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Thread: Gal

  1. #1
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Gal

    Are you a member or contributor? I am curious about the worth of membership. I am no pro. I do some setups for friends and have been asked to do more but time pretty much inhibits anything more. If I can't get to it I just refuse the work. I do want to learn more. I do have a great source with the book I got from @NotMelloCello the Stringed Instrument Craftsman compilation but there are some plans I would like on the GAL website, the savings isn't enough to pay for itself but there may be other resources available to pros I can't see so I am curious of its value to someone like me. Any comments are welcome. And thanks once again for answering my goofy repetitive questions!
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  2. #2
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    Forty plus years ago I was a member for a couple of years and wrote a small article on sharpening jointer heads in place. A lot of good information was shared and I enjoyed being a little part of that community. Life changed and I didn’t maintain that association, but it was valuable to me at the time.

    I suspect you would find many benefits as well.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Gal

    A GAL membership is only worthwhile if you want to be able to read articles, not published anywhere else, covering topics relevant to any luthier written by the best and most creative luthiers in the world. You can buy the Big Red Books and get similar content, but it's on about a 10-year delay. Which is fine because there's 50ish years of back issues condensed into the existing Big Red Books to catch up on.

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  6. #4
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    Thanks guys! And the articles and the big red book sound like excellent reads! I am in come payday!
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  7. #5
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    Default Re: Gal

    John,
    I am in a similar situation as you. This is a hobby that I can use to learn to make the instruments I enjoy playing. I have been a member of GAL for 4 years an have found it quite beneficial. The quarterly publications are a great read on their own and I have found several tips on the build process from them, so I would certainly recomend them.
    Bob Schmidt

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  9. #6
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    They also host what I believe is easily the best instrument building related convention anywhere in the world!
    www.condino.com

    Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

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  11. #7
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    I have been a member since the mid 80s and reckon I get my annual membership paid back with a good idea in just about every issue of American Lutherie. The first convention I attended was in 1998 where John Monteleone did a presentation and between that and the rest of the four days, my brain was buzzing for months with ideas. Discussions about neck attachments over breakfast, soundboard resonances at lunch, concerts in the evening and a friendly wine bar a couple of hundred yards down the road for after hours socialising with live music from other conventioneers. I have made some wonderful friends at the conventions over the years and can only hope we are allowed to leave the country by the convention next year.

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  13. #8
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    I honestly am very excited to sign up and read! One of my favorite past times! Thanks everyone!

    When they had their conventions or whatever we call them can any member go? Is it for mostly advanced guys?
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  14. #9
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gal

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    I honestly am very excited to sign up and read! One of my favorite past times! Thanks everyone!

    When they had their conventions or whatever we call them can any member go? Is it for mostly advanced guys?
    The conventions are for builders of all levels and it is a great place to work out how your instruments compare with what others are doing. I don't mean that in a competitive way, but just to be able to see what builders with a range of experiences are doing. There will always be some high level builders exhibiting as well as people who make a couple of instruments a year in their spare time. It is mostly guitar oriented, but there are always a few mandolin builders around.

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