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 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
