I studied building with Lundeberg for 5 years and found his methods sound
and practical, if a bit fussy. Since then experience has tempered the fussy
aspects and smoothed my own techniques to be not quite so anal. It is, in
all, a more comfortable way to work. I've not audited the Van Edwards method
but reckon that any method which gives a student the confidence to roll up
his sleeves and cut wood is a good thing. Lundeberg's book is merely the
intellectual approach and should, like a good menudo recipe, be taken as a
guide line. Bob, for instance, didn't use enough glue in many cases in the
interest of neatness. It's not neat when a seam opens after a few years so I
make certain that my joints are fully saturated with glue. You can always
wipe it off. The final outcome is just as tidy.

Start cutting wood and you will learn.

Rob Dorsey
http://RobDorsey.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Murphy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 1:38 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'Troy Wheeler'; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Re: Lute - Baroque Guitar

Troy,

You have two good suggestions from Din and Rob. My lute is temporarily on
hold for medical reasons, but I invested in both the Lundberg book
"Historical Lute Construction" and van Edwards CD-ROM.

For Din, I only have two and a half years into my lute. A stroke two years
ago left me with the mold made, and the ribs shaved to thickness. Like you
it is a matter of belief - I'm scared to make that next step of forming and
shaping the ribs over the mold. Once I get that done I think the rest will
go quickly. The stroke is no longer relevant, now it is a matter of the guts
to step into the making of the body.

Troy, if you were to choose to buy one of the suggested instructionals I'd
spend the extra and go with David van Edwards CD-ROM - it is in PDF format
and you can print out the pages as you go along to keep them by your
workplace. The Lundberg book is excellent, but not quite as "step by step",
yet a good reference for the experienced builder of stringed instruments. 
I'm not unhappy to have both, but were I to do it over again I'd go with van
Edwards for my first try (I got Lundberg before I heard of van Edwards).

Best, Jon



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