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Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven
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The hands of Steve Grimes binding the John Zeidler commemorative guitar.
American Lutherie #74
Summer 2003

On this issue's cover we see the hands of Steve Grimes binding the John Zeidler commemorative guitar. Steve, along with other top luthiers have each taken on one aspect of the building process on this instrument. The completed guitar will be auctioned to benefit Michele Zeidler and their son Julian.
Robert Bouchet, Christian Aubin, Jean Lafon, and Andre Verdier Remembering Robert Bouchet by Philippe Refig
In his early days, Philippe Refig lived in the same neighborhood as the famed luthier Robert Bouchet, pictured here at the left. Philippe did not become interested in making guitars until much later, but he can still recall many useful and interesting things about the time he spent with Bouchet.
Inlay work by Harry Fleishman Guitar Tattoos: Inlay Harry's Way by Harry Fleishman
Harry Fleishman does everything his own special way. In this issue he takes us through the philosophy and technique of crafting “guitar tatoos” or as they are also known, inlays.
Mike Doolin's motorized dish sander. Motorized Dish Sander by Mike Doolin
Mike Doolin has built a simple and effective motorized sanding dish for truing up guitar rims prior to gluing backs and tops.
Steve Grimes in his shop. Meet the Maker: Steve Grimes by Jonathon Peterson
Meet perennial archtop biggie Steve Grimes, and follow his exciting career as he moves from Baltimore, to the Puget Sound area, to Hawaii.
Diagram on forces on archtop guitars. Forces on Archtop Guitars by Frans Elferink
Dutch luthier Frans Elferink gives us the math lowdown on the forces that act on an archtop guitar.
George Morris in his shop. Meet the Maker: George Morris by Ed Beaver
Meet George Morris. He has been a lutherie teacher forever, since his work with Charles Fox in the early '70s at GRD. He's still at it, teaching at his idyllic hideaway in Vermont.
Caricature of Hyper-Funk bass strings. A Cheapskate's Sampler of Tools and Supplies by R.M. Mottola
R.M. Mottola ticks off a list of cost saving tool and material choice ideas. He includes the cautionary tale of Hyper Funk bass strings, illustrating the puzzling power of marketing.
Workers of the Thanh Cam Workshop Meet the Maker: Do Viet Dung by Andy DePaule
Meet Do Viet Dung. Meet him in the pages of American Lutherie, that is. You probably won't be dropping by his shop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Dung, at center in this photo, and his father Thuoc, at right, run a shop making traditional Vietnamese instruments as well as hundreds of guitars and mandolins.
Mike Doolin's improvement on a side bender. Get Bent! A Versatile Shopmade Side Bender by Mike Doolin
While he was at it, Mike Doolin made an improved version of the familiar “Fox” bender. This one keeps the wood fully supported between metal strips at all times. It bends the wildest sides just so quick and easy, you'll think you've died and gone to Cremona. Now how much would you pay?
Van Eps fretboard slotting jig. Van Eps Fretboard Slotting Jig by Jim DeCava
Jim DeCava has the old fret slotting jig from the Liberty Banjo Company, and before that the Dobson Company, and before that Fred Van Eps. It's been in use for at least 100 years. It's a pretty slick design, and Jim continues to use it.
John Calkin demonstrates how to sand without changing the pitch of the guitar neck. Kit Review: LMI's OM Guitar by John Calkin
John Calkin gives the LMI OM guitar kit a thorough review, building, finishing, and selling a fine instrument. This is the less “serviced” kit. There's a whole lot of lutherie left in this one.
A router assembly rides on curved side rails to cut a dished workboard. Making Dished Workboards by Rodney Stedall
Rodney Stedall gives us a method for calculating and then forming a dished workboard of any radius.
A tracker remote switch. Tracker Remote Switches by Bruce Petros
Bruce Petros is a luthier from a-wayback. But he took a break in the middle of a long career to make pipe organs for a few years. Here's something he learned from the fine craftsmen of the 1500s: how to switch off the dust collector from the other room without running a wire.
A cork-lined pressure shoe is put on top of the bridge. Product Review: Bridge Pins and Tools by Harry Fleishman
Harry Fleishman reviews Stew-Mac's cool new BridgeSaver tool, as well as “fossil” ivory bridge pins from John Mickelson.
Peter Giolitto's jig for inverting a plane to plane small items. It Worked For Me by Richard Heeres, Dave Dillman, Peter Giolitto, and Eric Foulke
As usual, we find a few interesting gizmos and techniques in our “It Worked for Me” column, like this jig to make a block plane into a binding thicknesser.

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