This issues cover we see three views of an 1869 Francisco González classical guitar owned by Sheldon Urlik of Los Angeles, California. This rare example of González' work was lovingly restored to playing condition by longtime Guild member Jeffrey Elliott. Read all about it in this issue.
Meet the Maker: Ralph Novak by John Calkin
We take a look at the career of innovative electric luthier Ralph Novak, best known for his multi-scale Novax guitars.
Small Shop Production Techniques by Ralph Novak
Ralph Novak explains in detail his process of making guitar necks with simple wooden templates and a router table. His methods are adaptable to making other parts as well.
1869 Francisco Gonzalez: A Restoration by Jeffrey Elliott
Jeff Elliott did an extensive restoration on a 130 year-old guitar by Francisco González. He steps us through it with over forty closeup photos and a magazine-size version of GAL Plan #47 of the instrument under discussion, explaining his dilemmas, choices and techniques in bringing this important instrument back to playing condition.
The Hidden Gem of Thickness Sanders by Bruce Petros
Bruce Petros is a GAL member from a way back. Inspired by Harry Fleishman's review of two affordable thickness sanders in AL#69, Bruce tells us about the General 15-250 MI, a real heavyweight sander at a surprisingly low price.
Minotaur Guitars: An Experiment in the Staufer-Scherzer Tradition by Alan Bieber
And now for something completely different, we look at Alain Bieber's Minotaur guitar design, featuring double soundholes, cutaways, and an adjustable neck. It's not as way-modern as it looks. Alain ties the ideas in to designs by Simplicio, Stauffer, and Scherzer.
Audio Spectroscopy by R.M. Mottola
R.M. Mottola shows us how an inexpensive computer program can let us make useful audio spectrogramsand get a better understanding of what our instruments are really doing.
Slotting Fretboards by John Calkin
John Calkin takes us through his low-tech fret slotting method.
Calculating Soundbox Volume by Dave Raley
Here's a simple method by Dave Raley for finding the internal volume of a soundbox. Use it to make educated guesses about the likely resonance characteristics of the instrument before you build it.
Another Method for Calculating the Area of a Plate by R.M. Mottola
The author has simplified a computer technique for use with graph paper and pencil, and maintains that the system is accurate to about .5%. If you know the area of a plate you can figure out the volume of the soundbox.
Product Review by Fred Carlson
Ever wonder where that synthetic ivory stuff, TUSQ, comes from? According to Fred Carlson, it is sustainably harvested from plastic elephants by the rugged but gentle folk of Plasticland. In any case, he also gives us some useful info about how TUSQ compares to other materials he has used for guitar nuts and saddles.
CAD Notebook by Dana Bourgeois
Dana Bourgeois continues his series about drawing a guitar in CAD software.
It Worked for Me
Peter Giolitto shows us how to make a simple device for accuratly thinning veneers.
