Search found 705 matches

by peter.coombe
Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:12 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Lacey Act again
Replies: 2
Views: 3966

Lacey Act again

An interesting new development. http://www.namm.org/public-affairs/articles/namm-comments-aphis-needed-changes-lacey-declarati This sounds very sensible to me. The 10% rule would allow us to export our instruments to the US without spending hours on paperwork. Most of the value in our instruments is...
by peter.coombe
Wed Oct 05, 2011 8:22 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitar Strings
Replies: 17
Views: 14239

Re: Guitar Strings

I used to buy from First Quality as well, but they have reduced their stock to avoid going bankrupt, and don't always have what I want in stock now. I usually buy 15-20 sets of mandolin/mandola/guitar strings at a time to make it worthwhile. Is a lot cheaper than buying local if you do it that way. ...
by peter.coombe
Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:26 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitar Strings
Replies: 17
Views: 14239

Re: Guitar Strings

by peter.coombe
Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:07 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Neck Angle
Replies: 11
Views: 12431

Re: Neck Angle

Measure with the bridge in place, then measure again just to be sure, then cut the neck angle on the neck to the measurement. Don't worry about what it measures because it will depend on how much you dome the top, but my 3 guitars have been around 1.5deg.
by peter.coombe
Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:49 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: It's someones birthday.....
Replies: 3
Views: 3945

Re: It's someones birthday.....

Thanks Martin. We went to a father and son performance on mandolin and guitar. Both instruments made by me. Is very nice to see your instruments up on stage.

Peter
by peter.coombe
Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:30 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Tree cut down - how to use for guitars?
Replies: 24
Views: 22791

Re: Tree cut down - how to use for guitars?

Well while you guys are busily making use of your felled trees, I have just walked past something that made me feel quite sick in the stomach. I live in a area that has large forest redgum trees ( Eucalyptus tereticornis , I think). A neighbour (vacant block) has just cut one down and it has been ch...
by peter.coombe
Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:34 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

Just a word of warning about this stuff. If you are going to go down this path, then to get the most out of it it does take time, and lots of it. Guitars are much better documented than mandolins so you do have a big head start over me. When I started I started from scratch because nothing had been ...
by peter.coombe
Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:14 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Exporting music instruments to the USA
Replies: 17
Views: 17044

Re: Exporting music instruments to the USA

I did write those tips with Australian Luthiers in mind who are not so likely to have woods from Malaysia. However, I can see no reason why you can't send woods from Malaysia so long as you have some form of documentation that proves the wood was legally harvested. Remember that when you do send som...
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:57 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Exporting music instruments to the USA
Replies: 17
Views: 17044

Re: Exporting music instruments to the USA

Shit!........... takes less for a tourist to enter :lol: :lol: All too true I am afraid. I had no choice but to do the legwork. Chuck (the Duke of Pearl) has written a dissertation about this for the GAL and that was very useful, but I am very much relieved it passed through US Customs problem free.
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:57 pm
Forum: Tutorials
Topic: Exporting music instruments to the USA
Replies: 12
Views: 49781

Re: Exporting music instruments to the USA

Shit!........... takes less for a tourist to enter :lol: :lol: All too true I am afraid. I had no choice but to do the legwork. Chuck (the Duke of Pearl) has written a dissertation about this for the GAL and that was very useful, but I am very much relieved it passed through US Customs problem free.
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Wood Rebirthing
Replies: 44
Views: 38212

Re: Wood Rebirthing

Well I was given an old bed about a year ago. It had been finished with shellac and the shellac was so heat damaged it was difficult to see what the wood was, but the owner was about to chuck it out. She thought it was veneered plywood. I was suspicious becasue nobody bothers to use shellac on plywo...
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 17, 2011 3:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Exporting music instruments to the USA
Replies: 17
Views: 17044

Exporting music instruments to the USA

With all this Lacey Act stuff in the USA some of you might find this useful Tips for exporting musical instruments to the USA I have just send a mandola to the US and it went through US Customs without any problems so I thought I would write this up to help anyone else who is thinking of sending an ...
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 17, 2011 3:49 pm
Forum: Tutorials
Topic: Exporting music instruments to the USA
Replies: 12
Views: 49781

Exporting music instruments to the USA

With all this Lacey Act stuff in the USA some of you might find this useful Tips for exporting musical instruments to the USA I have just send a mandola to the US and it went through US Customs without any problems so I thought I would write this up to help anyone else who is thinking of sending an ...
by peter.coombe
Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:17 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: OM guitar #2
Replies: 17
Views: 16696

Re: OM guitar #2

All I know is 12 or so chords on the guitar and that doesn't hack it. Finally managed to get Ray into the workshop and in front of the microphone. At least he can play it. Here is a sound clip of this guitar.

http://www.petercoombe.com/Guitars/Soun ... 20Mist.mp3
by peter.coombe
Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:31 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

And the other thing is ... the frequencies you will be measuring are YOUR set of data. Your results most likely won't match Peter's or Martin's or Graham's or Trevors's or whoever. So it doesn't really matter what the frequency meter says, as long as it's consistent. You're using it as a tool to me...
by peter.coombe
Mon Sep 12, 2011 12:01 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

Frequency response certainly can change depending on how the speaker is mounted in a box, but if you are feeding a pure sine wave into the speaker that is what the speaker will reproduce. There is no need to measure the output of the speaker. There will be a small amount of higher higher harmonics b...
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:51 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

Dom

Looks like both would do the job, but they are not the same thing as the Altronics kit. The Altronics device is from the Aussie Silicon Chip magazine, designed here in Australia, not in China. It has more functionality so is useful for other things that you would probably never need.
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

I have done a quick search and looks like my device is no longer available. There is a new kit that is a true digital signal generator and it is available from Altronics for around $150. More information - http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_111885/article.html Altronics page - http://www.altronics....
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:19 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

Am I right if I suppose that every HIFI amp has some kind of speaker protection? Or are they just underpowered for the recommended speakers? Most do have some sort of protection, but many are more for the protection of the amp than the speaker so don't rely on them entirely. The thing is, with a co...
by peter.coombe
Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:08 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questions)
Replies: 78
Views: 69883

Re: Analogue signal generator (and maybe more related questi

Mine is a fairly powerful setup with 140W hi fi power amp and 120W speaker. I usually set the speaker in the frame and mount the mandolin plate above it, but you can do it the other way around, and in many cases it is better to do it the other way around, especially with guitars. If you are able to ...
by peter.coombe
Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:39 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Is America getting silly now?
Replies: 45
Views: 30782

Re: Is America getting silly now?

Well summarising, and this is how I see it after reading both documents. On the face of it F&W have a strong case against Gibson for the Madagascar Ebony, but we are yet to see Gibson's defence. F&W do have a weak case against Gibson for the Indian Ebony. It is likely to collapse once the Indian Gov...
by peter.coombe
Fri Sep 09, 2011 3:59 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Is America getting silly now?
Replies: 45
Views: 30782

Re: Is America getting silly now?

Kim No matter what, Gibson were taking a huge risk importing wood from Madagascar. It was a disaster waiting to happen. I did read somewhere that at least 80% of the wood logged in Madagascar is illegally logged, much of it from National Parks. The government is unstable, possibly illegal, there is ...
by peter.coombe
Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:57 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Is America getting silly now?
Replies: 45
Views: 30782

Re: Is America getting silly now?

More interesting stuff on the Madagascar Ebony raid. On the face of it, looks like Gibson is in real trouble with this. http://www.scribd.com/doc/63755524/US-v-Ebony-Wood-Govt-s-Motion-to-Strike It looks to me like F&W are using the same arguments for the Indian Ebony as they are using for the Madag...
by peter.coombe
Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:03 pm
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: Collecting Spectrographic data
Replies: 62
Views: 86067

Re: Collecting Spectrographic data

I have been measuring Chladni patterns on my mandolin free plates for many years. I use a signal generator I made from a Jaycar kit, a 140W amp from a Jaykar kit, and a 120W speaker also from Jaycar. I added speaker protection to the amp so I don't blow the speraker. It is very easy to blow speakers...
by peter.coombe
Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:56 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Is America getting silly now?
Replies: 45
Views: 30782

Re: Is America getting silly now?

More news. The Indian wood dealers are getting their government involved. Indian wood exporters, led by Timber Exporters' Association, have sprung into action to resolve the issue. "The Justice Department has a problem with incorrect declaration of wood classification. The exporters' association is ...