The Hub

I’ve changed up my buffing protocols (again) and am selling off two lots of compound bars: -four bars ColorTone Fine, $55+shipping -three bars Menzerna P204 + two bars GW16, $100+shipping. USA shipping only. thanks, Creston

I am building an archtop mandocello (A style) and I'm trying to find out how to make the neck block. It would be more or less like an A style mandolin neck block, but obviously quite a lot bigger. More or less like the image attached. The blank should be aprox 10 x 8 x 12 cm. I'm trying to find a piece of hardwood big enough for this, would it be acceptable if I made some kind of laminated piece? And how should the grain direction be idea…

LOOTHTOOL I've made some purchases on LOOTHTOOL, but it will not let me review. SO, the VL’s Precision Feeler Gauge Set is a rock solid 10 of 10 or five Amazon stars. Nice blades, EXCELLENT tool box, well marked, I'm thrilled!

Question about splines: At what point are they necessary? My question is primarily regarding the crack to the left between the bridge and the sound hole as well as the crack at the upper bout that runs along the fingerboard extension. I have already glued them both and used the TJ cleats that run the full length of the cracks. I have already splined the lower bout crack that runs from the bridge to the binding as it was super gappy and d…

Sadowsky use unique control plate screws which are much smaller than common plate screws. I believe the ones they use are: #3 × 3/8" Phillips Pan(domed) Head Black Oxide csk self tapping Sheet Metal Screw Type AB thread. Being in the UK, these are really hard to find, pretty much don’t exist here, so can anyone please help me or point me in the direction of a supplier? I’ve contacted Sadowsky direct with no response and also many of my main…

So today, while restringing a guitar, one of my techs dropped a .012 e string that slid down the wall and landed on a plug that was just slightly loose from the outlet. It landed just right and made a huge spark. No lesson to be learned here but a crazy thing to happen! We are changing our name to Sparky’s Guitar Service. 😬

A customer brought in a Gibson ivory top A3 mandolin. It's in good shape and has all the parts. He found it at the local thrift store here in Bishop. He wants it mechanically sound. Here are the problems: 1) Everything that comes into the shop has a shrinkage component and the effects of course very from instrument to instrument. This instrument is no exception and the results of that shrinkage, in this case, are severe. The top, ba…

First time making purfling to match a repair. Problem: couldn’t get it to bend without delaminating and cracking. Veneer is 6 plies using 4 of SMs 0.023” and 2 maple at 0.025” cut to 1 1?2 inches wide. Glue up with Titebond Veneer glue, final stack at 0.140” thick. Let it dry 2 days, cut a few 0.090” strips, then used some super soft just at the waist and despite going very slowly the strip skewed, delaminated and started to break plies. W…

The sub menu is back by both popular and reasonable demand.

HI EVERONE! I just found a sealed box ready to ship that must have been sitting awhile. In it I found a new "signed" Opti-visot with t double lenses as the one I use I know it was ready to ship to someone, and I think it was a LG person. If you are the person that I promised to send this too, please let me know. Thanks, Dan Erlewiine

So it seems that a drum sander would be very handy for many parts of a "build from scratch". There are a few out there that cost under $3000.00 that can handle wood up to 4" thick and are wide enough to sand a back or top after the halves have been joined. Jet JWD-22-44 open stand, 22"width Jet JWDS-2550 open stand, 25" width SuperMax 19-38 opend stand, 19" width SuperMas 25-50 closed stand, 25" width Questions: Any recomendations on the sa…

Thought fellow looths might enjoy this geekery. I've often wished for custom size heating blankets, but didn't even try uploading the file to get a quote from some of the major manufacturers. I was looking to spend countless hours of my life on something and save a hundred bucks. So I did some research, a little bit of head scratching, a slight bit of math reckoning, and made this '70s Martin bridge plate remover. Pretty slick, nice…

(for background context, I'm probably in the dozens of fret jobs so far, and no I don't let frets leave my house like this) When I got started getting interested in building guitars, I got the StewMac bundle of fret files/book, which comes with the concave toothed file. Over time, I ended up getting both the Narrow/Medium and Wide/Jumbo files. I don't do it often, but occasionally I do something like shown in the picture, where I'm clearl…

Looking for the resource page that had all the links on it. Along with the Amazon suggestion lists from various luthiers

Please, if you see something, say something. If you want something, ask. Bugs, wishlists etc. Stack them up here.

Love the new look and navigation. Good work. I do miss the Video Archive Page as it was a constant reference source for me. Is there a way to those links that I am not seeing.

Does anyone know a waterslide decal maker who sells Fugazi decals in a fender font?