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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:34 am 
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Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:49 pm
Posts: 2915
Location: Norway
Jeff Highland wrote:
It's quite a few years, and I no longer own it.
But for starters, his concept of tuning each brace to a musical note before gluing it on..........really!

Siminoff made his reputation in mandolins not guitars anyhow.
But he seems to have been a master of self promotion.


I don't know if that is fair. I build mandolins as well as guitars, and in the world of independent mandolin builders, Siminoff is regarded as a great pioneer and innovator, who wrote the book on mandolin construction back in the day, much as Sloanne or Cumpiano in the world of guitars. He has also played an important part role in bringing Gibson mandolins back to their former glory, he runs mandolin building workshops, sells parts and so on. So even if he is somewhat controversial, he gets, and IMO deserves, a lot of respect for this. However, most experienced builders advice against following his theories and practices for 'tuning' the instrument too closely, the majority of both 'intuitive' and 'scientific' builders usually go :roll: when the subject comes up

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:16 am 
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:10 pm
Posts: 2764
First name: Tom
Last Name: West
State: Nova Scotia
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Clay: Nice looking cookie jar........!!! Anyone into this in a serious way would no doubt learn a lot from a test mule like this. I keep pushing on without one.............someday I'll get one done.
Tom

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:51 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:33 pm
Posts: 53
First name: John
Last Name: Buckham
City: Wauchope
State: NSW
Zip/Postal Code: 2446
Country: Australia
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
meddlingfool wrote:
Skip directly to the Gore/Gilet books. Don't say they're too expensive, they will advance you very rapidly and are worth every little penny.


100% agree....they are not expensive at all considering their content....they're cheap...I would consider them as an essential lutherie tool...

I have the good fortune to live in the same country as Trevor and did the 3 day course with him....the same one that Jeff Highland went to....it was a great experience.....

Cheers

John


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:15 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:13 am
Posts: 902
Location: Caves Beach, Australia
Arnt Rian wrote:
Jeff Highland wrote:
It's quite a few years, and I no longer own it.
But for starters, his concept of tuning each brace to a musical note before gluing it on..........really!

Siminoff made his reputation in mandolins not guitars anyhow.
But he seems to have been a master of self promotion.


I don't know if that is fair. I build mandolins as well as guitars, and in the world of independent mandolin builders, Siminoff is regarded as a great pioneer and innovator, who wrote the book on mandolin construction back in the day, much as Sloanne or Cumpiano in the world of guitars. He has also played an important part role in bringing Gibson mandolins back to their former glory, he runs mandolin building workshops, sells parts and so on. So even if he is somewhat controversial, he gets, and IMO deserves, a lot of respect for this. However, most experienced builders advice against following his theories and practices for 'tuning' the instrument too closely, the majority of both 'intuitive' and 'scientific' builders usually go :roll: when the subject comes up


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:24 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:13 am
Posts: 902
Location: Caves Beach, Australia
Arnt, The "master of self promotion" comment is based on my reading of his biography
He has been able to get himself into all sorts of situations
Whether you place negative connotations on that is up to you

I just consider that his grasp of scientific principles is tenuous and his writings a source of misinformation for new builders trying to understand the workings of an instrument and does them a disservice.


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