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You can view our archived newsletters
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2011/12 Luthierie Camps...F5/F4/H5/H4
Construction:July 17-22, 2011 FULL Oct. 9-14, 2011
April 22-27, 2012
July 15-20, 2012 Oct. 14-19, 2012
Tap Tuning:
Nov. 12-13, 2011
Nov. 3-4, 2012
Tools & Fixtures
Mar. 24-25, 2012
Please visit our website or email Kali for more information about these programs.
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Dear Luthiers,
I continue to be excited by the number of folks who have adopted tap tuning for their building process. As with all things, tap tuning takes practice, but as most builders have found out, it is not really as hard as it sounds. After you get the idea of what to listen for and how to set up and use your equipment, the process becomes almost second nature. Most importantly, the results are well worth the learning curve. If you are not yet into tap tuning, I do hope that you take the time to study it further. The key features about tap tuning are that it provides great consistency, ensures achieving the best sound from your instrument, it is easy to do, and it really works.
While on the subject of tap tuning, there's a video that you should watch. When I saw it, my first inclination was "wow, what a great demo for tap tuning." Anyway, I hope you enjoy this "Rube Goldberg" experiment in the woods here.
For those of you considering tap tuning software, we've learned from Peterson that there is a software bug that causes StroboSoft V2 to crash when used with the latest version of MacOSX ("Leopard" v. 10.6). Peterson is working on the problem, and we will advise you when the software fix is complete.
And, one more thing on tap tuning: We are offering a special blow-out deal on the Peterson Model 490 AutoStrobe Tuner this month. Be sure to check the promotional information at the end of this email.
We had the great pleasure of having Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen for a house concert on May 4th. His band is wonderful, and Frank is a super mandolinist. The turnout was excellent, and the band won the hearts of all attendees (which included serious bluegrassers and neighbors, who I think we quickly converted to bluegrass fans). As an adjunct to his house-concert program, Frank offers a "Dirty Kitchen Experience" in which he prepares dinner for the guests. Frank is a great chef and warmed the stomachs of our guests with an excellent meal before he and his band warmed their hearts with their equally excellent music. Frank also had the pleasure of playing Loar's Loar, and we caught this photo of him warming it up with me looking on.
I hope you take the time to check out our instructional videos on our Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. We're trying to produce these on a monthly basis (or more frequently if time permits) and hope that the content is valuable to you.
In our last email newsletter, I announced an update to the Lloyd Loar section of our web site, including a new page entitled The man inside the name, which addresses Loar's personality and character traits. The entire Loar section was revised, new content was added, and Rosemary did a wonderful editing job. After you've have a chance to read it, I'd enjoy hearing your comments.
Last, but by all means not least, if you have been giving any thought to attending our Luthierie Camp, our July camp (July 17-22) still has an opening. This is a pick-your-own Camp where you can chose to build either an F5 or F4 mandolin or an H5 or H4 mandola. If you have been thinking of waiting until our October camp, that camp is fully reserved, so the next opportunity after that will be our April 2012 Camp (which already has reservations). If you are interested in attending the July 2011 Camp, please contact Kali as soon as possible. Our Luthierie Camps are amazing experiences, and we hope to see you at one soon.
Thanks for building with us...
Roger
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String notches - what's right?
I continue to get questions regarding the correct spacing for string slots. My fellow lutihers (you folks) keep finding inconsistencies in both new and old instruments, and it stirs up a bit of confusion about just what is right.
Only a handful of manufacturers machine-slot their nuts and bridges. Most use hand-held string gauges (similar to our String Spacing Template) to mark the location of the string notches, and then file the slots by hand on the respective marks. The hand-fitting process ensures having the optimum action at the first fret. One reason for hand-slotting the space between strings and pairs - especially at the nut - is that all of these instruments are hand shaped and hand sanded, and while manufacturers shoot for close tolerances, the hand construction leads to minor measurement differences instrument-to-instrument. (This is not a bad thing, just the result of working natural materials by hand.) So, there might be a case where a nut is slightly narrower or wider, and the spacing for the string courses needs to be moved in or out just a bit.
For mandolin construction, most folks seek the "Loar spacing," but I wish I could say that there was a standard "Loar spacing." Here's a photo of two bridges taken off original Loar-signed F5 mandolins; as you can see, the string slot locations - the distance between strings of a pair and distance between pairs - on both bridges are different. And, when I compare these two bridges to the bridge on Loar's personal F5, all three are different.
Of course, it is highly likely that these bridges may have gone through adjustments by repair folks or owners over the years and very well may be different from Gibson's original settings. But, having compared many of the F5s over the years, I have not yet found one "standard."
So, this leads to the question, "How can our String Spacing Template be correct, and why are the markings different from what you show in The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual?" Good question! The measurements between the strings and between the pairs on our spacing template are an averaging of many instruments and is intended to give you the very best sampling possible. And, because these markings get transferred by hand from the template to the nut or bridge and then filed and cut by hand, there will be slight deviations when you are done. Basically, by using one of these String Spacing Templates, you will be preparing your string slots just the way the folks did - and still do today - at Gibson.
(Here's a quick tip on what I do to maintain accuracy: I like to transfer the marks to the nut or bridge saddle with a very sharp pencil. Then I use a .010˝ razor saw to cut into the line. For the first pair, I leave the .010˝ saw cut as the string slot, widening the upper edges very slightly with one of our "V" files. For the other three pairs, I cut the .010˝ slot a bit deeper than needed to provide an excellent open bottom for the "V" slots. Then I widen the slots with one of our "V" files as needed to set the action. In addition to providing a gap at the bottom of the "V", the slot from the razor saw helps to keep the "V" file on course as it files into the nut or saddle.)
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Product Highlights
 · Position Dot Stock Drill Kit - This hand/twist drill is a great addition to your finishing tools and facilitates the drilling of side position dot stock into the binding. Rather than drilling holes into your binding - and burning it - the drill in this hand-held tool is twisted into the binding for a clean, precise hole. The drill bit holder is fitted with the correct size drill bit to provide for an interference fit of the accompanying black position dot stock. Enough dot stock for 3-5 instruments is included, and we sell additional dot stock separately when you run out. Part #855 is $11.95 plus P&H.
 · Fretboard Cauls - Gluing on fretboards is greatly simplified with the use of our mandolin or mandola fretboard cauls. These cauls are machine-sanded flat and square and made from ¾" red oak, and they are profiled around their perimeter to the shape of the fretboard. Using one of these cauls on top of your fretboard will keep the fretboard square and also keep the frets from getting damaged as you tighten the clamps. And, because the caul is the identical shape as the fretboard, it is easy to get up close and wipe away excess glue that squeezes out. The F5/A5 caul is part #840, the F4 caul is part #841, and the H5/H4 caul is part #842. Each of these cauls is $9.95 plus P&H.
 · Peghole Drilling Guide - Having trouble drilling pegholes the exact distance apart and the proper alignment bass side to treble side? Our Siminoff Peghole Drilling Templates are precision CNC machined from ¼" mild steel. To ensure perfect alignment, the templates are the full length of the peghead and are shaped to the width of the nut at one end and to the point of the peghead's tip at the other end. The eight ¼˝ diameter pegholes are an exact 29/32˝ spacing, the correct angle from the centerline, and perfect lateral alignment for accurate machine spacing. These steel guides provide repeated usage without wear. We make three versions: F5, A5, and F4. The F5 template is part #1100 and is $37.50, the A5 template is part #1102 and is $37.50, and the F4 template is part #1101 and is $37.50 (each plus P&H).
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Luthier's Tip: Sanding the Tighter Spots
One of the difficult places to sand is the inside curvatures of the scrolls on F5s, F4s, H5s, and H4s. Part of the difficulty is getting the sandpaper to stay in the right shape so that it can apply pressure all the way through the opening. To do this, I've used heavy-back sandpaper like the material used for belt sanders, and I've cut thin tubing (like copper tubing or electrical EMT tubing) in half and attached sandpaper to either the concave or convex side so that I had a sturdy backing. 
Ken Roddick, our production manager, came up with an idea that is simple and appears to work quite well. He takes some adhesive-backed sandpaper and affixes it to thin plastic sheeting from plastic filing folders. The plastic is about the thickness of a business card but has good rigidity and holds it shape well. Then, he can curve it to whatever shape he needs and sand either the convex or concave shapes on the inside of the scrolls. It is a great solution that is inexpensive, quick, easy to use, and adaptable to any shape. Ken made up several pieces using different sandpaper grits, so he's ready to do everything from heavy cutting to fine sanding. |
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For tap tuning, a mechanical (spinning wheel) AutonStrobe Tuner is the ideal tool to use for accurately monitoring the sharp and flat qualities of a part. (We use both StroboSoft and a mechanical tuner during tap tuning; StroboSoft is used to instantly find the note, and the mechanical tuner is used to monitor the sharp/flat qualities.) In an effort to bring you great tools at affordable prices, we offer the Peterson Model 490 AutoStrobe Tuner at $639.00 - a steep discount from its $925.00 suggested retail price. From now until June 15, 2011, Peterson ElectroMusical and Siminoff Banjo & Mandolin Parts are proud to provide a special bonus 10% discount. That's a whopping $65.00 off our already low selling price of $639.00. This is one-time offer that you don't want to miss. To order your