Guitarmaker Issue 18
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Stefan Sobell Guitar made for Martin Simpson
Northlight Photographic Studios
Cover photo of Stefan Sobell's steel-string guitar.
guitar, steel string
Letters
Jesse Merill, David Sloane, Rick Hoey, John Monteleone
Jesse Merrill suggests that A.S.I.A. could a logo. David Sloane (publisher of American Woodworker) gives kudos to Guitarmaker. Rick Hoey asks for lute information. John Monteleone mentions the Mutual of Omaha insurance policy to luthiers.
insurance; logo; Guitarmaker
Flamenco Guitar Sketch
Nicholas Clark
Picture this: "flamingo guitars." 1 sketch.
humor
Instrument Forgery
George Manno
Rails against luthiers who try to dupe the public with fake or misattributed instruments. Gives examples of forgers that were caught. With 1 photo.
forgery
Epitaph of a Forger
Tom Wenberg
Sidebar excerpted from "The Violin Makers of the United States," Discusses many of Tetto Gallo's shenanigains.
forgery
Member's Spotlight
Kent Everett, Bernd Krause, Ocean Zeny, Mark Giles, David Fink
Each author talks briefly about his luthiery. With 4 photos (1 from each author).
member; biography
Tips from Readers
David Fink
How to cut fret slots without math, using a fret ruler and a tablesaw cutoff sled.
fretting
Hostetter, not Hostetler
Matt Groening
Bart Simpson writes on the blackboard: "I will never again spell Paul Hostetter's name like Jay Hostetter's." Paul authored "Maccaferi Revisited" in Guitarmaker 17. 1 sketch.
correction
The A.S.I.A. Guide to Music Media
A list of 250 or so music-related or luthier-relevant magazines and publications.
sources
Sources
Seven sources for luthery-related supplies including Englemann spruce, a couple newsletters, guitarist stools, and mammoth ivory. With 1 photo (the stool).
sources
Identifying Mammoth Ivory vs. Elephant Ivory
Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory gives luthiers (and customs) a reliable way to tell the difference between legal and illegal ivory. With two sketches.
ivory
A Brief History of the Gallagher Guitar Company
Short history of Gallagher Guitars with a table of serial numbers, dates, and models.
biography; history
News
Novax wins a design award, W.A.R.P. sells some veneer, Fishman adopts eco-friendly packaging, and pickup designer Don Lace passes away.
obituary
The 1992 Peter's Valley Guitarmaking Workshop
George Leach
The author and eight others build guitars in eight days with Dick Boak and Bill Cumpiano (and a cameo from Bob Benedetto). With 2 photos.
education; workshop
A Brief Review of the Benedetto Archtop Guitarmaking Course
Bob Mokrycki
Bob Benedetto teaches his first pair of pupils. With 1 photo.
school
Ibex Plane (photo)
Captioned photo of Bob Benedetto's IBEX finger plane mentioned in Guitarmaker 17.
tools, hand;
Benedetto Calipers
Bob Benedetto
Plans for making your own thickness caliper. With 1 drawing and 1 photo.
tools, shop-built;
Symposium Repair Panel
Douglas Baldwin, Dick Boak, Randy Wood, Dan Erlewine, Bob White, David Shepherd, Marty Lanham, T.J. Thompson, Roger Sadowsky
Douglas Baldwin transcribes the lively repair forum from the '92 symposium.
symposium; repair
Guitarmaker's Gallery
George Manno
Eight unrelated yet interesting photos from luthiery past and present.
history
Some Basic Ideas about Spruce
Irving Sloane
Brief discussion of harvesting instrument-grade spruce. With 1 illustration.
tonewood
Suggested Grading Criteria for Spruce and Cedar Acoustic Guitar Tops
Bruce Ross
A specialty wood broker offers suggestions for standardizing grading criteria such as color, texture, grain, etc.
tonewood
Book Review: The Wood Finishing Handbook
The book isn't specifically for luthiers, but gives valuable finishing information.
book; review
Buddy Holly
Bill Bush
Reminiscences of a teenager listening to Buddy Holly and visiting his birthplace as an adult. With 2 photos.
history
Choke Coils: An In depth Look
Mike Metz
Discusses tone controls that use inductors (chokes) to make notch filters. Gives examples from Gibson Guitars and briefly covers repair. With 7 drawings.
electronics; guitar, electric
Constructing an Experimental LC Tone Control
Mike Metz
How to make an experimantal outboard tone control using an inductor. With 2 drawings.
electronics; guitar, electric
Rainforests and Indian Rosewod Sustainability
India's sustainable management of wild and tea plantation rosewood.
tonewood
Coming Events
Dates and info for A.S.I.A. booth at 1993 Winter NAMM, South by Southwest Music and Media Conference, Mittenwald 1993, and the Violin Society of America annual convention.
event; NAMM
Some Additional Thoughts about Choke Coils
Mark Herbert
Recommended values and a slightly different circuit for experimenting with the LC Tone control described on page 48. With 1 table and 1 drawing.
electronics; guitar, electric
The Viotar
Bob Schlink
The viotar is a headless electric guitar with narrow body that you place under your chin and bow like a violin. With 1 photo.
guitar, electric
The Secret of Stradavarius: A Pigment that Acts Like a Dye?
Michael Dresdner
An excerpt from "The Wood Finishing Book" perpetuates a rumor that UV light can differentiate modern stains from stain that Stradivarius might have used.
violin; finishing
The Dark Side of the Lighter Side
A column full of banjo jokes and suggested bumper stickers.
humor; banjo
NAMM Videos
How to get two NAMM videos on how to sell high-end guitars.
school; NAMM
Benedetto Cremona Archtop Guitar
John Levin
Photo of Benedetto's honey blonde Cremona guitar.
guitar, archtop