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Dear Luthiers,
Where many of us began.
I was reading an article by Lloyd Loar that appeared in the May 1940 issue of The Journal of Musicology, a quarterly publication from The Music Science Press of Greenfield, Ohio.
In the article, Loar speaks about an "adventure in musical psycho-analysis" and how as a young man his love for music was "awakened by the sounds of a symphony orchestra." He goes on to explain how for many years he tested his appreciation of music while in various physical states: being wide awake, being very tired, trying to sleep during a concert, and so on. The article is a rather exciting treatise on his appreciation for music in these very different situations.
Further in the article, he talks about his first instrument - the piano - and how it laid the foundation for what he did in his later life.
I often marvel at the piano's visual and physical organization with its well-laid out keys, and how so many individuals who began on the piano have gained a deep understanding of the expansive structure of the musical scale through this instrument.
And, interesting to learn that Loar's roots in music were not vastly different from so many of us who started with those white and black keys.
Thanks for building with us...
Roger Siminoff
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To hide or not to hide - that is the question!
Lots of folks ask about the use of hide glue, wondering whether it is better to use than other wood-bonding adhesives. The assumption is that if Stradivari and Gibson used it, it must be good.
Well, as I'm sure you know, the early luthiers used hide glue because there really wasn't a lot of choice. The adhesives we used today - cyanoacrylates, alaphatics, epoxies, etc. - just weren't around during Stradivari's or Gibson's days.
Hide glue is really a wonderful adhesive, but it takes a lot of preparation and upkeep and, at the end of the day, I'm not really so sure that it provides a superior joint from an acoustical standpoint. After all, if you've prepared the joints well and clamped the parts properly, you have about a .001" film of adhesive, and the physical bond between the two parts is well coupled. It's not like having a 1/8˝ gap that you've glued with silicone cement. On the other hand, if you have large gaps in places like head and point blocks, then hide glue would be preferred.
While Titebond® Original Glue and hide glue cure to a similar hardness, hide glue is definitely harder and more brittle. Titebond is ready in the tube and doesn't need the preparation, mixing, and attention that hide glue requires. Hide glue must be heated in a pot and maintained at about 160°. It is very liquidus at that temperature and begins to jell rather quickly as it both cools and sets, and it hardens after about 4 hours.
Both hide glue and Titebond Original Glue can be softened with warm water and a heated spatula if you have the need to take a joint apart. (Do not use Titebond II or Titebond III - they have entirely different working properties and cannot be softened. And, do not confuse Franklin's Liquid Hide Glue with luthier's hide glue - they are entirely different animals - literally and figuratively.)
Hide glue is made from a composition of dried horse hooves, bones, skin, and tendons; Titebond Original Glue is an aliphatic resin emulsion. Both adhesives have similar bonding and strength properties.
You have to work quickly with hide glue; a thin exposed bead of hide glue begins to jell in about 20 seconds compared to Titebond Original Glue getting tacky in about 3 minutes.
I'm not advocating one over the other - I'll leave that for you to choose. However, while I think hide glue is ethnic; I don't think it's essential.
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Product Highlights
· Engraved Tailpieces - We are excited to announce the addition of engraved and personalized tailpieces to our price list. These CNC parts, designed by Bill James, are available in both gold and silver plating with your name engraved in one of four script fonts on the hinged cover. For complete information, photos, and font styles, email us at info@siminoff.net, and we'll email you back a PDF price sheet with ordering instructions.
· Notebook from Lloyd Loar's Class - Many folks said they didn't see the earlier announcement of our latest publication, The Physics of Music. We have transcribed a student's notebook from Professor Lloyd Loar's last class on musical acoustics at Northwestern University in the summer of 1943. Includes scans of all original illustrations. 44 pages. Part #508 is $24.95, plus $7.50 P&H.
· Fretboard Gluing Caul - Here's a great tool to help you glue down your mandolin fretboards. This ¾˝ thick oak caul has been squared on its face to ensure the proper leveling and setting of fretboards And, it is profiled around its perimeter to match an F5 fretboard, so you can get up close to remove any squeeze-out (excess glue). Part #840 and is $9.95, plus $7.50 P&H.
NOTE: Orders combined with other parts or tools will have lower total P&H cost. Please consult the Order Form Page on our website for a P&H table . |
Luthier's Tip: Filling Binding Gaps
There are those times that fitting the curved corners of body and peghead binding leaves unwanted gaps between the adjoining white laminates.
If you are using celluloid binding, you can make a small quantity of "liquid binding" by scraping some binding onto a board and then mixing it with Duco Cement®. The Duco will dissolve the celluloid and you'll end up with a very small quantity of binding-colored paste.
Use the paste as you glue your binding's points together, allow the excess to ooze out, let it cure, and scrape it flush as you scrape your binding.
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Product of the Month: ProSeries Drawing Master Set
Our ProSeries Drawing Master Set includes four sets of full-size drawings including the F5, F4, and A5 mandolins, and the H5 mandola. Each drawing set includes about 19 drawings. Our regular price for the Master Set is $109.95, and this month we're offering a $10.00 savings; the ProSeries Drawing Master Set for only $99.95 plus $13.50 P&H. For the month of June only. Limit one set per customer. |
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