Tag Archives: Merryfield¸ Veronica

Veronica Merryfield

From the UK, twenty-one-year GAL member Veronica Merryfield now lives in Unama’ki, colonially known as Cape Breton, on Canada’s east coast. She made her first headless fretless bass at age seventeen and just kept going. These days she builds to commission, preferring unusual designs that solve playability issues for players with physical limitations. Veronica had a career in electronics and software, and still dabbles in tech. She is semi-retired and doing a bit more lutherie as well other interesting stuff in equity and HR.

▪ bio current as of 2025

Magnetic Pickups: Physics, Math, and Electrickery

2025
AL#154 p.56               
Veronica Merryfield                                                                                           

▪ The basic form of an old-school guitar pickup is simple: A lot of skinny wire wrapped around some kind of magnet. But there’s a lot more to know about it than that. Hold onto your numbers, ’cuz Professor Merryfield is here with a blackbord and a big ol’ piece of chalk.

Reviews: Electric Guitar and Electric Bass Design by Leo Lospennato

2012
AL#109 p.61               
Veronica Merryfield                                                                                           

▪ A book aimed at the musician, the hobbyist, and luthier who is open to new ideas; divided into 6 sections on beauty, playability, sound, parts, materials, finishes, and completion.

In Memoriam: David Minnieweather

2009
AL#100 p.71               read this article
Veronica Merryfield   David King                                                                                       

▪ Remembering David Minnieweather (1964-2009) a bass maker and player.

Electric Bass Design Considerations

2009
AL#99 p.38               read this article
Veronica Merryfield   David Minnieweather   Harry Fleishman                                                                                   

▪ As a panel discussion at the 2008 GAL convention this must have been the one not to miss. As an article it is engaging and intriguing. Why do electric bass makers get to have all this freedom and the rest of us have to make copies of stuff that appeared before we were born? Bass players seem to always have had more open minds than other musicians, and these three authors have certainly pushed the envelope. With 47 photos.

It Worked for Me: Surface Plates

2008
AL#95 p.68      ALA2 p.39         
Veronica Merryfield                                                                                           

▪ Wired plate glass, typesetter’s tables, granite kitchen countertops, and gravestone engraver tables as cheaper alternatives to commercial surface plates.