FALL 2019
Meet the Luthier
Andy Bennett
Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut...
Jay Richard Ask-A-Luthier
Steve Mason The Neck Carve
Mike Nash
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Fall 2019
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Fall 2019
Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine
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Fall 2019
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2019 Fall Issue
Vol. 5 Num. 2
IN THIS ISSUE... 4 Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The editor’s comments!
5 Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut... Sometimes You Don’t
Duane M. Evarts, Editor-in-Chief of Guitar Show Magazine with Tim Reede of Reede Guitars at the 2018 Colorado Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Expo
Guest contributing editor, Jay Richard, discusses the difference between bone, plastic and composite guitar nuts .
I’ve lost count of how many time’s I’ve said... “No man knows what a day may bring forth”. Like most people, my journey in life has had its ups, and its share of downs.
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Recently, I scanned dozens of pictures from my Mom’s old photo albums. During that process, memories of growing up with my Mom, Dad, brother and sister were re-lived over and over with each scan. It occurred to me that even though my parents were neither poor nor particularly wealthy, I was blessed with family vacations, parties and many other great times, all for which I am very thankful!
8 Meet the Luthier
Luthier Steve Mason answers your questions.
Like my parents, I’ve never had my ship “come in”, I’ve never “won the lottery”, or received a fortune from some “distant relative”. But I’m still blessed having worked as a recording engineer/producer and getting to know some very talented people; been an on-stage performing musician; made a career as a professional broadcast engineer; organized a few guitar shows and now pursue my passion as an editor/publisher of this magazine. Through all the guitar shows and publishing of the magazine, I have made many new friends and acquaintances. And by your friendship, you have helped make me an even more thankful and blessed person as I continue this journey we all call life. In closing, I just want to thank all my advertisers, editorial contributors, guitar show vendors and attendees.
10 The Neck Carve Mike Nash shares his experiences as a professional luthier.
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The Professional Luthier Directory A list of verified individuals actively involved in the professional art of “lutherie”.
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Upcoming Regional Guitar Shows in the U.S. A list of guitar shows, expos and festivals… many at which you can pick up a hard copy of Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine.
Cover Photo - courtesy of Andy Bennett Guitars. Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine is published bi-annually and distributed at regional guitar shows, festivals, expos, by direct mail and better music-related businesses. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher. Advertising - Promoting your business to guitar-buying enthusiasts is critical to growth. Guitar Show & Custom Luthier is one of the best ways to help you reach your target audience in a nationally distributed publication. Information about advertising is available online at www.guitarshowmagazine.com
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Until next time…”play skillfully with a loud noise on an instrument of strings.” - Ps 33:3
The views expressed are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or staff. All advertising material is subject to publisher’s approval. Guitar Show & Custom Luthier welcomes, but assumes, no responsibility for loss or damage to any and all unsolicited articles, photographs or art. If you would like to be highlighted in a future “Meet The Luthier” article, contact:
Duane M. Evarts, editor@guitarshowmagazine.com WEBSITES / SOCIAL MEDIA: www.guitarshowmagazine.com
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Andy Bennett is a professional luthier located in Manitou Springs, Colorado who builds custom hand-crafted acoustic guitars.
Fall 2019
Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine
By Jay Richard - Luthier at Highlands Ranch Guitar Repair If you do find you need a new nut, you can shop around and find one that fits, plastic or bone, with or without pre cut slots. This is the cheapest way, but it is difficult to find one that fits. Regardless, the odds of the string depth being correct is unlikely. You should still have a luthier adjust the slots.
The nut of the guitar is at the top end of the neck, by the tuners, and holds the strings in place. They are usually white in color, or black, but nuts can be other colors. If you own a low end guitar the nut is usually, but not always, made of plastic. Higher end instruments, especially American made guitars almost always have a nut made of bone. Most often, cow bone. What's the difference and why is this important? Well, let's start with what makes a good nut. A good nut has slots the right size for the strings you use so the strings don't slide from side to side. Also, the slots don't bind the string from being too small. If you hear a 'tink tink' sound when you adjust a tuning, you may want to consider having a Luthier adjust the nut. Too big of a slot and it could impact your intonation from being accurate. Too tight and the string could bind in a certain spot and change when you pluck the string. Both can have a big impact on keeping your guitar in tune. Thirdly, a good nut will have slots cut at the appropriate depth. Too high and you have to press too much to make a note at the first fret. Too low and you could get fret buzz on open strings.
There's more to it than just the physical aspect! There is a huge debate on tone. Like many things about guitars, it's subjective. Guitarist go round and round and swear the tone impact of nuts is worth fighting over (almost). I'm sure there are professional musicians that can make a guitar with a plastic nut sound better than a professional guitar in the hands of an average player.
I personally find little tone difference between Corian and bone. To be sure, it's more expensive than buying one off the shelf, but the nut I make for your guitar will fit much better than any stock one you find, as I will adjust the nut to fit the nuances of your particular guitar while providing a much better tone ... (well, at least I think so).
All that said, I think there is some value in replacing a plastic nut. Plastic nuts are softer and won't last as long. Meaning, over time, the slots will wear, get loose and become a sloppy fit. A bone nut is harder and will last longer. However , there is a third option... COMPOSITE NUTS. I personally like Corian nuts. Yes, the same Corian that is used to make counter tops. I like Corian because it's not organic. This means that the consistency of the material and density will be the same through out the nut. Bone can vary and personally, I don't like the bone smell or the fact that, when sanding it, I'm making an organic product airborne. One interesting aspect of Corian are the color options. Some are marble-like and some solid colors. Aside from the color, I like the way it finishes. You can shape and polish it to make a spectacular looking nut. How can you tell what kind of nut you have? It can be difficult, but once a nut is removed, if there is any kind of evidence of being molded, like machine stamps or circular indents, it's plastic. In some cases, the nut can be hollow, which is prone to moving and wearing quickly.
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I make nuts from a square piece of Corian. After cutting out the appropriate size, I’ll sand and shape to fit, glue it into the guitar and then cut the slots. I am pleased with the results.
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With over 20 years experience in woodworking, Jay specializes in guitar and bass repair and has been professionally trained in the art of luthierie. Jay is the owner of Highlands Ranch Guitar Repair in Highlands Ranch, CO. - Duane M Evarts, editor
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Ask-A-Luthier
Answers to Questions on Stringed Instrument Repair by Steve Mason
Slight separation of soundboard seam... I lived in Lawrence in the late 70's and I remember your instrument shop. Yesterday I found your website and I was browsing your "Ask A Luthier" section. I've attached some pics of my little “triple O”, that I built about 12 years ago when I was building acoustics. It's a sweet player for a finger-style guy like me. I keep the guitar on a stand in my living room, and unfortunately the dry California summers have caused the soundboard seam to begin to separate behind the bridge. It's not too bad. However, you can see the finish (not the spruce) has cracked. When I put a flashlight inside the guitar, I can see light through the seam. Although the joint separated, there is no noticeable bellying on the top and no seam failure in front of the bridge.
I thought about cleating the seam, but that would be gluing the plate halves in their separated position. I read to 'put the guitar in the case with a humidifier to allow the plate halves to normalize to their original joint. Then work super glue into the seam. I'm concerned that this solution will leave an unsightly bead of glue on the face of the guitar. QUESTION: What can I do to mitigate any further separation? I call upon your expertise and I thank you in advance for your input - Denny Moore 6
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Denny, I don't pussy foot around with a humidifier in the case. If a seam is separated, I hang the guitar over a bath tub full of hot water, in a closed bathroom, with a bowl of water steaming on a hot plate. I jack the humidity up to 90% and leave the guitar in there for a few hours. I then soak the crack, from the top, with Hide glue, push from inside to pump glue into the crack and put a little extra pressure across the top with a bar clamp. The lips of the crack swell with glue and as they dry the crack pulls tight. I put on a few diamond patches, spruce, matching the top spruce, about 1/2" square by 3/32" thick, with the grain running at a 45degree angle to the crack. I use deep throated clamps, and super magnets where the clamps won't fit. The minute a crack appears people greet it by rubbing their finger across it, filling it with grey skin oils, so it is very rare to be able to make a crack disappear in spruce. You should use your case humidifier, and hopefully a whole house humidifier to keep your guitar in air no dryer than 35%. An 18" wide piece of spruce will shrink 1/8" when the humidity drops from 50% to 30%. Don't use superglue! It doesn't shrink as it dries, it wrecks any finish it touches and it is oddly weak. It is very strong when the joint is fresh but, especially on hardwoods, it seems to "work loose" so the joint doesn't last long. It also has a different refractive index than lacquer, so it can make a dark spot if it soaks into the spruce. Hide glue is the best, but its ability to grip and shrink can rip chips out of your finish, so be careful to get it all cleaned off before it dries. Don't be fooled by Franklyn Hide Glue, if you can't face cooking the hide granules. Use Tight-Bond or Elmer's Carpenters Glue - Steve Mason About the author: For a day job, Steve is a luthier: one who repairs, improves and creates stringed instruments. To make a guitar, he starts with a tree and carves away everything that doesn’t look like a guitar. He plays fiddle, guitar, bass, mandolin and sings in the Alferd Packer Memorial String Band: alferdpackerband.com. Steve also maintains a wealth of information of interest to luthiers on his website: ask-a-luthier.com Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine
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Meet the Luthier ~ Andy Bennett By Duane M. Evarts
Left to Right: Reed Munns, Andy Bennett, Monty Novotny, Barney Stucker and Reb Bennett
Below: Reb Bennett, Andy Bennett and Monty Novotny in front of the NBN Guitar Factory
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How did you become involved in the professional art of lutherie?
John Denver, many of whom showed up at NBN.
I began working for and learning my trade in 1970 from Monty Novotny at NBN Guitars in Longmont, Colorado. NBN was a small company in the late sixties, started by my brother, Reb Monty and Bernie Netteshiem. They had all been working for the Ode Banjo Company in Boulder and decided to start their own company building guitars.
At NBN, we built guitars for James Taylor, Paul Simon, Leo Kottke, Peter Yarrow, Levon Helm and a banjo for Steven Stills. Plus, more instruments for many other professional musicians.
Tell us more about NBN Guitars We built about 350 instruments in 7 years. The business never made much money...but we didn't care! It was all about the guitars, which were beautiful and ground breaking in their design. Colorado in the 1970s was a “go-to� destination for many popular musicians including members of Buffalo Springfield and James Gang, Elton John, Tom Petty and 8 photos courtesy of NBN Guitars Historic
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Paul Simon used his NBN 12 String on the Rhymin' Simon album. In the auction for the personal effects of the late Elvis Presley was his prized NBN Limited Edition guitar. Catering to the greats created many fond memories for the Bennett brothers. What did you do after NBN? After NBN, I was hired by Guild Guitars in Westerly, Rhode Island. My first year was spent designing and building prototype electric guitars. I then managed their neck department for a little over two years and then their body department for two years. Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine
I also did a lot of jig and process design as well as maintenance. This was a great experience for me, at a major guitar company, that had outstanding craftsmen. It taught me a lot about the construction of steel string, classical, electric, bass and jazz guitars. But you left the management position at Guild - Why? I moved back to the Boulder, Colorado area around 1984, to raise my family… I worked in furniture and architectural mill shops until 2005 when I was given the chance to design and build my own guitars under the Cripple Creek name for the Dulcimer Shop in Manitou Springs. I built about 60 instruments over 10 years… also doing a lot of repair work… which I consider critical to learn more about sound and construction of stringed instruments. The Dulcimer Shop closed down in 2015 and I moved all my tools and wood into my garage. I’m still doing a lot of repair and setup work as well as building custom instruments.
How many guitars now do you make each year? I currently build 6-8 instruments a year. It all depends on how much other work comes in. I generally like to build two guitars at a time. My guitars are in the $3000 to $6500 range and have been shipped all over the United States and Europe as well. Because I find immense satisfaction in this work, I will continue to build as long as I can. Working with wood and listening to the music that comes from players who enjoy these instruments is the best possible world for me.
What makes an Andy Bennett guitar better than your competition? I've played guitar for 57 years...so I have a pretty good understanding of sound and playability. I have been developing a new bent bracing design for my instruments that produces a well balanced tone with power and clarity… but I also build with standard bracings, depending on the sound the customer wants. The woods used for building instruments are the most pleasing and mysterious part of this work...gorgeous woods from all over the world that produce different sounds. I feel very lucky to be able to work with these different species. I’ve also worked with Randy Reynolds, from 2005 to 2018, helping to build his world class nylon string guitars.... classical and flamenco. The experience from Randy's shop has increased my understanding of the classical world of guitars and taught me how to build them with the attention to the details important to that genre. www.GuitarShowMagazine.com
Fall 2019
I first met Andy Bennett at the Rockin’ the Rockies Guitar Show in Longmont, CO. Andy has participated at almost every Colorado Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Expo since 2013. After picking up and playing one of his new guitars at the last show, I knew that I would be writing a “Meet The Luthier” article about him and his “incredibly voiced”, and uniquelydesigned guitars. - Duane M Evarts, Editor
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By Mike Nash, Luthier & Owner of Alien Guitar Factory
This time, I discuss some of my personal preferences, as well as hints and tips on carving a guitar neck
The back of your guitar neck is where your hand will be sliding back and forth for the life of the instrument. And when comfort is involved, there are more opinions on what’s “best” than there are settings on a sleep number bed. Many “vintage” (old) players more often prefer the thicker or “V” shape, while the “Metal-head” (Me, but also old), will prefer an Ibanez Wizard or an ultra-thin Jackson style. Methods of carving will also vary, but for our purposes today, most formfactors can be achieved with a few basic hand tools... and perhaps less time and headache than you think. This article assumes you have tapered your neck blank properly before this step. I personally chose to carve the necks on my first few builds “from the hip” meaning, I did not use a template to carve, but only based my guidelines
on the feel that I wanted, without exceeding structural and dimensional standards. But honestly, it is a better policy to create a couple templates, and copy an existing neck type that you or your client prefers. Taking 4 pieces of 3x5 scrap material (MDF, plywood or particle board), we first create two little “archways” that are larger than your neck by an half-inch or so. I like to use plumber’s putty for this next step, but you can use other similar stuff. Apply a thick, even bead of the putty to the inside of the arch on both of these first two pieces. Gently press the putty filled arches over the back of the neck at the 1st and 12th frets. While the arch is in place, use a guitar string or other wire to trim the excess “clay” squished from the sides, and gently remove the template from the neck without misshaping the putty. Now use these to place over your other two pieces of template material, and trace the impressions you made. Cut them out, and you have your neck shape. We’ll be carving the neck with a good rasp file. At the first and 12th frets, we
begin to carve out an area about 2-½ to 3-½” wide, using the appropriate template at each location, until both areas have their intended shapes carved in them. Now it’s time for the spoke shave tool. The spoke shave is based on planers and draw-knives. I hope your iron is sharp and you’re wearing deodorant. The goal here is to connect the two areas in a seamless fashion. I like to take the sharp corners off at a 45 degree angle. I start on one side, carve until the angle I created is about ½” wide, and then switch to the other side and imitate the same cut. I’ve created new corners in the process, and then I will carve all four of those in similar fashion. Carving a half inch wide path each time, imitating the left side to the right, etc. This method also keeps you in check, if you’re carving “from the hip” without templates; but you will need to double-check that you don’t carve the neck too thin and expose your truss rod from the back, thus creating expensive firewood. You can use the rasp instead of a spoke shave for the entire carve. But if you’re taking off a “chip” instead of dust, you are going much faster. Once you’re within a reasonable rough range of your goal, you can sand the entire area to shape, not exceeding 320 grit before finish. Editor - Mike Nash rediscovered an interest he had from his youth, in how electric guitars were made. He decided to become a student of lutherie at Red Rocks Community College. He now builds custom guitars under the name “Alien Guitar Factory” based in Castle Rock, Colorado. For more information about Mike’s current projects and available instruments, contact him at: alienguitarfactory@gmail.com or look up Alien Guitar Factory on Facebook.
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Fall 2019
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Get listed in our Professional Luthier Directory! For more info visit: guitarshowmagazine.com/advertisers.html
ARIZONA Lund Guitars - Chandler, AZ lundguitars.com
FLORIDA (cont.) Virgil Guitars - Tampa, FL virgilguitars.com
OHIO McKnight Guitars - Morrel, OH mcknightguitars.com
CALIFORNIA California Guitars - Belmont, CA calguitars.com
GEORGIA Baruke Guitars - Gainesville, GA barukeguitars.com
Rhinehart Guitars of Athens, Ohio - Athens, OH fishguitar.com
Luttrell Guitarworks - Petaluma, CA http://sfguitarworks.com/
IDAHO Tonedevil Guitars - Sandpoint, ID tonedevilharpguitars.com
COLORADO Alien Guitar Factory - Castle Rock, CO Search on Facebook Andy Bennett Guitars - Manitou Springs, CO https://reverb.com/shop/vital-sounds-ltd August Guitars - Loveland, CO Augustguitars.com Blindworm Guitars - Colorado Springs, CO blindwormguitars.com Castle Creek Guitars - Gunnison, CO castlecreekguitars.com Conery Guitars - Boulder, CO coneryguitars.com
ILLINOIS Vibrance Guitars - Danville, IL vibranceguitars.com INDIANA RockRabbit Guitars - Valparaiso, IN rockrabbitguitars.com IOWA Tree Guitarworks - Des Moines, IA treeguitarworks.com/home.html KANSAS Steve Mason Luthiers and Violin Shop - Lawrence, KS ask-a-luthier.com
OREGON Cerny Guitars - Bend, OR Cernyguitars.com PENNSYLVANIA Beardly Customs - Washington, PA beardlycustoms.com Bucks County Folk Music Shop - New Britain, PA buckscountyfolkmusic.com Naugler Guitars - Green Lane, PA nauglerguitars.com RHODE ISLAND Holcomb Guitars - Providence, RI holcombguitars.com TEXAS David Newton Guitars - Beaumont, TX davidnewtonguitars.squarespace.com
MASSACHUSETTS Forbidden Fruit Guitars - Cambridge, MA forbiddenguitars.com
Shaw Handcrafted Guitars - Waco, TX shawguitars.com
Guitar Repair Doc - Franktown, CO guitarrepairdoc.com
MISSOURI DJP Guitars - St. Louis, MO djpguitars.com
UTAH Joe's Guitars - Sandy, UT joesguitars.com
Highlands Ranch Guitar Repair - Highlands Ranch, CO highlandsranchguitarrepair.com
Franklin Guitar Company - Rocheport, MO franklinguitarcompany.com
KSM Guitars - Logan, UT ksmguitars.com
O'Brien Guitars - Parker, CO obrienguitars.com
MINNESOTA Tim Reede Custom Guitars - Minneapolis, MN reedeguitars.com
Steve Fischer Guitars - Cedar City, UT stevefischerguitars.com
Del Toro Guitars - Denver, CO deltoroguitars.com
Victor Guitar - Denver, CO victorguitar.com Xentric Guitars - Windsor, CO xentricguitars.com CONNECTICUT Occhineri Guitars - Bloomfield, CT occhineri.com Stol Guitars - Guilford, CT stolguitars.com FLORIDA D Guitars Miami, LLC - North Miami Beach, FL dguitarsandlutherie.vpweb.com/
NEW HAMPSHIRE King Blossom Guitars - Grantham, NM kingblossomguitars.com NEW MEXICO Longbow Guitars - Rio Rancho, NM http://longbowgtr.wixsite.com/john-longbow-designs NEVADA Galaxy Guitar Products USA, LLC - Las Vegas, NV galaxyguitar.com Vegas Guitars Custom Shop - Las Vegas, NV vegasguitars.com
Glen Perry Guitars - Miami, FL glenperryguitars.com
NEW YORK Guitar Specialists Inc. - Goldens Bridge, NY guitarspecialist.com
Lowe Custom Guitars - Oldsmar, FL lowecustomguitars.com
H.F. Eibert Stringed Instruments - Syracuse, NY https://www.facebook.com/HarpUke.and.More/
Sam's Quality Guitar Repair - Ocala, FL https://www.facebook.com/SamsQualityGuitarRepair
NORTH CAROLINA Koback's Custom Guitars - Claremont, NC https://www.facebook.com/KobacksCustomGuitars
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VIRGINIA Hawkins Guitar - Virginia Beach, VA hawkinsguitar.com WASHINGTON Bright Guitars - Bellingham, WA brightguitars.com Stehr Guitars, LLCs - Spokane, WA stehrguitars.com Stuart Keith Guitars - Nine Mile Falls, WA Find on Facebook WEST VIRGINIA Agape Guitars - Morgantown, WV agapeguitars.com WISCONSON Petros Guitars - Kaukauna, WI Petrosguitars.com CANADA MacPherson Guitars - Penticton, BC macphersonguitars.com
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Sunday, June 23 - Hilliard, OH - Summer Ohio Guitar Show http://www.ohioguitarshow.com Saturday, June 29 - Parker, CO - Colorado Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Expo http://guitarshowmagazine.com/coloradoexpo.html Saturday/Sunday, June 29-30 - Mount Clemens, MI - Michigan Guitar Show http://www.gordysmusic.com/guitar-show.html Sunday, June 30 - Cheektowaga, NY - Cheektowaga Guitar Show & Swap https://www.facebook.com/guitarshowandswap Sunday, July 21 - Portage, IN - Northwest Indiana Music Swap https://www.facebook.com/nwiswapmeet Friday/Saturday/Sunday, August 9-11 - Copper Mountain, CO - Guitar Town https://copperguitartown.com Saturday/Sunday, August 10-11 - Grayslake, IL - Chicagoland Vintage Guitar Show https://www.zurkopromotions.com/chicago-vintage-guitar-drum-record-show Saturday/Sunday, September 7-8 - Red Wing, MN - Great River Guitar Show https://greatriverguitarshow.com Friday/Saturday, September 20-21 - New Braunfels, TX - San Antonio Guitar Show http://www.jukejoint.com/saguitarshow.htm Friday/Saturday, October 4-5 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Capital Region Guitar Show http://saratogaguitar.com/guitarshow Sunday, October 6 - Kent, WA - Seattle Tacoma Guitar Show https://www.facebook.com/seatacguitarshow Saturday, October 12 - Walker, MI - West Michigan Musicians Swap Meet https://www.facebook.com/westmichiganmusicianswap Sunday, October 13 - Tallmadge, OH - GUITARFEST https://guitarfestohio.com/ Friday/Saturday/Sunday, November 8-10 - Lewisville, TX - Lewisville Gear Swap http://metroguitarshows.com/index.html Sunday, November 17 - Portland, OR - Rose Quarter Guitar Festival https://rosequarter.com/event/guitarfest
For more information about any of these and other upcoming shows visit: www.guitarshowmagazine.com Not all events listed are distribution partners of Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Magazine. Thank you to all the event organizers that do share this magazine with their attendees and other guitar enthusiasts across the nation! 14 Fall 2019
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