Pagos tuners

Power to the Women! First prize went to Paula Lazzarini, second to Jesús de Jiménez and third to Amelíe Bouvret.

Here is the latest on the guitar-makers’ competition.

Once again the European Guitar Foundation brings us the IV INTERNATIONAL GUITAR MAKING COMPETITION ANTONIO MARIN MONTERO EGF.

One more year of guitars, guitars, and guitars starting Sunday October 17. I am still hoping that they will make the submissions anonymous starting next year and that the prizes be substituted for simple paper certificates or the like. I think this might encourage the more experienced makers to participate and raise the level of the competition. It will continue to be very interesting for the young and novel makers. This year the participants include 8 from Spain, 2 from Italy, 2 from Germany and 1 each from Japan, Argentina, Holland, the United States and France.

I won’t be able to attend the public auditions this year but I am eager to find out who is deemed to be making the best guitars. I have seen the work of three or four of the participants in the past. Good luck to all!

I have seen all sorts of setups to glue a scarf joint but none as good as the traditional method. All you need is two squared edges, one clamp and some scrap blocks of the right size. Obviously preparation of the joint is crucial and your stock should be of even thickness, even if the head and neck are not the same thickness as you see in the photo. The hide glue’s fast grab and the parallel clamping surfaces mean that the wood has no reason to move. DON’T try this with any other glue! But then why would you want to use any other glue on a guitar?