Official Luthiers Forum!

Is anyone else watching this show on the science channel? It is really fascinating. In one episode today they showed the building of a harp.   A full sized, orchestra harp. Very interesting for luthier types. It was build entirely by hand (at least that's what was shown), and the only power tool that was discussed was a band saw. Most of it was shaped and fitted with hand planes, from large to tiny finger planes. It has about an 8 piece spruce soundboard and they installed kerffed linings. And they said, as they strung it up, that the strings exerted over 750 pounds of force.   If you're not familiar with the show, you might want to check it out.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I saw the episode on building an acoustic guitar - if only I had a 5 ton metal/steam press to bend those sides!   They summarized the whole process in about 2 minutes and was based on a Canadian factory (A&L/Norman/Simon and Patrick - can't remember which one.) The biggest point I remember from the show was just how little of the guitars were actually made by hand.  Just a bit of applying the glue! 

A great program none the less....

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Yeah, I also learned how to make pencil erasers.    There's something for everyone.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Those shows are great.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Great Show! I watch it whenever I can. I saw the guitar one too!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

I too have seen the show and love it. I missed this one however. Several months ago with the Westcoast Get Together we toured Dusty Strings factory with the owner/founder Ray and saw how they make these beautiful harps... even watched a guy winding the strings. It was very cool and interesting. The most amazing thing was how much pulling force goes on the soundboard at a near vertical angle (I think 1000 lbs or more)... you think a guitar has a lot of force? Crazy.

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Billy for Prez! Hey, you got my vote...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

We watch that show all the time! Every time I watch it, I learn something new! Great show!
The funny thing is, my boys 8 and 5, love that show too! It amazes me, at how well it holds their interest.

Robert

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Everything has beauty, But, not everyone see's it!

great show... I watch it too.

the Acordian and Piano making episodes are worth seeing as well.

Matt

Back when we had TV my daughter was home from school sick one day. She watched 8 hours of a H.I.M. marathon. For the next week or so I got, "Dad, did you know...."
Though I'm glad she chose that over Sponge Bob Poopy Pants.

I don't get the Science Channel  - only the Science Fiction Channel! 

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Man, I'd forgotten the one on building the accordian. That was amazing!! So many parts and such precision and everything was hand fitted. I was mesmerized by that episode.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

[quote]Billy for Prez! Hey, you got my vote... [/quote]

Thank you my fellow American!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

   Yes I love that show. They had so many great ideas. Love the way they cook the soup in the can
john

750# of tension sounds like 'way too little to me. The small lap harps I've made run over 1000 sometimes.

They always say that the harps don't start to sound good until the soundboard has pulled up a bit. It's not uncommon for even a small harp 'board to pull up 1/4"-3/8" in the center. Next time you look at one, remember that when they assembled it, the soundboard was probably dead flat.