Category Archives: finish

Build a Classical Guitar in a Week: Days Five and Six

2025
AL#155 p.60               
Robbie O’Brien                                                                                           

▪ Here’s Part Three of the three-part series, in which veteran lutherie teacher O’Brien follows the construction of an instrument in deep detail. Everything moves right along on an intense and carefully developed schedule; a student starts with a box of wood, and strings up a nice classical guitar only six days later. Part Two was in AL#154. Part One was in AL#153.

Build a Classical Guitar in a Week: Days Three and Four

2025
AL#154 p.42               
Robbie O’Brien                                                                                           

▪ Here’s Part Two of a three-part series, in which veteran lutherie teacher O’Brien follows the construction of an instrument in deep detail. Everything moves right along on an intense and carefully developed schedule; a student starts with a box of wood, and strings up a nice classical guitar only six days later.

My First Twenty Years

2024
AL#151 p.40               
Jay Anderson                                                                                           

▪ Innocently attending a James Taylor concert, an Art major learns to his surprise that guitars are made by people. It’s an epiphany that changes his life. He has a day job as a building contractor, but he transitions to a full-time maker of fully functional musical sculptures. Along the way he finds himself established as the fun “uncle” of talented group of young musicians. Mentions James Taylor, Jim Olson, Brian Sutherland, Jenn Bostic, Dave Fenley, Pablo Picasso, Emil Ernebro, JLD Bridge Truss System, Don Kendall, pyrography, Harry Fleishman, Kevin Aram, Charles Rufino, Chris Herrod.

It Worked for Me: Fix Blistered Finish

2023
AL#149 p.68               
Steve Dickerson                                                                                           

▪ When you see a big horrible blister form on a thick commercial finish, it means two things. Firstly, the finish is ruined. Secondly, it will come off nice and clean with a spatula and heat gun.

Review: The Caldersmith Papers

2023
AL#148 p.63               
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ Legit scientist Graham Caldersmith was an early GAL member and a prolific author for us and other journals. Those articles have now been gathered and published in a book. Our reviewer talks about the book, and about Caldersmith’s position in the lutherie literature.

Review: Jeff Jewitt Finish Buffing Video

2022
AL#147 p.66               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin gives the thumbs-up to a fine 5-hour video just about wet sanding and buffing a lacquer finish. Prepping and spraying the finish is a whole other matter, not covered here.

Letter: Sealer for MDF Jigs

2021
AL#143 p.5               
Mark French                                                                                           

▪ Leo asks what sealer Charles Fox uses on his MDF jigs, noting that they look great in the Guild’s Fox Method series and that Charles says he has been using some of them for twenty years. Author Mark French responds with info straight from Charles. He also comments on the use of MDF as wasteboards for vacuum hold-downs in CNC work.

It Worked for Me: Hide Finish Checks with Linseed Oil

2021
AL#142 p.68               
Reg Beardsley                                                                                           

▪ Fix finish checking with diluted linseed oil. You have to dilute it with mineral spirits to reduce the viscosity. Some discussion of refractive index.

Question: How Big should a Flamenco Guitar Tap Plate Be?

2020
AL#140 p.69               
Stephen Faulk                                                                                           

▪ Describes mounting tap plates with white glue, and with adhesive Mylar transfer sheet. Mentions David Serva, Diego del Gastor, Paco de Lucia.

Romantic Guitars in Norway

2020
AL#141 p.26               
Leonardo Michelin-Salomon                                                                                           

▪ A Uruguayan luthier enrolls in a craft school in Norway to study Romantic-era guitars built by Italian, German, and French makers two hundred years ago. He writes an article about his techniques and discoveries that is published in an American journal with readers in over forty countries. Yes, it’s a big beautiful lutherie world. We are all just leaves on one wide-spreading, figured-maple branch.

Javier Campos Tijeras, The French Polisher’s French Polisher

2020
AL#140 p.48               
Federico Sheppard   Javier Campos-Tijeras                                                                                       

▪ Many of the fine hand-made guitars that are born in Ganada, Spain, spend a few weeks in the shop of Javier Campos Tijeras receiving a light, thin coating of shellac before they venture out into a cruel world of fingernails, cigarette smoke, and shaky guitar stands. Javi explains his process and holds nothing back about the specific materials and supplies he uses.

Flamenco on the Front Range

2019
AL#138 p.20               
Mark French                                                                                           

▪ Author Mark French is walking the lutherie path in the reverse direction of many makers. As a physics prof trained in the crazy magic of CNC and industrial robot processes, he had made a lot of guitars before he did much in the way of traditional low-tech hand-tool work. As part of an intensive effort to fill in those gaps, he attended an eight-day course at Robbie O’Brien’s shop in Colorado to make a flamenco guitar with Spanish luthier and licensed bloodless toreador Paco Chorobo. O’Brien went to Spain and visited Paco’s shop in 2015. Read all about it in AL124.

Cheap and Easy Electric Lap Steel

2019
AL#138 p.28               
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Got a used humbucker, a wall stud, some extruded aluminum, and a couple other odds and ends? Make a lap steel guitar! Author John Calkin likes to get right down to business. There’s nothing precious or over-thought here. Minimum tooling, maximum lutherie fun. This is how Leo Fender got his start, ya know.

Bob Ruck as I Knew Him

2019
AL#136 p.4               
Federico Sheppard                                                                                           

▪ Robert Ruck was one of the young self-starters who founded the American Lutherie Boom, and he remained a leading light in the movement until the end of his life. Federico Sheppard was an aquaintence and admirer who became closer to Ruck when they spent time together at Federico’s place on the Camino de Santiago in Spain one summer. In this article, Federico presents a photo tour of Ruck’s shop in Eugene Oregon and explains some of the tools and techniques we see. Mentions French polishing with hardware-store shellac. Mentions Richard Brune.

A Smashed Top and a Shattered Headstock

2019
AL#136 p.12               
Kerry Char                                                                                           

▪ A cool old Gibson-era Epiphone guitar got well and truly smashed in an incident involving large and excited dogs. Better call Char! Kerry Char, that is. He jumps right in to remove the top, take off the braces, and then put the whole thing back together and polish it up nice before you can say “Kalamazoo!” From his 2017 GAL Convention slide show.

Warmoth Guitar Products in the 21st Century

2018
AL#134 p.16               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Ken Warmoth is one of the pioneers of the Strat-compatible guitar parts scene, starting small in the 1970s and working up to the sophisticated operation he runs today. He’s a born engineer, constantly refining and rethinking each operation for better accuracy and efficiency. Of course these days that involves CNC machines, and he’s got them. But you may be surprised to see which operations use them and which don’t. Our last visit with Ken was in 1991, so there is some catching up to do.

Product Reviews: Gluboost Fill and Finish

2017
AL#132 p.71               
Cat Fox                                                                                           

▪ Experienced guitar repairer Cat Fox gives a big thumbs-up to Glooboost products for drop fills on lacquer. Well, her thumbs are not that big. Just regular.

Meet the Maker: Peter Tsiorba

2017
AL#131 p.20               
January Williams   Peter Tsiorba                                                                                       

▪ Peter Tsiorba began his working life as a teenager making garments in a semi-legit Soviet cooperative. Today he’s a family man and a maker of classical guitars in the lutherie Mecca of Portland, Oregon.

Questions: Water-slide decals

2017
AL#129 p.68               
Pete Daigle   Reg Beardsley                                                                                       

▪ Make water-slide decals using specially prepared paper and the right brand of color laser printer. Plus a description of how one could make traditional water-slide decals in the old-school way, that is, by silk screening.

A Rubbed-Oil Finish Method for Classical Guitar

2016
AL#127 p.38               
Kevin Aram                                                                                           

▪ Conventional Wisdom says that rubbed-oil finishes are no good for guitars. Well, once again Conventional Wisdom is wearing a dunce cap, because Kevin Aram has made about 200 world-class classical guitars over the last twenty years using a finishing process that involves nothing but Liberon oil rubbed on with a rag. No sealer, no solvent, no compressor, no filters or exhaust fans. Heck, not even a brush. But it does require excellent surface preparation. He shows us exactly how to do it.

Meet the Maker: Jeff Manthos

2016
AL#128 p.22               
Pat Megowan   Jeff-Lee Manthos                                                                                       

▪ People come to lutherie on many different paths. Some of us were nerdy model-making kids, or spoiled lefty college dropouts. Or maybe the garage band was our gateway into the opium den of guitar making. On the other hand, Jeff Manthos was a helicopter aircrewman and rescue swimmer in the Vietnam era. Then, unexpectedly, he went to the Violinmaking School of America in Salt Lake City. He has made a career of it, first in other shops and now on his own.

Product Reviews: Aqua Coat Clear Wood Grain Filler

2016
AL#126 p.66               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Gleason has been making instruments for a long time and he’s used a lot of different grain fillers. And he has considerable experience with this particular brand. He likes it a lot.

The Hand-Rubbed Sunburst

2016
AL#125 p.48               
James Condino                                                                                           

▪ James Condino does sunbursts on archtop mandolins the way they did it back in the 1920s: rubbing water stains directly on the bare wood.

Questions: Tung oil for a glossy finish

2015
AL#124 p.69               
Jeff Jewitt                                                                                           

▪ Working with commercially-branded tung oil can be complicated. It may have unnamed additives, or may contain no actual tung oil at all. But yes, it is possible to produce a gloss finish by wiping tung oil.

Questions: Preventing Cloth Imprints During French Polish

2014
AL#120 p.70               
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ Preventing the impressing of a cloth weave pattern into the not-quite hard shellac following a French polish session.

That Fine, Fake-Old Finish

2014
AL#117 p.48               
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ An examination of varnish techniques to create the illusion of aged instruments and other aesthetic effects.

It Worked for Me: Portable Buffing Setup

2011
AL#107 p.67      ALA2 p.70         
Mark Roberts                                                                                           

▪ Bolting various jigs and benders to various work surfaces, including a new buffing setup.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Questions: KTM-9 finish

2011
AL#106 p.64               
Jeff Jewitt                                                                                           

▪ Spraying KTM-9 finish with an affordable but good quality HVLP spray gun suitable for guitars and mandolins.

About Alcohols Used As Solvents In French Polishing

2011
AL#105 p.38               
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ Mottola explains the water content, liquor taxes, sources, and denaturants of alcohols used as solvents in French polishing.

Letter to the Editor: Clarification of DVD review in AL#97

2009
AL#99 p.3               read this article
Ronald-Louis Fernandez                                                                                           

▪ Fernandez offers corrections to Tom Harper’s review of his instruction DVD French Polishing for Guitarmakers 2.0.

Reviews: French Polishing for Guitarmakers 2.0 by Dr. Ronald Louis Fernandez

2009
AL#97 p.65               read this article
Tom Harper                                                                                           

▪ Beginners often face the prospect of French polishing with some trepidation. As in many facets of lutherie, video is usually a better instructor than text. With only a few reservations the reviewer finds this DVD to be a clear and concise tutorial.

Questions: French Polish VS Olive Oil

2009
AL#97 p.68               read this article
Gary Southwell   Koen Padding                                                                                       

▪ An experiment involving two pieces of European Spruce, testing the effects of oil finish VS French polish and the use of olive oil in particular.

Meet the Maker: Cyndy Burton

2009
AL#98 p.18      ALA3 p.58         
Tim Olsen   Cyndy Burton                                                                                       

▪ Burton has been tenacious in her pursuit of the classical guitar, traveling widely and learning from the likes of William Cumpiano, Eugene Clark, and Jeffrey Elliott, making a name for herself in what has largely been a man’s world. We’re all members of her fan club and rejoice at finally knowing more about her. With 17 photos.

Uke Making for Guitar Makers

2008
AL#96 p.50               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ A low key (not to mention fun) description of how uke making varies from guitar making. Gleason also describes some of the varieties Hawaiian wood he likes to work with, a slick method for removing lacquer from the bridge foot print, and some of the construction tricks he has come up with. Owning a shop in Hawaii must surely take the lutherie life to another level. With 15 photos.

A Life in Lutherie: A Discussion with Manuel Velazquez and His Son Alfredo

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.

Letter to the Editor: Catalyzed Polyester Finish

2006
AL#85 p.3               read this article
Mike Doolin                                                                                           

▪ Doolin was an early advocatre for waterborne finishes. But now he has switched to stinky and toxic catalyzed polyester. He explains why.

Meet the Maker: David King

2006
AL#85 p.20               
Jonathon Peterson   David King                                                                                       

▪ King is a perfectionist who even machines his own bridges. The finish he uses is a catalyzed polyurethane. He uses some interesting equipment to arch his fingerboards and install his frets. After reading this you may not be eager to set up next to him at an instrument show. With 15 photos.

Meet the Maker: Charles Beare

2005
AL#82 p.26   BRB7 p.312            read this article
Jonathon Peterson   Charles Beare                                                                                       

▪ Beare is the captain of a violin restoration firm, a competition judge, and a man thoroughly versed in the intricacies of vintage violins. He has known all the experts of his life time, and he has formulated many strong opinions about old fiddles and the various fields that use them to do business. You’ll find him interesting even if you aren’t a violin person. With 9 photos.

Questions: 1920 Gibson A-4 Mandolin Finish Repair

2005
AL#82 p.66   BRB7 p.437            
Don Overstreet   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ Cleaning a 1920 Gibson A-4 mandolin properly without hammering whatever finish is present and removing the wax layers.

Questions: Dissolving and Storing Shellac

2004
AL#78 p.67               
Eugene Clark                                                                                           

▪ Making a viable batch of French polish and considering the variables: brands of flake and grain alcohol, dissolving or grinding flakes, and age of shellac flake.

Eight Concerns of Highly Successful Guitar Makers

2004
AL#79 p.6   BRB7 p.206            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ In a sense Brune is laying down the law for successful classical guitar making. Much of it will be useful to any builder, and all of it is interesting because Brune is an interesting man who has his thoughts together. Not to mention that he’s a heck of a luthier with a deep background in the history of his craft. With 30 photos and 8 diagrams. Mentions Santos Hernandez, Marcelo Barbaro, Ignacio Fleta, Hermann Hauser, Sr.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part Five

2004
AL#79 p.34   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ The author attended a mandolin making class taught by Don MacRostie at the American School of Lutherie. The first four parts of her report appeared in the four previous issues of AL. Part Five concerns the application of a sunburst using stains, both by spraying and rubbing, as well as the application of lacquer and French polish finishes. With 37 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Stalking the Wild Pine Rosin

2004
AL#78 p.56               read this article
Dave Raley                                                                                           

▪ The pine woods are full of leaky trees that want you to make rosin varnish. The author tells how to harvest it and how to make an electric tin can kiln to melt rosin into a form that can be dissolved in alcohol. With 7 photos and 6 diagrams.

Lacquer Details

2003
AL#76 p.46   BRB7 p.138            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ One man’s journey through the world of lacquer paint that includes safety equipment, varieties of paint both old and new, application equipment, and some preferences. With 7 photos.

Hands-On Archtop Mandolin Making, Part One

2003
AL#75 p.12   BRB7 p.416            
Peggy Stuart   Don MacRostie                                                                                       

▪ The author describes her mandolin making class with Red Diamond mandolin builder Don MacRostie, giving us a photo-heavy series that should be of practical use to anyone in the mandolin field regardless of their experience. The emphasis is on hand tools, though power tools are used to add efficiency. With 68 photos and 4 drawings, this is the first in a four-part series.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Waterborne Solutions

2003
AL#73 p.24               read this article
Mike Doolin   John Greven                                                                                       

▪ Finding good water-based instrument finishes becomes more important as luthiers (and various state and federal government agencies) become more health conscious. The authors are both Portland people, and by trying different materials and application techniques and then combining their discoveries they have made big leaps toward finding the perfect alternative to lacquer. With 9 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

The Case for KTM

2002
AL#72 p.22               read this article
Michael Turko                                                                                           

▪ A number of well-known luthiers have switched to this finish, including the speed-builder John Greven. In the author’s experience it’s quick, easy, rivals nitro lacquer in appearance, and is non-toxic, a winning combination for sure. With 3 photos.

Product Reviews: Asturome ES/RV Detail Spray Gun

2002
AL#72 p.60   BRB6 p.486            
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer examines the Asturmes ES/RV spray gun and finds that it’s the answer to the finish problems he’s found, and at a reasonable price. With one photo.

Meet the Maker: Ralph Novak

2002
AL#70 p.4   BRB6 p.350            read this article
John Calkin   Ralph Novak                                                                                       

▪ Novak has been on the guitar scene since the late ’60s, specializing in the creation and repair of electric instruments, though his expertise doesn’t end there. His best-known invention is probably the Novax fanned fret system, though his work with multi-string guitars deserves note. Mentions Charles LoBue. With 17 photos.

Kit Review: Musicmaker’s Regency Harp

2002
AL#69 p.48   BRB6 p.500            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The author discovers that this kit provides a harp fit for a professional musician. The finished harp is a powerful instrument with a wide range, and though the kit is pricey it is easy to build. The process of lace finishing is described in detail. With 17 photos.

Working with Water-based Finish

2001
AL#68 p.24   BRB6 p.280            read this article
John Kitakis                                                                                           

▪ Kitakis has a long history of jobs in wood finishing, so when he finally made the jump to water-based finish (in his case CrystaLac) he knew what he was doing. Working with CrystaLac isn’t quite the same as working with lacquer, but the author makes a good job of clearing the off-spray. With 5 photos.

Meet the Maker: Sebastian Stenzel

2001
AL#66 p.20   BRB6 p.216            
Greg Hanson   Sebastian Stenzel                                                                                       

▪ Stenzel is a German who specializes in classical guitars. He shares much information about his guitars as well as some opinions that may surprise you. With 5 photos.

Pre-finish Surface Preparation

2001
AL#65 p.39   BRB6 p.170            
Fred Campbell                                                                                           

▪ A large part of the secret to getting a fine gloss finish of any sort is the preparation of the wood before anything is even applied. Campbell has specialized in finish work for years and isn’t shy about sharing what he knows.

Product Reviews: Livos Oil Finish

2000
AL#63 p.56   BRB6 p.471            read this article
Fred Carlson                                                                                           

▪ Mr. Fred spins a tale about new finish products, then reviews the orange oil-based finish products from Livos.

Review: Sunburst Finishing by Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie

2000
AL#63 p.61   BRB6 p.533            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer admires this video as a look at the real world of guitar finishing, where standards are high and problems are bound to arise.

Review: Guitar Finishing Step-by-Step by Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie

2000
AL#61 p.62   BRB6 p.530            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer recommends this book to anyone who wishes to spray lacquer, but especially to those who wish to recreate many of the electric guitar finishes the factories have put out.

Review: Spray Finishing Basics by Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie

2000
AL#61 p.63   BRB6 p.531            read this article
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer likes this video for its good advice to luthiers who have no access to professional equipment. Those who already have a booth and good spray gear will also benefit from the instruction. The 2 jobs involved are both electric guitars finished in colors.

The Squishy Subject of Restoration Ethics

1999
AL#59 p.6   BRB5 p.374            
Frank Ford                                                                                           

▪ A top repairman tackles the sticky subject of what repair and restoration work should be tackled in this age of vintage instrument mania, especially in the area of elective surgery. Even today’s utilitarian instruments may be tomorrow’s hot collectibles, so every instrument that passes over our bench has to be considered in this light. What work should we refuse, and what are our liabilities for the work we do? Includes 41 photos, mostly of vintage guitars and mandolins.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Questions: Crystalac

1999
AL#59 p.59               
Eric Aceto                                                                                           

▪ Inquiries on switching to water based lacquer after developing an allergy to low toxic lacquer, Crystalac in particular.

It Worked for Me: Guitar Finishing Holder

1999
AL#58 p.58   BRB5 p.501            
Andrea Andalo                                                                                           

▪ A simple device to hold guitars during the finishing phase which consists of an upright which can be held in a vise and a workboard which the neck can be secured.

Questions: Bridge Finish

1998
AL#55 p.62   BRB5 p.208            
Frank-S. Hedi   Gavin Baird                                                                                       

▪ It is customary to glue on the bridge after finish is done on the guitar for a far easier cleanup job.

Review: Archtop Guitar Design and Construction by Robert Benedetto

1998
AL#54 p.56   BRB5 p.476            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds this set of 5 videos to be useful and complete for those who wish to build an archtop guitar, but that those who lack previous lutherie experience should also have the book by Benedetto.

Review: Spray Finishing by Andy Charron

1998
AL#54 p.57   BRB5 p.477            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer decides that the book should be of use to anyone who is about to purchase their first spray gear, but that other sources of information are more lutherie-specific.

Questions: Epoxy as Filler

1998
AL#53 p.59   BRB5 p.147            
Fred Campbell   Douglas Somervell                                                                                       

▪ Differing clarifications on using epoxy as filler on rosewood under nitrocellulose lacquer.

Violin Q & A: Violin Volume/Defective A String/High Gloss Oil Finish/Nicks

1998
AL#53 p.60   BRB5 p.458            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Are there good alternative finishes for violins? What’s the best way to repair a nicked fiddle? Where is the best place to position the soundpost?

French Polishing with Eugene Clark

1998
AL#54 p.6   BRB5 p.182            
Cyndy Burton   Eugene Clark                                                                                       

▪ Jeez, there’s a lot to know about French polishing. Changing lubricating oils can change the quality of the job, but there are reasons to change oils. The pad you rub with makes a difference. The longevity and toughness of the finish can be controlled by the materials you use. This work is deeper than meets the eye. Burton attended a class taught by Clark, and she brings home the straight skinny for American Lutherie. With 15 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Sources: Glues and Finishes

1997
AL#51 p.54               
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ Burton lists 2 pages of suppliers and manufacturers of finish and glue, and offers more than a page of useful tips gleaned from many luthiers.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

The Restoration of Agustin Barrios’ Francisco Simplicio

1997
AL#52 p.46   BRB5 p.148            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ What does it take to restore an important instrument? Skill, research, and a solid feel and appreciation for the time during which the piece was made and played. Skip any of these factors and you could easily screw up an irreplaceable piece. Brune describes his approach to one guitar while at the same time demonstrating the qualities necessary to enter this field.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Violin Q & A: Post Crack/Clear Varnish/Small Violin

1997
AL#52 p.56   BRB5 p.458            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ The soundpost of a cello can push the hard grain of the spruce right through the varnish. So how does one fix the problem? Is your varnish not as clear as you’d like? Damn! What’s the best way to scale down a 4/4 violin to the smaller sizes? Darnton comes to the rescue again.

Violin Q & A: Quarter Sawn Wood/Thickening Alcohol Varnish Solution/Chin Rest/Lake Pigments

1997
AL#51 p.50   BRB5 p.458            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Straight talk about why slab-sawn wood is a poor choice for violin necks, boiling down an alcohol solution, getting a chin rest to stay on a fiddle, and making lake pigments.

Understanding Nitrocellulose Lacquer

1997
AL#50 p.44   BRB5 p.41            
Michael Hornick                                                                                           

▪ Good lacquer work isn’t mysterious, just a pain in the neck. Hornick has it down to an art and a science, and he offers up his recipe to the last detail.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Passport to Spain

1997
AL#49 p.10   BRB4 p.4            
Woodley White                                                                                           

▪ Baarslag journeys to the American School of Lutherie to teach a week-long class about building classical guitars. White attended, and gives a full report. With 37 photos.

Nineteen Stew-Mac How-to Videos 2

1996
AL#48 p.46   BRB4 p.474            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Reviewed here are six videos, one about violins setups, one about French polishing, and four about guitar repair. All are found worthy, though two of the repair tapes are for the inexperienced luthier.

Meet the Maker: Geoff Stelling

1996
AL#47 p.30   BRB4 p.346            
John Calkin   Geoff Stelling                                                                                       

▪ A profile of one of the leaders in high-end banjos, featuring a tour of the shop, production techniques, construction methods, and banjo/motorcycle cross-pollination.

Decorative Techniques in Lutherie

1996
AL#45 p.10   BRB4 p.264            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ This 1995 lecture transcription investigates the history of art applied to lutherie in all its varied forms, and then translates many of them into illustrations of contemporary instruments. Topics include painting, gilding, carving, veneer, inlay, engraving, and varnish work. With 49 photos and illustrations.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Nineteen Stew-Mac How-to Videos 1

1996
AL#45 p.44   BRB4 p.474            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Some videos are worth the money, and some aren’t. It depends more on the depth of your experience and interest than on the quality of these videos, which is generally good. Take a look at a batch of tapes (and one book) from Stewart-MacDonald about building or repairing stringed instruments.

Developing Models for Contemporary Violinmaking

1995
AL#44 p.20   BRB4 p.230            
Guy Rabut                                                                                           

▪ Apparently not every violinist is determined to have a fiddle that looks 300 years old. Rabut has made some interesting attempts to update the violin without sacrificing the tone that everyone demands. Can’t wait until these babies start showing up in symphonic orchestras. With 21 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

That Fine Shine: Applying Nitrocellulose Lacquer

1995
AL#44 p.38   BRB4 p.248            
Fred Campbell                                                                                           

▪ Campbell finishes the guitars that other luthiers build. He has become an expert spray meister with the confidence to give away the tricks he has learned the hard way. This is perhaps the best piece on lacquering AL has ever printed. With 7 photos and a finishing schedule.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Violin Q & A: Polish/Saddle Height/Seam Glue/Beginner Stylistic Mistakes/Spotty Oil Varnish

1995
AL#42 p.60   BRB4 p.442            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Why can’t I get the proper degree of polish from my varnish? How high should a saddle be? Why do my violins come apart during varnishing? What stylistic mistakes are most common? Why is oil varnish so nasty?

Tailoring Sound in Classic Guitars

1995
AL#42 p.12   BRB4 p.174            
Robert Ruck                                                                                           

▪ Ruck spends most of his time in this lecture talking about top design and finishing. With 13 photos and several drawings, plus a detailed list of his finish materials and procedures.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Violin Q & A: Fingerboard Step/Rib Junction Angles/French Belgian Cello Bridges/Oil Varnish Zits/French Polish Cracks

1995
AL#41 p.56   BRB4 p.442            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Why is there a step in the neck behind the nut of my fiddle? What angle are the junctions of the ribs cut to at the corners? What’s the difference between French and Belgian cello bridges? Zits in the varnish? Why does my French polish crackle?

Vreeble and Veneer

1994
AL#40 p.50   BRB4 p.82            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin’s pair of articles first takes a look at Vreeble, a form of lacquer-based crackle paint, and then at refinishing an electric bass with curly maple veneer.

Just Beat It! Making a New Fender Neck Look Old

1994
AL#39 p.36   BRB4 p.72            
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ In the last issue Erlewine described how he made a new “old” Tele body. In this installment he attacks the neck, quite literally. With 40 photos.

Fe, Fi, Faux Fender

1994
AL#38 p.18   BRB4 p.28            
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ How do you make a new electric guitar that looks like it spent forty years in the bar wars? Erlewine uses two finishes with incompatible shrink rates, rope, the concrete floor, you name it! Creativity can be harsh, but his Tele certainly looks vintage.

Ash Varnish: A modern Alchemist’s Recipe

1994
AL#37 p.44   BRB4 p.23            
Keith Hill                                                                                           

▪ Hill cooks up a varnish that resembles the fiddles in the early paintings, not those same fiddles 300 years later. A hundred years from now he expects his violins to be prettier than anyone’s.

At the Workbench of the Twelfth Fret

1993
AL#36 p.52   BRB3 p.422            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Four repairmen offer a variety of tips about altering mechanical archtop bridges, adding more “pop” to fretless bass necks, soldering and shielding electrics, carbide bandsaw blades, abrasive cord, superglue, cutting saddle slots, double-stick tape, bending plastic binding, beveling pickguard stock, replacing bar frets with T-frets, and restoring headstocks to look old.

Finishing Techniques for Hiding Repair Work

1993
AL#36 p.6   BRB3 p.380            read this article
Dan Erlewine                                                                                           

▪ Erlewine hides his wooden patches under a field of colored French polish, then paints over it with simulated wood grain, and then might shoot a sunburst around everything. Old European craftsmen would smile in recognition of these tricks, but they are seldom applied to guitars.

Meet the Maker: Scot Tremblay

1993
AL#36 p.40   BRB3 p.405            
Jonathon Peterson   Scott Tremblay                                                                                       

▪ Trembley is a Canadian luthier who specializes in the guitars of the 19th century, both as a maker and a restorationist. He has studied the subject deeply. With 12 photos and a scale drawing of an 1816 Salon Guitar by Jose Martinez. This plan is a reduced version of GAL full-scale Plan #36.

Practicum Fourteen: Finishing the Bowl

1993
AL#35 p.34   HLC p.196            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The bowl is finished with shellac and rubbed out. With 38 step-by-step photos and detailed captions. This series ran for 19 installments in American Lutherie and has been collected into our hardback book Historical Lute Construction.

Violin Q & A: Instrument Tone/Reaming For Pegs/Yellow Cold Glue/Stains

1993
AL#34 p.54   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ What adjustments change the tone of a violin? Should new pegs be reshaped or should the pegbox holes be opened to fit them? Which glue for a top center seam? Are stains really useless?

Brazilian Guitar Makers

1993
AL#33 p.12   BRB3 p.278            read this article
Roberto Gomes                                                                                           

▪ Gomes offers a list and short description of some current Brazilian builders.

Torres Guitar Restoration

1993
AL#33 p.14   BRB3 p.280            
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ Brune describes a rare 11-string Torres guitar and the manner in which he restored it. With 11 photos and a half-page of drawings. Mentions Romanillos.

Reproducing the Finish of the “Rawlins” Stradivari Guitar

1993
AL#33 p.30   BRB3 p.292            
Geary Baese                                                                                           

▪ When a violin guy gets on the trail of an old guitar it comes out sounding an awful lot like a violin article. And when Stradivari is involved what else can one expect? Baese makes an educated guess about the materials and techniques that finished a famous guitar. With 8 photos.

Micro-mesh

1993
AL#33 p.35   BRB3 p.308            
David Freeman                                                                                           

▪ Micro-mesh is the latest word in sandpaper. In fact, it’s not even paper and it doesn’t feel sandy. Freeman and his students use it for all wet-sanding chores, including the final gloss finish. It’s that fine.

At the Workbench

1993
AL#33 p.36   BRB3 p.303            
Wes Brandt                                                                                           

▪ A well-known repairman delivers eight tips, including an alternate way to bend a Venetian cutaway, tool tips, and a way to bend sides more accurately.

Chemical Stains

1992
AL#32 p.44   BRB3 p.266            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Nothing is easy for fiddle people. When they aren’t tweaking and gluing wood they are stirring up a witch’s brew in their home chem labs. Darn if Darnton doesn’t sound like he likes it, though. Buy some fancy wood. Trick it into changing color.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Repairing Catalyzed Finishes

1992
AL#32 p.58   BRB3 p.270            
Jim Grainger                                                                                           

▪ Grainger swears that this work is easy and profitable, and makes it seem so. The secret ingredient is called Final Coat, a Mohawk product.

Violin Q & A: Ebony For Pegs/Italian, German, French Building/Violin Societies/Oil Varnish

1992
AL#30 p.54   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton examines the use of various woods for tuning pegs, discusses the differences among Italian, German, French, and English methods of building fiddles, runs down a list of violin societies, and dismisses the use of supplier-prepared violin varnishes.

Violin Q & A: Asymmetrical Graduation/Oil Varnish Natural Drying/Baroque Fiddles

1992
AL#29 p.60   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton sheds light on asymmetrically graduated violin tops, natural drying vs. UV drying of varnish, and the market in Baroque fiddles.

A Talk with Bob Taylor

1991
AL#28 p.34   BRB3 p.126   ALA4 p.10         
Phillip Lea   Bob Taylor                                                                                       

▪ Few people in Guitarland are as outspoken and clear-headed as Bob Taylor. Others might say he’s just opinionated. He believes a good guitar is a good guitar, no matter if it was whittled by Gepeto or cranked out by a dozen computer-guided milling cutters. This article offers a peek into the Taylor factory and a guided tour through one man’s thoughts about the contemporary guitar. With 28 photos.

Meet the Maker: Donald Warnock

1991
AL#26 p.42   BRB3 p.32            read this article
Cyndy Burton   Donald Warnock                                                                                       

▪ It’s wonderful that this interview is in the same issue as interviews with Larrivee and Warmoth, since they are opposites. The first two are sort of factory moguls, and Warnock is the gentlemanly craftsman/artist. All have forged a successful life on their own terms, and the contrast is delicious.

Violin Q & A: Wolf Note/Tone Longevity/Violin Finishes

1991
AL#26 p.52   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton discusses wolf tones, the life span of new fiddles, and why lacquer is never used on a violin.

Using Your Work Space from the 1990 GAL Convention panel

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.

Thoughts on Steel String Guitar Making

1991
AL#26 p.8   BRB3 p.37   ALA4 p.28         
Jean Larrivee                                                                                           

▪ Larrivee has overseen the creation of 15,000 acoustic guitars and 12,000 electrics. Much of what he has to say pertains as strongly to the one-off builder as it does to another industry giant, and he doesn’t hold back on anything.

Inside Warmoth Guitar Products

1991
AL#26 p.26   BRB3 p.60            
Ken Warmoth                                                                                           

▪ Most in-the-know electric guitar folks consider Warmoth necks and bodies to be the best going. Here’s how they’re made. With 22 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Violin Q & A: Violin Pics/Aligning Ribs/Revarnishing Quality Instruments/Buzz

1991
AL#25 p.56   BRB3 p.446            read this article
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Darnton turns some pictures of a mystery fiddle into a thousand words. Or a few hundred, anyway. Then he moves on to discuss distorted ribs, retouching varnish, and tracking down a mystery buzz. He adds an update about his varnish formula.

A Low Cost Bass, Part 2

1991
AL#25 p.14   BRB2 p.430            
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman continues his crusade for a low-cost, high performance bass viol. Part 1 was printed in the previous issue.

A Low Cost Bass

1990
AL#24 p.30   BRB2 p.430            
Frederick-C. Lyman-Jr.                                                                                           

▪ Lyman builds a bass with a lauan body and a top of quartersawn 2x4s, and is quite pleased with the outcome. There are only 2 photos, but a lot of text. Lyman’s conventional basses are in the hands of many well-known musicians. He certainly knows the difference between good and bad instruments. Part 2 follows in the next issue.

Violin Q & A: Cooking Varnish/Fiddle Neck/Neck Finish Treatment/Peg Shaper

1990
AL#24 p.54   BRB2 p.486            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Details include cooking varnish, finishing necks, causes of neck cracks, and adjusting a peg shaper to match your peg reamer.

Try Cherry!

1990
AL#24 p.56   BRB2 p.469            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ Calkin encourages the use of alternative tonewoods. He offers advice about choosing cherry boards and methods of finishing cherry instruments that he has found attractive.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Violin Varnish

1990
AL#22 p.38   BRB2 p.376            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ Violin people think about finishes in a way that guitar makers have difficulty grasping. It is an obsession. Darnton’s lengthy article discusses varnish types and components and offers a few recipes. It doesn’t seem fair that guitar folks don’t get to play with stuff called dragons blood, sandarac, and propolis, to name just a few. Such exotic incantations are bound to improve a finish, don’t you think?

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Questions: Water Base Finishes

1990
AL#22 p.49   BRB2 p.484            
David Freeman   Ralph Novak                                                                                       

▪ Water base finishes are more labor intensive but the trade offs of health and fire hazard are worth it.

Waterglass vs. Calcium Silicate

1990
AL#23 p.12   BRB2 p.393            
John Chipura                                                                                           

▪ This is a wood treatment shoot-out. Waterglass is a controversial ingredient in violin finishing. Chipura makes a case for using calcium silicate instead.

Violin Q & A: Cooking Varnish

1990
AL#24 p.54   BRB2 p.495            
Michael Darnton                                                                                           

▪ When you are cooking violin varnish, how much smoke is enough? And how much is too much? BTW, if it explodes in flames, you went too far.

Wood Treatment and Sizing Materials

1990
AL#21 p.38   BRB2 p.362            
Rick Rubin                                                                                           

▪ The goal is to preserve instrument wood for centuries, or make it stiffer. Either or both will do. Rubin examines a list of wood additives and lets the reader decide what to do.

Questions: Finish Removal

1990
AL#21 p.58               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Refer to data sheet 280 for information on neutralizing the residues of paint strippers.

Classic Italian Violin Varnish

1989
AL#18 p.12   BRB2 p.214            
Geary Baese                                                                                           

▪ Baese draws upon old literature and recent black light testing to draw his conclusions about the structure of old varnishes. The Q&A session reveals a high sophistication in the audience. With 5 photos and a few old print reproductions.

Review: Classic Italian Violin Varnish: Its History, Materials, Preparation and Application by Geary L. Baese

1989
AL#18 p.52   BRB2 p.497            
Robert Lundberg                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds he could easily recommend this book if it weren’t so overpriced.

White Lacquer, No Specks

1989
AL#17 p.43   BRB2 p.199            
Dana Bourgeois                                                                                           

▪ Bourgeois discovers a simple trick to keep his spray work uncontaminated—spray it upside down and hold it there until the lacquer flashes off.

Notes on Preparing Lake Pigments

1989
AL#17 p.48   BRB2 p.206            
Geary Baese                                                                                           

▪ Baese writes about adding color to violin varnishes in an historically accurate manner. He defines a lake pigment as “fixing . . .an organic soluble dye upon an inorganic carrier to render an insoluble colored compound.”

An Introduction to the Stradivarian Mystique

1989
AL#17 p.6   BRB2 p.162            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Whether or not there is anything new to be said about Stradivari, it is impossible for a serious publication about lutherie not to take him into account at some point. Olsen’s lengthy article includes analytical drawings and photos of the master’s work. All the guitar and mando folks might wonder what the fuss is about. Olsen sets us straight.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

One Man’s Mandolins

1988
AL#16 p.6   BRB2 p.112            
Steve Andersen                                                                                           

▪ A well-known maker of archtop instruments offers an in-depth examination of his building style and his business. With 13 photos.

Making Organic Colorants Light Safe

1988
AL#13 p.52   BRB2 p.32            
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno explains how to make the colorants of violin varnish safe from fading. He also offers advice about keeping your chemical experiments safe.

An Introduction to French Polishing

1988
AL#14 p.4   BRB2 p.38            
Cyndy Burton   Greg Byers   Robert Steinegger   Buzz Vineyard                                                                               

▪ This workshop lecture and its audience participation make a wonderful case for the value of collected experience. These 7 pages of text and photos offer tips and information not to be found in any of the French polishing videos and articles that have come out since, as well as explaining the basics of finishing with shellac.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

The Great Tree vs. Bug Controversy

1988
AL#14 p.11   BRB2 p.45            
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Is shellac made of sap from a tree in India? Or is it from juice exuded from a bug that eats that sap? Or is it more complicated than that?

An Interview with Jeffrey R. Elliott

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.

Letter to the Editor: Critique of Manno Article AL#12

1988
AL#13 p.5   BRB2 p.161            
John Randerson                                                                                           

▪ Randerson adds a lengthy note about different alcohols to the 1704 violin varnish formula previously offered by Manno in AL#12, and Manno answers.

Violin Q & A: Italian Violin/Fingerboard Length/Water Colors/Polish White/SACCONI Polish/Prices/VIOMATE/Europe Wood Supply/Best American Maker

1987
AL#11 p.30   BRB1 p.482            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ Manno is an honest man (even when honesty hurts), knowledgeable, and opinionated. An especially strong column that touches upon repair prices, colors for varnish touchups, tonewood sources, Polish white bow hair, and Tetto Gallo violins.

1704 Varnish Recipe

1987
AL#12 p.12   BRB1 p.451            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ This is a recipe for a touchup violin varnish, with instructions for adding colors.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Jack Batts

1987
AL#10 p.36   BRB1 p.390            read this article
Jeff Feltman   Jack Batts                                                                                       

▪ Intelligent questions and no-holds-barred answers make this long interview with a veteran builder seem too short. All violin articles should be this interesting. Forty-nine years dedicated to wood, glue, and varnish have to teach one a great deal. With 8 photos. Mentions Sacconi, Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati.

Innovative Concepts within Fixed Limits

1987
AL#11 p.12   BRB1 p.420            
Gila Eban                                                                                           

▪ Eban builds Kasha-style classical guitars. She comments at length about how her aesthetic concept for the guitar evolved, and offers many details of her construction procedures. Her descriptions of her work are so entrancing that you will long for more photos than the five that are offered. With rosette drawings.

Restoring the Paisley Tele

1987
AL#9 p.34   BRB1 p.332            
Dave Schneider                                                                                           

▪ A ’68 paisley Tele is reborn, complete with Parsons B and E benders and a complete refinishing from the foil on up.

VIBRA: Good for What Ails Ya?

1986
AL#8 p.42               
Brian Derber                                                                                           

▪ Derber tries out “good tone in a can,” a wood treatment that the manufacturers claim instills a vintage tone in your new instruments. He finds it wanting, though his test is hardly scientific. Nor does he believe that further testing is warranted.

Review: Italian Violin Varnishes by George Fry

1986
AL#7 p.60   BRB1 p.498            read this article
George Manno                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer finds the book to be a worthwhile investment for anyone seriously trying to duplicate antique violin finishes.

Interview with William DelPilar

1986
AL#5 p.10   BRB1 p.150            
Ted Davis   William DelPilar                                                                                       

▪ Davis offers his conversation with a professional luthier who made over 800 classical guitars between 1956 and 1986.

Custom Paint Aftermath

1985
AL#3 p.47               
Tim Earls                                                                                           

▪ Earls describes his ordeal of completing a guitar painted by an auto body shop.He finds that even the best auto painter may not understand the intricacies of the guitar.

Sealing With Shellac and Varnishing Rosewood

1984
DS#269   BRB1 p.264            read this article
Neil Hebert                                                                                           

▪ This guitarmaker has adopted finishing techniques that are often reserved for violins, and claims that in eye and tactile appeal it is superior to lacquer. Particularly important is how he deals with rosewood’s tendency to bleed color, a problem that fiddle finishers don’t have to face.

Violin Varnish and Sealers

1984
DS#276   BRB1 p.262            read this article
Graham Caldersmith                                                                                           

▪ The Sacconi technique of sealing fiddles with silicates has not been widely accepted. Nevertheless, the author explains how he has successfully used silicates to seal and harden violin wood before varnishing, as well as the use of vernice bianca (basically whipped egg whites) to act as an interface between the silicate and the varnish.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Health Hazards: Solvents, Glues, and Shell

1983
DS#259   BRB1 p.122            
Ervin Somogyi                                                                                           

▪ Somogyi wrote this scary little article in 1983, but if you think that the chemicals luthiers encounter have gotten friendlier you better think again. The compounds that have been making people sick for decades are still out there, and regulation doesn’t seem to have made much of an impact. You’ll have to be your own safety cop, and this article is a good place to begin.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Honest Ron’s Lacquer Finishing Technique

1983
DS#262   BRB1 p.37            read this article
Ron Lira                                                                                           

▪ How to deal with lacquer in less than one page. Heavy on Sherwin-Williams products and short on details, it is nevertheless interesting for his use of heated lacquer.

The Case for Using Natural Dyes

1983
GALQ Vol.11#1 p.8   BRB1p.372            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Robison offers a convincing, multi-pronged philosophical stance for using natural dyestuffs that should lodge firmly among the luthiers that build ancient instruments or see them on their repair bench. Or anyone else who admires subtlety more than bright pizzazz.

Twenty Ancient Dyestuffs and Eleven Mordants

1983
DS#236   BRB1 p.210            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ The dyestuffs are from bugs, flowers, and tree parts. Mordants are chemicals that set the colors and may shift the hue. Dyers’ hip talk is a lot of fun, and the bits of dye history Robison includes add sparkle to a colorful article. Working with these materials could add mountains of snob appeal to a guitar. Rather than describe a three-color ‘burst as yellow/red/brown it might be described as fustic/madder/walnut hull. Be the first on your block to give it a go.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

Finishing With Lacquer

1982
DS#220   BRB1 p.178            
Glenn Markel                                                                                           

▪ These are finishing tips picked up while Markel worked at Guild. The best of them involve heating the lacquer and building a stationary buffing wheel.

Rosin Varnishes

1982
DS#226   BRB1 p.167            read this article
Louis DeGrazia                                                                                           

▪ Rosin varnishes preceded the varnishes developed by the Cremonese violin masters. Though they are often scorned by experienced luthiers, DeGrazia maintains that the ease with which they can be mixed and applied makes them a good starting point for the budding violin builder.

Finishing Lute Soundboards

1982
DS#229   BRB1 p.265            read this article
Lawrence-D. Brown                                                                                           

▪ Historically, lute soundboards were left unfinished in order to produce the best sound. However, the raw wood collected dirt at a rate that is unacceptable to contemporary musicians. Brown has found a compromise using lacquer that doesn’t affect the sound production of the instrument.

Martin Lacquer Method

1982
DS#231               
Dick Boak                                                                                           

▪ The C.F. Martin guitar with its 149 year history has had plenty of time and experience to evolve a system of finishing that works.

Horsetails

1981
DS#199   BRB2 p.479            
Chris Burt                                                                                           

▪ Horsestail weed makes a natural fine sandpaper. Stradivari used it. So can you.

Seedlac

1980
DS#150   BRB1 p.121            read this article
Nicholas-Von Robison                                                                                           

▪ Robison insists that as an instrument finish seedlac is superior to shellac in every sense. You never heard of seedlac? Jeez, you better get on the bus! If French polish thrills you but it’s fragility gets up your nose, seedlac could make your day.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Health Hazards: Solvents, Finishes, and Thinners

1980
DS#160               
Ervin Somogyi                                                                                           

▪ A list of the most common chemicals used by luthiers which have a high rating for chemical toxicity, including acetone, benzene, aniline, lacquer thinner, esters, methanol, and paint strippers.

Spray Finishing Setup

1978
DS#85   BRB1 p.41            
Rolfe Gerhardt                                                                                           

▪ That is, setting up the actual spray system from compressor to gun, with additional information about spray room accessories. It’s worth noting that in his update the author (a maker of top quality mandolins) mentions that he has abandoned lacquer in favor of waterborne products.

Oil Varnish Techniques

1978
DS#89   BRB1 p.284            read this article
David Rolfe                                                                                           

▪ Violinmakers can (and do) talk at length about varnish formulas. Rolfe leaves that to others, and instead describes at length the process of getting the varnish onto the instrument with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of cleanliness. Included is a discussion of brushes, rags, rubbing down and polishing materials, drying boxes, and where in your shop to varnish.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

French Polishing with Qualasole

1978
DS#73               
Paul Estenson                                                                                           

▪ While the traditional French polish method uses shellac and oil, with olive oil as a lubricant, qualasole is a relatively new finish material that is almost complete by itself and also seems more durable than shellac.

Spraying Lacquer With Nitrogen

1978
DS#64   BRB1 p.373            read this article
Harry Coleman                                                                                           

▪ If you’re hurting for space or can’t yet afford a compressor, you may find that spraying with a tank of nitrogen makes sense. You may find that it makes sense no matter what, depending on the volume of your finish work.

Novice Notes

1977
GALQ Vol.5#3 p.29               read this article
Donald Curry                                                                                           

▪ The final step in the making of an instrument is the finish, which includes preparation of the wood, applying material, and final polishing.

Beizes, Collies and Potassium Dichromate

1977
DS#52               read this article
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.

Potassium Dichromate, Oxalic Acid, and Carnauba Wax

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.

Hangers for Spraying

1976
DS#24               
Tim Olsen                                                                                           

▪ Utilizing 12 gauge plastic coated copper wire to hang an object for spraying with lacquer and other finishes.

French Polish Part 2

1975
DS#12               
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ French polishing, after mixing and properly preparing the shellac as per the instructions in the last installment.

French Polish Part 3 (Conclusion)

1975
DS#16               
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ After initial finish application, the surface of the instrument will appear rough and unrefined, therefore it is necessary to rub out the finish to produce a perfect surface, then apply the final polish.

Finishes

1974
DS#3               read this article
R.E. Brune                                                                                           

▪ As a hobby, Brune has collected many obscure and archaic recipies for varnishes and other potions, which he discusses here.