I agree. The best way to learn how to make a lute is to make a
lute. And then make another. I'm on my fifth, and looking back at
the previous four I can see a steady progression as I got comfortable
with the process and developed my skills. I'm hoping I'll see more
of that progression when I'm done with the fifth one.
And I also agree about the glue. I had problems with the first three
lutes with the bridge coming off. I got pretty good at re-attaching
them, but that's not exactly something to be proud of. On the
fourth, I finally used the method that David Van Edwards apparently
advocates (I've heard this from others, not from DVE) and
deliberately applied and removed the bridge a couple of times to
build up a saturated joint. This one is holding nicely. And as Rob
says, you can always remove the excess, especially if it's still in
the jello phase.
Tim Motz
On Dec 2, 2007, at 8:35 AM, Rob Dorsey wrote:
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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