World class service in a boutique setting.

Doing final documentation before finally getting t

You should see what the vanity and toilet looked l

You should see what the vanity and toilet looked like before I ripped them out too... woof. A lot of similarities between old houses and old instruments. Fortunately, you’ll never need to replace the sewer lateral on an old cello. #thisoldcello #cello #luthier #violinrepair #demolition

This maybe incredibly boring, and my older friends

This maybe incredibly boring, and my older friends and colleagues might be saying “Jerry, wtf?” But, as we move into another period of extended social distancing, I thought it might be useful to share how I work at a distance... which is how I’ve been working since before it was cool/necessary.
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The bulk of my clients are players, often they aren’t even in the same state as me. I might only see them at the end for pick up, or in some instances, not at all. I find the process goes much more smoothly if I take the time to explain what is wrong with their instrument, and the course of action needed to fix it with photo examples of past jobs. This often requires defining terms, showing how things are measured, or drawing simple diagrams. This gets placed into a report of sorts and emailed along with the estimate. For me, it’s been worth the time to make sure that both the owner and I are on the same page. This all gets followed up with texts and emails of progress to keep the dialogue going. #workingatadistance #violinrestoration #luthiery #violinrestorer #digitalluthiery #violinrepair #violin #viola #cello #jhlviolins

Thank you all who attended my @violinsocietyofamer

Thank you all who attended my @violinsocietyofamerica convention question and answer session on “an introduction to 3D scanners and CNC routers in violin restoration.” It was a privilege to be able to be part of the virtual convention. The ethos that has been beaten into me by my mentors is now more true than it ever has been: A rising tide raises all ships. #jhlviolins #structuredlightscanning #digitalluthiery #violinrestoration #rolandmdx50 #cncmachining #cadcam #3dscanning

This job has been floating around on my feed for a

This job has been floating around on my feed for a while... I think I’m finally ready to “tap out,” or cry “uncle” and move on to set up😂. It’s always daunting redoing previous repair work. It’s even more daunting when it’s.... well, weird.
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This graft was “keyed” into the pegbox. All of the material on the bass side in the keyed area was replacement. Fortunately, the section on the treble side was a veneer of original material that had been placed on top. Cutting into this was surreal, I didn’t know how far the new material went. So, in the case of the bass side, I opted to fill the hole before proceeding.
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Remember, friends don’t let friends do keyed grafts. #jhlviolins #neckgraft #viola #luthier #violinrestoration #violinrepair #whatsonyourbench #digitalluthiery

Another random workshop scene: about to trim fill

Another random workshop scene: about to trim fill varnish on the joints of a through patch. #jhlviolins #viola #violinrepair #violinrestoration #resins #rakinglight #luthier

Random workshop scene. #luthier #violin #tinfoil

Random workshop scene. #luthier #violin #tinfoil #flamedmaple #whatsonyourbench #pegbox

About time for a tan and some paint. This thing l

About time for a tan and some paint. This thing looks like my legs in shorts.... #neckgraft #timeforatan #luthiery #viola #violinrepair .
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Have y’all registered for the virtual VSA convention? If not, do it.

Clips from my @violinsocietyofamerica virtual conv

Clips from my @violinsocietyofamerica virtual convention presentation that I just submitted today... please go register! I’m pretty sure this is the first VSA presentation in the organizations history that someone has mentioned Hal 9000 and the Terminator in😏. #violinsocietyofamerica #violinrestoration #jhlviolins #digitalluthiery

Sorry for the radio silence, lots going on! Inclu

Sorry for the radio silence, lots going on! Including my VSA presentation which I promise will be up soon! Seen here is a click fit patch in a cello C bout. Replacement wood kindly provided by @cossmann_violins_austin thanks Julian! It was the closest thing I had to match the barn boards this thing was made out of. #cnc #rolandmdx50 #cellorestoration #davidscanner #digitalluthiery #cello #violinrepairs

Completely filling mortises is overkill when you c

Completely filling mortises is overkill when you consider how much is left in the end (particularly with a graft that’s mostly tailor made for the mortise)... but it helps with the way I think. So, I do it. What do you do that’s over the top for the sake of a work process? #overkill #jhlviolins #viola #violinrestoration #neckgraft #mortiseandtenon #quickgrips

Still my favorite marking gauge that can be made f

Still my favorite marking gauge that can be made for next to zero dollars. Even after having many other options, I still come back to this. From “The Making of Stringed Instruments: A Workshop Guide” by George Buchanan. I mentioned that book on the @omopodcast sometime ago, it’s full of useful little workbench hacks. #luthiery #fingerboard #luthier #ebony #screw #cheaptool

From Wikipedia, the current fount of modern knowle

From Wikipedia, the current fount of modern knowledge: Shepard's Prayer is attributed to Mercury Seven astronaut Alan B. Shepard, the first American in space. It is usually quoted as "Dear Lord, please don't let me f—k up”.
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This also happens to be said by luthiers. #viola #neckgraft #violinrestoration #luthier #luthiery #offwithyourhead #hideglue #mortiseandtenon

This got the most DMs of anything I’ve ever post

This got the most DMs of anything I’ve ever posted in my stories... my main motivation for making anything for use on an instrument is to lessen the “oh shit” factor of gluing: wet glue + clamp pressure = copious swearing if things don’t work out. The more preparation, the more idiot proof you can make something, the less stress you have on a glue up.
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I’ve used multiple methods over the years gluing splits like this back together. In fact, I have other purpose built jigs just for this. However, noticing that my thumb and index finger held the peg box together with minimal fuss, I thought “let’s do that.” 3D printing allowed me to make an offset clamp with about 20 minutes of my own labor, and it printed while I was busy taking care of my son. If could have been made from anything light and reasonably strong.
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The acetal “peg” makes the stress level even lower. Glue will not stick to it. It allows for idiot proof lineup. Sometimes splits like this want to slide. It also made it possible to approach the top half of the splits as a second gluing, lowering the stress on the bench monkey even further. I’ve showed these modified Japanese model maker clamps before, they are totally worth having a few around. #jhlviolins #violin #violinrestoration #luthier #digitalluthiery #3dprinting #prusamini #pegbox #crackproblems

Cast Party... . Never sure what to do with them on

Cast Party...
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Never sure what to do with them once they are useless. Any creative suggestions? #plaster #violinrestoration #luthiery #jellomold #castparty #violin

I posted this in my stories, and I should have kno

I posted this in my stories, and I should have known better cause a lot of people started messaging me about it... so, I guess “neck repairs we don’t talk about but do anyway” are going to get talked about. This is a 10mm threaded wooden dowel used as a reinforcement for a chin split. For the haters: yes, it’s not as good as a graft (this instrument will get one at a later point). For everyone else: yes, it’s way stronger than just doweling or pinning it. The threads hold the crack under a small amount of compression and act as a mechanical joint. This isn’t my idea, it was largely developed by my good friend and colleague @johnmuaxp who’s keep many necks together with it. The tap and die of this size are only available from Dieter Schmid... be warned, shipping to the states is a stupid amount of money for the size of it. #violinrepair #cello #luthier #luthiery #tapanddieset #idtapthat

The first bridge I’ve cut since... March??? Bein

The first bridge I’ve cut since... March??? Being in private practice, I cut a whole lot less than I used to. With covid times, it’s only when I finish a large job... anyhow, might be fun to talk about bridge “finishes.” I don’t use any sandpaper anymore, just finish with a very fine file and then burnish on my filthy apron before branding and misting with a very light amount of shellac. Apron filth is worth it’s weight in gold (very wishful thinking!) #bridgesoflycomingcounty #jhlviolins #violinbridge #violin #luthier #violinist #milostamm #milostammbridge

I never really grasped the phrase “built like a

This mornings overly artistic shot is brought to y

This mornings overly artistic shot is brought to you by my baby muller and my need for this french ochre to be a wee bit finer. Happy retouching! (There is no such thing as happy retouching.... only pain, anguish, and feelings of being inept no matter how good others may think the outcome is 🤣🤣) #luthier #luthiery #violin #pigments #retouching #artsupplies #muller #violinrestoration

Using Carl Lynn’s (my paternal grandfather) prot

Using Carl Lynn’s (my paternal grandfather) protractor for setting a neck root angle. He came up through the ranks as a machinist, tool and die maker, and finally as a tool designer for an aircraft engine manufacturer. As was/is practice for working in a large shop, you mark your tools with your name. Especially evident is his sense of humor, CL as marked on the tool is the same way “center line” would have been marked on a schematic. Nerdom has deep roots... #luthier #starrett #neckset #violinrepair #centerline #machinist

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