Long-time GAL member Jim Flynn published this book in 1984. It has been out of print for years, and Mr. Flynn has given permission for it to be offered as a free download here on the GAL web page. The material in this book will be helpful to those wishing to build an instrument from Mr. Flynn's balalaika plan, which we offer as GAL Instrument Plan #25.

Building the Balalaika
Download Jim Flynn's Book “Building the Balalaika” (this is a 4meg pdf file)
(right click with your mouse button and save as or save target as)

Tuning
We have had requests for our old Data Sheet 45, which we just called “Tuning.” It is a simple description of how to tune your guitar to make the best compromise out of the impossibility of making equal temperament produce pure intervals. Almost all of our Data Sheets found their way into our various books. This one did not, for a couple reasons. Firstly, it is not really about lutherie. Secondly, we don't even know who wrote it. Anyway here it is. Knock yourself out. Download pdf of Data Sheet 45, or download a jpg of Data Sheet 45, pg 1, pg 2.

Free American Lutherie Articles
Here's John Calkins article entitled “Searching for Blue Significance”.

Here's Nicholas Von Robison's article entitled “Floyd”.

Bruce Harvie's Convention Lecture entitled “Woodchopper's Ball”

Ted Davis Thickness Sander
Here is Ted Davis's Precision Thickness Sander (this s a 4 meg pdf file) as presented in our book Lutherie Tools, pg. 80. Ted passed away in 2008 and we are presenting his thickness sander exactly as he sent it to us in 1982. Page 11 has been incorporated with Page 1.