American Lutherie #134
Summer Issue 2018
Web Extras

Page 4 - Happy 85th Birthday, Maestro José! by Mónica Esparza
The 1768 Francisco Sanguino vihuela in Jose’s private collection. A simple vihuela made by Jose, based on the Sanguino. With Stefano Grondona.
Josep Melo examines “Rosa,” the guitar Jose made for his sister Mónica Esparza, José Romanillos, and Marian Winspear Harris outside José and Marian’s home in Guijosa, Spain, in November 2015. Label of “La Medio Siglo” (The Half Century), a guitar that José made in 2012 to mark José and Marian’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. Jose (far left) and family.
Marian and Jose, Falkland Road, London. Dedication to Jose from Julian Bream, 1970 Julian Bream, José, and Liam at Broad Oak. Crafts Council tour, 1979. José in 2004. Photo by Paula Montívez.
Jose Romanillos at the 1995 GAL Convention, with Eric Meyer. With R.E. Brune. With Kenny Hill and Marian Winspear Harris. With (from left) Gabor Schoffer, Anna Laura Robertson, Carme, and Josep Melo. With Jeff Elliott.
With Tom Blackshear. With Paul Gudelsky, examining a guitar by Jimmy D’Aquisto. With Robert Ruck.
Lecturing at the 1995 GAL Convention.
       
Top bracing workshop at the 1995 GAL Convention.
   
With Brent Benfield. With Noah Peacock.    
     

(From AL#120)
This guitar belongs to Mónica Esparza, who explains that José gave Josep Melo this set of cypress and on one of the sides wrote a poem (somewhat difficult to read due to the rough-sawn surface) dedicated to the Melos and their black dog (formerly “Negreros,” currently answers to “Fosc”), a very special beast which José and Marian Romanillos also gave to Josep and Carme. When Josep used the cypress, he copied José’s poem onto the smooth interior of the finished side. Mónica’s translation is:

I am a luthier
Small and determined
like a warrior
I say hello
and hurrying along
I remember you
with a smile
of an improvising dreamer.

For the Melos
and “Negreros”
J.L. Romanillos
Guijosa 2009

Page 16 - Warmoth Guitar Products in the 21st Century
A Visit with Ken Warmoth by Tim Olsen
Spoilers for holding many different configurations of necks.   Shaping the back of the necks by CNC. Gluing pre-bent veneer to the peghead.
Clamps for gluing scarfed pegheads. Bass necks with truss rods and steel bars. Note the bass fretboard that has been relieved on the back to accommodate the truss rod. templates for rough-sawing neck blanks from planks.
final sanding necks on downdraft tables body face veneers Routing a painted body. close view of tiny CNC making compensated nuts  
Page 34 - Seeking Quality and Consistency in Classical Guitar Sound by Greg Byers
     
Test setup at the 2017 GAL Convention. Byers guitar and Lexan hammer.      
Page 42 - Let's Catch up with Harry Fleishman by Michael Bashkin
2001 GAL Convention. Harry with Steve Klein. With Richard Glick. With Robert Benedetto and Ken Goodwin. Showing his harp guitar to Fred Carlson. With Todd Brotherton
       
2004 GAL Convention. Harry facilitates the steel string listening session.      
Puzzle Fun: How many of these 2004 GAL Convention steel string listening session participants can you identify?
   
2006 GAL Benefit Auction - Harry and a few of his past students. Harry at the 2014 GAL Convention, with Jay Hostettler. 2017 GAL Convention: Introducing Michael Bashkin at Michael’s lecture.
In 2013 Harry began what he calls the “Cluck for Their Lives” project, a performance art piece to raise awarness in favor of free-range chicken ranching practices. Harry pledged not be seen in public for six years, except while doing the Funky Chicken. These photos show that all during our 2014 and 2017 GAL Conventions, Harry performed the Funky Chicken at all times. We applaud his tenacious commitment to principle. It can’t be easy.
Free Range Guitars interior Harry with the big Guy. Avian guitars Sankok factory. Notice the sheet metal shack which constitutes the fourth storey. Say hello to Kirkland and Timbre. They are friends and customers of Harry Fleishman. If you are waiting for a punchline, or more to the story, there is none. Keanu Reeves with a Jackson Antigravity bass.
       

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