddie Mejia, David Rubio, Michael Gurian, David Santo, Lucien Barnes, Freddie Mejia, David Serva, Warren White, Manuel Velazquez, Manouk Papazian.
2016
AL#127 p.34
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ In his interview, Elliott goes into some depth about the development of his classical guitar pattern. That decades-long evolution has produced his current sophisticated and successful design, which is presented here in detail. Of course we offer it as a full-scale two-sheet plan.
2016
AL#127 p.36
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ In an interview in AL127, Jeffrey Elliott goes into some depth about the development of his classical guitar pattern. That decades-long evolution has produced his current sophisticated and successful design, which is presented here in detail. Of course we offer it as a full-scale two-sheet plan.
2016
AL#128 p.48
Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott Gabriel Fleta
▪ His grandfather Ignacio Fleta was a violin maker who started making guitars after repairing instruments by Torres, and his father Gabriel Sr. made guitars for decades as one of the legendary “hijos” of Ignacio who made guitars for Segovia, John Williams, and many others. Gabriel Fleta Jr. has been making guitars since the 1970s and has now inherited the family business. We visit his shop in Barcelona.
2015
AL#122 p.4
Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott Nick Kukich Jeanne Kukich
▪ Nick and Jeanne Kukich, pop and mom of Franklin Guitars, discuss their 25 plus year partnership in life and work.
2014
AL#119 p.60
Manuel Velazquez Cyndy Burton Eugene Clark Armin Kelly Robert Ruck Jeffrey R. Elliott Paul Szmanda
▪ Manuel Velazquez made a lot of friends and fans in his exceptionally long career as a maker of fine classical guitars. Here are a few remembrances a few folks who admired his work and his life.
2013
AL#115 p.30
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Jeff Elliott corrects a botched repair job of a 1930 Hernandez guitar, signed in ballpoint pen by Andres Segovia.
2013
AL#115 p.36
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.
2013
AL#114 p.20
David Cohen Don MacRostie Lawrence Smart Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Panelists discuss the mandolin family’s history and building practices. From 2011 GAL convention panel discussion moderated by Jeffrey R. Elliott.
2012
AL#109 p.71
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Reasons for using wound G classical strings.
2012
AL#109 p.16
Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott David Rodgers Rob Rodgers
▪ English father-son business partners David and Rob Rodgers on their precision tuning machines and family history in the field.
2011
AL#108 p.35
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Jimmy D’Aquisto and Richard Schneider’s meeting at the 1978 GAL convention in Winfield Kansas and their resulting interactions.
2009
AL#100 p.64 ALA2 p.38
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ An uncommon but not rare repair of a 1913 Manuel Ramirez guitar.
2009
AL#99 p.36 ALA6 p.84
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.
2009
AL#99 p.30 ALA6 p.78
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Even if you don’t care much about harp guitars you’ll enjoy the thought processes that went into the string of instruments documented in this article. If you are into harp guitars this is must reading. The initial harp guitar developed by John Sullivan, John Doan, and Jeffrey Elliott owed little to similar instruments of the past other than a basic shape, and the harp guitars that came after the first one have refined the new ideas. With 15 photos of complete and instruments progress, a string gauge and tuning chart, and a mini-plan of 1986 guitar that started the series. Full-size plans are available as GAL Plan #61.
2009
AL#98 p.6
Steve Grimes Ted Megas Tom Ribbecke Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ This article is taken from a 2008 GAL convention panel discussion. Seems like these discussions are getting livelier and more interesting, no matter what field of lutherie may draw you the most. The interaction makes the archtop guitar seem more vital and the personal disclosures add depth to the subject. Not that we’re talking about life and death. Well, to the panelists it may be more important than that, and we’ll bet you’ll be drawn in. Perhaps changes are in the air. Nylon strings? Chambered bodies? Oh, they won’t threaten the old jazz box too much, but it’s good to know that nothing remains forever unchanged. With 23 photos.
2009
AL#97 p.28
R.E. Brune Eugene Clark John Park Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ This is a transcription of a 2006 GAL convention panel discussion. Put a tap plate on a classical guitar; now do you have a flamenco guitar? Differences between the two guitars have largely been accentuated by the modern need to specialize and categorize. But beyond that, this is a fascinating conversation between four of the leading builders in the field and you don’t have to be a maker of nylon strung guitars to enjoy the details they offer and their pleasure in each others company.
2008
AL#96 p.6 ALA3 p.68
Robert Ruck Jeffrey R. Elliott Manuel Velazquez Alfredo Velazquez
▪ Manuel Velazquez built his first guitar in 1929. Can you imagine that? His son Alfredo is carrying on the tradition, though Manuel has not retired. He has definite opinions about what woods make the best guitar and how they should be finished. He is a giant in the business and must be admired for his tenacity as much as his ability. And a fun interview to boot. Mentions Bobri, Andres Segovia, Torres, Santos Hernandez, and Hermann Hauser. With 36 photos.
2007
AL#91 p.69
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Reinforcing the bracing of a 10-string guitar, similar to Jeffrey Elliott’s design.
2006
AL#87 p.67
Jeffrey R. Elliott Cyndy Burton
▪ Proper way to fix a Manzanero guitar with poorly repaired cracks on the top and back, a pulled up neck, and a poor refinish.
2005
AL#83 p.18 BRB7 p.364
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Restoring famous instruments is a tricky business. If they are also old, well-played, and abused by poor storage facilities the work becomes a cross between knowledge, craft, and art. Elliott goes where few of us would care to travel, explaining every step of restoration as he goes. Perhaps as important is what he doesn’t do. The ethics of restoration is a foundation of the story. With 42 photos as well as a 2-page spread of GAL full-size plan #52.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
2005
AL#83 p.32 BRB7 p.378
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.
2005
AL#83 p.58 BRB7 p.453
Eugene Clark David Hurd Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Canting the bass side of the fretboard on classical guitars and resulting saddle and string compensation.
2003
AL#73 p.64
Jeffrey R. Elliott Cyndy Burton
▪ Some tools have a value way beyond function. Elliott looks at three he especially likes, a low-angle plane, a marking gauge, and a small spokeshave which is called a contour plane.
2002
AL#72 p.63 BRB6 p.374
Jeffrey R. Elliott R.E. Brune Stewart Pollens Byron Will Michael Darnton Frank Ford
▪ Thoughts from various folks representing different instruments and approaches on restoration label do’s and don’ts for severely damaged guitars.
2002
AL#72 p.62 BRB6 p.374
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ The exact brand of foam used by Jeff Elliott described in AL#70 for making a mold of a top on a guitar being restored.
2002
AL#70 p.34 BRB6 p.343
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A full-scale instrument plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.
2002
AL#70 p.16 BRB6 p.328
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Returning a historically important guitar to life is not only a painstaking project but also one that must be done with finesse and a respect for the instrument’s value as an historical document. This restoration took several months and much research and investigation, requiring the use of tools not normally associated with guitar repair. With 43 photos and a magazine-size version of GAL Plan #47 of the instrument under discussion.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
2001
AL#66 p.5 BRB6 p.165 read this article
Jonathon Peterson Jean Gilman Lora Lundberg Schultz Dorothy Bones Ben Lundberg Michael Yeats Gunter Mark Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Lundberg was perhaps the foremost lute maker in America, a champion of building lutes in an historical manner, a longtime member and supporter of the GAL, and author of the landmark book Historical Lute Construction. Family and friends take a deep look at the significance of his life and work. With 10 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
2000
AL#64 p.6 BRB6 p.118
Jeffrey R. Elliott Greg Byers Eugene Clark Gary Southwell
▪ Four note-worthy builders of the classical guitar talk about their influences, their building philosophies, and some of the their construction techniques in a panel discussion that should inspire anyone interested in the instrument. With 26 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
1999
AL#59 p.59
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Is it safe to use African wenge to make classical guitar bridges?
1999
AL#57 p.61
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ An inconspicuous way to fix an exposed edge of a truss rod on the neck of a steel string.
1998
AL#56 p.22 BRB5 p.230
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ In every craft the cream inevitably rises, and Elliott is known to make some of the creamiest classical guitars in the world. Though this article offers a complete recipe for building guitars with “allure,” it becomes obvious that the most important ingredient is the artistic sensitivity he has developed. Not to be overlooked if your goal is to cook up fine classicals. With 9 photos, 1 drawing, and a list for further reading.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
1998
AL#56 p.64 BRB5 p.309
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ The variables that influence the ‘feel’ or playability of instruments with the same scale length, string gauge, and setup.
1999
AL#57 p.3
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott offers a correction to his top brace system as stated in his lecture printed in AL#56.
1997
LW p.124
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ The author has been an apprentice and has trained apprentices. Before you face either situation you should read this to learn what you are getting into.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1997
AL#49 p.3 BRB5 p.37 read this article
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A well-known teacher and maker of controversial classical guitars passes on.
1993
AL#34 p.6 BRB3 p.316 ALA5 p.22
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott believes that top replacements might be far more common in the future than they are now. Instruments with tired tops might have them replaced rather than retire the rare/irreplaceable hardwoods that comprise the rest of the instrument. Anyhow, he tried it out. Here he presents a description of the operation and the ethics involved, with 23 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1993
AL#33 p.26 BRB3 p.290
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ How does one hack a log that’s 11′ wide into 4000 guitar tops? Very carefully! With 9 photos detailing the decimation of Moby Spruce. By the way, this is a log that Steve McMinn rescued from the pulp mill.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1992
AL#30 p.49 BRB3 p.485
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Reducing cleanup after using a handheld power buffer with liquid buffing compound on the wool pad.
1991
AL#27 p.4 BRB3 p.80
Chris Brandt R.E. Brune Jeffrey R. Elliott Richard Schneider Ervin Somogyi David Wilson
▪ A look inside the shops of six professional luthiers, featuring floor plans, tooling descriptions, notes on lighting and specialized machinery, and ideas about how work space can help (or hurt) your lifestyle. With a good Q&A segment and 63 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
1990
LT p.114
Steve Andersen Chris Brandt R.E. Brune Ted Davis Jeffrey R. Elliott James Flynn Bob Gleason Hideo Kamimoto Robert Lundberg Frederick C. Lyman Jr. John Monteleone Robert Ruck Richard Schneider Ervin Somogyi Al Stancel Robert Steinegger Janet Toon
▪ Seventeen established luthiers were asked to list ten hand tools, five power tools, and five supplies used as tools. This info was used to determine the most essential tools, including specifics, model and size, source, and any special uses.
1991
AL#25 p.4
Cyndy Burton Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Fan braces in the famous Segovia Hauser guitar are trimmed in a particular way.
1990
AL#21 p.32 BRB2 p.358
Jeffrey R. Elliott Cyndy Burton
▪ The authors make a cross-country pilgrimage to examine two world famous classical guitars, one by Manuel Ramirez and one by Hermann Hauser Sr. The wonder is that there are riddles there yet to be solved.
1989
AL#20 p.32 BRB2 p.330
Jeffrey R. Elliott Jonathon Peterson
▪ The 6 tools are: a guitar cradle, a grimel (hand purfling cutter), a hand circle cutter, a shooting board, a circle cutting jig for the Dremel tool, and water stones for tool sharpening.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1989
AL#18 p.57 BRB2 p.481
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Kiln drying spruce gives an unnatural rigidity and consequently limits its life as to be to function effectively.
1989
AL#19 p.56 BRB2 p.496
Jeffrey R. Elliott Cyndy Burton
▪ The reviewers find this book to be “a significant resource. . .densely packed with information both useful and interesting.” The evolution of the classical guitar, as described by Romanillos, should be of interest to all contemporary builders.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1988
AL#16 p.3 BRB2 p.80
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott corrects his own mistake about the year of Segovia’s most famous Hauser guitar.
1988
AL#14 p.57 read this article
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott observes that one of the best ways to ensure the safety of a guitar is to make sure it is a good fit in its case.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1987
AL#12 p.22 BRB1 p.454 ALA3 p.4
Joseph Bacon Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ A lengthy interview with the well-known maker of classical guitars covers such subjects as training, wood seasoning and supply, finishes, and boomerangs. Cyndy Burton participates. Mentions Hauser Sr., Michael Kasha, Richard Schneider, Ralph Towner, and Julian Bream. With 4 photos.
1986
AL#8 p.18 BRB1 p.274 ALA3 p.8
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ This lecture transcription presents a chronological overview of the work of Hermann Hauser Sr. 26 photos and 3 drawings complete the article. A major investigation of some important guitars.
1986
AL#8 p.28 BRB1 p.283 ALA3 p.16
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott offers a scale drawing, dimensions list, and a bill of materials for a Hauser guitar. The drawing is a reduced version of our full-scale Plan #12.
1979
GALQ Vol.7#1 p.36
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Portland Oregon’s Western Forestry Center hosted over 2,000 paid visitors who came to view and inspect more than 30 instruments exhibited by 24 local area luthiers.
1978
GALQ Vol.6#3 p.14
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott shares his impressions of the Canadian-hosted classic guitar festival “Guitar 78”.
1977
DS#52
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Potassium dichromate is the base of ‘beizes’ and ‘collies’ which are commonly used by European luthiers to give that nice brown ‘aged’ look to lighter woods.
1977
DS#55 BRB1 p.36 read this article
Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Various chemicals have been used for centuries to color (or de-color) wood. Fiddle makers are hip to tons of these, but Elliott describes a couple that he finds useful on his guitars. He also advocates lubricating tools and work surfaces with carnauba wax, which will not contaminate your wood.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1976
GALQ Vol.4#3 p.6
Kent Rayman Jeffrey R. Elliott
▪ Elliott discusses his teacher Richard Schneider, opening his own shop in Michigan, and classical guitars.