If you are relatively new to luthiery, then you don't want to miss this presentation. Mr. Clark will share many of the things he has learned as a fledgling luthier that will make your life in the workshop easier and more productive. Tools, jigs, finishing tips, and general woodworking are some of the areas he will cover.
Jack Clark of JC Clark Ukuleles builds ukuleles, classical, and parlor guitars as an avocation, rather than as a profession. He is a regular contributor to Guitarmaker Magazine.
An Audience-Driven Open Q&A Period
David Nichols and Bill Tippin
Is there something you want to know but don't know who to ask? Or do you just want to "stump the luthier?" All's fair in love and lutherie.
David Nichols, president of ASIA and owner of Custom Pearl Inlay has been building and guilding stringed instruments for over 50 years. He is a master of his art and loves teaching it to others.
Bill Tippin of Tippin Guitars has designed, built, and repaired guitars and other stringed instruments for over 30 years.
Steam Pressing Solid Wood Archtops and Backs
Frank Finocchio
Frank has been pressing solid wood (not laminates) into arched tops and backs for 10 years. He has used the process to successfully shape ebony, pink ivory, maple, bubinga, koa, spruce, cedar, mahogany, rosewood and others. He will talk in depth on the process with a step-by-step slide show. Frank says it is a very green process, something that anyone can do with an easy to make form—but no press, and he will answer all the questions that he can. He will also have several guitars on display that he built using the process.
Frank Finocchio of Finocchio Guitarworks has been building fine guitars for over 25 years, specializing in acoustic flat top, classical and arch top instruments. Frank is also nationally and internationally known as a teacher in the art of lutherie and restoration.
Compensated Nuts—Achieving Nearly Perfect Intonation, Nut to Bridge
Bob Meltz
We’ve been compensating string length for intonation accuracy at the bridge since the early days of guitars. From slanted saddles to “tune-o-matic” bridges, adjustments at the bridge are part of the setup of any fine stringed instrument. Only recently have luthiers started to get serious about compensation at the nut. This workshop will focus on the importance of this compensation. We will do some nut swapping and listening tests as well as looking at empirical data, some of which we will generate at the workshop, to demonstrate the significance of this procedure. Installation and adjustment methods for a compensating nut will be covered in detail.
Bob Meltz of Bob Meltz Guitars has been repairing guitars professionally since 1977, including warranty repair for many major manufacturers. He has also built fine electric guitars and basses for many of New England’s top players, including a camouflage reverse “Strat” that was one of Joe Perry’s (Aerosmith) trademark axes back in the 1980’s.
Guitar Photography 101
John Kitchen
Why take a 50 cent photo of your $5,000 guitar? Learn how to use a $100 camera for professional results. Pricier cameras are welcome, but the focus of the class is proper lighting with no glare (or controlled glare, which can be cool for effects), proper angle and distance from your subject, and composition.
John will use shop lights, aluminum foil, felt and a few other cheap tricks for better portraits of your hard worked creations. You'll make great photos for your web site and client updates that are sharp and properly lit.
John Kitchen of I Simon Photography has been a professional portrait photographer for over 30 years. As a guitar player, it was natural for John to start making guitar portraits and he has photographed private collections, concerts festivals, and clinics His work has been published in Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle, and Guitarmaker magazines.
Guitar Photography 102
John Kitchen
So, you have an SLR and you are not afraid to use it. Pretty much like Guitar Photography 101, with better gear and better lights. John will share professional tips for the amateur or semi-pro photographer. Basic knowledge of manual photography and flash photography is necessary. An SLR or advanced rangefinder camera is necessary. John will teach tips on lighting control from multiple lights and reflectors. You'll get pro results from your gear for your website, great brags or magazine/commercial.
John Kitchen of I Simon Photography has been a professional portrait photographer for over 30 years. As a guitar player, it was natural for John to start making guitar portraits and he has photographed private collections, concerts festivals, and clinics His work has been published in Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle, and Guitarmaker magazines.
Photography Mini Studio
John Kitchen will set up a “Mini Studio” in the vendor area. At your convenience go to the spot to photograph the works of art you brought along. John will have lighting, a stand and background, with tape marks and notes to help you.
The Business Side of Repair
Erick Coleman and Evan Gluck
If you do guitar repair or have any aspirations to do so in the future, you'll want to attend this unique seminar. These masters of repair will cover topics such as how to run your shop efficiently, ways to get your name out there, how to deal with difficult clients, and when to refuse a job. Come also if you wonder about the importance of record keeping, what to do if you damage an instrument, or what does/doesn't make sense to do to an instrument in the scope of running your business.
Coleman and Guck plan to attempt an interactive forum during the presentation where everyone participates and is paired off with another member for a time to talk about their business, what they want to improve, etc. This can really shake things up as far as thinking flexibly about your strengths and capitalizing on them. It wil be a lot of fun!
Eric Coleman, co-owner of United Lutherie heads up the technical department at Stewart-MacDonald, is a member of their R&D team and co-writes write the Trade Secrets newsletter. Erick has also written articles for Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, Vintage Guitar, and Tonequest magazines.
Evan Gluck, owner of New York Guitar Repair, has been repairng guitars for more than 24 years. He sees over 1500 repair jobs a year in his Upper West Side shop, and says he is as proud of his business savvy and customer relations as he is of the work he does.
Harp Guitar Design: Past, Present and Future?
Rich Mermer
In this workshop we will discuss what a harp guitar is…and is not. We'll look at the historic evolution of the instrument, examining its family tree with all it's variety. We'll look at photographic examples of instruments from past makers such as Gibson, Knutsen, Larson Brothers/Dyer, Maurer, and Maccaferri. We will also discuss current trends in design and instrument construction, such as the use of alternative materials including graphite and Nomex. We'll finish up with a discussion of where this family of instruments might find itself in the future.
Rich Mermer has been designing, building, and repairing fretted string instruments since 1983. He usually builds 10–12 instruments a year, increasingly multi-neck and harp guitars. Rich has been published in American Luthierie, and has worked as editor of Guitarmaker Magazine.
Bending Cutaway Guitars and Ukulele Sides
John Hall
John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars manufactures and sells luthiery fixtures and jigs. In addition, he builds and repairs flat top guitars and manufactures acoustic guitar kits for the hobby market. He is an ASIA Board member and has presented several workshops at previous ASIA symposia.
Inlaying Pearl
David Nichols & Kiefer Sloate Dowden
Learn the tools and techniques necessary to start inlaying beautiful and intricate shell designs in your instruments. The emphasis will be on hand cutting pearl and using the affordable air router that has become the standard for hand inlay. You won't be a master after this demonstration, but you will have the confidence that you can do it.
David Nichols, president of ASIA and owner of Custom Pearl Inlay has been building and guilding stringed instruments for over 50 years. He is a master of his art and loves teaching it to others. Keifer Sloate Dowden works in David's shop and accordng to David, he is the best inlayer in the world. Period.
Introduction to Finish Repairs
Pat DiBurro
This will be a discussion of common finish coatings and techniques for blending in touchups. Topics will include the application of Nitrocellulose Lacquer, Satin sheens, Polyurethane, UV cured Polyester and Shellac. Selection of abrasives, buffing materials and finish prep will be addressed. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.
Pat DiBurro operates a repair shop in the seacoast town of Exeter, NH. He works exclusively on the instruments of CF Martin, Collings and Taylor, specializing in the restoration of severely damaged instruments.
Guest Speaker
Chris Martin IV
Yeah, that Chris Martin.
Concert
Laurence Juber
For more than three decades, Laurence Juber has enjoyed a career as a performer, recording artist, composer and studio musician. This wealth of experience has been distilled into his 'interactive concerts', which combine entertaining discussions of the acoustic guitar with musical performances featuring this member of Paul McCartney's Wings. For details, see this Symposium article
Friday
Finishing Guitars, Early to Today
Bill Tippin and Tony DiDomenico
This workshop will start with the earlier, more traditional finishes such as shellac (French polish), lacquer (nitro cellulose), polyester sealer under lacquer, to urethane, all the way through UV cure finishes. Application techniques and product recommendations will be included.
Bill Tippin of Tippin Guitars has been working with finishing since high school, dealing with antique restoration, marine varnish, aniline dye stains and—for the last 30 years—several types of instrument finishes.
Tony DiDomenico has been a guitar builder for over 20 years.
Mandolin Building Workshop
David Nichols and Mike Kemnitzer
A panel of top mandolin builders will discuss all aspects of mandolin construction and field your questions.
Man vs. Machine: Side Bending Competition
John Hall & Steven Kovacik
John and Steve Kovacik will team up to deliver this workshop on acoustic guitar side bending. The workshop will cover relevant physical properties of various tone woods and how these relate to bending. Steve will demonstrate bending by hand on a hot pipe, a traditional method used by luthiers for centuries. The benefits of hand bending for small shops will be discussed as well. John will demonstrate the use of a modern Fox side bender that is in use in many shops today. All aspects of machine bending will be explored and performed for workshop attendees to view up close. Various tonewoods will be used and several different sizes bent during this double-session presentation.
John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars manufactures and sells luthiery fixtures and jigs. In addition, he builds and repairs flat top guitars and manufactures acoustic guitar kits for the hobby market. He is an ASIA Board member and has presented several workshops at previous ASIA symposia.
Steve Kovacik of Kovacik Guitars and Fretted Instrument Repair has been building and repairing guitars since 1986. The focus of Steve's shop is the repair and restoration of vintage and collectible guitars. This will be his second workshop presentation at an ASIA symposium.
Vacuum Clamping
Sylvan Wells
Sylvan's lecture will include a demonstration of vacuum clamping a guitar top with all of its braces. There will also be demos of other useful ways to use vacuum in the shop. Learn what you need to set up your own vacuum clamping station.
Sylvan of Wells Guitars has built 354 guitars of all stripes in the last 33 years. He is a former ASIA Board member and a regular contributor to Guitarmaker Magazine and presenter at ASIA symposia.
Basic Guitar Design—How Not to Make a Wallhanger
Sylvan Wells
Learn via lecture and discussion, how to design a guitar from scratch. Most beginning builders buy plans or copy an existing design. This presentation will take you to the next level and give you the tools to you need to design the instrument you envision but have not built yet. The discussion will include scale length and its implications on the design, as well as the factors that you must address in order to create a real musical instrument that plays in tune, rather than one that is mainly suited as a wall hanging.
Sylvan of Wells Guitars has built 354 guitars of all stripes in the last 33 years. He is a former ASIA Board member and a regular contributor to Guitarmaker Magazine and presenter at ASIA symposia.
Vendor and Builder Exhibits
The Exhibit area will be open throughout the symposium, but there is a nice block of time set aside today so that you can browse the wares without missing any classes. You should see a vendor list here later, but suffice it to say the hall will be packed with more wood than you can use in a lifetime, more tools than your spouse will ever let you buy, and plenty of guitars that will let you size up the competition.
Guest Speaker
Ned Steinberger
Saturday
The Business Side of Lutherie
Paul Heumiller, Bill Tippin, Mike Franks, Scott MacDonald
The Panel will openly discuss business finances and marketing your work from the view of the builder as well as the dealer. They will also talk about how to buy rare woods, set up your business, and the do and don'ts of running your business, employees, setting up vendor accounts, and so on. You will have opportunities to ask your own questions of the panel, too.
Paul Heumiller is owner of Dream Guitars, one of the finest boutique guitar shops in the world. Dream Guitars offers the work of more than 60 independent Luthiers with a mission to help players find the right instrument for their music. For this panel Paul hopes to bring insight from the showroom floor and the dealer's side of the guitar world.
Bill Tippin of Tippin Guitars has run a successful business designing, building, and repairing guitars and other stringed instruments for 30 years.
Scott MacDonald of S.B. MacDonald Guitars has made a full-time living building custom acoustic, electric, and resophonic guitars for the last 21 years. He operates a busy repair shop, and has been a columnist and feature writer for several music industry magazines.
Lutherie Smackdown, East Coast vs. West
David Nichols & Ervin Somogyi
Actually, the title of this workshop is oficially "TBA," but would that have gotten your atention?
The inimitable Ervin Somogyi is a luthier of considerable renown, skill, and humor. In this workshop, he may just reveal his fourth rule for professional success.
Mr. Gurian will give a presentation on the construction of decorative strips & inlay with regards to alternative uses of materials not affected by the "Lacey Act or the Fish and Wildlife Act."
Michael Gurian of Gurian Instruments is a major supplier of custom parts to guitar manufacturers wolrdwide.
The CITES Treaty, the Lacey Act, APHIS, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: How They Affect You
Chuck Erikson, David Berkowitz, and George Balady
For those interested (and who isn’t?) in learning more about how CITES, the Lacey Act, ESA, APHIS, and USFWS regulations and enforcement impact everyone in luthiery, this special 3 hour seminar is for you. There’s a wealth of wrong information and misleading rumor circulating through the guitar community right now, which if followed, could get you into devastating trouble. Unless your guitars contain only plastics, fiberglass, graphite, and metals this isn’t a session you can afford to miss!
Chuck Erikson, the Duke of Pearl, has had to deal with these thorny laws since Hammurabi codified lex talionis. As a large-scale importer/exporter of shell products, the Duke feels your pain.
Custom guitar maker David Berkowitz recently endured the difficulties of exporting a guitar from the U.S. It was his call to action that got this topic added to the schedule
Guitar Building: Approach and Techniques
John S. Bogdanovich
The presentation will explore establishing a personal approach to building a guitar. Topics will include some of the skills necessary for successful guitar building for amateurs and professionals, how to get them, and use them to your advantage. Develop a building philosophy and direction based on your skill set and prior experience. Find the building techniques that suit you best, while getting the best possible results.
John Bogdanovich of JS Bogdanovich Guitars has been building mostly classical guitars for over 15 years and is the author of "Classical Guitar Making: A Modern Approach to a Traditional Design" John is a graduate of the Fine Woodworking Program at the College of the Redwoods under the tutelage of James Krenov and holds a masters degree in electrical engineering from Polytechnic University.
Guitar Bracing
David Nichols & Bill Tippin
This two-fer workshop will cover the earlier traditional bracing By Dave Nichols to a more modern approach by Bill Tippin. They will also demonstrate carving and voicing techniques.
David Nichols, president of ASIA and owner of Custom Pearl Inlay has been building stringed instruments for over 50 years and is a master of the bluegrass dreadnought.
Bill Tippin of Tippin Guitars builds three original designs: the Bravado, Crescendo, and Staccato, along with the more traditional OMT. Bill voices each guitar to suit the individual's playing style.
Uke Can Do It
Bob Gleason
Bob will use PowerPoint along with the jigs and works in progress he brings with him from Hawaii to teach ukulele building techniques, shop jigs, and the adaptation of guitar building skills to ukulele making. Making ukes is far less traditional than guitarmaking and allows the guitarmaker a new sense of freedom. Bob encourages builders to try new ideas in building and finishing techniques.
Bob Gleason of Pegasus Guitars & Ukuleles is an honorary lifetime member of the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii, and founding member and past president of the Big Island Ukulele Guild.
All about CNC: Past, Present, Future and You
Bob Garrish
Introduction to CNC—what it can do, what it's best at, and where it's going. Also how to design parts for CNC, basics of CAD/CAM, how to design for production and save on costs. There will likely be a walkthrough of what a shop or user needs to do go from a napkin drawing or sample part to something producible. A view of one shop's work-day on a new part, if you will.
Bob Garrish of Saint Lutherie was a trade mathematician who started building guitars while earning his Masters degree. He decided to 'go pro' and ordered a Fadal machining center. He then started making parts and tools for other guitar makers. Bob's work can be found on instruments by hand builders approaching the $15K range as well as on runs of high-end production guitars, thousands of instruments by now. Bob will be getting a Masters in Mechanical Engineering this December based partly on research he has been doing into new ways to make guitars.
CAD for Dummies & Smarties
Bob Garrish
Advancing to 2D CAD, where you should go from here, and moving into basic 3D CAD. This'll build on the 2D tools and show how to get working on your own designs, with best practices for things like working with splines and designing smooth curves. Demos will be done of modeling both a guitar neck and a Les Paul style carved top guitar body starting from physical measurements.
Bob Garrish of Saint Lutherie was a trade mathematician who started building guitars while earning his Masters degree. He decided to 'go pro' and ordered a Fadal machining center. He then started making parts and tools for other guitar makers. Bob's work can be found on instruments by hand builders approaching the $15K range as well as on runs of high-end production guitars, thousands of instruments by now. Bob will be getting a Masters in Mechanical Engineering this December based partly on research he has been doing into new ways to make guitars.
Become a Fixture Phenom and Toolpath Like a Pro
Bob Garrish
The densest fixturing workshop, ever. This will be an overview of a lot of different ways to fixture things for both manual and CNC work. Topics covered will include vacuum, permanent adhesives, temporary adhesives, manual clamps, and shaped stops. The goal is an overview of a large number of methods, which will give pros all kinds of new ideas and newbies a basis on which to Google their way to workholding heaven.
Part 2 of this workship covers toolpathing strategies for wood. This will be a very focused overview of efficient ways to machine wood quickly while being mindful of its particular frailties as a machined material. We'll look at necks, bridges, electric guitar bodies, and fretboards with the goal of getting those who have already started down the CNC road or are about the embark on it up to speed on current best practices used in factories and better shops.
Bob Garrish of Saint Lutherie was a trade mathematician who started building guitars while earning his Masters degree. He decided to 'go pro' and ordered a Fadal machining center. He then started making parts and tools for other guitar makers. Bob's work can be found on instruments by hand builders approaching the $15K range as well as on runs of high-end production guitars, thousands of instruments by now. Bob will be getting a Masters in Mechanical Engineering this December based partly on research he has been doing into new ways to make guitars.
ASIA Auction
This sounds like a good place to get high-quality goods at great prices. True, but it is so much more! By Saturday night, the auctioneers are still high spirited but sleep-deprived. Those high spirits are an absolute necessity, because ASIA never schedules enough time to auction the ton of great guitar goodies that have been donated. Before long the action gets wicked-fast. You'll laugh 'till you cry—partly because of the on-stage antics, partly because you can't believe the great stuff you snagged for yourself. Don't miss it.
“ASIA is an organization where you not only grow your skills, but grow your extended family. I have met so many wonderful, knowledgeable people through this organization.” ~Michael Dickinson, Martin Guitar
In this workshop we will discuss what a harp guitar is…and is not. We'll look at the historic evolution of the instrument, examining its family tree with all it's variety. We'll look at photographic examples of instruments from past makers such as Gibson, Knutsen, Larson Brothers/Dyer, Maurer, and Maccaferri. We will also discuss current trends in design and instrument construction, such as the use of alternative materials including graphite and Nomex. We'll finish up with a discussion of where this family of instruments might find itself in the future. 
Learn the tools and techniques necessary to start inlaying beautiful and intricate shell designs in your instruments. The emphasis will be on hand cutting pearl and using the affordable air router that has become the standard for hand inlay. You won't be a master after this demonstration, but you will have the confidence that you can do it.
Sylvan's lecture will include a demonstration of vacuum clamping a guitar top with all of its braces. There will also be demos of other useful ways to use vacuum in the shop. Learn what you need to set up your own vacuum clamping station.
The Exhibit area will be open throughout the symposium, but there is a nice block of time set aside today so that you can browse the wares without missing any classes. You should see a vendor list here later, but suffice it to say the hall will be packed with more wood than you can use in a lifetime, more tools than your spouse will ever let you buy, and plenty of guitars that will let you size up the competition.
This two-fer workshop will cover the earlier traditional bracing By Dave Nichols to a more modern approach by Bill Tippin. They will also demonstrate carving and voicing techniques.
Bob Garrish of Saint Lutherie was a trade mathematician who started building guitars while earning his Masters degree. He decided to 'go pro' and ordered a Fadal machining center. He then started making parts and tools for other guitar makers. Bob's work can be found on instruments by hand builders approaching the $15K range as well as on runs of high-end production guitars, thousands of instruments by now. Bob will be getting a Masters in Mechanical Engineering this December based partly on research he has been doing into new ways to make guitars.
