Guitar Set Up

Today a nice gentleman brougth a guitar into the shop. His problem, he bought it at a liquidators cheap.But it does not work. My job is to make it play. I loosened all the strings and shimmed the saddle allowing the strings to clear the fretboard and now the guitar plays very well. Of course it does not sound as good as my Bristol Guitar but thats another story.

At My Bench

I loosened all the strings and shimmed the saddle allowing the strings to clear the fretboard and now the guitar plays very well. Of course it does not sound as good as my Bristol Guitar but thats another story.

Jazz at the Mermaid

Just came fom the Mermaid Inn in Chestnut Hill Philadelphia.One block from my Violin Guitar Shop.

Steve Giordano, Joe Nero and Dave Posmontier played Jazz like you would expect to hear at a very expensive Jazz Club in New York  City. But it was in Chestnut Hill,what a treat. I absolutely loved their music.

Try to see them next month.

I have a great sounding bass for sale.

This bass has blown me away. I think I would like to keep it for my self, but if someone  offers me $800 I might just give it up. I restored it from oblivion and am only asking the price of the repairs.  

German Plywood Bass

 

Making a Viola

  The past year I was teaching Michael Kemp how to make a viola. We had a lot of fun and it proved very interesting. You can read all about  the process at http://michaelsviola.blogspot.com

Eastman Guitar

AC 420 Deadnought

Ebony Fingerboard and Bridge

Mother of Pearl Rosetta

Rosewood Head Stock

http://www.eastmanguitars.com/

Bristol Guitar

This Beautiful Guitar sounds and plays great. It has been set up in my shop to play effortlessly with perfect neck and string action.

I carry both Dreadnaught and OOO models. The picture is a OOO.

List price is $249, Our sale $200.

Bristol Guitars are made by Blueridge from sagamusic.

Watch video

http://www.youtube.com/user/goldenviolins1

St. Malachy’s Orchestra

I just loaned a cello to St. Malachy’s Orchestra from Belfast Ireland.They will be playing at Bonner High School 403N Lansdowne Ave 7:00PM Thurs. March 18th.  And  March 15th at the Irish Center 6:00 PM 815 Emlen St. Phila. Their full itinerary can be found at aohdenniskelly.com

Hope you can see them.

Harold

F Holes for a Violin

 I finally took a day off from repairs and worked on finishing the top plate of my newest violin.I finished the top arch and the inner arch very close to what I would like.Then I started the f holes.I cut the eyes with a hole cutter and began rough cutting the rest with a coping saw blade rapped in a wooden handle.

 I’ll finish tomorrow and take some pictures to post.

Repairs

Today I cleaned a violin that had been allowed to accumulate a gummy rosin build up on its varnish. this is a dangerous procedure because the vanish is very delicate and the color is very difficult to match if it is disturbed.

First. I tried the least aggressive cleaner and it failed so I had to use the next more aggressive cleaner,actually a tool not a cleaner,but I am not devulging secrets,That started the cleaning but now I could try a more aggressive cleaner which worked very nicely.The caution I used was very high, one slip and it could have been a problem.

The job was finished beautifully and I expect the violin owner to be very happy.