Search found 174 matches

by simonm
Sun Oct 30, 2016 9:55 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glueing on the Bridge
Replies: 16
Views: 14328

Re: Glueing on the Bridge

Look up Michael Thames you tube videos about gluing classical bridges with hot hide glue. If you haven't used hug, look up Frank Ford's hid e glue pages on frets.com. None of this is about clamping but useful. Make a caul from whatever solera or radius dish you are using when you glue the bar aces, ...
by simonm
Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falbo Intension Bridge
Replies: 92
Views: 93365

Re: Falbo Intension Bridge

frankfalbo wrote:... a patent troll ...
.... I really don't think there is any guitar maker on the planet that needs to worry about patent trolls. They are not interested unless someone is selling 100's of millions worth of some product per year in the US market.
by simonm
Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:40 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: help required.
Replies: 18
Views: 20623

Re: help required.

From the thread you mentioned above.
mickeyj4j wrote:I have a Greg Bennet Samick Baritone ukulele … This ukulele only cost me $150 NZD. (roughly $125 USD) so if i was to take it in would it be worth fixing. ....
Just getting the crack glued and cleated would cost twice that or more …
by simonm
Sat Apr 30, 2016 1:10 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: How real men glue up tops with hhg
Replies: 9
Views: 9849

How real men glue up tops with hhg

A Scottish maker doing his thing with hot glue. Jump to 3.30 if you don't want to see him planing the joint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYGJdSEnLaw
by simonm
Sat Apr 23, 2016 6:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Trevor Gore Course - Contemporary Guitar Design and Modal Tuning
Replies: 14
Views: 15562

Re: Trevor Gore Course - Contemporary Guitar Design and Modal Tuning

Trevor Gore wrote:
simonm wrote:Any hints as to where in Germany they might take place? Thanks. I will keep and eye on the thread in any case.
Likely to be determined shortly. I'll try to remember to post details, but remind me anyway! Thanks.
Any news on the proposed course in Germany?
by simonm
Sat Apr 16, 2016 8:18 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: How much time does it take you to build an Acoustic?
Replies: 12
Views: 13534

Re: How much time does it take you to build an Acoustic?

…. I visited his workshop last year, kid you not, he literally has 16 go bar decks. :roll: …. Sounds like enough for 200+ a year! However, I assume that the decks are model specific so it may not be "as many" as it seems at first. I think unless you can command superstar premium prices, a builder n...
by simonm
Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:18 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?
Replies: 5
Views: 7218

Re: Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?

Low action on the treble strings ... While the guy reviewing the guitar mentioned low action, I would not say it is as low as a flamenco. On recent guitars I tend to have 3mm-3.2mm on the treble and 4mm-4.2mm on the bass: essentially I set it pretty much as low as it will go without buzzing with my...
by simonm
Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:19 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?
Replies: 5
Views: 7218

Re: Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?

I don't have the guitar back yet so I can't make nice new pictures however I dug this one out. Any hints from that? Thanks guys. top_monday.jpg Edit 1. added some note values for peaks. 88 F1 (87.3) 190 between F#3 and G3 (185 & 196) 344 a bit below F4 (E4 329 F4 349) 416 G#4 (415.3) My tester was v...
by simonm
Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:09 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Advice on shipping my stash
Replies: 8
Views: 9945

Re: Advice on shipping my stash

... and the more plain dont care so much if get damaged on the outside, ... A guy I bought a fews sets from in the UK (shipping courier/post) put in a board of mdf to keep all from bending and no doubt to take the bangs. One each side might be an idea here. On the other hand if the company is payin...
by simonm
Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:46 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?
Replies: 5
Views: 7218

Improving treble sustain on a lightly built classical guitar?

A player who I respect a lot, and who has played a lot of top end guitars, has given one of my guitars a serious workout and given me the verdict. Here is an extract, slightly edited: soundwise it is a good guitar, I particular like the basses. With a pitch around f it has a fundamental tone, loud a...
by simonm
Tue Feb 23, 2016 7:07 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: What's on your bench?
Replies: 56
Views: 56343

Re: What's on your bench?

simso wrote: Hows this one then :(, according to the computer, I have 394 open jobs, ....

Now I don't feel at all so guilty about all the stuff I have lying round waiting to do. Thank you!
by simonm
Sun Feb 21, 2016 8:34 am
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: Ervin Smoygi Books
Replies: 17
Views: 20085

Re: Ervin Smoygi Books

I also have both sets. And am glad I have them. I mainly build classical so my "go to" book for quick reference is neither of these but rather Courtnall (Making master guitars). I like both sets. For my purposes I got / am getting stuff from both. My main regret with Courtnall, G&G and Erwin is that...
by simonm
Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:38 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: A laugh
Replies: 7
Views: 7747

Re: A laugh

Could be a great new sales point: multifunctional instruments. No tool kit should be without a couple.
by simonm
Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:38 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Just can't believe my eyes.
Replies: 10
Views: 13623

Re: Just can't believe my eyes.

Some years back we were in Tennesee visiting and went to Nashville for a day. I tried out a Gibson SJ in their "outlet shop" in the Gran' Ole Opry shopping mall where they have a small workshop behind glass. The SJ was in the $4k-6k region if I recall correctly. I was surprised at how poor it sounde...
by simonm
Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:26 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Just can't believe my eyes.
Replies: 10
Views: 13623

Re: Just can't believe my eyes.

Maybe chat with the owner before you do any work would be a good idea? Especially if you have any doug as to it being the genuine article. If it is the realMcCoy there will be a serial number you can check with the mfg.
by simonm
Sat Nov 21, 2015 10:54 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Shipping from Spain to Australia. Advice?
Replies: 6
Views: 8824

Shipping from Spain to Australia. Advice?

I was asked by someone in Australia for advice getting a guitar from Spain to Australia. The source is a small scale Spanish maker who unfortunately has no experience in shipping to the Antipodes. Specifically has anyone here received packages from Spain via the postal service? They Spanish postal s...
by simonm
Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:30 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Trevor Gore Course - Contemporary Guitar Design and Modal Tuning
Replies: 14
Views: 15562

Re: Trevor Gore Course - Contemporary Guitar Design and Modal Tuning

If the German courses go ahead, they will be in July 2016. The content will be the same as usual, but other than that, there's not much more I can say yet. However, for it all to happen, it will have to be fully organised by March 2016, so probably best to ask again around then. Any hints as to whe...
by simonm
Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:03 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue ?¿?
Replies: 39
Views: 35295

Re: Glue ?¿?

peter.coombe wrote:… The processing will kill off bacteria and viruses, but will not kill the prion that causes mad cow disease. ….
Which is why in much of Europe food grade gelatin today is actually pig based. Oinks aren't as "crazy" as moo-moos.
by simonm
Sun Sep 06, 2015 9:04 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue ?¿?
Replies: 39
Views: 35295

Re: Glue ?¿?

... While I use a commercial pot for HHG, I saw recently that several luthiers are using those wax heaters that are used to strip hair away for those so inclined. Apparently they can be bought really inexpensively, and don't get too hot, … I had a look for some on ebay. $15-$40 seems to be the rang...
by simonm
Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:32 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue ?¿?
Replies: 39
Views: 35295

Re: Glue ?¿?

I use both Titebond Original and animal glue. While I tend to say hhg, it is very often bone glue rather than hide glue. Apparently it is a bit hard than hhg when it dries. I am increasing my proportion of hhg vs titebond as time goes by. I still use titebond for centre seams and for binding but for...
by simonm
Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:39 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Global freezing
Replies: 15
Views: 20857

Re: Global freezing

The climate change industry is based on the pretty incomplete weather stats gathered in the last 100-120 years. Not much of a sample to base "scientific" predictions on. Not quite true.....climate change studies are not purely based on historical weather records. There is a host of other historical...
by simonm
Sun Jul 19, 2015 6:05 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Global freezing
Replies: 15
Views: 20857

Re: Global freezing

Giving this a bump. World population 3 billion 1959 6 billion in Oct 1999 Current about 7.4 billion, say 7.5 in Oct 2015 9 billion sometime between 2025 and 2030? With that kind of population increase CO2 levels don't matter a damn. Climate doesn't matter much at all. The half million or so migrants...
by simonm
Sun Jul 19, 2015 5:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: "Business of Lutherie" forum?
Replies: 58
Views: 50371

Re: "Business of Lutherie" forum?

No point me buying a Furryarri...the boss would destroy the clutch and rip the arm rest off the driver's side door on the gate post just like she did with the Mazda :? Well how about a Lambo then: timthumb.php.png http://www.lamborghini-tractors.com/en-ND/open-field/1464-mach MIght end up with a wi...
by simonm
Fri Jul 17, 2015 3:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Please help !!!
Replies: 62
Views: 53252

Re: Please help !!!

(…) Whilst I do not agree with crowd funding for startups in luthiery, it's s great way to build the business if you handle it properly. … The kickstarter was the solution: get a number of orders to create decent cashflow and workload, upgrade and purchase materials, stock and machinery to assist, ...
by simonm
Mon May 11, 2015 6:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: I'd like to try a kit
Replies: 17
Views: 13394

Re: I'd like to try a kit

Has anyone ever built a kit guitar? Can they be made into nice sounding/playing instruments? "A silk purse from a sow's ear" so to speak? Or a nice leather purse anyway? Or will it never be more than the sum of it's parts? When I took up instrument building as a hobby for the second time after a 20...