Hi
Does anyone out there have information about a John Roberts - he was an instrument maker in the 1970s. I’m told he died sometime in the early 80s (apologies - and congratulations - to all concerned if this is not the case!)
I have an octave Mandola by him, and I’m just curious to know a little bit more about the man.
thanks
I have no idea, but a google turned up this. Any use? http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/FieldTrips/RobertoVenn/robertovenn1.html
Hi Backer, Thanks very much, I hadn’t come across that when I Googled his name. It could be the same bloke. Thanks
Could I just add that following that link lead to a whole lot of useful stuff for people like me who like messing around and making instruments. I shall be going back to that again.
This may be the John Roberts who was based in Brighton. I believe he died in unfortunate circumstances through a machinery accident in his workshop. David Dyke Luthier Supplies of Horam, E Sussex may have more information. I met John a couple of times, once, if memory serves, at a very poorly attended folk club performance by Jean Ritchie on tour from the US.
In 1969 through early 1970 I built a Guitar in John Roberts Phoenix (his home at the time) workshop.
John had been a Bush Pilot and had accumulated a backyard full of Brazilian Rosewood. It had been sitting there for over a decade, I my memory is correct. This was in log form but not large enough to build furniture, but just fine for guitars. He started building guitars just before I met him at a Phoenix swap meet - where he had a beautiful Brazilian Classical and a sign “Build your own guitar.”
I had thoughts about doing just that and had purchased mahogany for the back and sides and spruce for the top - with an article in Mechanics Illustrated. John offered to let me use his shop for a $10 shop fee and promised not to let me make any mistakes. At the time I wanted a classical guitar and John was using what he referred to as a modified Boucher X Bracing. I used plans for fan bracing, much to John’s displeasure.
I recently learned about the Canadian Robin Boucher through You Tube and after seeing several clips about his guitars, I took a chance and bought an HG56 without seeing it first. It is wonderful.
Since I hadn’t heard of Boucher, I did an on line search about John and the bracing, and came across this forum.
John was a bit on the rough side and allowed no room for error. Construction wise, he boiled the sides in a large metal tray heated by gas burners and they were bent in wood forms, clamped down slowly until sides were formed. He mahogany for the kerf between both the back and top and it was two pieces formed to the shape of the body with no kerfs. after installation it was sanded smooth. He used Rosewood and maple in strips for purfling, and a Mahogany neck, which I carved myself. John had a template for the fingerboard and cut the fret slits on a table saw with a thin blade. Titebond glue was used for everything. The neck had no dovetail but was glued to the body. The guitar I built is still very playable, but has some intonation issues. John was upset with me when he cut the groves in the fretboard, and did it in less than five minutes. They aren’t all in the correct location. Alas, I didn’t know any better at the time.
John attached purfling using a form the shape of the body with nails sticking up, gluing the strips and using rubber bands over the edges to hold the purfling in place.
I bought the neck, frets, purfling, saddle, nut and tuners from John. He was put out that I used Mahogany, an, in retrospect I was dumb not to use the Brazilian Rosewood he had. I was just out of College, and this seemed the thing to do since my guitar had been stolen in an Apartment break in.
I didn’t keep in touch with John, but he later formed an Accredited School of Lutherie in Phoenix.
It’s fair to say John was a Perfectionist, very good with tools, and made some beautiful and great sounding instruments. He was very fair with pricing on the items I bought and I learned a lot from him.