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.
2023
AL#148 p.22
Karl Hoyt
▪ Hoyt stumbled upon a small and distressed old instrument that turned out to be made by a founding father of the authentic ukulele. Mentions Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, Jim Tranquada.
2022
AL#147 p.24
Robbie O’Brien
▪ Lutherie uber-pedagog Robbie OBrien has taught beaucoup guitar makers and repair techs to set the action of steel string flattops, so his thoughts on the matter are crystal clear. Here he steps us through the process in a relaxed, logical, and concise presentation. From his 2017 GAL Convention workshop.
2022
AL#147 p.38
Carl-David Hardin
▪ A lot of lutherie work gets done on the road by the techs who travel with bands. Makes sense when you think about it. And its also understandable that this work gets done with a minimum of tooling. Heres a nice example of a new bone nut being made and installed on an old Gibson flattop.
2022
AL#147 p.52
Michael Burton
▪ What do you do with a guitar that seems beyond repair? Repair it anyway. Why not? After decades of neglect and wildly improper storage, this sturdy Asian-built flattop had developed the mother of all neck warps. Burton ripped into it with clothes iron, heat blanket, router, and neck jig to replace the truss rod and fix earlier disastrous repair attempts. It turned out great.
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#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.25
Evan Gluck
▪ Imagine you were a guitar repair guy, and there was another guitar repair guy in your same town. What would you do about it? If you were Evan Gluck, or any other enlightened, right-thinking luthier, you would march right over there and make him your best friend. These guys have a blast “competing” in the same market, sharing stories, customers, tools, and techniques. And yes, it does help if your hometown has over eight million people in it. Mentions Brian Moore, Dan Erlewine, Michael Bashkin, Ian Davlin, Jimmy Carbonetti.
2021
AL#144 p.6
Roger Haggstrom
▪ A hundred and some years ago, Swedish folks sat around the house all of a dark winter and sang hymns together, accompanied by the strummings of cheap mass-produced guitars. Those days are gone, but a lot of the guitars are still hanging on the walls of old houses. Roger Häggström has made a business of restoring them to useful condition and modifying them to sound and play better than they ever could have. He restores and modifies. Restomods. Mentions the Levin guitar company.
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.
2021
AL#142 p.28
Dan Erlewine
▪ Good ol’ Dan Erlewine is known for finding and spreading efficient new tools and techniques for guitar makers and repairers, as well as for mentoring and promoting young talent in the lutherie field. He’s at it again in this article, as he loosely wrangles a team to consult on the design of a specialized new shop vise.
2021
AL#142 p.38
Ben Haskenhoff
▪ The author steps us through a full refret of a solidbody guitar with a bound fretboard where the new frets nestle right back into the binding. Save the nibs!
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.
2020
AL#141 p.66
Steve Johnson
▪
2020
AL#141 p.67
Steve Dickerson
▪
2020
AL#141 p.71
Kerry Char
▪
2021
AL#142 p.3
Sjaak Elmendorp
▪ Lesson learned from a puppy-vs-guitar encounter: glue down the fretboard extension over the body of a flattop guitar when using a bolt-on neck.
2020
AL#141 p.18
Evan Gluck
▪ What should you do when an unexpected event upsets the smoothly-running apple cart of your guitar-repair business? Don’ freak out. Take good advice from the trustworthy folks around you, and proceed with confidence. That’s the story, but raconteur and lutherie superstar Evan Gluck tells it better.
2020
AL#140 p.10
Paul Schmidt John Jordan
▪ John Jordan was a young guy happily repairing instruments and making guitars when he got a commission to make an experimental electric violin. It turned out well enough to take his career in a new direction. Read his story and see some of his diverse and beautiful work. Mentions Ervin Somogyi, Shelley Rosen, Rolland Colella, Dave Matthews, Boyd Tinsley, nyckelharpa, D’Angelico, D’Aquisto, Neyveli S. Radhakrishna, Miri Ben Ari.
2020
AL#140 p.34
Kerry Char
▪ This ornate contraption had seen a lot of use and abuse in almost a dozen decades of service. Long-ago modifications plus the pull of sixteen strings left it in a sorry state. It had to be taken in hand rather decisively to be brought back into playing condition. Two necks, the back, the enormous bridge, and a lot of bracing came off. Content warning: contains lutherie gore.
2019
AL#138 p.70
Art Robb
▪ How do you take the back off a 19th-century guitar? Carefully, and slowly. The author offers good advice based on long experience.
2020
AL#139 p.42
Erick Coleman Evan Gluck
▪ Erick and Evan (the two Es) are back with more helpful hints for the guitar repair shop. Some of the things they show are nicely developed professional tools, like for leveling frets while the guitar is still under string tension. Then there’s a diagnostic tool that is just a stick, a guitar string, and a salvaged tuning machine. If you think that’s gronk, how about the tool that Evan calls “my string.” It’s just a string. Not even a guitar string. Mentions gluing frets, DeoxIT, WD40, tri-Flow, slotting bridge pins, regluing bridges, fret nipper, notching fret tang, Matt Brewster, fret leveler bar, StewMac, Stewart-MacDonald, bridge removal, shark skin, fret rocker, fret leveler. From their workshop at the 2017 GAL Convention.
2019
AL#138 p.48
R.M. Mottola
▪ Sometimes when a vintage instrument is being restored, you want to leave a few of the dings and a lttle of the funk, just for authentic flavor. Sometimes you want to leave the big dings and all the funk, and end up with something that is very tasty to a certain sophisticated palate. Mottola takes a century-old beater and ends up with a sweet-playing silk purse disguised as a sow’s ear. Mentions B&J, Buegeleisen and Jacobson, Oscar Schmidt, and Stella. Instrument is ladder-braced.
2019
AL#137 p.44
Todd Mylet
▪ As a repairman in a busy guitar shop, Todd Mylet has a lot of Martin-style neck resets under his belt. There is a lot involved in doing it right. Todd presents a detailed account of his well-considered and time-tested method.
2018
AL#135 p.71
John Calkin
▪ Can a guitar be saved after soaking in flood water?
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.
2018
AL#135 p.4
Charles Rufino
▪ Here’s a close look at the process of setting a violin neck. No innovative tools or new miracle adhesives here; just good old-fashioned methodical, careful work with traditional toos and designs. From his workshop at the 2017 GAL Convention.
2018
AL#135 p.16
Dan Erlewine Erick Coleman Chelsea Clark
▪ “Uncle Dan” Erlewine has been a constant presence in the American Lutherie Boom era, because he personifies the can-do ethos that underlies the whole dang movement: figure something out, and tell everybody about it. As a young man hoping to move from rocker to luthier, he found a generous mentor in Herb David of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dan has paid that forward many times as he has brought young people into his shop and given them a place to grow. Mentions Herb David, Mark Erlewine, Jerry Garcia, Albert King, John O’Boyle, David Surovel, Bryan Galloup, Charlie Longstreth, Tom Erlewine, Gary Brawer, Joe Glaser, Steve Olson, Albert Garcia, Elliot John-Conry, Adam Fox, Exodus Almasude, Johan Powell, Max Feldman, Paul Lampley, Aaron Smiley, Rodrgo Gomez, Chelsea Clark. From his lecture at the 2017 GAL Convention.
2018
AL#135 p.30
Kerry Char
▪ Kerry Char sawed the top off an old Gibson flattop in front of a group of several dozen luthiers at the 2017 GAL Convention. And within the same hour he pried the back off a Knutsen harp guitar. Step by step photos.
2018
AL#133 p.65
C.F. Casey
▪ Place rare-earth magnets for crack repair inside acoustic guitars the easy way.
2018
AL#133 p.34
D. and F. Sinier de Ridder
▪ So you need to restore a guitar that is a third of a millienium old. Of course it was originally a Baroque guitar. A couple hundred years ago somebody chopped it into a Romantic-era 6-string guitar. No prob, you’ll just find a similar authentic instrument for a guide. Except there aren’t any. Spain was packed with them 300 years ago, but now not a single one is known to exist in original condition. Nonetheless, a full and successful restoration is made.
2018
AL#133 p.56
C.F. Casey
▪ We’ve all seen bad repairs. They can be frustrating, or maybe enraging. But sometimes they are just dazzling in their spectacular daring and ignorance. Here’s a couple of those.
2018
AL#133 p.62
Paul Neri
▪ Here’s some good, simple advice on how to keep your repair customers happy from a guy with decades of experience.
2017
AL#131 p.65
Harry Fleishman
▪ Harry loves to learn, and then to teach. Although he has been leveling frets for half a century, he’s always rethinking it and keeping his eyes open for better ways to do it. Here he shows us his latest tools and tips for doing more by doing less.
2017
AL#131 p.58
Kjell Croce
▪ Everybody has seen them; those cracks on the tops of old Martins that form just south of the soundhole when the pickguard shrinks. Croce shows us how to close and reinforce the crack, and then make a well-behaved modern pickguard.
2017
AL#130 p.62 read this article
R.M. Mottola
▪ Jim Mouradian, shown here with his son Jon, ran a guitar repair shop and made electric basses. He was a generous and happy mentor to many.
2017
AL#131 p.50
James Condino
▪ Pop goes the soundpost! Can this affordable old Kay bull fiddle be saved? Plywood-doghouse bass specialist James Condino shows us how.
2017
AL#129 p.20
C.F. Casey
▪ When a neighbor brought in “Grampa’s old guitar” for Fred Casey to look at, he got a shock. The guitar was a whopper. Or more properly, a monster. That’s what Lyon & Healy called this very wide guitar. It was pretty well smashed, but soon it was back in playing condition. Does this guitar make my hips look big?
2017
AL#129 p.38
Steve Denvir Dave Collins
▪ Dave Collins is a rising star on the guitar repair scene. Take a look at a couple of nice jigs he has developed; one for slotting saddles, one for regluing broken headstocks. Interestingly, he is in the same Ann Arbor third-storey shop previously tenanted by Herb David. Dave counts Dan Erlewine and Bryan Galloup among his mentors.
2016
AL#126 p.48
Robbie O’Brien Antonio Tessarin
▪ Robbie O’Brien keeps up a friendly lutherie competition with his old mentor Antonio Tessarin. Robbie is in Colorado and Antonio is in Brazil, but that’s no prob these days, what with the smartphones and the Interwebs and all that. In this article Antonio shows Robbie how he fixed a nasty smash on the edge of one of his own classical guitars. Sweet! What will Robbie do to one-up that?
2016
AL#126 p.22
Alex Glasser Brian Michael
▪ Brian and Alex cover a number of interesting repair projects including crack repair and finish touchup on satin-finished guitars, cracked heel blocks, magnets, steamers, and even using a parked car as a neck heater. From their 2014 GAL Convention workshop.
2015
AL#124 p.48
Brian Michael Alex Glasser
▪ Even when an off-the-shelf OEM bridge is available, it might not be the best choice for an older guitar. Brian shows us his method of making a matching Martin-style bridge from the broken original. Alex goes a step further and reproduces a failed bridge from a Gibson SJ-200, which is complicated by pearl inlay and cutout wings. From their 2014 GAL Convention workshop.
2009
AL#100 p.38
Harry Fleishman
▪ Replacing the top on a complicated instrument with as little refinishing and other stress as possible.
2009
AL#97 p.48
Roger Alan Skipper
▪ Skipper decides to save the life of a Martin D-28 that most of us would use for spare parts and firewood. A new top is made and severely cracked sides and back are restored to usefulness by interesting techniques that offer strength and renewed life rather than cosmetic perfection. In other words, a repair that mere mortals can afford. Good job! With 12 photos.
2009
AL#98 p.34
Frederick C. Lyman Jr.
▪ There’s not a lot of detail to this piece, but there’s nice story telling and some philosophy to live by. Lyman has been involved in the bass world since before the GAL, and whatever he has to say about it is important (and usually fun). With 3 photos.
2008
AL#96 p.60
John Thayer
▪ Don’t put a repair patch on top of the wood, put it in the wood! Probably for carved tops only, but a fine idea (and pretty, for you folks who like to peek inside of instruments. With 11 photos.
2008
AL#95 p.55
Daniel Fobert
▪ You can make your own plastic pickup rings. No kiddin’! And it doesn’t seem like a real big deal. A little thought should uncover many other uses for the materials mentioned here. With 4 photos.
2008
AL#95 p.32 ALA5 p.76
Tobias Braun
▪ Braun took on the job of restoring a massively injured Spanish factory guitar made approximately in 1900. This is not only a close look at how such work is done, but an examination of how these guitars were made. It’s not a Torres, but it’s pretty cool. With 41 photos and 4 catalog page reproductions.
2007
AL#90 p.58
John Calkin
▪ Sometimes only a few frets need to be replaced. Here’s how and why to do it and an idea of how to charge for it. Another lesson from Instrument Repair 101. With 11 photos.
2007
AL#89 p.30
John Calkin
▪ A number of acoustic guitars built during the ’60s demonstrated peculiar design traits, and this smashed up Gibson B-25 is a fine example of such. The author returns it to playable good health while maintaining its quirkiness in all its glory. With 12 photos.
2006
AL#86 p.50
John Calkin
▪ This is another of the author’s attempts to save a ruined instrument without ruining the customer’s bank account. The subject this time is a WWI-era Gibson army-navy style mandolin. With 14 photos.
2006
AL#85 p.46
John Calkin
▪ Some instruments aren’t valuable enough to warrant extensive repair work but are too interesting to throw away. Enter the resurrectionist. In this case the subject is a ’30s tenor guitar by Regal. Cracks are fixed, braces are replaced, a new bridge is made, and the neck is refitted. With 21 photos.
2005
AL#84 p.50 BRB7 p.412
John Calkin
▪ Resurrection isn’t so much about true restoration as in making a dilapidated instrument function again in a manner that the owner can afford. Time-saving procedures are permitted that a restorationist wouldn’t dream of, but preserving the instrument as much as possible is still the goal. With 12 photos.
2005
AL#84 p.58 BRB7 p.534 read this article
James Condino
▪ The reviewer finds this book to be a treasure well worth the high cost to anyone serious about the standup bass.
2005
AL#82 p.67
Cyndy Burton
▪ Liability insurance for guitars from guitar stores being repaired in a home shop.
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#81 p.64 BRB7 p.496
Keith Davis
▪ Removing and replacing bridge plates in dreadnought guitars the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) way.
2004
AL#80 p.65 BRB7 p.496
Dale Randall
▪ With this arrangement, fresh glue can be injected straight from the bottle through plastic tubing which terminates in a brass ink holder from a ballpoint pen which serves as an injection needle.
2005
AL#81 p.46 BRB7 p.306
Bruce Calder Bob Jones
▪ Jones is one of the “big guys” in the New York City instrument repair scene. He owns some very cool collectables. He’s worked for some of the biggest names in the industry. He has definite opinions about how to get into the business. How could you not read this? With 13 photos, including one of a double neck Selmer.
2005
AL#81 p.56 BRB7 p.514
John Calkin
▪ The reviewer likes this system of pulling down the bulging tops of flattop guitars. With 3 photos and a diagram.
2004
AL#80 p.10 BRB7 p.236
Jonathon Peterson Frank Ford
▪ Sometimes an interviewer has to pry information out of a person. Not so with Frank Ford, who unleashes a wonderful account of his life as a repairman in the Bay area. Prominently mentioned are Richard Johnston, Jon Lundberg, Dan Erlewine, Gryphon Instruments, and Mario Martello. Inspirational stuff, including 14 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
2004
AL#80 p.15 BRB7 p.245
Frank Ford
▪ Different repairpersons are willing to do jobs that others wouldn’t, and some repairs are socially acceptable at one time and not at another, so sometimes a repairman is faced with undoing another repair guy’s work. In this case it’s not as a restoration but to make the altered guitar more playable while keeping within the general style of the maker. This little Martin went from a slot-head, to friction pegs, to a solid head with contemporary tuners. Whew! Check out the use of the milling machine. With 19 photos.
2004
AL#79 p.64 BRB7 p.64
Dennis Russell
▪ A Eureka Hotshot steamer purchased at Home Depot and rigged up for use on violins, cellos, and anything else that has hide glue joints.
2004
AL#78 p.4 BRB7 p.174
Dan Erlewine Frank Ford
▪ A ton of guitar repairs can only be accomplished by reaching through the soundhole. Here, two masters of the genre describe some of their methods a working in the cramped darkness, some of the tools they’ve used and/or created, and the attitude you have to acquire when getting stumped and handing back an unrepaired guitar is not an option. With 32 photos.
2004
AL#77 p.22 BRB7 p.156
John Calkin
▪ Dealing with a store saves you the hassle of dealing with customers but includes the uncertainties of not having access to the customers. The pros and cons are examined. Meanwhile, a Gretsch electric guitar fingerboard is removed, the truss rod swapped out, and the instrument is restored, all in good detail. With 10 photos.
2003
AL#73 p.61 BRB7 p.523
John Calkin
▪ This video is a collection of shop tips that the reviewer found to be valuable and entertaining, especially in view of the low price.
2002
AL#72 p.36 BRB6 p.410
Jonathon Peterson Saul Koll Ralph Patt
▪ Jazz guitarist Ralph Patt and luthier Saul Koll have teamed up to make archtop 8-string electric guitars that are tuned in thirds rather than standard tuning. The guitars look a little strange because there is no taper to the fingerboards. You’ll have to read the article to understand the thinking behind them. Watching Patt play must confuse the heck out of other guitarists. With 14 photos.
2002
AL#72 p.54 BRB6 p.541 read this article
John Calkin
▪ Eight new videos (with four already on DVD) from the inventor of video lutherie instruction. The reviewer obviously likes them and believes they will speed the learning curve for anyone interested in guitar repair and maintenance.
2002
AL#70 p.65
John Calkin
▪ Where to rewind the magnets of a 1958 Strat pickup with damaged coils to maintain original sound.
2001
AL#67 p.42 BRB6 p.258
John Calkin
▪ Some instruments aren’t worth repairing because their value is less than the cost of the repair work. Unless, that is, you resort to superglue and a bit of trickery. On the cuatro used in the example a tailpiece is used along with the stock bridge to prevent steel strings from tearing the bridge off the top again. With 8 photos.
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.
1999
AL#59 p.65 BRB5 p.484 read this article
John Calkin
▪ The reviewer likes this instruction video that is ultimately intended to sell product, and finds that the instruction far outweighs the salesmanship angle of this Stew-Mac tape.
1998
AL#56 p.54 BRB5 p.290
Kent Everett
▪ So you hate the way pickguards look but like the job they do? Everett shows how to apply a clear pickguard without bubbles or fingerprints coming along for the ride.
1998
AL#55 p.65 read this article
John Calkin
▪ The reviewer enjoyed this video. It is iconoclastic and hip, and should help anyone keep their squeezebox wheezing healthily. Instruction should always be this fun.
1998
AL#54 p.55 BRB5 p.476
John Calkin
▪ The reviewer finds that this video is a good learning device for anyone wishing to learn how to set up their electric guitar or bass, perhaps less so for acoustic players.
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?
1997
AL#51 p.58 BRB5 p.440
Harry Fleishman
▪ The Guild’s tool buster tames two new offerings and enjoys the ride. The first is a knife for opening cracks in guitar tops. The other is jig that thins and shapes the splints to be put into the slots cut by the knife. Along the way he examines the catalog of Luthiers Mercantile International.
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.
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.
1997
AL#51 p.52 BRB5 p.491
John Calkin
▪ A portable fret to solve the installation problem of the infamous 6 and a half fret of a dulcimer.
1997
AL#50 p.59 BRB5 p.491
Alan Carruth
▪ Mixing 10 percent of acetone in polyurethane for nice bite.
1997
AL#50 p.60 BRB5 p.129
Dave Hajicek
▪ A reliable method to correct extensive lacquer finish crazing. He sprays pure MEK.
1997
AL#50 p.58 BRB5 p.489
Glenn Uhler
▪ A body or neck rest with an interesting history.
1997
AL#49 p.50 BRB5 p.44
Colin Kaminski Jeff Traugott
▪ Neck resetting techniques have changed enormously in the last few years, and they continue to evolve. Traugot has been in the forefront of the evolution. Here’s his up-to-the-minute description of the procedure. With 12 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1997
AL#50 p.4 BRB5 p.60
Frank Ford
▪ Ford has been a preeminent repairman for years, but has recently emerged as a fine teacher of repair topics. Everyone’s refretting tricks are a little different. Even if you have a handle on the general principle you may find that Frank Ford has something to offer you. With 29 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.
1996
AL#48 p.28 BRB4 p.408
Cyndy Burton John Mello
▪ Mello is a repairperson, guitarmaker, restorer, and instrument dealer. He apprenticed under Richard Schneider and worked with Jeffrey R. Elliott before opening his own shop.Much of the interview dwells upon the restoration of an 1862 Torres guitar. With 11 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1996
AL#48 p.36 BRB4 p.404
Frank Ford
▪ Ford built an elaborate jig for resetting the necks of valuable and delicate guitars where a slip of the chisel can’t be risked. The contrary nature of guitars may dictate that some hand fitting is required after the jig is used, but much of the danger is removed. With 8 photos.
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.
1996
AL#47 p.65 BRB4 p.503
Phillip Murray
▪ A wallpaper steamer to remove a fingerboard from a neck by injecting into the broken truss rod.
1996
AL#45 p.57 BRB4 p.499
Alan Carruth
▪ An alternative method for removing white glue is the use of acetic acid, handy where the use of steam would be objectionable.
1996
AL#45 p.28 BRB4 p.276
Dan Erlewine Frank Ford
▪ This wide-ranging lecture transcription from the1995 GAL convention covers some specific repair techniques, professional ethics, customer relations, pursuing a profit, and vintage instrument repair. Strong advice from two of the best known men in the business.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1996
AL#45 p.40 BRB4 p.294
Richard Beck
▪ Beck is a repairman for some heavy hitters in the music biz. Here he offers a sound method of repairing shattered headstocks using a router. With 11 photos.
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.
1996
AL#45 p.50 BRB4 p.442
Michael Darnton
▪ This time the column has but one concern, removing the top plate. With 7 photos.
1995
AL#44 p.51 BRB4 p.113
Roger Sadowsky
▪ Recommendations for musical instrument insurance.
1995
AL#43 p.52 BRB4 p.442
Michael Darnton
▪ What is Nussbaum? Is there such a thing as irreparable damage?
1995
AL#43 p.57 BRB4 p.495
Jonathon Peterson
▪ Using an inspection light and mirror to locate the position of the old brace from leftover glue through the sound hole on a damaged American made Neapolitan mandolin.
1995
AL#42 p.57 BRB4 p.481
Robert Lundberg
▪ The reviewer finds that although the abstracts are clear and well written, the quality and usefulness of the abstracted material is not judged. The unwary may be sent on a long search for information of little, or dangerous, use.
1995
AL#42 p.40 BRB4 p.192
Alan Carruth
▪ Carruth ran mode and frequency tests on the old top and the replacement top.The goal was to reproduce the quality of the old airlines-damaged top.
1994
AL#40 p.42 BRB4 p.116
Bryan Galloup
▪ Detailed captions for 36 photos explain how to cook the neck out of a flattop and put it back on the way it ought to be.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
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.
1994
AL#39 p.10 BRB4 p.52
Bryan Galloup
▪ Here’s the whole story, with some tools for heat removal of the parts not seen in the magazine before. Pull those worn parts and make your own replacements. With 38 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1994
AL#39 p.25 BRB4 p.70
John Calkin
▪ The focus here is electric guitar pickguards, both wood and plastic. Some tips carry over to acoustic pickguards.
1994
AL#37 p.22 BRB4 p.17
Nicholas Von Robison John Koster
▪ How does a man become conservator to a famous collection of stringed instruments, and just exactly what does he do after he’s there? Koster maintains the collection at the Shrine to Music Museum.
1993
AL#36 p.6 BRB3 p.380
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.
1993
AL#36 p.26 BRB3 p.410 read this article
David Golber
▪ The chief difference between the Hardanger and a normal violin is its use of sympathetic strings, though other differences abound. Ornate decoration is also usual. Golber offers a good description of a typical Hardanger and how to set it up.With 9 photos and a number of drawings.
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.
1993
AL#35 p.6 BRB3 p.352 read this article
Michael Darnton
▪ To the uninitiated, violin setup seems to have way too many steps for the small number of moveable parts involved. Taken one step at a time, the mystery falls away. Darnton explains the tools and procedures he uses to get the most out of a violin. This segment includes fitting pegs, correcting problems with the nut, making a fingerboard, and fitting a soundpost. Part Two is printed in AL#37. With 30 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1993
AL#33 p.52 BRB3 p.446
Michael Darnton
▪ What is a spiral bushing, and when do you use it? It’s a one-question column this time around.
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#34 p.18 BRB3 p.328 read this article
George Borun
▪ Not many people make the mental leap from violins to the space age easily. Borun did, and found the connection useful. His list of uses extends far beyond bending the ribs.
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.
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.
1993
AL#33 p.46 BRB3 p.310 read this article
David Golber
▪ If stock tuners stick up too far from the top of your headstock you can fix them, but it requires a machinist’s lathe.
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.
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.
1992
AL#31 p.57 BRB3 p.487
Don Musser
▪ Locating hairline cracks using the solvent naphtha.
1992
AL#31 p.64 BRB3 p.446
Michael Darnton
▪ Why don’t the ribs of a broken fiddle fit the top any more? How much spring should be built into a bass bar? Why is there a step in the neck behind the nut on my fiddle. Darnton knows, now you will, too.
1992
AL#32 p.8 BRB3 p.242
Jonathon Peterson Ren Ferguson
▪ The shop honcho of Gibson West relates some personal background. Ferguson moved to Montana long before Gibson did. Did Gibson really build a factory there just for him? Probably not. Mentions Rob Ehlers, Steve Carlson, Henry Juszkiewicz.
1992
AL#30 p.48 BRB3 p.484
Dorothy Carlson
▪ Four quick tips for violin family repair work.
1992
AL#30 p.48 BRB3 p.484
Jonathon Peterson
▪ Bending back a bridge rather than replacing it for a reset.
1992
AL#30 p.49 BRB3 p.486
Richard Echeverria
▪ Repairing a crack in a D-28.
1992
AL#29 p.57 BRB3 p.484
Richard Echeverria
▪ Fixing the common problem encountered with the Gibson style ABR and Schaller Nashville tune-o-matic guitar bridge: they collapse.
1992
AL#29 p.57 BRB3 p.485 read this article
Gerhart Schmeltekopf
▪ Rigging up a temporary reciprocating or ‘pole’ lathe.
1991
AL#28 p.58 BRB3 p.479
John Kitakis
▪ Solving the issue of burrowing string balls which eat their way through bridge plates.
1991
AL#27 p.56 BRB3 p.446
Michael Darnton
▪ Darnton explains how to disassemble a fiddle, and the effects of soundhole size on violin performance.
1991
AL#28 p.46 BRB3 p.75
Al Stancel
▪ A master fiddle surgeon explains a common operation. With 11 drawings to help guide you through the procedure.
1991
AL#26 p.58 BRB3 p.463 read this article
Manny Bettencourt
▪ The reviewer finds that this book is an invaluable resource for the professional repairman and will let the amateur evaluate a potential repair and decide whether or not he has the skill to tackle it.
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.
1991
AL#27 p.46 BRB3 p.118
Joseph R. Johnson Hideo Kamimoto
▪ The famous repairman/author discusses his book, his history as a luthier, and his expectations for his own future.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1991
AL#26 p.48 BRB3 p.56
Jonathon Peterson
▪ Brandt owns a luthiers co-op, and finds it makes more sense and money than four men running their own separate shops do. He’s got the lowdown on keeping records, using time efficiently, sharing labor, hiring a front man, and turning over work quickly. Lots of business hints and tips for any luthier, regardless of your position.
1991
AL#26 p.52 BRB3 p.446
Michael Darnton
▪ Darnton discusses wolf tones, the life span of new fiddles, and why lacquer is never used on a violin.
1991
AL#25 p.50 BRB3 p.29
Jim Merrill Bill Colgan
▪ This repair involves removing part of the fingerboard and sinking support splines from the top of the instrument, rather than from the back.
1991
AL#25 p.56 BRB3 p.446
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.
1991
AL#25 p.59 read this article
John Kitakis
▪ Unified repair price list including bridge reglue, bone nut or saddle, refret, dress frets, cracks, and refinishing.
1991
AL#25 p.6 BRB3 p.16
Steve Banchero David Freeman Larry Kirmser David Vincent Donald Warnock
▪ A panel of lutherie teachers talks it over at the 1990 GAL Convention.
1991
AL#25 p.36 BRB3 p.13
Tim Olsen Dan Erlewine
▪ Is there any doubt that Erlewine is the world’s best-known guitar fixer? He’s also a heck of a nice guy. Editor Olsen nailed Erlewine’s feet to the floor long enough to answer a few questions. With 4 neat snapshots. Mentions Herb David, Mike Bloomfield.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1990
AL#24 p.57 BRB2 p.478
Gary Fish
▪ A small piece of bone to form a mini saddle to be placed under the B and E strings.
1989
AL#19 p.58
Mike Markure
▪ Except on vintage Ovations, if a top is cracked a whole new body is made rather than replacing the top.
1989
AL#20 p.14 BRB2 p.306
Michael Darnton
▪ Darnton offers some in-depth advice to help you make your violin repairs invisible.
1989
AL#20 p.20 BRB2 p.318
Dale Randall
▪ Randall lines the entire guitar back with plexiglas mirrors while working inside the body. Looks like a fine idea.
1989
AL#20 p.55 BRB2 p.310
Louis “Buddy” Hale Michael H. Price
▪ The informational comic strip continues. Part One was in AL #19. The final part follows in AL#21.
1989
AL#19 p.24 BRB2 p.250
R.E. Brune
▪ A guitar that may have belonged to Marie Antoinette is brought back to playing condition. This article gives a good picture of what goes into the restoration of a museum-quality instrument. With 13 photos.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1989
AL#19 p.42 BRB2 p.296
Kent Everett
▪ Experience with fiberglass boat repair leads to a new method of fixing shattered headstocks. With 4 photos.
1989
AL#19 p.51 BRB2 p.309
Louis “Buddy” Hale Michael H. Price
▪ American Lutherie tries an informational comic strip.Parts Two and Three follow in AL#20 and AL#21.
1989
AL#19 p.52 BRB2 p.312
Jonathon Peterson
▪ Peterson uses a cappuccino machine to steam the neck out of its joint, and wood shavings to rebuild the dovetail. In-depth text and 5 photos.
1989
AL#19 p.5 BRB2 p.221
Arnold M.J. Hennig
▪ Hennig gives advice about removing guitar bridges with a sharpened putty knife. He also laments the fact that popular opinion believes that guitars, unlike violins, have a “shelf life,” and as a result are often eventually neglected rather than repaired.
1989
AL#17 p.52 BRB2 p.495
David Thormahlen
▪ The reviewer has reservations about the repair chapter of this book, but otherwise finds it to be “accessible, innovative, and valuable.”
1988
AL#15 p.66 read this article
Keith Davis
▪ A natural gas explosion blows up the instruments of an entire school orchestra. Davis comes to the rescue, but wonders what the long-term ramifications will be for the fiddles and bass viols.
1988
AL#14 p.21 BRB2 p.60
Harry Fleishman
▪ Fleishman’s tools are a rubber band-powered jack clamp for regluing braces, and a homemade wrench for tightening output jack nuts inside an acoustic guitar.
1988
AL#14 p.46 BRB2 p.66
Ervin Somogyi
▪ Somogyi saves a stash of warped rosewood guitar sets by clamping them between aluminum plates and heating them with a clothes iron.
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.
1988
AL#13 p.54 BRB2 p.34
Al Stancel
▪ Stancel opens old repaired cracks with heat and chemicals, cleans them with surfactants, and mends them with hide glue. The author works with the fiddle family, but his advice should flow over into any luthier’s discipline.
1988
AL#13 p.56 BRB2 p.36
Yves Parent
▪ A chemist explains how superglue functions, and why you might want to give your wood an alkaline bath before you squirt on the goo.
1987
AL#11 p.24 BRB1 p.432
Dave Schneider
▪ Don’t take that repair job without this article! One question remains unanswered: why does sanding the finish of a sitar release such a strong smell of tobacco?
1987
AL#11 p.50 BRB1 p.502 read this article
George Manno
▪ The reviewer finds this video to be a wise investment, especially for one new to the craft.
1987
AL#12 p.5 BRB1 p.481 read this article
William T. Walls
▪ Walls offers tips about cleaning and polishing violins and bows.
1987
AL#10 p.35 BRB1 p.397
Don Musser
▪ Improve the hold of superglue by adjusting the pH factor of the wood. Also, how to find and heal hairline guitar cracks before lacquering.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1988
AL#10 p.35 BRB1 p.397
Chris Pile
Thick superglue and accelerator are introduced.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1987
AL#11 p.7 BRB1 p.429
Michael Parsons
▪ Parsons relates his history of building instruments from salvaged wood.
1987
AL#9 p.49 BRB1 p.342
Dale Randall
▪ Randall finds an inventive way to fix a bass that’s been dropped on its top, but the repair leaves a 1/4″ hole through the top that must be plugged and disguised.
1987
AL#9 p.45 BRB1 p.482 read this article
George Manno
▪ The GAL’s resident violin expert of the time answers questions about cleaning violins, top reinstallation, domestic tool sources, domestic wood, and treating potassium silicate (a wood sealer) with tea to keep it from staining spruce green.
1987
AL#9 p.10 BRB1 p.311
Tim Olsen Don Overstreet
▪ A concise description and 3 photos explain a repair done in the Schuback shop.
1987
AL#9 p.20 BRB1 p.318
Don Teeter
▪ How does an Oklahoma farm boy become a luthier? How does that same luthier become a writer and mentor to a generation of guitar repairmen? Teeter’s 1985 convention lecture tells all, then goes on to update his neck resetting procedure and his method of eliminating dead notes on the fretboard.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1987
AL#9 p.32 BRB1 p.330
H.M. Kolstee
▪ Kolstee’s adjustable bridge saddle is made of bone, except for the locking set screw. It is easily adjustable for intonation and uses shims to adjust the string height.
1986
AL#8 p.49 BRB1 p.298
Denny Rauen
▪ Rauen corrects an action problem by changing the fingerboard at a time when most repairmen were correcting the problem in the frets. He uses a multiradius fretboard which is also called a conical fretboard.
1986
AL#7 p.50 BRB1 p.258
George Manno
▪ This is repair advice from an experienced violinmaker. The procedure listed begins after the top has been removed. Top removal was described in AL#5.
1986
AL#7 p.55 BRB1 p.431
Robert Doucet
▪ Doucet offers slick tricks for removing dried glue from raw wood, replacing spruce pulled up by the bridge, tracing braces to make clamping cauls, and roughing saddle blanks into shape.
1986
AL#7 p.56 BRB1 p.181
Sam Sherry
▪ Sherry claims his “bridge plate” style caul is a universal tool that makes bridge regluing easier.
1986
AL#7 p.57 BRB1 p.331
Fred Campbell
▪ Campbell fixes a chipped fret slot with wood dust and superglue.
1986
AL#7 p.57 BRB1 p.253
Tom Mathis
▪ Mathias adds more tips to the Teeter/Sadowsky fretting method.
1986
AL#7 p.13 BRB1 p.240
William Cumpiano
▪ Cumpiano lists his favorite methods of repairing various sorts of broken necks.
1986
AL#7 p.46 BRB1 p.246
Lawrence D. Brown
▪ Brown gives advice about the special repair needs of very old instruments.
1986
AL#6 p.8 BRB1 p.204
Roger Sadowsky
▪ Sadowsky’s convention lecture thoroughly describes his version the Don Teeter system of fretting with epoxy and oversize fret slots.
1986
AL#6 p.46 BRB1 p.230
Dick Boak
▪ Boak shares a Martin company fixture used for gluing bridges on flattop guitars.
1986
AL#5 p.14 BRB1 p.154 read this article
Bobby Wolfe
▪ Wolfe explains some history of the Dobro-style resonator guitar and mentions John Dopera, then details its construction and lists some commonly seen repairs and how to deal with them. The article is completed by 8 good photos.
1986
AL#5 p.22 BRB1 p.168
Ken Donnell
▪ Donnell gives a thorough description of his methods of bridge removal and regluing. Both classical and steel string guitars are covered.
1986
AL#5 p.40 BRB1 p.153 read this article
George Manno
▪ Manno describes a method of removing violin tops that have been improperly attached with contemporary glues.
1985
AL#4 p.39 BRB1 p.145 ALA5 p.6
William Tapia
▪ Tapia describes the method used to make guitar nuts in the Ramirez shop.
1985
AL#3 p.37
Chris Pile
▪ Pile offers tips on using superglue.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1985
AL#3 p.41
Chris Pile Tim Earls
▪ Pile contends that Schaller and Badass hardware comes with inferior screws, and that the good screws that come with cheaper machine heads should be swapped for them. Mr. Earls offers a method of cleaning bolt threads after cutting the bolt.
1985
AL#3 p.46
Bill Hultgren
▪ A question/answer format offers sources for micarta, pearloid inlay materials, and small files.
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.
1985
AL#2 p.54 BRB1 p.77
Brian Mascarin
▪ They are: an archtop guitar brace jack, a modified 1/4″ phone plug to position an output jack, and a clear plastic square for scribing fret positions on a fretless bass.
1985
AL#1 p.5
Jose Llorens
▪ Llorens describes methods of fixing mechanical flaws in Schaller classic machines.
1985
AL#1 p.45 BRB1 p.45
Elliott Burch
▪ Burch describes modifying an automotive part-retrieving claw into a device for positioning small crack-reinforcing studs.
1984
DS#285 LW p.120
Michael Dresdner
▪ Steam out the neck with a cappuccino machine. See also the previous 2 articles. This variation involves sawing off the fretboard at the body joint.
1984
DS#293 LW p.114
Dave Gentry
▪ Fender’s unorthodox method of installing a truss rod makes the replacement of the rod a strange undertaking. Gentry’s technique is clever, and far less invasive than removing the entire fingerboard. With 2 drawings.
1984
DS#279 LW p.62 ALA6 p.2
Ted Davis
▪ This rare Martin required the creation of a new harp neck as well as the repair of many top and side cracks. The plans included are also available as GAL full-scale blueprint #7. Includes 5 photos.
1984
DS#285 LW p.97
Michael Dresdner
▪ Dresdner studs the crack, then compresses the edges of the top crack into a wedge shape into which a tapered spline is glued. This technique has become routine, but this is one of the first times it reached print. He also offers a recipe for touching up the new wood to a “vintage” color.
1984
DS#285 LW p.107
Michael Dresdner
▪ All right, so you got the neck off of your flattop and you’re about to reset it. How much wood do you have to remove from the heel to achieve the proper correction? It turns out that you can calculate that figure, and here’s how to do it. With 1 sketch.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1983
GALQ Vol.11#3 p.30 BRB2 p.176
Don Alfieri
▪ The goal and duties of the instrument restorationist are not always clear cut since the philosophy of restoration is not universally agreed upon. The author makes a good case for a conservative approach to the subject and the work.
1983
DS#264 LW p.60
Ted Davis
▪ New top, fingerboard, and headstock veneer. GAL plan #6.
1983
DS#248 LT p.48
John M. Colombini
▪ Brass block on a C-shaped handle is heated and placed inside the guitar against the bridge plate.
1982
DS#223 LW p.92
Michael Breid
▪ The author has had good luck heating and stretching shrunken binding back to its original configuration. Here’s how.
1982
DS#210 LW p.99
Jim Williams
▪ Clean bridge removal is almost an art, but the right heat source and the proper tools can give even the first-timer a fighting chance. Williams offers a dedicated lamp setup for heat and a modified cabinet scraper to slide through the glue joint. With 3 drawings.
1982
DS#211 LW p.120
Kent Rayman
▪ Steam out the neck with a pressure cooker. With 1 drawing. See the previous article and the next article.
1981
DS#181 LW p.117
William Hatcher
▪ Try this method of repairing a headstock break when you don’t trust Titebond to do the job. It involves extensive touchup work, however.
1980
DS#165 LW p.96
Mike Janosko
▪ Problem: since you began pumping iron your arms are too big to fit through a guitar soundhole. Here’s another way of reinforcing top crack repairs without asking help from your pencil-arm brother-in-law. With 1 drawing.
1980
DS#151 LT p.68
Jim Williams
▪ With a router and this jig, splines can be added on either side of the truss rod.
1980
DS#137 LW p.99
William Hatcher
▪ This classic piece of guitar hardware suffers from its share of rattles and loose parts, even on new units. You can tune it up and quiet it down. Here’s how. Includes 2 illustrations.
1979
DS#129 LW p.98
Ted Davis
▪ This is a method for mending cracks in free, unbraced plates using only small nails and a workboard. Includes a drawing of the technique.
1979
DS#101 BRB2 p.31
Bob Petrulis
▪ The author discusses ways to diagnose various electric guitar repairs before the instrument is even disassembled.
1979
DS#115 BRB1 p.94
Thom Lipiczky
▪ Sitars are wonderful to look at, strange to hold, lovely to listen to, and peculiar to repair and set up.These days, when vintage instrument values make repair a high-risk endeavor, Lipiczky’s offbeat cures for broken gourds and loose frets are a breath of fresh air. Sitar repair has no doubt advanced since 1979, but we’ll have to take what we can get as far as instruction is concerned. The Indian words make for exotic reading, and the chart of string gauges may save your bacon one strange day.
1979
DS#116 LW p.95
Al Leis
▪ So how does one reach w-a-y back there to reinforce top crack repairs? By making a special clamp, and by evolving a slick method of using it. Here’s how it’s done. Includes 2 photos.
1978
DS#98 LW p.120
John Thierman
▪ Steam out the neck with a tea kettle. With 2 illustrations. See also the next article.
1977
DS#47 LT p.59
Kent Rayman
▪ Used inside the guitar while gluing braces or to support the top for bridge work.
1975
DS#14 LW p.114
Tim Olsen
▪ Sometimes a peghead break is so traumatic that the best plan is just to toss the old one in the trash and start over. Here’s how (using mostly hand tools), and don’t be surprised if the rebuilt neck is better than the original. With 13 illustrations.