Fellowship of European MAGAZINE Luthiers Published by the Fellowship of European Luthiers Magazine for luthiers, designers and lovers of stringed musical instruments Number 6 - 2014 / I

blank1 Page intentionally left blank EDITORIAL

Here we go again

his adventure called SUSTAIN begins ades, and others just discovered this fascinat- its second year. Two things made it ing world. Many of you like working amidst T possible: the sawdust; others prefer the artistic side of 1) Our readers’ support. Your letters, com- lutherie. But all of you, dear lovers of all kinds ments, feedback and encouragement. of musical instruments, are the cause and the 2) Our authors’ contribution. Your articles are objective of this magazine. the heart and soul of the magazine. By shar- ing your experiences you have enriched us all. This past year we made new friends, we Some of you are professionals, some are am- learned things, and we welcomed a growing ateurs; some have been in the trade for dec- number of Fellows with the same interests. For all that, I thank you.

And of course, here we go again, looking for- ward to another year talking about these won- derful chunks of wood we love to make music with.

Leo Lospennato is luthier, author of books on lutherie and chief editor of SUSTAIN Magazine. He lives in Berlin, Germany. Visit www.lospennato.com

1 Imprint

Letters

Product news

This issue’s cover Speed 2: The Making of a Winning Design By Leo Lospennato

Research Laser Harps: Plucking Strings of Light By Cem Öcek

Woodworking Measuring Moisture Content in Tonewood An interview with Flavia Santana Pohl

Interview A Brief Guide to Copyright Law for Luthiers Advice from Dr. Baltazar Avendaño Rimini

2 CONTENTS

Research Hyper-guitar: The Best of Two Worlds An interview with musician Jaydev Mistry

Publishing Writing an Article on Lutherie 101 By Leo Lospennato

Praxis Glues: the Best and the Rest By Wim Stout

Book Reviews “Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook”

By Neal Soloponte

Film reviews “Stradivari” (1988) By Neal Soloponte

The Intern’s Column Inspirations

3 IMPRINT

Editor in chief Leo Lospennato Advisory Council Wim Stout Helmut Lemme Published by The Fellowship of European Luthiers Website www.FellowLuthiers.com

Contributors in this issue:

Wim Stout, born in The Netherlands, has 20 years of experience as a paint chemist. Helmuth Lemme, born in Germany, He lives with his wife and kids in a 100 year was building phones and electric old house where he builds beautiful electric motors already at 11. He started to guitars that end up finished with lacquers of develop his own pickups in 1975, his own formula. Visit: and became an expert in industrial http://www.DutchHandmadeGuitars.com electronics. He is a guitar collector and author of several books on electronics of guitars and amplifiers. http://www.gitarrenelektronik.de Cem Öcek, born in Turkey, is a computer engineer currently working for HP, based in Izmir. He is the author of two books (in Brett Lock is a South African bass Turkish): “Electric Guitars” and “Amplifiers guitarist living in London. He has a and Effect Devices of Electric Guitars”, and background in magazine writing, of many articles on new music technologies, editing and design. He and his unusual musical instruments, and sound art & partner Chris now own a small media sculptures. He has been designing and making company producing websites and electric and bass guitars for 20 years. mobile applications, but modify and restore guitars for relaxation. Visit www.tunemewhat.com Frank Filippone was born in Australia where he works on all things wood: he is a picture framer, publisher of a magazine for the Gary Swift, our new contributing editor, framing industry, and he runs a business that is a true Rennaisance man. A mechanical provides quality tone woods for luthiers. As engineer by training, Gary was also well as being an amateur luthier Frank has a submarine officer, a public school been a guitar collector for many years. Visit teacher, a magazine editor, and a part- www.southerntonewoods.com.au time rock band player. These days he is getting more deeply involved in lutherie, with his sights locked on his next project: building a custom electric guitar.

Sustain Magazine is produced with the collaboration of luthiers, and edited and published by the Fellowship of european Luthiers. The contents in this magazine are either original or reproduced with authorization of the copyright holders. Any eventual contents without identification of copyright are reproduced as with “no known copyright restrictions” when the editor is unaware of any copyright restrictions on its use. We endeav- or to provide information that we possess about the copyright status of the Content and to identify any other terms and conditions that may apply (such as trademarks, rights of privacy or publicity, donor restrictions, etc.); however, the editor can offer no guarantee or assurance that all pertinent information is provided or that the information is correct in each circumstance. It is the reader’s responsibility to determine what permission(s) you need in order to use the content and, if necessary, to obtain such permission. If you are, or know, the author or rights holder of any content in this magazine please write us an email and we will gladly include the corresponding credit in future editions. Additional Photo credits: Photo in “The Intern’s Column” by flickr.com/davitydave. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine covered by copyrights hereon may be reproduced or copied without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews, citing the source. Please address all requests to [email protected]. Reselling this magazine issue in any format is not authorized to third parties. Printed in the USA - ISBN-13: 978-1499183382

4 LETTERS

on a guitar or bass. The heel would have all How many screws screws placed right next to each other in or- should I use in a der to fit in the heel. That’s a lot of holes. And when you make a hole you take wood off the bolt-on neck joint? heel, weakening it. It is not a solid piece of wood anymore, but something that looks like When designing a bolt-on a colander. So paradoxically, what was sup- neck joint for guitar, are posed to add strength has created the oppo- there any important rules to site effect. If the guitar falls, the heel would Q: follow regarding the placing break very easily. the screws themselves? I have seen some Using 5 or 6 screws is perfectly fine, particu- joined with 5 screws but haven’t exactly larly in basses with 5 strings or more. But also gained a good answer as to why. in guitars, if that extra screw or two creates -Ryan Dandurant (Louisville, Kentucky, USA) the idea of more sustain and solidity in your mind, then go ahead. But for an instrument Let’s first consider the ques- with a standard design, 4 screws are enough, tion of quantity. How many and more than 6 is probably overkill. screws are necessary to firmly Regarding placing: keep the screws away A: hold a neck in place? In terms from the truss rod zone (the central axis of the of physical ‘degrees of freedom’, two screws instrument), unless you know for a fact that would be enough—but the joint would be too the truss rod doesn’t reach that far. Also, keep weak. If the guitar falls head first, the neck a safe distance from the border of the heel. might break at the joint more easily than if it In a Stratocaster this distance is about 9mm, had, for example, four screws. Some guitars measured from the center of the screw hole: have three screws, which create a stable joint and better fit in a rounded, more ergonomic neck heel. But there might be a problem: the truss rod, which runs inside the neck, might get just in the way of the central screw. Four screws are a sort of standard: they form a stable, symmetrical joint, with all screws well away from the central axis of the neck (the “truss rod zone”).

Why use more than four screws? That is supposedly justified by a benefit in terms of sustain, but we don’t know of any research showing that the extra screws produce any measureable effect.

We have seen basses with 9, 10, 11 and even The Fender layout (a rectangular arrange- more screws. But there is indeed something ment) works great, but if the heel of your in- as “too many screws”. strument has a different, asymmetric shape, Let’s take things to the extreme and imagine then you can arrange the screws in a way that you place 20—no, make it 40 (!) screws more adapted to its lines.

5 PRODUCT NEWS

DEALING WITH DINGS AND DENTS

ill n’ Finish promises to be the new best friend of luthiers in need of repair- F ing finishes in a professional way. It works either as a drop fill repair, or as a finishing product that can be sprayed or brushed. If used with an accelerator (also provided by the same vendor) it will dry super fast, and it will stay flexible and resilient. It can be easily polished for a high gloss and it won’t crack over time The producer claims that its carcinogenic free formula (it doesn’t contain chloroform, ben- zene, or paraformaldehyde) has a longer shelf life than any glue in the market. More infor- mation on www.gearupproducts.com. . SEND FILES FAST & FREE mall files sent via email get lost in the own page in order to make your business look way sometimes. But try to send any- really professional. thing bigger than a few megabytes, We at Sustain use it to distribute the digi- Sand it will fail for sure. tal issue of the magazine, and it works like a The solution is WeTransfer, a website that charm. Next time you need to send some files, allows you to send files up to 2 GB, free, and give this service a chance: it will simplify your safely. And it is fast, too; in practice, it is as life, and it doesn’t cost a penny. fast as your own internet connec- tion. Huge files can be transmit- ted in just minutes. There’s no registration: just enter your email and there you go. Of top of all this, the interface is the coolest we have seen in a long time: completely intuitive and easy to use (see picture on the right). As we said, WeTransfer is com- pletely free—no test periods, no software to install. But for €10/ month, you can personalize your

6 PRODUCT NEWS

7 THIS ISSUE’S COVER THE MAKING OF A WINNING DESIGN

BY LEO LOSPENNATO

e normally include some in- bold at the same time. The shapes of body and formation about the cover of the headstock are generated from a single el- the magazine in a small box lipse (the main axis is 2.5 times longer than in page 5. This time, however, the other one), resulting in an elegant and fu- Wthe cover deserved a little more space: this is- turistic artifact. sue’s cover shows the real life version of the guitar whose design won our contest last year. I had the pleasure of building this instrument The Speed 2, designed by Kerry Kruger from based on a rendering that accompanied its en- Miami, Florida, is a design that is simple and try in the contest (see picture on next page)

8 DESIGN

in which the guitar was shown from different angles; using the standard size of the hum- buckers I deducted the other dimensions.

Materials I built this instrument using a neck-through configuration. The central part is made of maple, and the wings of the body are made of alder wood. The fretboard is made of ebony. The pickguard has the same elliptical shape used to generate all the curves of the instru- ment, and was laser-cut from a 2mm sheet of acrylic covered with a thin layer of brushed aluminium that reinforces the general metal- lic look of the guitar. The finish was made with different, contrast- ing tones of silver metallic paint. The neck co- lour is called “Porsche meteor grey”; I used the original paint that they use in their cars. The headstock was painted black, and then ev-

erything was coated using a two-component, Kerry Kruger, designer of the Speed 2 and winner of our guitar high-gloss, transparent lacquer. design contest of 2013.

9 The original design included a wrap- around bridge, but it had to be replaced by a flat bottom bridge, because the neck had no angle and the wrap-around model was definitely too high. Intrigued by customers’ reviews on the Stewmac website (http://bit.ly/1dnjdW4), I used two Golden Age Parsons Street humbuckers, which I personally found to have a surprisingly great tone; this was the first time I tried those in a guitar, but most probably not the last.

Construction The making of this guitar presented no especial challenges, really, but I can list some details that needed some extra at- tention: • The subtle curves of the perimeter of the body demanded some patient work in order to end up being a strong, smooth line, without any visible bumps or waves. • The heel and the “horns” converge at a very sharp angle. I shaped the heel before gluing the wings to the neck- through section, but the fi- nal work on the heel need- ed careful work, due to the difficult access once every- thing was glued in place. • I wanted to make the arm bevel pretty noticeable, as in the drawings of the gui- tar. But a picture is one thing, and a real guitar is a different one. The angle of the bevel was subtle, and the face of the gui- tar flowed into it pretty smoothly, not showing the elegant curve were both surfaces intersected. So, instead of making the arm bevel flat, I gave it a subtle concavity. That makes the

10 line of intersection with the guitar’s face much more defined (see picture on the left).

For the rest, the making of this guitar proved uncomplicated, which is always an advantage vis-á-vis an eventual production in series.

Acknowledgements The guitar was integrally built with parts pro- vided by Stewart-McDonald. Jay Hostetler and his team offered as always their kind sup- port to the contest and to the magazine, for which we are very grateful. Finally, I want to thank Kerry Kruger for his patience during the long months this beauty Giving shape to the arm bevel. While had to wait in line until it got finally made, waiting for the arriving of the curved scrapers I ordered, a sharpened and again, compliments to him for winning Stratocaster jack plate had to do—it had the perfect curvature! the contest and a real prototype of one of his awesome designs.

11 PLUCKING STRINGS OF LIGHT

The magic and the science behind the most ethereal way of making music: laser harps

BY CEM ÖCEK All photos courtesy of www.Harpelaser.com

12 aser harps exist on the outskirts. Frameless laser harps They are a musical instrument, but The most common construction type of a not really. They are stringed, but laser harp is the so called frameless (or un- not really. They are harps... but not framed) design, due to the fact that it doesn’t Lreally. One thing is certain though: they are have a frame limiting the extension of the la- spectacular. ser beams. Also known as “Infinite Beam La- ser Harps”, its laser beams go directly to the A laser harp is an electronic musical instru- sky or parallel to the audience – obviously not ment invented back in 70’s and popularized directly at them for safety reasons (see picture by French musician Jean Michel Jarre. He below). In a frameless laser harp a single la- started using the laser harp in his concerts in ser beam is split into several ones by a mirror 1981, and this hi-tech device has been part of connected to a high speed step motor. his artistic identity ever since. During its heyday some people thought that the laser harp was a fake, that it couldn’t pro- duce any sounds, and that there was another device making the sound as playback. In or- der to convince the public, Jarre made some mistakes on purpose when he was playing la- ser harp in some concerts. Today, a select group of enthusiasts and a few commercial firms not only keep this in- strument alive, but also take part in its cur- rent evolution.

Design In some ways, a laser harp looks similar to the traditional instrument from which it took the name, since the way of producing the sound is similar to plucking the strings of an acoustic harp. But these strings are made of light. The laser harp is more a musical interface than a real musical instrument. Although there are number of different designs, a laser harp basically consists of several laser beams, close to each other, which can be blocked by the musician’s hand in order to trigger syn- Picture above: a frameless laser harp. thesized, sampled, or computer generated Opposing page: Musician and sound engineer Sylvain Bezia delighting the public with his laser harp. White gloves are sounds. The characteristic sound of the laser used to maximize the reflection of the laser beam on the harp in Jarre’s performances, for example is hands, and better control the device, making laser harps the only instrument with a required dress code! generated by an Elka Synthex, an old synthe- (In the photo, he is accompanied by musician Guo Gan, who plays the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument whitout sizer made in Italy. frets or fingerboard).

13 When the musician blocks one of the beams with his hand, the light reflected by the hand reaches the light sensor; the electronics that control the step motor and the mirror attached to it, detect the exact position of the mirror in or- der to define which laser beam is blocked at that point in time (or in other words, which “string made of light is plucked”). This information is sent to the music generating device, together with the duration of the blocking. Working principle of a frameless laser harp. In most laser harps the musician can move his hand closer to the frame that act as sensors. When a laser beam source of the laser beam, affecting for example is blocked by the musician’s hand, the associ- the volume or some other parameter associat- ated sensor is “left in the dark” for as long as ed to that beam. This is done by a light sensor the blocking continues, and that information placed close to the starting point of the laser is sent to the controller; the resulting sounds beam. The closer the hand is to the source of are triggered by an interruption of the laser beam, the more light is reflected by the hand instead of a reflection of them. From there on, and captured by the light sensor. There are the signal follows the same path as in the fra- also some other frameless laser harp designs meless laser harps: the data generated by the that, instead of splitting one laser beam, have device is converted to a musical note by using independent beams for each note. synthesizer, sampler or computer.

Framed laser harps The other common way to con- struct a laser harp is to use a frame, like a traditional harp does. The first one was a prototype made by Geoffrey Rose in 1975; it had an octagonal shape and 10 laser beams arranged in a 5x5 matrix.

The function of the frame is to hold the laser generating devices on one end, and the sensors on the other. The laser beams can be directed upside or downside. Photodiodes or photo resistors in- side the upper or lower part of the Working principle of a framed laser harp.

14 Laser harps owe their reputation to Jean

Michel Jarre (seen in the photo on the right during a concert in Helsinki in 2009).

He used a laser harp in almost every con- cert, including the Rendes-vouz Houston concert (with an estimated audience of 1.5 million people—second photo on the right), and the biggest concert in history: On Bas- tille Day, 1990, he performed a concert at the ultramodern district of La Défense, in

Paris, attended by an estimated of 2.5 mil- lion people (photos: Creative Commons).

15 The components of a laser harp. See also their block diagram representation in page 16. Compare with the size of the match on the right, for reference.

Some laser harps use a camera as sensor, Some framed laser harps (it is a copyrighted instead. The camera is placed in front of the idea) use acrylic rods as a light pipes: the la- laser beams and connected to a computer to ser beams run inside the rods, treated with detect which laser beam is blocked, the dura- some fluorescent medium added to them. This tion of that blocking, and the intensity of the increases the responsiveness of the interface, reflected light by musician’s hand. This data and has the added benefit of making unnec- is then are converted to MIDI and sent to a essary the use of gloves. It also reduces the music generating device. number of sensors to one, no matter the num- Since there is a frame to limit the laser ber of ‘strings’. It costs more, though, and it beams, the size of the instrument can vary makes the instrument bigger and heavier. depending on the need—from very small ones, Frameless laser harps can work as if they to very large stage instruments. were framed. This is called the “ceiling” mode: Some of the framed laser harps have an the ceiling of the room in which the frame- additional functionality to change octaves, less harp is played acts as a frame. The sensor sounds or any programmed settings of the in- works like in the frame mode, then; that is, strument by blocking the laser beams. Some detecting a blockage of the light instead of a may also have several switch modes to play a reflection of it. If the reflection of a laser beam sound sample to the end once it is triggered, disappears from the ceiling (when the hand is or to play a sound until the beam is blocked a placed between the laser and the ceiling) the second time. note is triggered.

16 The colour of the laser beams used in the laser harps can vary as well. In 2005, electronic engineer

Franck Morisseau (who helped in the preparation of this article) launched a new laser harp project using the ILDA (International Laser Display Association) in- terface, and successfully developed a new electronic module to switch the colour beams dynamically (RGB) and to sense the hand height while playing music.

In the pictures in this page, different laser harps, each one with one or more different colours.

17 The power supply provides the necessary energy for all components. The analog-to-digital converter and the analog scaling device transform the analog signal picked up by the sensor (the reflection of the laser coming from the player’s hands) and converts it in a digital signal. The Micro Controller Unit runs the firmware, which is the laser harp program. All functions are accessed via the control panel, which has an LCD display, 3 buttons, and 1 potentiometer. The EEPROM is a memory that stores data tracks and playlists. The ILDA interface brings together the laser harp with it laser unit. Finally, the signal is sent via the MIDI connectors to a synthesizer, computer, or a sampler in order to produce sound (graphic courtesy of www.harpelaser.com).

Lasers output of smoke is ideal—otherwise the la- The minimum requirement of laser power sers wouldn’t be visible at all. And that goes is about 300mW. This means that the device not only for the player and the audience, but needs to use class IIIb or IV lasers, which can also for the sensor: it perceives the subtle be hazardous for the musician’s eyes. The use echo light in the hand of the player and in the of protective goggles is required. The beam surrounding smoke. The more homogeneous (once split, at least) is not damaging to the the smoke, the better is the response of the skin—the original, single laser beam could system—this obviously makes things harder be, though; the use of gloves is intended to im- when it comes to playing outdoors. prove the reflection of the light in a frameless Well, we said that laser harps were spectac- laser harp, and to give audiences a more visu- ular, but nobody said they were simple. al impression of the instrument being played. Thanks to the limited distances between laser generators and sensors, framed laser Additional information: harps are able to use lasers with lower power. Harpelaser.com is the best resource available on Since the notes are triggered by simply block- the subject. It offers free plans, manuals, and oth- ing the beam, gloves aren’t necessary at all. er documentation necessary to build a laser harp; they even provide the builder with the right firm- However, laser harps need another element: ware for the device. there has to be a means to generate smoke. A Sylvain Bezia’s: www.sylvainbezia.com smoke machine generating a steady and low Guo Gan’s: www.guogan.fr

18 19 WOOD TECHNOLOGY

MEASURING MOISTURE IN TONEWOOD

Drying wood is not a quick process, but it is the only way to unlock its magic. But how (and to what precise point) are tonewoods properly dried? The answers from the specialists.

AN INTERVIEW WITH FLAVIA SANTANA POHL AND PATRICK POHL DE SANTANA

ood that has been freshly many. She and her team work in many as- cut from a tree has no prac- pects of lutherie: construction and distribu- tical application; the content tion of handmade guitars, parts, consultancy, of water makes it unviable as and as providers of quality tonewood for in- Wfirewood, construction wood, and of course, it strument makers. In this interview they share is of no use in lutherie. their experience in the treatment of wood— and of tonewood, in particular. Dried timber, on the other hand, is lighter, easier and cheaper to transport, it is stron- -How much water has freshly cut wood? ger and more resistant, easier to work on, it is dimensionally stable, decays slower, insulates Fresh cut wood is also called green wood better... you get the idea. and its content of water is nearly equal to that Flavia Santana Pohl lives in Bremen, Ger- present in the living tree. The typical moisture

20 percentage depends on the species, and on its dry state (“dry”). So we can calculate the which part of the tree the wood comes from. percentage of water as follows: Many hardwoods, for example, have an aver- • The difference between both (wet minus age of 70% to 100% of water, measured in re- dry) is obviously the quantity of water the lation the wood in dry state. Contrary to this, log has lost in order to go from one state to pinewood (which is softwood), in the centre of the other. the trunk (the so called old wood) contains • That quantity of water, divided by the (now) about 35 – 50% of water; the sapwood has dry weight, allows us to calculate the per- much more: between 100 and 150% water. centage of water the log had in relation to Note: At first glance, it may seem impossible dry wood: Water(%) = (water / dry) x 100 for a piece of wood to have more than 100% moisture. But it makes sense when you re- Note that what we call “dry wood” is actu- member that the percentage moisture is de- ally wood that has lost most of his water con- fined relative to DRY wood. tent, but that still has some moisture in it, in equilibrium with its environment. In fact, if How are those percentages calculated? the wood gets too dry, it loses flexibility; that’s something you don’t want to happen to a mu- The wood is first weighed in its wet condi- sical instrument, and it is the reason valu- tion (let’s call that simply “wet”) and later, in able instruments are stored with a humidor

Some thick trunks of softwood (conifers) in a sawmill in south Germany, waiting to be converted in guitar tops (photo: A. Figari)

21 or in an environment with Mahagony blank with wax on the end grain sides (photo: L.L.) controlled humidity. If the wood dries too much, it can crack. But the opposite prob- lem can happen, too. If you build a guitar with wood that has acclimated to a dry geography (plac- es with humidity levels of 20% or less, reaching sometimes the single dig- its), and then you trans- port it for example to Europe, where 60% hu- midity is not at all unusu- al during some months of the year, the wood expands so much that it radial direction. can warp and break from compressive stress rather than tensile stress. -How is wood dried down to the right point?

When you get a piece of wood for an in- There are two main methods; the scope of strument, it normally has wax on the ex- both is to control the loss of water. If the pro- tremes, covering the end grain. Why is that? cess happens too quickly or too slowly, the wood will deform, crack, and develop other Well, not only the end grain, but the other problems, like contamination by insects or surfaces of a board are sometimes coated with fungi. The first method is the natural one: air wax or oil, too. The intention is to control the drying. The wood is left exposed to the air, rate of loss of humidity. But it is from the ends and it is key that the wood be stacked proper- that timber looses water very rapidly, which ly. The boards cannot just lay one on top of the can cause cracks or twists. other; they need to be separated by sticks (of It has to do with the internal structure of rectangular section, to avoid rolling) ensuring wood. The wood is formed by relatively long that there is a continuous and uniform circu- fibres that run parallel along the trunk. Such lation of air between them. Also, stacking the structure has two main functions: to support wood saves space and reduces dimensional the heavy top of the tree, and to act as vessels changes in the boards, thanks to the weight for the nutrients to run from root to crown. of the other boards (or supplemental weights) The fibres act as pipes with thin walls, wide placed on top. diameters, and are able to transport liquids for long distances. Back to the drying process, What about kiln drying? this means that the water in a piece of wood is able to leave it much easier on this longitudi- That is the second method used. A kiln is a nal axis by using these vessels (pipes) than in chamber in which heat is introduced to ac-

22 celerate the drying process. Not only the tem- Air drying doesn’t need any energy put into perature, but also the humidity of the air and it, so it is generally cheaper—even if there are its circulation are controlled. some storage and speed-to-market costs (air Each species react in a different way. The so dried timber takes longer to be ready for sale). called highly refractory woods (heavy, dense It is considered that air drying produces wood timbers) need to be dried using a very slow with better final quality, though, but again, it and controlled process; at the other extreme may take several months or even years to air- we have woods that are non-refractory (like dry the wood, depending on the climate. pine and other softwoods with a simpler The advantage of kiln drying is that climate structure): they need to be dried quickly in or- stops being a factor; most commercial tim- der to avoid discolouration and the developing ber is dried this way. It is consequently much of microorganisms in its surface. faster than air drying, creating an output Kilns used in drying non-refractory woods of dry wood in weeks or even days, instead operate at a top temperature of about 116°C of months. But other costs go up, though: (240°F). Hardwoods, which are normally mod- chambers, fuel (or solar energy equipment), erately refractory, are dried in kilns operating air control machines... And kilns, especially at no more than 82 °C (180°F). Highly refrac- industrial ones, have an impact on the envi- tory species, instead, need a slower drying ronment, of course. At the end of the day it process. They are kiln dried at temperatures all comes down to an evaluation of costs and not above 60°C (140°F). benefits, as in any other aspect of our lives. In any case, the process is completed once the How do you choose one of these methods wood has achieved a natural moisture equi- (air, or kiln drying)? Which one is better? librium with is environment, which keep di-

23 Three measurments used in ascertain the percentage of moisture in a piece of wood (from top to bootom): 1) Measuring the mois- ture in function of the electrical resistance. 2) Measuring the tem- perature. 3) weighting the piece in a digital scale.

mensional changes down to a minimum. This percentage of moisture lies generally between 8% and 28%.

-What is the minimum content of water that allows the use of wood for musical instru- ment making?

When it comes to tonewoods, we luthiers should use wood with a content of water be- tween 12 and 15%. After the fresh cut wood has been given the size for its intended ap- plication (e.g. body blanks, neck blanks, etc.) the wood should be dried, preferably by air, for a few years. It should be stacked in an indoor area with a good circulation of air.

-How is moisture measured in an already dried wood?

We use instruments that actually measure the electrical resistance of the wood and then calculate the moisture content. The more moisture, the most conductive is the wood. These moisture- meters normally have two pins that are driven into the wood. It is impor- tant to stick the pins in one side of the wood board, at a 90° angle (so, perpendicular). A 9V battery generates an electrical current be- tween them. The logic of the device measures the electrical resistance, computes that result and displays it as the percentage of water in the wood. The instrument showed in the picture also measures temperature, which is important

24 because the higher the temperature, the lower So the finish in a guitar will also have an the resistance. Finally, we see a digital scale, impact in the dynamics of the humidity of used to weight the wood in wet and dry state, the wood. in order to calculate the original water per- Certainly. The finishing acts as a barrier, centage. reducing the exchange of humidity between It is important that the probe points are the wood and the atmosphere. Wood is hygro- sharp in order to ensure a good penetration scopic; it does not only release humidity into in the wood fibres; otherwise the reading can the air, but also absorbs it. This dynamic is be affected. reduced by the finishing. Some modern instruments do not use pins, Some luthiers go a step further and lightly but radio waves, instead, and scales of indus- coat the inside of the body of acoustic guitars trial size, of course. with shellac, which slows down the exchange In any case, in order to perform a correct of water the instrument’s wood undergoes measurement, it is important to adjust the during its lifetime; the ensuing cycles of ex- temperature in the instrument, and to choose pansions and contractions are the cause of a spot in the wood avoiding water conden- wood cracking. And getting back to humidi- sation, ice, dirt, and other substances that fiers, forgetting to keep them wet is equivalent might alter the reading. to stimulate these variations.

This graphic shows the electrical resistance of wood as a function of moisture content in several different U.S. do- mestic woods. Note that we have selected the species used in lutherie. (William L. James, “Electric Moisture Meters for Wood”, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-6, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture)

25 Binding has the same function, too. Even if 2) Explore alternative species, do not just now is mostly an aesthetic addition, the func- stick to the traditional, especially not any en- tion of binding was originally to seal the bor- dangered ones. We use of olive wood, for ex- ders of a guitar top (especially the end-grain ample, which allow us to put a touch of Medi- of the top wood), which is where the most ex- terranean spirit in our instruments. change of humidity takes place, as explained 3) If you can, recycle nice timber from old above. furniture and transform it to tonewood. The advantage are obvious: the wood is already Some environmental recommendations are dry, since it was cut years or decades before; always in order. Please, share yours. no new trees need to be cut; we are able to give old wood a new life as a musical instru- What about these three? ment. Art, handwork, and nature can have a 1) When possible, use local timbers. harmonic coexistence.

26 27 AN INTERVIEW WITH BALTAZAR AVENDAÑO RIMINI BY LEO LOSPENNATO

A BRIEF GUIDE TO COPYRIGHT LAW FOR LUTHIERS

altazar Avendaño’s first job was Like any other products of as a guitar teacher, back when he was only 14. I met him not long af- creative activity, musical ter that, when I was looking for a Bbassist for my new band, one intended to revo- instruments are subject to lutionize rock music. The band never formed, but Baltazar and I remained best friends since plagiarism. This interview then, almost 30 years ago. These days, his day job description includes discuss how to protect scaring the living hell out of any lawyers who happen to find themselves face to face against our brands and designs him in a court of law. He also authors legal

28 texts, defends the rights of his clients, and 1) Registration. if it is a design, you fill a enjoys his wonderful family (a lovely wife and form that has the value of an affidavit (a sworn two daughters). And of course, he still finds declaration) stating that you are the creator of the time to play any object capable of produc- such design. It has to include any documents ing music that falls in his hands. that precisely describe the design; it cannot just be a generic description. Dimensions, L.L.: I have designed this new beautiful guitar components, proportions, working principles, shape, and of course it will carry my brand. and any other technical information... it all How do I protect them from being copied? has to be enclosed in the registration.

B.A.: It depends on where you live; every 2) Publication. In some countries the regis- country implements their particular copy- tration is published in an official bulletin, in right laws differently. But there are some com- order to make it public. After a period of time mon principles. without opposition, the design is then official- The very first step is to register your intellec- ly registered as your intellectual property. tual creation, so it becomes intellectual prop- erty. Such registration is made at the patent 3) Branding. You can also register the brand office of each country, and (even if there are and the model name of the design. Doing so variations from one country to another) it gen- improves your position in case you need to erally follows these steps: consider a legal action.

Dr. Avendaño at the university, teaching a seminar on processal law to a group of students and graduates.

29 For how long do you keep this right on the distinguish your products or services from design? your competitors’. • Industrial design rights protect the vi- First of all it is important to understand the sual design of technological objects such differences between the several legal instru- as shapes, configurations, color patterns, ments that are used to protect one’s creations. etc., deemed to contain aesthetic value. They are: • A trade secret is a formula, process, or data not publicly disclosed, by which a • Patents, documents that grant rights on business can obtain a commercial advan- inventions. An invention is understood as tage over competitors or customers. Mis- a solution to a specific technological prob- appropriation of trade secrets is a federal lem, which may be a product or a process. crime almost everywhere. • Copyrights, instead, protect intellectual creations—a wide range of conceptual, So, let’s go back to the duration terms of intellectual or artistic forms. Copyrights these different instruments. In the USA a pat- do not cover ideas or concepts themselves, ent filed today will have a term of 15 years; in but only the form or manner in which they Germany that period is 20 years. A copyright are expressed. in the USA will be valid for the whole life of the • A trademark regards identity: signs, lo- author plus 70 additional years. Again, it all gos, brand names, and every element that varies from country to country (note from the

Our interviewee, using a crisp Argentinian afternoon near the Andes as the best excuse to get together with friends to enjoy good music and good wine.

30 Dr. Avendaño (sitting), editor Leo Lospennato (on the right), and guitarist H. Schauvinhold, ca. 1986—many years and several kilos ago.

fringing part made money by using your de- sign. If that demand is not met, daily penalties apply. Enforcing this compensation normally implies going to court over the matter.

What if the copy regards only one specific aspect of my design; for example, the shape of a guitar’s body?

In that case we are talking about something called surreptitious copy, which is always harder to prove. But as long as that specific aspect of the design is correctly registered and described in the patent (that’s why the additional, technical information attached to the patent filing form is important) it is more likely that you can successfully defend your position. editor: see this list of copyright lengths: h t t p :// One example is the so-called “Ibanez lawsuit” bit.ly/OhYpno). guitars. Gibson filed a suit against Ibanez claiming that they copied the “moustache- Suppose that one of my registered designs shape” of the headstock of their instruments, gets copied by someone. What should I do? and their logo, too. The case was settled out of court to Gibson’s advantage and closed in First of all it is important to understand that 1978. copyright law is very complex. In the event of a real case of potential infringement (by or What if the person copying my design resides against you) searching for legal counsel is the in a foreign country? Which country’s law is first and most obvious step. Look for a spe- applied—mine or theirs? cialized lawyer, if you can afford one. But, in general, if you consider that your The law, by default, applies in the country rights have been infringed, you have the right of registration of the patent or copyright and to demand the other part to cease and desist– automatically in other countries with which that is, to demand the infringing person or there is a treaty in place. In some countries company to immediately stop replicating your (Germany, for example), during the patent design, brand or creation. Then you can claim registration process, you can choose the geo- a monetary compensation, as long as the in- graphical reach of your patent (i.e. the coun-

3131 try, the European continent, or an interna- member countries, then the complications, tional patent). The cost proportional to the costs and duration of an international process geographical coverage, reaching the hundreds make most legal actions impractical, even for or thousands of dollars/euros in the case of big companies—and especially for small ones. an international one. So, sometimes suing isn’t worth our while? So, if I invent a new model of violin, for ex- ample, the only way to be sure that my rights Defending our rights is always worth our on that design are fully protected is to file an while, at least in principle. But, as in every international patent? aspect of our lives, a sense of practicality de- mands a cost/benefit evaluation. We have to Not really; even if you do file an international decide (1) whether to invest money in register- patent there will still be gaps. The World Intel- ing a design, or not; and (2) whether to invest lectual Property Organization (WIPO, a Unit- money in a legal action in case our copyright ed Nations specialized agency) was created in has been infringed—or not. order to promote the protection of copyrights If you are Gibson or Fender and you discover at an international level, but some countries that thousands of cheap copies of your guitars won’t become members precisely to avoid be- are illegally being produced somewhere, you ing forced to subscribe such treaties. If an ob- may have no choice but to sue in order to war- vious replica of your violin is made in a coun- rant the survival of your company. If on the try that is indeed a member of the WIPO, you contrary you are an independent luthier who may be facing a long trial. But if the clones produces only a handful of custom made in- of your violin are made in one of the non- strument per year, and you happen to discover on eBay an unauthor- ized copy of one of your guitars made by some anonymous guy some- where in the world... Well, then probably the most you can do is try to contact that person and ask them to stop—especially if you haven’t registered the design, because it wasn’t worth the cost to begin with.

The number n of musical instruments that this lawyer needs in his collection is easy to calculate: it equals n+1. His wife rather distrusts that particular mathematical reasoning.

32 This means, if I haven’t registered, I can’t sue. A famous example regards the invention of the telephone. Italian inventor Antonio Meuc- That is correct. The intellectual property ci researched the principles of voice trans- right is born with the registration. And even mission via electromagnetic means, finally if that is not the case in your country, your succeeding in producing a working device in stance may be too weak to successfully make 1856. He filed a caveat (an announcement of a legal claim, anyway. an invention) which was not renewed in time due to financial hardships. Alexander Gra- Okay, this is the worst case scenario I can ham Bell, who also contributed to the device’s come up with: Suppose that somebody copies development, was ultimately the one who filed a design of mine, and on top of that, they reg- the patent, and is today widely recognized as ister the design as their own. Can I prove that the inventor of the telephone. I am the real creator of that design if I haven’t So you see, law is not necessarily the same registered it? as justice; it is merely an approximation to it. Sadly, law is generally not about what’s fair, In such case you would have the odds decid- but about what you can prove in court. edly stacked against you. You would have to demonstrate that the design is your creation in order to demand the nullification of the oth- er person’s patent, and to register the design as belonging to you. But again, this is very difficult to prove.

33 THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS The hyper-guitar blends traditional playing styles with percusive resources, extending the limits of conventional performance

AN INTERVIEW WITH JAYDEV MISTRY

aydev Mistry is an award- ed musician who composes music for theatre and radio and plays in the band Gi- antJ Star. Born and living in the UK, he is also a researcher: in the context of his master´s degree pursue, he de- veloped a very particular musical in- strument: the Hyper-guitar. We had the pleasure to talk with this gentle

34 INTERVIEW and interesting man about his musical and Tell us about its development. technical quest. (L.L.) Well, just at the time I conceived this instru- That is an unusual guitar. What is the con- ment I was considering doing a Masters De- cept behind it? gree by research, and I was fortunate to get a place at Huddersfield University (West York- (J.M.): I am a percussionist and a guitarist; I shire, UK) under the supervision of Professor have always had an equal love for both instru- Monty Adkins. So I put both things together, ments and as a result, I have a very percus- starting in 2011. The aim of the research was sive style of playing the guitar. The idea for to build an ergonomically designed electric the hyper-guitar came about through observ- guitar that integrates and extends a regular ing acoustic guitar players such as Preston guitar’s capabilities for composition and per- Reed and Andy McKee, who are masters of formance. It does so by including sensors that playing multiple parts at the same time. They control modeled sounds, trigger samplers, tap the various parts of the guitar’s body, cre- and create controller messages for sound and ating percussive grooves that accompany the effects manipulation. melody. I am also influenced by music styles such as Hip Hop and Drum & Bass. I started So, this is a synthesized guitar? to wonder what it would be like to incorporate those styles to my guitar playing, which was Yes. It is equipped with a hexaphonic pick- not possible to do with a conventional instru- up, hooked to a Roland VG99 Virtual Guitar ment. system. The VG99 can model both acoustic

An ergonomic design for a guitar with a few surprises under its strings: the hyperguitar, prtotype 3 (photo: L.L.)

35 and electric guitar sounds very accurately. they have a fast attack and are capable of de- The unit is highly editable, allowing the user tecting rapid hits on the drum pad with ex- to build hybrid guitar models, not possible in treme accuracy. the real world. However, piezo pick-ups have a swift decay The VG-99 also models realistic bass sounds, of the voltage after the initial strike, even if and of other stringed instruments such as a you apply continued pressure to the pickup. Sitar, for example. As the decay is fast, you cannot sustain the sound being triggered; it is not possible to play How do the pads work? legato notes using piezos. Force Sensitive Resistors (FSR’s), instead, I initially started by researching how elec- tronic drum triggers work. They convert the mechanical energy of the impact into electri- cal impulses. The impulses are then fed to a drum module (also known as a “drum brain”) which converts them into MIDI information, which in turn triggers a drum sound or sam- ple. There are two main types of sensors used by electronic drums manufacturers. Piezo Elec- tric Transducers (also known as piezo pick- ups), and Force Sensitive Resistors, referred to Response of a piezo pickup being struck periodically. The harder as FSR’s. the piezo is struck, the more increase in amplitude, However, the sharp transients rapidly decay. Piezo pickups convert vibrations into an electronic signal (see foto below). They are built with materials that, when under mechanical are used to sense pressure and force, not vi- stress along certain planes, produce electric brations. voltage. This voltage output is very small and FSR’s are formed by a thick polymer film with high impedance; in order to be processed that exhibits a decrease in resistance as the they need to be amplified. force applied to the active surface increases. Piezo pickups are very responsive, though; Its sensitivity is optimized for use in human touch control of electronic devices. The sen- sor will also continue to allow voltage through for as long as pressure is applied to it. This means that sustained notes are perfectly pos- sible with FSR sensors (opposing page, top).

So, there was an earlier prototype of this instrument?

There were two of them, in fact. My first experiment consisted of attaching six piezo A piezoelectric sensor. pickups to a Les Paul shaped guitar, which

36 were fed to a drum interface in order to con- isolation materials reduced the number of vert the impulses into MIDI information. The drum pads that could be placed on the gui- MIDI output was then fed into a computer to tar body (see photo of the first protoype in next trigger drum samples. So I had a guitar from page, top). Also, as we saw, piezo sensors only which I could also create percussion sounds. produce short transients, which don’t allow But I found some problems. As piezo pick- sending sustained notes to the computer. As ups respond to vibrations there is a problem I wanted to play instruments sounds other with cross talk between individual pickups, than drum sounds, the piezo pickups proved which creates false triggering. It was neces- to be unsuitable for the project. sary to isolate each pickup somehow, in order This exercise, however, allowed me to try the to prevent the piezos from picking up vibra- concept out quickly and cheaply, enabling me tions from the guitar body. After several tries to test how it would feel to have sensors posi- I succeeded, but the space taken up by the tioned in the way that I had envisaged and to

The curve shows how the FSR reacts with a decreasing resistance as more force is applied. This effect allows to measure the force which the FSR is impacted with, and consequently to use it to generate a dynamic signal.

37 The first prototype of the hyper-guitar, with heavily isolated, and eventually too big, piezo pickups.

start experimenting with playing methods. ment, via the use of sensors (see photo below). I then constructed a second instrument, mod- Arduino devices are open source, cheap ifying a Telecaster style guitar (see Figure). (about $30/€25), and come with the neces- The finger hits on the sensors were generated sary software. They are highly compatible using a “Miduino”, a MIDI controller based in with other devices. The applications are un- the Arduino board. limited. In my case, I used it to convert the signals from the FSR’s into MIDI information. I have heard a lot about Arduino, even in the mainstream media. What is that about? What about the playability of the second gui- tar, in regard to the sensors? An Arduino board, in practical terms, is a small computer that allows an object (practi- The FSR sensors didn’t require any acoustic cally any object) to be reactive to its environ- isolation, and they were much smaller. Con- sequently, they could be placed closer together and arranged in a more ergonomic fashion. They also allowed me to hold a note, thus enabling me to play legato lines. But then I decided that the very shape of the guitar had to be improved. I still needed to find an optimal playing position that allowed me to strum and pluck the strings and play the sensors at the same time. An Arduino board (photo: Creative Commons). In prototype 1 (the Les Paul

38 shape) my strumming hand was positioned at Yes. I started off with a number of sketches, an awkward angle, which caused fatigue very which resulted in a full-scale drawing of the quickly. Prototype 2 (the Telecaster shape; see instrument. (see figure below). photo below) was much better, but the neck of The upper line is loosely based on a Strato- the instrument was heavy, which meant I had caster type of guitar. The lower line has been to support its weight with my fretting hand. strongly modified, in order to enable a com- These two prototypes gave me a good under- fortable posture. Note the shape of the lower horn. It ensures that the instrument is angled upwards, allow- ing the hands to have unobstructed access to the sensors. This also means that the fretting hand is no longer supporting the weight of the neck, which in this case is headless, further reducing its weight. The extended upper horn sits comfortably against the chest, allowing the instrument to stay put against the player’s body. The design is primarily intended for seated playing, but of

The second prototype in the works. course it can be played standing.

Did you build the guitar yourself? standing of the improvements that would have to be made in terms of body shape, balance of Paul Cuthbert, a Luthier based in Manches- the instrument, and positioning of sensors. It ter, constructed the guitar using my full scale is with these findings that I set out to design drawing and adding his expertise to improve prototype guitar 3. some aspects of the design. Paul included a contoured neck body joint, a compensated And this instrument you hold in your arms is nut, and a set of bearings that are placed prototype 3. under the bridge to guide the strings from

3939 A view of the back of the hyper-guitar. Note the profuse presence of electronics and the unusual way the strings are directed to the tuners.

the bridges to the Steinberger gearless tun- the grain running in the opposite direction to ers. This prototype has an upgrade in terms the two pieces sandwiching it. This gives the of the electronics, too. The Arduino has been neck greater strength and stability. The fret- replaced by an Eowave Eobody2 OEM ana- board and the top of the body are made from logue/digital USB converter, which allows the Wenge, chosen purely for aesthetic reasons. connection of sensors directly to a computer through a high-speed USB connection. The What is the next step you intend to take, assignment of sensors to sounds is also less regarding this line of research? time consuming than in the case of the Ar- duino. I have learned a lot from the current proto- type; this instrument has enabled me to ex- What species of wood were used in this in- plore new performance techniques and gener- strument? ate compositional ideas that I probably would not have thought of without it. I aim to build The core of the body is made from Swamp another version of the guitar soon. One of the Ash. It is a light wood, and resonates well things I want to try is processing each string across all frequencies. It also transfers tran- separately, applying different sounds and ef- sients from the guitar strings extremely well, fects to each one, to see where does that takes giving the guitar a very percussive attack. me in terms of performance. That´s a feature I specifically requested, as I wish to play in a percussive style. Additional information The neck is constructed from three pieces of Giant Star´s Facebook page: https://www.facebook. curly maple. The central piece of maple has com/giantstarmusic

40 41 WRITING AN ARTICLE ON LUTHERIE 101

Do you have something to riting an article in Sustain (or in any W other magazine) has several benefits: share with your fellow luthiers? 1. It positions you as a expert in the field. 2. By promoting your article you also pro- Techniques, research activities, mote your product or services. 3. Receiving compliments and feedback from the chronology of a repair... your readers is always rewarding. 4. It connects you with a growing commu- Let the rest of us know about it! nity of fellows, including prospects and BY LEO LOSPENNATO colleagues across more than 20 countries.

42 We thought it might be useful to put together tools, machines, software, etc.) some simple submission guidelines. Not all • Any recipes or formulas (for example for a subjects can (or should), be written this way— varnish, a dye, etc.) but many of them can be. So, if it helps, use • Tips and tricks these simple steps to create the first draft. • Legal implications • Safety related advice Anatomy of an article Go as deep into the subject as you need to go, 1) The introduction. The introduction pres- but do not spend too much time in technicali- ents the subject; it tells the reader what are ties. Keep it interesting and practical. you going to talk about and why it’s impor- tant, interesting, or worth mentioning. 5) Present alternatives and compare them. For example, let’s say that you want to pres- Consider a comparison of different types, ent an ingenious repairing technique that qualities, or brands available, and the advan- you’ve developed. Why is it valuable or inter- tages and disadvantages of those different op- esting? Possible answers: because it is more tions. Some topics may require a comparison precise, faster, easier, cheaper, etc. of an entirely different nature, though. For No extensive justification is necessary at this example, the article on copyrights included point. Remember, the introduction is about in this issue (page 28) compares how intellec- what—not about how. Here you only present tual property laws work in different countries, the topic and its value. The details come later and the article on humidity in wood (page 20) on. compares water content in hardwoods versus softwoods. 2) Present the context. A bit of history about your subject could be interesting. What 6) Talk about the future. Where is this are its origins? When (and where) was this thing going? How can it evolve? Are there any thing first used/made/invented? By whom? open questions on the subject? Will it be re- How was it done back then? placed, improved, or become extinct? Is there any call-to-action that you want to make to 3) Define the main concepts. What pre- your readers? cisely is your article talking about? Concen- trate on explaining the central concept - or 7) Offer recommendations and conclu- concepts - that might be new to most read- sions. Which one of the discussed options ers—don´t define obvious things. Describe the would you recommend (or not)? Is this your fundamental principles at play (for example, personal opinion, or there is some consensus relevant chemical or physical processes). Stay on this? focused on the main subject though. Pictures and graphics 4) Explain processes and techniques. This is the heftier part of the article, the one that “An image is worth a thousand words”, they fulfils the promise made in the introduction. say—and we believe they’re wrong: An image Here you explain in full detail how things is worth much more than that. work, how to accomplish some desired results, The power of a good graphic is enormous, etc. If relevant, name also: conveying information that it would take for- • The tools involved (hand tools, power- ever to explain with words.

43 Do not hesitate to include pictures and themselves. If you are including facts taken graphics along with the article - but make from a book, magazine, website... or if you just sure that you hold the copyright (i.e. you took happen to remember who told you about a the pictures or you drew the graphics your- particular data or fact, please name that re- self), or you have the authorization to repro- frence. duce that graphic content. Using a picture just lifted from the internet without permission is Spelling and grammar not allowed; however, in our experience, if you Typos and punctuation will be taken care ask, the rights owner will say “okay” most of right before publication. Don’t be concerned the time. about them. Send us your draft and we will Also, your graphics don’t have to be rendered work together to make it into a valuable ar- by using the latest graphic software: you can ticle. just send us a darft version of it and we will draw a handsomer one ourselves. Submit pictures in the highest resolution available, though.

Your personal touch In a magazine article (unlike in a scientific paper) your personal opinions, experiences and anecdotes are valuable; they enrich the article and make it more interesting. It is im- portant however that any personal views on a subject are clearly identified as such. Readers like to come to their own conclusions, so they must be able to tell apart opinion from fact.

Including references Much of our knowledge came to us in non- formal ways. Most things we know we picked them up somewhere we don’t remember, or we learnt them from a friend or mentor, or we just discovered them by ourselves. That makes cit- ing sources difficult. However, including refer- ences greatly adds value and credibility to an article. It enables readers to find out more by

You could try to describe the subtle curve of the scroll of a Stradivarius for hours... But if you see a picture of it, you understand immediately—that‘s the power of adding images in your article (Photo: courtesy The Henry Ford Foundation)

44 SUSTAIN is published in English, but even some controversial articles, Wikipedia has if English is not your first language, don’t let proved to be a fantastic experiment based in that stop you submitting. Our editors will en- human trust and disinterested contribution. sure that articles are appropriately edited for Wikipedia contents are ever developing, both English style, vernacular and grammar. in quantity and quality, thanks to the support of experts in the most varied areas. However, Danger Zone its inherently dynamic nature makes it incon- Be especially careful with regard to: venient to include Wikipedia entries as refer- • Criticism. We hold opinions about many ence in a serious article. subjects (materials, brands, products, The secret is the following: instead of refer- procedures, etc.) that may be not the most encing directly that Wikipedia entry, check positive ones. And that’s okay. But it is also the original source of that particular bit of opinion, not fact; others may think differ- information by visiting the links listed at the ently. Be as objective as possible when bottom of each Wikipedia page; then you cite criticizing something. Avoid too many ad- that original source, which is the safe (and jectives, and refer to hard data as much ethical) way to go. as possible. Negative criticism of persons, groups, and other media is discouraged. Are contributions paid? • Covert advertising. The opposite of criti- No. SUSTAIN magazine is produced at prac- cism is exaggerated praise. SUSTAIN has tically no profit, and to an educational end; paid advertising, and also presents prod- all contributions are, just like in the case of a ucts in the form of news (free of charge - journal, voluntary and free. Authors who con- see page 10). But we do not allow product tribute with some regularity though, receive a placement or covert advertising in our ar- complimentary subscription and the possibil- ticles, either paid or not. The remedy, how- ity of including an ad promoting their prod- ever, is simple: praise products, tools or ucts or services, free of charge, for a whole media that deserve it, keeping the praise year (value: $700/€500). objective. • Cut & Paste. SUSTAIN magazine is com- Every journey starts with one step mitted to presenting original, previously Your article doesn’t have to be absolutely unpublished articles. Contents from other complete to be submitted; it all begins with sources is only included in the context of a draft, or even just an outline. The editing cooperation with other media. Authors are comes later on: we will review your draft, requested not to reproduce paragraphs make additional questions, suggest additions from other sources—especially not from or removals, and so on. Wikipedia! What to do next Wikipedia Send us a short email to hello@fellowlu- Should Wikipedia be considered a trusted thiers.com and tell us about the subject you source? How can it be credible if anyone can would like to write about. We will take it from log in and edit the contents? there. This is the amazing thing with Wikipedia: even if some ‘trolls’ here and there sabotage So, any ideas, yet?

45 In Europe: visit www.lospennato.com | email: [email protected]

46 47 GLUES ) http://www.henkel.com Photo courtesy of Henkel ( AG

THE BEST AND THE REST BY WIM STOUT e read that many luthiers praise In lutherie we use several types the so called hot Hide glue and the of glue, but... Are we using the W yellow wood glue. Why is this so? Is it because of historical reasons? Is it maybe right one for the job at hand? a question of habit or tradition? What about

48 epoxy glues (rarely used in lutherie) or cyano- 2) Physical adhesion. The atoms of the sub- acrylates? In this article we will try to explain strate and the adhesive bond together via the differences between them, their advan- a hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding is tages, and their setbacks too—all based on the ability of the atoms of two molecules to actual research data. physically connect by sharing their elec- Let’s start with some definitions. trons. The molecules adhesive’s and the surface’s molecules “feel more complete” Adhesives when they meet. This bond is almost as An adhesive is a polymer (a chemical com- strong as two atoms chemically joined. pound with large molecules composed of oth- The physical adhesion effect can be “re- er, smaller molecules which repeat a similar versed” when needed to separate the joined pattern over and over) designed to bond to- materials (such as when a neck is removed gether two non-sticky surfaces such as wood, from an acoustic guitar for resetting its an- paper, plastic, metal, and so on. Its strength gle). This is a representation of the bond: depends, among other things, on the struc- ture of the polymer that composes the adhe- sive, its size, its bonding groups, and the sur- face structure. There are three types of adhesion: Mechani- cal, physical, and chemical.

1) Mechanical adhesion. The adhesive pene- trates into the roughness of the substrate, and when the adhesive cures (dries) they 3) Chemical adhesion: Atoms in a molecule remain interlocked, hooked together. This are connected and represented in draw- is similar to the way mortar causes bricks ings by small lines between atoms. This is to stick together to form a wall (see figure called a covalent bond and it is not easily below): reversible. Breaking such bonds destroys

49 the molecule and it cannot be formed Horizontal bond strength, instead, is mea- again. This requires extreme energy input sured by sliding surfaces apart. One object is to happen. Covalent bonds are formed by pulled to the left, and the other object is either the cross-linking of two-component adhe- fixed or moved to the right. Glues that cure by sives (and also coatings) during the cur- chemical reaction (as opposed to those that ing process. Such cross-linking mecha- cure by evaporation, etc.–explained below) nism is not limited to the adhesive itself, form one big molecule, showing significant but also involves surface molecules as bond strength, in both the vertical and hori- well—as long as the curing mechanism zontal directions. finds the correct structures to react with. Some curing mechanisms release small molecules such as formaldehyde or water, some do not. These small molecules will evaporate and not further influence the newly formed bonds:

But in general, glues are best at resisting perpendicular forces (vertical). Physically bonded glues show much weaker horizontal bond strength as the force influences the mo- lecular orientation, which is reversible. Such Adhesion strength effect is the reason why luthiers like to use An adhesive’s strength is defined by its re- cyanoacrylates to glue nuts to the fretboard: sistance to forces applied from different di- A small tap from the side loosens the nut and rections. We saw that the chemical bonds a repair or exchange can be done without de- between substrate and polymer molecular stroying wood fibres. chains can withstand forces acting to pull them apart in opposite directions. This resis- Surface preparation tance is called vertical bond strength, exerted To achieve maximum bond strength of an ad- by the long polymer chains hooked together in hesive, the surface must be not glazed, and the glue film. must be clean and free of fat, resins and dust. Glazing. Dull chisels or planning blades hit the wood and crush the fibres, forming a shiny surface on the wood, which we call glaz- ing. To test if the surface of the wood piece to be glued is glazed or not, put a drop of water on it. If it takes more than 30 seconds to be absorbed by the wood, or to spread over the wood surface, it means the wood is glazed. The wood fibres cannot be properly wet, and will not accept enough glue. Similar effects are seen at sawn wood edges where the saw crushed and splintered the wood, or when the

50 wood is planed against the grain. If you glue correctly shortened to “PVA glue”. In fact, PVA two glazed wood pieces, the glue line will al- glue (polyvinyl acrylate glue), even if it is used ways be visible and will “ghost” through the for the same purposes, is a different glue with coating no matter how much sanding is done different properties. afterwards. Glazing can be removed by lightly White glue is currently the most used wood- sanding the surfaces to be glued. working glue and can be found under alterna- Dust acts like a barrier. It absorbs water very tive names such as carpenter’s glue, and El- easily, preventing the glue from actually wet- mer’s glue (a trademark of Elmer’s Products, ting and penetrating the wood surface. Inc.). Fat may originate from resinous substances The “poly” in “polyvinyl” means “many”; vi- in the wood, or come from your fingers when nyl forms a straight-chain molecule that is handling the wood. Fat and resins do not important for glue flexibility, and finally, the like water and repel it. They inhibit a proper tough molecules of the acetate are responsible glue and substrate contact, weakening the for the adhesion. PVAc glues, which feel some- bond. Resinous wood needs to be sanded what slippery to the touch, are designed to al- and cleaned, and glued within 1 hour after low time for the repositioning of the items be- that preparation to ensure that no new resin fore clamping. To increase its flexibility, PVAc migration will interfere with the adhesive’s glues are mixed with plasticisers. strength. White glue comes in standard versions that have a long open time or pot time (which means Different types of glue that it will not dry immediately in contact with air), and are also available in express ver- White glue sions, which will hold the pieces together after White glue is based on a compound called just a few minutes of contact, reducing the re- PVAc (polyvinyl acetate). It is sometimes in- position time (the time the user has to correct

Applying white glue on a headstock blank. Note the masking tape, which re- duces the mess caused by the glue squeezed out when the pieces are clamped together (photo L.L.)

51 the position of the pieces before they stick too coloured substance and small quantities of tightly together). When used on hardwoods it tackifier resin. The yellow colour, therefore, is may be applied on both gluing surfaces to in- just an added colour. crease wood/glue contact. Its properties are similar to those of the Advantages of white glue: white glue (non-toxic, non-flammable, etc.), • Easy to work with, no mixing required but it presents some differences regarding the • Its emulsion form, when still wet, allows use. Yellow glue sets very quickly, not allowing an easy cleaning with water. the reposition of the pieces (for example, when • It is non-toxic and non-flammable. laminating). The pieces must be placed in the • It has a long shelf live correct position as quickly as possible and Disadvantages clamped together precisely, in order to prevent • It is not waterproof. any movement; otherwise, the glue strength is • Should be kept from freezing when stored. compromised. • Freezing can cause the bond to break. Exterior white wood glue is another ver- Hot Hide glue sion of white glue, usually based on PVA (poly Hide glue is based on a protein extracted from vinyl acrylate) or PA (poly acrylate). Although animal connective tissue. Similar glues can acrylate and acetate have a similar molecular be extracted from blood, bones, fish bladder, structure, acrylates are significantly more re- and other animal parts. The first use of glues sistant to moisture and therefore better suit- derived from animal proteins (coming mainly able for outdoor use. from cattle) dates back to literally thousands of years ago. As the characteristics of the pro- Yellow glue tein have an impact on the final property as Yellow glue is usually based on white wood glue, some of them yield better results than glue (PVAc) but with the addition of an amber others.

Granulated animal glue (Photo: Creative Commons)

52 Hide glue, in order to be applied, is kept hot Disadvantages: either in a double boiler (the glue container is • Only small quantities should be prepared kept warm inside a larger pot, which provides at a time, because once water has been a bath of hot water) or by using an electric added to the glue, the remaining glue can- glue pot. Then it is applied using a brush or not be reused and has to be discarded. a spatula. • Its use is only possible within some nar- Advantages: row limitations in terms of temperature (if • It is reversible and repairable. It allows un- it gets too hot, its strength is destroyed; if gluing the different parts of an instrument it is too cold, it won’t work either). (e.g. a violin top or back that needs to be • It has a very short open time: once applied removed for repair) by using steam, be- on the pieces, the user has one minute or cause most Hide glues are water soluble. less before sticking the pieces together. PVA glues, instead, would require much This makes difficult to glue big pieces, for more heat and steam, which are poten- example the top of a cello. tially damaging to the varnish. • Hide glue sticks to itself; two parts of an This is the type of glue used by the Cremo- instrument can be glued again by simply nese masters and by many modern violin adding more Hide glue, without having to makers too, and its main use today is rele- remove all of the original glue residue. The gated to some acoustic instruments. It is by hot water re-dissolves the old glue, and af- many luthiers the glue of choice for areas that ter drying, the two glues become one. PVA may need repairs within the life span of an glues, on the contrary, do not adhere to instrument. In modern instruments, though themselves once dried. The old glue has (like solid body electric guitars), Hide glue to be removed completely, including the has been almost completely replaced by other wood fibres which it is adhered to. types of glue.

53 Hide glue is said to have an unlimited shelf epoxy adhesive to avoid water permeability. life as long as it is not contaminated with mi- Such instruments are always coated with a croorganisms or moisture. 2k (two components) polyester coating, which shows similar chemical properties as epoxies. Liquid Hide glue Advantages of epoxy glue: It is the same as hot Hide glue, but already • It fills cracks and holes. sold in liquid form. To make it stable for stor- • It has a reasonable “pot life” age, the glue is pasteurized and a biocide—a • It can withstand vibration and shock pret- product that kills germs—is added. It is gener- ty well. ally only good to use up to about 12 months Disadvantage: after the production date. • Epoxy glues are highly toxic and easily ir- ritate skin. Always use gloves when work- Epoxy glue ing with any reactive products (not only Epoxies are based on the reaction of two adhesives) and work in well ventilated ar- components: a resin and a hardener. The resin eas. is based on a compound called glycidil ether (correct name for epoxy). It is very reactive with amines, which are present in the hard- ener. It forms one big molecule and chemically connects to the substrate. Epoxy adhesives cure at ambient tempera- ture. However, a complete curing only happens at elevated temperatures up to 180°C. This is due to the following: when a two-component system cures, the molecular weight (and its size) goes up and it has more trouble to re- orientate and find another reactive group for further curing. At elevated temperatures, in- stead, the adhesive molecules can re-orient themselves (this happens when a parameter Two bronze bars used to reinforce of the adhesives called glass transition tem- a neck joint, fixed perature (symbolized “Tg”) allowing for a full in place with epoxy (photo L.L.) cure. Epoxy adhesives when cured at ambient temperature are already very strong, but they remain flexible somehow, because without ex- tra heat they cure below their Tg. The use of epoxy adhesives in lutherie is convenient when some gap filling is needed; for example, when installing neck reinforce- ments. Its full cure and high chemical resis- tance makes this glue a product of choice for applications where moisture may be an issue. Some luthiers like to use thoroughly dried wood (down to 8% of moisture content, or even less) and take advantage of the effect of an

54 The shelf life of epoxy glues is one year, as Contact adhesive glue (CA glues) stated by several vendors. But it can last Cyanoacrylates are also called CA glue, AC much longer if the components are kept away glue, and superglues (although “Super Glue” from light (in a cardboard box, for example) is one of its commercial names, just as “Krazy and warm temperatures (a refrigerator is very Glue”—they are trademarks of the Super Glue effective). corp. and Elmer’s Products, Inc.)

Polyurethane glue Based on a polyurethane resin, polyurethane (“PUR”) glues have been introduced relatively recently—a few years ago in the US, and a few decades in Europe. Polyurethane glue cures in the presence of moisture, so wetting one or both pieces to be joined is required. During the curing process the isocyanate present in the formula reacts with water, releasing car- bon dioxide gas visible in the form of foam oozing out of the joint. During the expansion, pieces may be pushed away from each other therefore every glue joint needs proper clamping. The most recognised commercial name of polyurethane glues (at least in the USA) is Gorilla Glue (a trademark of Gorilla Glue, Inc.) Advantages of polyurethane glue: • It is resistant to water. • It sands easily • In tight joints, polyurethane glue expands as it cures, preventing the end-grain joint from absorbing the glue (which happens with white glue). Disadvantages: • Polyurethane glues require clean up with Chemically they are very similar to a poly- solvents (acetone). urethane glue, but without the polyester. It • Polyurethane glues require sufficient is a small acrylic molecule with moisture- moisture in the wood pieces, which re- reactive functionality. Its smaller molecules quires applying a damp cloth to dry wood makes this glue thinner (less viscose) than surfaces before gluing. PUR glues, but it is also available in gel form, • As it is expansive, polyurethane glue can which is more convenient for some tasks. CA push apart a joint if everything isn’t tight- glue sold for use in lutherie is commonly avail- ly clamped. able in thin, medium, and thick consistencies. Polyurethane glues have usually a declared Two versions are commonly made: an Ethyl- one-year shelf life in an unopened container, acrylate version that is better for plastics and but in practice they are usable as long as the rubber, and a methacryl version that is better glue remains fluid. for metals.

55 Both versions work well on wood; the ethyl- • They dry very quickly, and the reposition- acrylate version is more flexible, the other one ing of objects weakens the bond’s strength more stiff. The ethyl-acrylate version is also Cyanoacrylates have a shelf life of 12-18 the one commonly sold in hardware shops; months inside the original, unopened con- the methacryl variety are generally not in tainer. Once you open it, it can be used only stock, but are acquired by special order. for as long as it remains fluid (which is about Suppliers do list CA glues as suitable for glu- a month). ing woods, but that’s not their primary appli- cation. However, they come in handy for cer- Joints tain uses in lutherie: In the process of building a musical instru- • For applying plastic binding to a guitar’s ment, the joints we create belong to one of top these types: • For gluing frets in place (requires clamp- 1) Tight joints ing until cured to avoid foam created by 2) Snug joints interaction with the air’s moisture, which 3) Loose joints can push the frets out the slots) As we have discussed, each type of glue is • Sometimes a very small drop of CA glue is developed for a certain purpose, which means used to glue a nut to the fret board. The that some glue that is perfect for one job can nut will stay in place, but it is cleanly re- be disastrous when used in a different appli- moved by tapping it with a hammer (use cation. For example, water based glues will a piece of wood as buffer and tap the nut lose 50% of their volume as they cure, so they from a side; never hit the nut directly). will shrink; epoxy glues, on the contrary, cure by chemical reaction, not evaporation. They If you tried CA glues on wood you might have will obviously perform very differently in the noted that when the wood is too dry the bind- case of a loose joint. ing won’t stick well. A damp cloth is needed Making sure that the glue we are using is the to add moisture to the surfaces. Also, some correct one for the type of joint we are working accelerators are available on the market, on is critical. But clearly a good joint depends which contain water and some reactive sol- first and foremost on the pieces to be glued to vent with alcohol functionality. When acceler- one another. If the surfaces to be glued don´t ated, the glue releases carbon dioxide (just as match well together, the glue will certainly not polyurethane glues do), and we see the glue provide a magical solution; on the contrary, it foaming up. CA glues should only be applied might make things worse. If the glue shrinks wearing the proper protective equipment such (by evaporation), or if it expands (by creation of as gloves and goggles. Its extreme adhesive gases and the consequent foam in the case of power to skin and its reactivity with moisture polyurethane glues) there will not be enough (present in the eyes, for example) have caused contact surface or structural strength within many hospital visits. the glue. The bigger the gap, the less strength CA glues Advantages: both the glue and the joint will have. • Flows easily into cracks. • Once dry it sands easily Glue flexibility • Instant and strong gluing power Glues can be formulated to be flexible (most Disadvantages: of them are), or brittle, like polyurethane and • They are toxic contact adhesives. Joints glued with Hide glue • They adhere very well to skin are relatively brittle, too. If the instrument

56 57 suffers an impact of some kind, the glue will joints as more product penetrates the pores often break, instead of the wood. The elas- and finds more surface to adhere to (addi- tic and strong joint created by PVA glue, on tional mechanical adhesion). Such surfaces the other hand, rarely breaks on impact: the need glue on both sides to avoid the lack of crack will happen on the wood adjacent to the glue in the joint by excessive pore penetration, joint. though. Does this mean that the glue is stronger than Several published tests reviewed for this ar- wood? No, it doesn’t. What really happens is ticle come all to the same conclusions: that the glue will swell the wood fibres it has • The fit of the joint and surface preparation contact with. The fibres expand (grain raise) is key. and penetrate the wet glue; the whole behaves • Within the same group of glues there are then like a fibre reinforced plastic. During the many different versions available, each evaporation of solvent or water, glue shrinks. one being most suitable for some specific This exerts a traction on the wood fibres in- tasks. side the glue film: they are pulled into the glue • The use of the wrong glue is the reason for joint. This weakens the wood immediately be- most failures. yond the glue joint. In an article titled “How Strong is Your Adhesion failure is commonly caused by poor Glue?” (Fine Woodworking magazine - August surface preparation, glue setting before join- 2007 - page 36; you can read the article here: ing (risk for large surface areas), a too wide http://bit.ly/1nlfo8r) shows the resistance of (loose) glue joint, or, as explained above, by the three joint types described above (tight, the weakened wood adjacent to the glue joint. snug, and loose) in three different wood types Resistance of the joint (maple, oak and ipé), tested under stress on Open pored wood generally deliver stronger a machine capable of measuring the force re-

Glue strength on Maple

1900

1700

1500

1300

1100

900

700

500 Epoxy Epoxy Epoxy Exterior PVA Exterior PVA Exterior PVA Exterior Interior PVAc Interior PVAc Interior PVAc Interior Hot hide glue hide Hot glue hide Hot glue hide Hot Polyurethane Polyurethane Polyurethane Liquid hide glue hide Liquid glue hide Liquid glue hide Liquid Loose Snug Tight

Based on data from a research by Fine Woodworking Magazine - Reproduced as Fair Use - Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.

58 Squeeze it! (Photo: L.L.) quired to make it fail. Higher numbers means animal based glues. Hide glues conserve stronger joints (see figure in previous page). the advantage of being more easily revers- ible and repairable. The conclusions of the tests are: As an overall conclusion, Hide glue (hot or • All glues provide strong bonds, except liquid) and PVA/PVAc glues appear to be best for polyurethane glue on a loose fit. This for woodworking, and consequently for musi- can be explained by the bubbles created cal instrument making. Epoxy is fine to use by PUR glues in a loose joint, reducing the but as it is a two-component system it could strength of the adhesive film. be messy to work with and its strength cer- • There´s not much difference between tainly depends on how good the components hot Hide glue and liquid Hide glue. Both are mixed as well as the curing temperature. products provide bonds above any force a Polyurethane glue appears to be a no-go, ex- musical instrument will be reasonably ex- cept when the joints are tight and are not un- posed to. der stress. • Epoxy glue is often declared as unfit for musical instruments. Based on its bond Glued joints and tone strength, though, there is no reason not to When discussing the making of musical in- use it. Also, the filling capability of epoxies struments, each aspect of their construction constitutes another point in its favour. is sooner or later considered under the optic • Lastly, there is a direct relationship of its influence in the tone. Yes, even glued between the fit of the joint and its joints. The answer is “no”: glues have no in- strength. Tighter joints make better fluence on tone. You cannot say which kind bonds (the tests were done without clamp- of glue was used on an instrument just by its ing force; not all areas of musical instru- sound. Good quality joints, however, do have ments can get high clamping force, there- an influence on the overall quality of the in- fore such test conditions are also relevant strument, and consequently in its tone. So the for luthiers). best thing to do is to build some tight to snug • In general, PVA and PVAc glues provide fits, and apply a thin layer of glue. the strongest bonds of all glues on all White or yellow glues and Hide glue in the wood types, which explains why these case of instruments that require it, have prov- glues have largely replaced other glue en that when used correctly will keep together types in the industry. They are cheaper an instrument that will outlive both the musi- and easier to modify to specific tasks than cian and the luthier.

59 BOOK REVIEW

Marketing for the Small Guy

omebody said that independent luthiers So for now, “Guerrilla Music Marketing Hand- spend half the time building instru- book”, by Bob Baker, will have to do. S ments, and the other half trying to sell Musicians and luthiers are not very different them. Most luthiers I know enjoy the building kinds of animal, after all. Like modern Don part a lot, and the marketing part a lot less. Quixote’s, both have to face the big brands Are you one of them? that dominate the market by means of sheer Well, some tricks you already know: You take advertising power. So, is there any way to el- some nice pictures of your instruments and bow ourselves in? you build a nice website. Showing your instru- Sure there is: Guerrilla! ments in music fairs cannot harm, of course. The key of guerrilla marketing is to promote But, what about branding, positioning, adver- your products at low (or null) cost, in highly tising, and pricing? interactive, creative ways. Our ideas are the Right now there are no books dealing specifi- ammunition, the Internet is the weapon. This cally with marketing of musical instruments. book suggests many ways in which you can use the web for promoting your business: blogs, social networks, press releases, and a long et cetera. You only have to translate those tactics intended for bands or solo musicians into actions suitable for the lutherie trade.

Plus points of this book: • It was written thinking in the small guy. • It is absolutely to the point—both in con- ceptual and tactical terms. • It is a quick and stimulating read. • If you also like to play and record your own music, then it might by doubly inter- esting.

The edition we got our hands on was out- dated (e.g. it referenced some websites that, back then, were so hot, and today are not) so if you decide to get the book, go for the 2013 updated and revised edition. All in all: This is not a step-by-step market- ing guide, but a generator of ideas. Have a pen and paper at hand to make a list of the tricks that may apply to your business. With a little inspiration, you will have the elements to de- velop a simple guerrilla marketing strategy. If you (like many of us) need to spend more time trying to sell your instruments, this book might come in handy. (N.S.)

60 61 FILM REVIEW

“Stradivari” (1988) Anthony plays

Antonio BY NEAL SOLOPONTE

id you know that Antonio was ac- business, and it stayed as one, too: Lorenzo, tually born in Chihuahua, México? Francesco and Danny Quinn (sons of Antho- DNot Antonio Stradivari, mind you: ny) play the roles of the young Antonio and of Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca, Anthony Antonio’s sons, respectively. Quinn, who plays the role of his namesake in The film includes touches of innocent humor this film from 1988 directed by Giacomo Bat- (one night little Antonio borrows a stool from tiato.

“Stradivari” never hit the cinemas; it was produced as a miniseries by Rete Italia (in English), and it is a historical dramatization, not a biographic account. It couldn’t be oth- erwise: we know very little about the most famous luthier in history. There are no con- temporary portraits of him; we know nothing about his childhood or adolescence (not even the precise year he was born—1643? 1648?); we know nothing about his first marriage, and almost nothing about his personality. We only know that he had 11 children and that he built 1116 instruments, of which 650 are still around—all masterpieces. So it was natural that someone with a vivid imagination (writer Ernesto Gastaldi) decided to fill the historical gaps with a little fantasy: he wrote the novel Stradivari Cremonensis (only published in Italian) on which the film is based.

In fact, it was Quinn himself who contacted Gastaldi in order to use his novel in a movie, saying “it’s the most beautiful romanticized story I have ever read”. So it began as a Quinn

62 Quinn as the great Cremonese violin maker (video capture).

his orphanage’s confessional in order to build annoying here and there, when it gets a bit its first violin in secret, then a priest tries to sit loud. in the confessional, falling on his butt) and it Buying the DVD is not easy; Amazon sites gains in realism—or at least in plausibility— list it, but don’t have in stock. Finding this in as it progresses into the adulthood of the Cre- a video rental shop is next to impossible. The monese master. It also gains in acting quality, good news, however, is that you can watch it going from pretty average performances at the on YouTube (see links below). beginning, to the comforting professionalism brought in by Quinn, and by Stefania San- All in all: This flick is almost three decades drelli in the role of Antonio’s second wife. old and hree hours long. So, caveat emptor: if you can allow yourself a brief suspension of The soundtrack is almost entirely confided disbelief, you might very well enjoy it. to a single violin, which sounds joyful or dra- matic according to the spirit of each scene. Additional information: The music is beautiful; it is historically accu- First part: http://bit.ly/1ilRjJf rate (lots of Vivaldi), and it effectively conveys Second part: http://bit.ly/1d7V8Tg a post-Renaissance era ambience. It is only

63 THE INTERN’S COLUMN

Climbing the corporate ladder egotiation is Did I get more responsibility, you ask? You a subtle art. It betcha. I am coordinating the draw of a few Nrequires intel- T-Shirts among all people who “like” our page. ligence and nerves of Those T-shirts are really cool. steel. In fact, I wanted to keep one for myself. The I recently got the chance to test my abilities as boss said no. negotiator. I asked the boss for a promotion. Result: total success. It went like this (I explain my strategy too, so you can learn something): Step 1. Don’t show too much interest. I arrived last week to the office, and played it cool. I kept to myself, serious and distant. I didn’t bring the boss coffee, I didn’t speak to him, nothing. I simply sat in front of my computer, playing Solitary (it looked like I was working). No reactions, though. Step 2. Calmly state your position. Do not show your cards all at once. By 5pm I was so fed up with playing it cool that I grabbed the boss by his shirt and told him to his face that I wanted a raise, I wanted more responsibility, and I wanted the title of manager. Or I would leave. Now that I think about it, the volume of my voice could have been lower. Step 3. Once the game is on, stay your ground and deploy your best dialectical weaponry. He told me to leave if I wanted to. I didn’t know what to say. But somehow, it worked! I am a manager now. True, I didn’t get a raise. But you know, sometimes you have to demonstrate your ca- pabilities before the big money starts raining on you. Visit https://www.facebook.com/FellowLuthiers, “like” the Okay, okay... I am not a real manager, ei- page, and you can win one of these ultra-cool Stewmac ther: I am a “social network manager”. I’m in Dreadnought T-Shirts. charge of updating the magazine’s Facebook page.

64 INSPIRATIONS A Beautiful Inlay Skyline

he picture shows an original T and sober inlay that will be used in basses and guitars (acous- tic and electric) of the Sadowsky Select Series. This beautiful 12th fret marker was designed and made by Jaime Aulson of Aulson Inlay for the gui- tar making company of Long Island City, NY. In this case, the neck is for a 5-string bass, made of flamed roasted maple and a Brazilian rose- wood fingerboard. Truly inspiring indeed. http://www.sadowsky.com/ http://aulsoninlay.com/

65 Advertise on SUSTAIN magazine!

Hundreds of luthiers are waiting to read about your products and services on SUSTAIN, the leading 1/4 Page European magazine on 10 cm x 7,6 cm lutherie. (4 x 3 in.) $90 / €75

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67 Fellowship of European MAGAZINE Luthiers Published by the Fellowship of European Luthiers Magazine for luthiers, designers and lovers of stringed musical instruments Number 6 - 2014 / I

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