Official Luthiers Forum!

Let's see. There was a request for a new thread about this, so here we go.

1st, Evan, LINT is the acronym which stands for Luthiers Interactive of North Texas. An attempt at self-deprecating humor, which has stuck. It's a regional luthiers' organization of mutual encouragement and education. Once a year a master's class is held, and a big name is brought in to lecture. Past presenters were R.E. Brune, Fred Carlson, Ervin Somogyi, Rick Turner, Harry Fleishman. This year's guest was Dan Erlewine.

Matt was indeed there, Bruce, and he brought an amazing archtop for the show-and-tell portion of the meeting. I'm hoping Matt will post pix...it was just stunning. AND, only his 5th guitar. If Matt ever gets out of the Army, I figure in 10 years, he will be a lutherie force in his own right.

Anyway, about Dan... What I gleaned from him was more than tips, hints or suggestions, though there were plenty of those. More like an attitude...an approach. He is thorough, careful, and if this makes sense, respectful of each instrument. He takes it very seriously. I'm a bit too cavalier, too "shoot-from-the-hip" in my approach. Perhaps too cowboyish, as if I've lived in Texas too long. Dan was like an attitude adjustment.
What we had him do was look at a number of instruments that needed repair, and he diagnosed them and then discussed how he would go about the repair.
I suppose one thing for sure that I decided to change immediately was my technique for drilling bridge pin holes. This is where I've been a bit sloppy in the past, but Dan encouraged us to back up the drill bit as it goes through the top/bridge pad so as not to mangle the hole, leaving blow-out on the inside of the guitar. Clean holes are in order, which are then further strengthened by running a Japanese Q-tip in the hole which has been soaked in CA. He likes to file a notch in the bridge and the pad which will accomodate half of the string, and for the other halh he grooves the bridge pin. The extra effort produces a needed grasp on the string which results in better tone.
And, the discussion on bridges in general was edifying. The bridge is the heart of the guitar. Dan told up he much prefers the use of Brazilian rosewood....He's an old Gibson fan, and this is what they used in their glory days.
Sunday was a resuming of things, though I could not attend the 2nd day. I'm told they did some refret work, and he demonstrated his neck jig. (Which I was most sorry to miss!)

Next year, if you're in the area, try to come to the Master Class. Though you might say you know all the above, yet hearing it presented and discussed by a true master was like a revelation.

Sorry to be so long winded.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Wow Steve, that sounds awesome. I have used both of those techniques before in bridge plate repairs and I am sure I got them from Dan. He is a genius. Glad you had fun!
Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Great info, Steve! 2 days with such legends would be a fantastic learning experience. Attitude and continuing to hone our "attention to detail" skills are a continuous journey.

I appreciate the info on the BRW bridge philosophy. I've gone that direction for the last 4 guitars and like the difference in mass compared to ebony. A few questions:

1) Does he drill through a bridge caul to help prevent tearout as well?
2) Does he use a 5* taper reamer after drilling holes?
3) What's a "Japanese Q-tip" and how does it differ from the regular ones we typically use for ear wax?

Thanks for the thread!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Steve, the archtop pics are on the way.

The second day of the class was great although I had to leave a little early. Dan showed us how to use the stewmac neck jig. Using a Taylor one of the LINTer brought in, Dan removed the first 3 frets, cleaned and prepped the fretboard and slots, prepared the frets using fret tang nippers, pressed the frets in, then leveled everything. Dan didn't gloss over anything, in fact he almost gave us too much info.

Anyhow, I'd like to thank Dan Erlewine and LINT for putting on a great class.

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

JJ,

1) He does use a caul to prevent tearout, all he said is he uses a new caul everythime.
2) He didn't mention what reamer he uses
3) The main difference is it is smaller and more tightly wound, so it doesn't fray like a "Q-tip". He didn't give a source of supply.

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Yeah, what Matt said.
Except, though, didn't he say his Japanes q-tips were from Japan? I thought that was the source.
Do we have any Japanese OLF members???

Group buy?

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve/Matt, thanks for filling us in on what happened!

Next year I'm gonna have to get down there.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Steve,

Thanks for the informative report! Yeah, I've met Dan, and he really inspires confidence in someone that's handing over his treasured guitar. If only all repair shops were that way.

BTW, I must say, "D'oh!!" in reference to the CA-in-the-pinhole trick. It's gonna take a week for the red spot to fade from my forehead!

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] Steve it sounds like this was a very cool event.

How many LINT members were in attendence? Also I picked up upon how impressed you were/are by Dan's respect for every instrument. Would you provide an example of what you mean here please?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

1) It was indeed.
2) Not sure what the total count was, but it looked like 35 or so.
3) Sure: Dan would go from one instrument to another, and no doubt have different reactions to each instrument, but in the discussion of "how to fix this", there was no note of sarcasm...no mighty guffaw over an obviously inferior instrument. If an instrument was worth $300, one would treat it differently than, say, one worth ten times as much, but all were treated as legitimate concerns. One member had brought an old Guild classical purchased off of E-bay, which was pretty beat up. Dan grabbed it and remarked over it how cool it was, how it was a successful line for Guild, and what a sweet deal the guy had gotten. To me? My untrained eye was unimpressed. I was thinking much less charitable thoughts. On this very instrument Dan was displaying a bridge removal technique with utmost care, the kind of care you hope your vet will exercise over your mutt when you bring him in.

Add to this the way he would clamp a guitar to the bench, and I felt like approaching the whole craft with more reverence.

I hope this conveys a bit of what the impression was.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] Yeah, what Matt said.
Except, though, didn't he say his Japanes q-tips were from Japan? I thought that was the source.
Do we have any Japanese OLF members???
Group buy?
Steve[/QUOTE]

Steve,
My wife is Japanese, and I have a house full of these q-tips Dan refers to. Their q tips are more compact and thinner, mainly because their ear wax is dry. Among Caucasians, a small percentage have dry ear wax(this is something I didn't know until I met my wife). But another note, you should get the baby Japanese q-tips, not the adult ones. They are smaller and thinner. Here is a link on
Ebaywhere someone is selling some. However, this has 1 side that is sticky, but still usable. This is about the right size I think. Anyway, maybe I should off them from my website as another product!

Sounded like a very good meeting, and I learned a lot just by your great review of the meeting. Thanks for the great tips!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Thanks guys for the info on the meeting.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

[QUOTE=LuthierSupplier]
Anyway, maybe I should off them from my website as another product!

Tracy[/QUOTE]

Tracy, that's a great idea. I would MUCH rather buy from you than E-bay. Let us know when you get them. And if I remember, Dan was stating that his supply was almost gone, and that he didn't know where to get more.
Go for it!

Thanks,

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Ok! I just put CA in my bridge pin holes!!

NOW! How do I get the freak'in pins out???

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Call Dan.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] Tracy, that's a great idea. I would MUCH rather buy from you than E-bay. Let us know when you get them. And if I remember, Dan was stating that his supply was almost gone, and that he didn't know where to get more.
Go for it!

Thanks,

Steve[/QUOTE]

Steve,
My sister-in-law is coming at the beginning of May. I'll have her bring me a bunch of them, and then put them up on my website for sale. I'll let everyone know when I get them. Great suggestion!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Ahem! Tracy, let me know first?

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

You got first dibs Steve
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Keep us posted as to when they arrive, Tracy...and of course, after Steve gets his share!

I have a feeling there's gonna be a lot of CA Q-tippin' goin' on with our next string changes!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com