American Lutherie #91 cover shows a 2004 John Monteleoone Grand Artist Deluxe mandolin colored green at the owner's request
American Lutherie #91
Fall 2007

Please do not adjust your computer monitor. It really is a gorgeous green mandolin by John Monteleone, featuring his SideSound ports.
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A guitar built by Jeffrey Elliott with soundports There's a Hole in the Bucket by Cyndy Burton
Cyndy Burton surveys the trend of adding small soundholes to the sides of guitars, mandolins, and even violins. She gathers input from Kenny Hill, Alan Carruth, Roger Thurman, John Monteleone, Mike Doolin, and Robert Ruck. The photo shows a guitar with pluggable ports that Cyndy made with her partner Jeff Elliott.
C.F. Martin IV Meet the Maker: C.F. Martin IV from his 2005 talk at the National Music Museum
Here's a guy whose shop has been running for 174 years. Yes, meet Christian Frederick Martin IV. He gives us the lowdown on his famous namesake, his own transition into the driver's seat, and yet another C.F. Martin on the horizon, his young daughter Clair.
A view inside a mid-19th century Martin guitar A Rare Glimpse Inside an Early Martin Guitar by Rob Hoffman
And speaking of Martins, Rob Hoffman gives us a look inside a Martin guitar that appears to be 150 years old.
A piece of carbon fiber taped that a bearing will run on that determines how doeep the router will cut Grading on the Curves by Steve Andersen
Longtime GAL member Steve Andersen spoke at our 2006 GAL Convention and demonstrated his method of fitting braces in an archtop guitar. He also showed off this crazy little machine for fitting the bridge to the finished top. Well, how crazy can it be if it works? Let's just say that it's “counterintuitive.”
Stewart MacDonald staffers. Left to right, Todd Sams, Don MacRostie, Erick Coleman, Al Rorick, Jay Hostetler, Dan Erlewine, and Mike Lindskold Meet the Merchant: Jay Hostetler by Jay Hargreaves
If you've been to a lutherie show you have probably seen the friendly face of Jay Hostetler. And if you have made a guitar in the last thirty years the chances are excellent that you have dealt with his company, Stewart-MacDonald. Whether or not you have met him in person, meet him in this interview by guitar and bass maker Jay Hargreaves.
Soundboard and partial side assembly of a broken Gibson L-00 flattop guitar Gibson L-00 Flattop Guitar, Circa 1937 by Kerry Char
Here's another close look at an old guitar. Vintage steel string expert Kerry Char presents a detailed plan of a 1937 Gibson L-00, GAL Instrument Plan #55.
Bruce Creps modified his Hitachi saw with a shop-made roller fence. Resawing Lutherie Wood by Bruce Creps
Want to get serious about accurate and efficient resawing? You have come to the right magazine. Bruce Creps shows us how it does it with a modified Hitachi CB75.
Front view of one of the purpose-built test instrument built by R.M. Mottola Sustain and Electric Guitar Neck Joint Type by R.M. Mottola
They call it “conventional wisdom” but sometimes it is more like conventional hearsay. What do you think would be the result of a controlled experiment to test the relative sustain properties of solidbody guitar neck joints of the neck-through, glued, and screwed varieties? R.M. Mottola gives us the news.
Paul Hill shows the finished frog of a violin bow Bow Rehairing by Paul Hill
Paul Hill rehairs a lot of bows. Here's a detailed step-by-step of his efficient method and simple setup.
James Condino uses a 1970s aluminum Westbend 5-cup electric hot pot as glue pot It Worked for Me by Benz Tschannen, Neil Peterson, and
James Condino
Next time you see one of these Westbend 5-cup hot pots at the thrift store, pick it up. It makes a great glue pot. James Condino tells how to do the mod.
A badly damaged 1919 Santos Hernandez guitar Questions Edited by R.M. Mottola
I am sorry to say that this is a genuine 1919 Santos Hernandez guitar. A reader asks if it can be restored into a valuable instrument. R.E. Brune and Jimmy Westbrook give him the sobering news.

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