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Blanket statements about pricing and unknown amounts of work don't offer much help. 'Better to use a flat rate and then calculate how much work needs to be done at an average of +/- $50 per hour. Or...

I found that perplexing, didn't see what that was about. :confused: Then I saw the OP said "thanks men" - twice, including in the OP. Does seem a bit odd, but not worthy of a whole tangent. (I hope.)...

Wow, lots of feedback! I appreciate it.

To put some additional context here regarding the "inclusivity" aspect of some of the responses.

Myself and a few friends host about 4 jams a week in...

As I've said many times, to customers, other luthiers, aspiring luthiers etc., there are no credentials in this business; no training required, no license requited, anyone who has done a fret job...

Many years ago the discussion came up at the shop of my former employer. As we worked on instruments one day we asked ourselves; 'what is a "master" luthier?'
As one can imagine, the discussion was...

I only met Bill a couple of times, but that's not something you easily forget. Full of life, talent, and humor. We need more Bill Bussmans in the world. Condolences to his family and friends. He...

I ordered my Old Wave oval back in 2018. When I spoke with Bill on the phone, I mentioned that I was about his age.
"In that case, I'll have to hurry!" he said, and we both laughed.

RIP, Bill.

I only knew Bill electronically from way back from Comando days. Made me laugh many times, and his sense of humor will be missed. We once did a swap of mandolin tops, he send me an Engelmann top...

It is with my saddest heart to announce the passing of my good friend of 37 years Bill Bussman. So many around the world knew him through his luthier talents with Old Wave Mandolins. I know this from...

I just got the news from other bandmates that Bill died, apparently from a Heart Attack while bicycling. As a bandmate of nearly 20 years I am dumbstruck, Bill was only 74, younger by 3 years than...

I was deeply saddened to hear that Ginny Hollon passed away yesterday. As many of you know, she was the publisher of Mandolin Magazine, and she was active in the music community here in Oregon. She...

Well, that's not exactly how it works. I'm running out of time, but the simple version is:
string motion excites the top which then immediately excites all other parts of the instrument and the air...

Some may be shocked, but some of us are more disappointed than shocked.
Big corporations or not, most instrument manufacturers have historically (at least in recent history) been supportive of one...

Not that long ago, who woulda thought so many lawyers would make so much money in the guitar business...

Yes, that is a popular one. I like "magic" even less. I've put a lot of time and effort into learning lutherie, I can't do it with "magic". I consider myself a craftsman first, a scientist second,...

SM57s have been around for years but I think they are a little different now.
Back in my days as a drummer in a top 40/country/rock band we did a sort of novelty thing where I got out the banjo and...

1. Builds 2 - 12 I spent a lot of time re-working the measurements from Roger's Book with Hogo's Loar drawings.
2. Spent a lot of time at festivals handing mandos to players and watching what they...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGj5MONmdlE

Live you life boxed up in a cage, afraid of your own shadow, and never never never take your fragile little instrument outside of your home.......;)

I can install an entire upright bass top in one session with no help using traditional hot hide glue; mandolins are tiny and simple.

You don't need to add urea or buy some hipster prepackaged...

Good excuse for a builder's summit / sailing trip off the Washington coast this fall!

I have my first 2 pt. ff-hole mandolin in progress "as we speak"! (red spruce sugar maple). Guess we won't get to compare them...

Reading through this thread again, I just can't let this go. In terms of tuning "tone bars", all you are doing is changing the stiffness and mass of the top, although because of the cube rule...

As I was once told, by a great builder "People hear with their eyes." Prettier doesn't necessarily sound better, but the human brain is a complex & confusing thing.

First examples come from the eBay sellers from the Taiwan/Vietnam circle. I believe they have become much better in the quality of their work but many spent more time on fancy looking wood (in the...