ORDER FORM - Luthiers Mercantile International

Luthiers Mercantile International 

P.O. Box 774 • 412 Moore Lane 

Healdsburg, CA USA 95448 

NAME: DATE: 

TELEPHONE (REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY): EMAIL: 

BILLING ADDRESS: 

SHIPPING ADDRESS: 

METHOD OF PAYMENT: COD CHECK ENCLOSED (PREPAY) PRO FORMA 

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CARD NUMBER 

EXP. DATE __________________________ 

www.lmii.com • 1-800-477-4437 

707-433-1823 • FAX: 707-433-8802 • Email: service@lmii.com 

— Use Email or 707 phone # if calling from overseas. — 

Open 8:30-5:00 weekdays, Pacific Standard Time. • Se Habla Español. 

SECURITY CODE 

STOCK NO. QUANT. ITEM DESCRIPTION PRICE TOTAL 

DOMESTIC SHIPPING (FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING SEE INFO ON NEXT PAGE.) 

ASAP ASAP EXPEDITED 

Order Amount Domestic Hawaii/Alaska 3 day 2 day 

$0.00 - 50.00 ............ $7.95 .............. $17.95 ............ $12.95 ...... $16.95 

$50.01-100.00 ............ 9.50 ................ 19.50 .............. 14.50 ....... 18.50 

$100.01 - 200.00 ....... 11.50 ................ 21.50 .............. 16.50 ....... 20.50 

$200.01 - 400.00 ...... 14.00 ................ 24.00 .............. 19.00 ....... 23.00 

$400.01 - and up ..... 16.00 ................ 26.00 .............. 21.00 ....... 25.00 

COD: USA orders only – Add $7.00 additional charge. CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ONLY. 

ORDER FORM 

* The Security Code is the 

number that follows your 

card number on the back 

of your card. (Front of card 

on American Express) 

SUB-TOTAL 

SHIPPING & HANDLING 

ADDITIONAL CHARGES 

7.5% if delivered in CA. 

GRAND TOTAL 

WE ACCEPT: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express & debit cards. 

EMAIL EMAIL: EMAIL : service@lmii.com service@lmii.com service@lmii.com / / F FFAX 

F AX AX: AX : 707-433-8802 707-433-8802 • • • WEBSITE 

WEBSITE 

WEBSITE: WEBSITE 

WEBSITE : www www.lmii.com 

www www.lmii.com 

.lmii.com 

1 

IF OUT OF 

STOCK: 

BACKORDER 

CANCEL

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SHIPPING•REFUNDS•RETURNS•CUSTOMER SERVICE 

POLICY 

Our overriding policy is simple. LMI wants to be your source for guitar 

woods, materials, and supplies, and we are committed to making sure that 

you are happy with your purchase. When ordering, we invite you to mention 

exactly what you are looking for, especially in the case of wood items. We 

take pride in taking the extra effort to help you make your project a success. 

PAYMENT 

Your Credit Card is authorized when your order is placed. It is 

not charged until your order is actually shipped. 

DOMESTIC SHIPPING 

ASAP OR YOUR MONEY BACK 

Our Accelerated Shipment Arrival Pledge is simple. Based 

on your location, we choose a 2 or 3 day method to ship anywhere 

in the continental U.S. Under this plan, your package is 

guaranteed to arrive within 3 to 5 business days. If it is not there 

on the 5th day, your shipping charges will be refunded. In most 

cases, our basic service is so good that you will not need 

to pay extra for expedited service. 

For example, if you order on a Thursday, your order will usually 

arrive the following Tuesday (Count Friday as day one.). If it 

is not there by Thursday, your shipping costs are refunded. This 

offer does not include special requests (find me a board with 

horizontal stripes) nor serviced items (joined backs, slotted fingerboards, 

special order Gilbert Tuners, etc.), since these items 

require time in house before they are shipped, nor does the 

arrival warranty apply when the customer specifies a shipping 

method such as USPS or UPS. 

EXCEPTIONS 

Our ASAP Warranty applies to more than 99% 

of the items we sell. But there are certain very heavy, 

oddly shaped, or hazardous items that are not included. 

These items are indicated with a turtle. There is no 

extra charge when these items are shipped under our ASAP 

program, but they are not guaranteed to arrive in 5 days. For 

example, if you order some tuners and a bending machine, 

the order may be divided into two shipments; the tuners are 

still guaranteed to arrive in 3 to 5 days, but the bending machine 

will not arrive for about 7 to 10 days (longer to Hawaii and 

Alaska). These items are marked with a turtle in the catalog. 

EXPEDITED SHIPPING 

Expedited shipping is available in the contiguous United 

States. Three day service costs an extra $5.00 and 2 day service 

costs an extra $9.00. If your order is placed before 3:00p.m. 

Eastern Time, it will ship the same day. Of course, this does not 

include serviced items and special requests. Hazardous Materials 

only ship ground and are only available in the contiguous 

48 states. 

Although our ASAP 3 to 5 day service is available to Alaska 

and Hawaii, expedited 2 or 3 day service is not available. If you 

need an item on the Turtle list delivered faster than by ship, 

international shipping will apply. 

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING 

Our cost of shipping is added to to your order. We recommend 

Fed-Ex for the best service and the best value. Once 

shipped, orders will arrive in 3 to 5 days. US Airmail (parcel 

post) is sometimes a little less expensive than FedEx, but 

delivery times vary widely (10 to 20+ days, and orders cannot 

be tracked – though they are fully insured). US Surface/Ocean 

shipment is the least expensive, but expect to wait one to three 

months. Orders are insured, but cannot be tracked. 

POLICY 

RETURNING OR EXCHANGING 

Please examine your purchase immediately upon receipt. 

You can return an item to us within 2 weeks of receiving it (for 

exchange or refund), for any reason so long as you discuss 

your return with a salesperson beforehand (by phone, fax or email). 

After 2 weeks, we will charge you a 15% restocking fee 

for any return. All returns after 60 days are at LMI’s discretion. 

LMI will pay return shipping only in cases where the items are 

defective or do not match size specifications. All returns must 

be unworked and in resale condition. We do not accept returns 

on items serviced by LMI unless we have made an error 

on the service. Refund checks are not issued immediately. 

Please allow approximately 2 weeks for us to cut the check for 

you. After you have received authorization, please ship returns 

to: LMI, attn: Returns, 412 Moore Lane, Healdsburg, CA 95448 

WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ITEM 

I ORDER IS OUT OF STOCK? 

We try to provide you with the most up-to-date inventory information 

at the point of sale, but it is possible that an item may 

become out of stock by the time we ship your order. We will 

automatically backorder any item that is out of stock, unless you 

specify otherwise at the point of sale or you ordered from outside 

the continental USA. These out of stock items will be canceled 

and you will need to reorder them. Shipping within the 

continental USA on backordered items is free. 

Please note that in our business, we deal with a wide variety 

of vendors. Many deal in exotic, hard to find products and many 

are overseas. For this reason it is not always possible for us to 

be precise when estimating when a backordered item will ship 

and in the case of some of the exotic woods, we can not guarantee 

that supplies and quality will remain consistent in the future. 

Once again, ask a salesperson for the latest information! 

SCHOOL DISCOUNTS 

LMI helps support guitar building students and instructors by 

providing them with a 10% discount on any item in our catalog 

(which is not already discounted or on sale). We need only to be 

able to ship the package to the school’s address in order to verify 

enrollment. Talk with our Sales Manager (ext.15) if you are an 

instructor interested in getting special pricing on larger quantities 

of woods and tools. Need extra catalogs? Let us know! 

PRIVACY 

The information you provide is kept within our company. Custom 

instruments are not a commodity. Neither are our customers 

identities or the services and materials we provide for them. We 

appreciate the opportunity to do business with you as an individual 

customer, and none of the information you provide or that is generated 

through our relationship is for sale or other distribution. Likewise, 

we do not purchase or use any sorts of mailing lists. 

QUESTIONS? 

Finally, if you have any questions or concerns about LMI, our 

products, your order or the customer service you have received, 

feel free to call us at 1-800-477-4437, click “Email to LMI” at our 

website, or email us directly at service@lmii.com. A salesperson 

or our customer service manager will be happy to talk with you. 

We try to keep policies and prices stable for the life of a catalog, but on rare occasions this is not possible. 

TOLL TOLL Current FREE: FREE: pricing CANADA CANADA and policies & & & USA: USA: USA: are available 800-477-4437 800-477-4437 at www.lmii.com • • OVERSEAS: OVERSEAS: or by phone at extension 707-433-1823 

707-433-1823 5.

FRANK-LY SPEAKING 

It’s summer so this must be the 

Spring Catalog. We’ve been busy! 

We hope you, too, are as busy as 

you want, but without the falling behind 

part! Actually, we’ve had so 

many big projects and developments 

lately, it’s probably just as 

well that we saved the catalog to 

last so we can tell you about the 

changes. 

Frank Ford 

First, and most exciting, Frank 

Ford has joined our team. He will be a great addition to 

our shop, and, in turn, to yours. Frank has been a professional 

luthier for over 3 decades. He operates one of the 

most popular guitar building websites in the world, 

FRETS.COM, and still works on a daily basis as head of 

the service department at Gryphon Stringed Instruments, 

a bay area musical “institution” that he co-founded 35 years 

ago. There is probably not a guitar building technique, 

tool, or gizmo that Frank hasn’t personally tried out (if he 

didn’t design it himself!). He’s currently evaluating and developing 

some neat new products with LMI. We will present 

them on the web as soon as they are, well, presentable. 

We’ve started to do some cross-linking to Frank’s site. 

For example, you can buy a set of rubber lined jaws for 

our new “Parrot Vise” or you can click the link on that LMI 

product page to jump to Frank’s instructions for building 

your own at FRETS.COM! Save money or save time – the 

choice is yours. 

A SITE TO SEE 

Speaking of the web, have you tried our new site – 

www.lmii.com? You will find that with the website, ordering 

from LMI is easier and more convenient than ever before. 

You can use the web to order, or just to organize 

your order before phoning. You can also call for information, 

and then order on the web. And , of course, many of 

you call and have the website open at the same time you 

call! Whatever works for you. On the web we are able to 

post the most up-to-date information and color pictures of 

our products. So, if a new wood becomes available, or a 

previously discontinued hard-to-find wood reappears, you’ll 

know right away. People tell us www.lmii.com is great for 

research as well as ordering. It contains everything in this 

catalog (this catalog was actually “downloaded” from the 

site) and then some. For example, if you would like to 

evaluate the finishing techniques available to the custom 

builder these days, and then read detailed instructions on 

how each product is applied, read the great series of articles 

by our past president, Duane Waterman. (Duane, 

by the way, has returned to his roots as a custom guitar 

builder and writer in Sedona, Arizona. We wish him well.) 

N 

WHA HA HAT’S HA NNEW 

N EW 

INSIDE THIS CATALOG 

Many new products that have appeared on the web 

since we last printed a catalog, are now in these pages. 

From simple, but important additions like new sandpapers 

and fingerboard slotting templates, to the splashier 

new items such as the “parrot vise”, a great new version 

of the Vacuum Work Holder, and new tonewoods 

and kits. By the way, a note on LMI kits: Our kits conveniently 

provide traditional combinations of materials 

at a savings to you. Our serviced kits go a step further 

and service those materials in our shop, doing the steps 

that might challenge the beginner or require special machinery. 

But these kits are not cake mixes. You need 

woodworking experience and a book or two. John Calkin 

says in the review he wrote for American Lutherie, “If [the 

guitar built from the LMI kit] was my only guitar I would be 

quite content, and it is probably the finest acoustic guitar 

to come out of my shop.” But he also says that our kit is 

the kind of kit that “makes high demands on the builder’s 

skill in return for an instrument that fulfills all the traditional 

expectations for that instrument.” As a testament 

to our clientele, we’ve never had a complaint that our kit 

was “too difficult.” Read more excerpts from John’s review 

on page 8. 

HOW LOW CAN WE GO? 

Though you’ll find some higher prices in this catalog, 

you’ll also find that we’ve lowered prices on many 

items like toggle clamps, chisels, and the power fretting 

system, that we’ve lowered our minimum order from 

$50.00 to zero (that’s right, no more minimum order), 

and that, thanks to our new alliance with FedEx, we’ve 

lowered our shipping prices while drastically improving 

performance (see details under policy). 

GUITAR FESTIVAL 2003 

And finally, LMI will once again be presenting The 

Healdsburg Guitar Festival (August 15, 16, and 17) and 

it promises to be the best ever! We are expanding the 

festival and moving it to the Luther Burbank Center for 

the Performing Arts, just 7 miles south of Healdsburg. 

The new location means more exhibitors, better parking, 

and outstanding performances –all at the same site. 

Performing will be Christopher Parkening, Jubilent 

Sykes, Phil Keaggy, Muriel Anderson, Pierre Bensusan, 

The Waybacks and Hamza El Din. There will be ongoing 

mini-concerts during the exhibit and seminars on 

guitar building as well as 12 guitar-playing workshops. 

LMI will have a generous sampling of woods and tools 

for sale at a discount, as well. If you love the guitar 

(and we know you do!) then there is no better place to 

be this summer. For information call 1-800-477-4437 

ext. 18 or visit www.festivalofguitars.com 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

3

4 

Adrian 

Who’s who at 

L U T H I E R S . M E R C A N T I L E . I N T E R N A T I O N A L 

Darlene 

Geoff Gilbert Gustavo 

Ivan 

Joel 

Natalie 

Alicia 

Elide 

Jorge 

Shelly 

Frank 

TOLL TOLL FREE: FREE: CANADA CANADA & & & USA: USA: USA: 800-477-4437 800-477-4437 • • OVERSEAS: OVERSEAS: 707-433-1823 

707-433-1823 

Angie 

Kirk 

Chris 

Gale 

Marilee 

LUTHIERS MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL 

P.O. Box 774 • 412 Moore Lane 

Healdsburg, CA USA 95448 

1-800-477-4437 • www.lmii.com 

707-433-1823 • FAX: 707-433-8802 

Email: service@lmii.com 

©2003 Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. All rights reserved. No part 

of this catalog can be reproduced in any form without written permission.

IN IN THIS THIS ISSUE 

ISSUE 

What’s New at LMI. ...................................................................................... 3 

LMI shop services. .................................................................................. 6-7 

KITS. ............................................................................................................ 8-11 

WOODS 

WOODS 

WOODS INTRODUCTION. ..................................................................... 12 

TOPS 

Acoustic ............................................................................................ 13-16 

Archtop guitar and mandolin .................................................................. 17 

BACKS & SIDES 

Acoustic ............................................................................................ 18-29 

Archtop guitar ......................................................................................... 30 

SOLID BODY GUITARS 

Body blanks ............................................................................................. 31 

Top plates/drop tops ......................................................................... 32-34 

NECK WOODS. .................................................................................. 35-36 

FINGERBOARDS. ............................................................................... 37-40 

BRIDGES. ............................................................................................. 41-42 

HEADPLATES. .......................................................................................... 43 

INTERNAL 

NTERNAL SSSTRUCTURAL 

S TRUCTURAL EEELEMENTS 

E LEMENTS 

LEMENTS. LEMENTS ............................. 44-45 

Bracewood, bridge plates, back joint reinforcement, kerfing, end blocks 

HARDWARE 

ARDWARE 

ARDWARE 

Truss rods ............................................................................................. 46-47 

Graphite composite ..................................................................................... 48 

Neck bolts.................................................................................................... 49 

Fretwire....................................................................................................... 50 

Nuts & saddles ............................................................................................ 51 

Tailpieces ..................................................................................................... 52 

Tuning machines ................................................................................... 53-58 

Bridge & end pins ....................................................................................... 59 

Strings ......................................................................................................... 59 

Acoustic guitar pickups ........................................................................ 60-62 

DECORATIVE 

ECORATIVE 

ECORATIVE E EELEMENTS 

E LEMENTS 

Rosettes ................................................................................................ 63-64 

Purflings & bindings .............................................................................. 65-67 

Veneers....................................................................................................... 68 

Pickguard material ....................................................................................... 69 

INLAY NLAY M MMATERIALS 

M ATERIALS 

Solid shell, Abalam, dots, shapes & inlay tools. ................................. 70-75 

ELECTRIC 

LECTRIC H HHARDWARE 

HH 

ARDWARE 

Electric bridges ..................................................................................... 76-77 

Electric pickups ..................................................................................... 78-79 

Jacks, switches, pots & knobs ........................................................... 80-81 

TOOLS OOLS 

Bending tools ........................................................................................ 82-84 

Binding tools ................................................................................................ 85 

Radiusing tools ........................................................................................... 86 

Fretting tools ......................................................................................... 87-90 

Nut & saddle tools ....................................................................................... 91 

Routing, cutting & shaping tools ........................................................ 92-101 

Sharpening tools ....................................................................................... 102 

Measurement tools ................................................................................... 103 

Vacuum ..................................................................................................... 104 

Clamping ............................................................................................ 105-107 

Repair tools ............................................................................................... 108 

FINISH INISH INISH. INISH .............................................................................................. 109-113 

Polishing, shellac, solvent based, water based, dyes, oils & accessories 

ADHESIVES 

DHESIVES 

DHESIVES. DHESIVES ................................................................................... 114-115 

ABRASIVES 

BRASIVES 

BRASIVES. BRASIVES ................................................................................... 116-117 

BOOKS OOKS OOKS, OOKS , VIDEOS VIDEOS & PLANS PLANS PLANS. PLANS ................................................. 118-124 

, 

INDEX NDEX NDEX. NDEX ................................................................................................ 126-128 

Suppliers to the 

Stringed Instrument Industry 

ON OUR COVER (clockwise from guitar): 

Cocobolo Rosewood guitar by Marc Maingard; 

Martin TM -style tortoise pickguard, MPGTB page 

69; Gotoh classic matte finish tuners, GGCGB 

on inside back cover; Fossilized walrus ivory 

pins with paua dot, PFWIP/PEWIP page 59; Black 

horn nuts (NBH), saddles (SBH), and pins (PBH/ 

PEBH) page 51; 10mm LMI chisel, CH10 page 

99; Tenon saw, SWS page 94 and Cocobolo 

Rosewood back wood, WCOCSPJ page 22. 

DON’T MISS THE 

2003 GUITAR FESTIVAL 

See back cover for details. 

~ For a specific part or item ~ 

See INDEX pages 126-128 

ORDER FORM page 1 • LMI POLICIES page 2 

* Product specifications and prices are subject to change. 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

5

6 

SHOP SHOP SERVICES 

SERVICES 

SERVICES 

“I find that your services are very helpful 

to the small builder. I am able to have you 

perform some of the steps which would require 

equipment I just don’t have room or a 

budget for. It also makes it possible for me 

to build a guitar in about half the time. 

That makes my back orders reasonable, 

and my customers happy. Thanks.” 

Trevor Lindsey 

Trevor Lindsey Guitars 

We’re Always Available, and 

We Want to be Your Assistant! 

We have a very complete woodworking 

mill at LMI. As part of our 

retail business, we have been accurately 

machining lumber into guitar 

materials since we opened. In addition, 

for the last few years, we have 

developed services that can directly 

benefit builders that want their major 

parts to arrive more completely machined 

or shaped – either to save time 

or to save on machinery costs. 

We use our large commercial belt 

sander to accurately sand your tops, 

backs and sides. We can join your 

top or back. Upon request, we will 

even install one of our backstrips at 

no additional labor charge, just the 

cost of the backstrip. 

We slot fingerboards precisely to 

any of our many scales. 

We bend sides to any of the most 

popular shapes – including cutaways. 

Your bindings can also be bent to any 

of these shapes. 

Using our shop services, you can 

start with your major parts more completely 

prepared without the sawdust 

from sanding or the risk of damage 

or inaccuracy in joining, side bending 

and fingerboard slotting. We take 

the risks of damage to the raw materials 

and only deliver to you a perfectly 

machined component ready to 

become an element in your instrument. 

You can think of our shop services 

as an extension of your own 

shop – picking up the overflow when 

you’re too busy, doing the tasks an 

assistant might help with, or performing 

the operations that can involve 

specialized equipment. 

In addition to the listed services, 

we can do custom re-sawing and miscellaneous 

shop services at a rate of 

$100.00 per hour (SVSHOP). Please 

call for information. 

PRECISION 

SANDING & JOINING 

TOPS: Joining & Sanding Services 

We will join and fine sand tops with 120 

grit paper to the following thicknesses: 

Spruce: .. 0.110", 2.8mm 

Cedar: .... 0.115", 2.9mm 

SVT Sand tops.................$10.00 

SVTJS Sand & join tops ......$15.00 

SIDE BENDING 

We have a tremendous amount of 

side bending experience. We have four 

of our SPBUCOM side benders permanently 

set up for this service. We will 

bend any of the woods that we offer into 

these shapes; Gibson TM Jumbo/J-200, 

Dreadnought, Auditorium/000, standard 

classical (Ramirez), or archtop 

(Benedetto) Rounded cutaway shapes 

can also be bent to any of these four 

shapes as well at a higher charge. Allow 

about a week for side bending – 

each order is essentially custom. 

Part # Bend sides to this shape 

SVSBD ........................... dreadnought 

SVSB000 .................................... 000 

SVSBJ ...................................... jumbo 

SVSBSJ ........................... small jumbo 

SVSBC .................................... classic 

SVSBA .................................... archtop 

SVSCUTD........... cutaway dreadnought 

SVSCUT000 ................... cutaway 000 

SVSCUTJ .................... cutaway jumbo 

SVSCUTSJ .......... cutaway small jumbo 

SVSCUTC.................... cutaway classic 

SVSCUTA .. bend sides, cutaway archtop 

EACH 

Bend sides, 

specify shape ....................................... $45.00 

Bend sides, Maple, 

specify shape ......................................... 50.00 

Bend sides, cutaway, 

specify shape ......................................... 90.00 

NEW SIZE 

BENEDETTO 

17" ARCHTOP 

3 NEW 

FINGERBOARD 

SLOTTING 

SCALES & 

TEMPLATES 

See facing page 

and page 88 

Guitar by 

Diego Huerga. 


707-433-1823 

SERVICES 

SERVICES 

BACKS/SIDES: Joining & Sanding Services 

Backs can also be joined and sanded to thickness. You can then route a 

groove on the centerline and inlay a backstrip. We can include one of our backstrips 

(page 66) in the joint if you desire, but the preferred method is to inlay a backstrip. 

Backs can be sanded unjoined as well if you prefer to join. Sides can be sanded 

to bending thickness. Sanding thickness: joined back 0.095" (2.4mm), unjoined 

back halves 0.100" (2.5mm), sides bending thickness 0.090" (2.3mm). It takes 

approximately 1 week to join and sand backs & sides. 

SVBJS Sand joined back & sides ..................... $25.00 

SVBS Sand unjoined back & sides ................... 20.00 

SVBOS Sand backs only...................................... 15.00 

SVSOS Sand sides only ....................................... 15.00 

SVBI Install backstrip (joined, not inlayed).......... NC

SERVICES 

SERVICES 

BINDING BENDING 

Part # BINDING bent to 

SVBBD ........................ dreadnought 

SVBB000 .................................... 000 

SVBBJ .................................... jumbo 

SVBBSJ ...................... small jumbo 

SVBBC ................................. classic 

SVBBARCH ........................ archtop 

SVBBCUTD .. cutaway dreadnought 

SVBBCUT000 ............. cutaway 000 

SVBBCUTJ ............. cutaway jumbo 

SVBBCUTSJ..cutaway small jumbo 

SVBBCUTC ........... cutaway classic 

SVBBCUTA .......... cutaway archtop 

EACH 

Bending binding, 

set of 4 ..................................$28.00 

Bending binding, cutaway 

set of 4 ....................................35.00 

ROSETTE INLAYING 

1.Order the top of your choice. 

2.For CLASSICAL GUITARS, order 

a rosette (page 63) and use classical 

guitar service, SVRIC. 

3.For STEEL STRING GUITAR: 

• 3-ring rosettes – order part # R13 

(Bold Herringbone) or R13F (Fine Herringbone) 

for the central ring. For the 

outside and inside rings, order (1) 

PFL2A purfling. Use service SVRIS. 

• Single-ring rosettes order the R5 

(page 63) and use service SVRIC. 

Rosette inlay service price includes: 

Joining and sanding your top, and 

inlaying the rosette. 

SVRIC 

EACH 

Inlay classical/steel string 

single-ring rosette .................. $65.00 

SVRIS 

Inlay steel string 3-ring rosette . 75.00 

The following radii are available: 

* We can not radius fingerboards 

wider than 3 inches. 

EACH 6+ 

SVR12 12" ............ $7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR15 15" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR16 16" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR20 20" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

Part # 

Fingerboard 

slotted to 

SVF13.5 13.5" 

SVF13.75 13.75" 

SVF13.875 13.875" 

SVF22.875 22.875" 

SVF24.625 24.625" 

SVF24.9 24.9" 

SVF25 25" 

SVF25.4 25.4" 

SVF25.5 25.5" 

SVF25.7 25.7" 

SVF26.188 26.188" 

SVF27.5 27.5" 

SVF30 30" 

SVF34 34" 

SVF35 35" 

SVF17 17" 

SVF640 640mm 

SVF648 648mm 

SVF670 670mm 

SVF650 650mm 

SVF655 655mm 

SVF660 660mm 

SHOP SHOP SHOP SERVICES 

SERVICES 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

7 

The LMI service workshop. 

Fingerboards can be radiused and then slotted to any of our available scales. 

FINGERBOARD 

RADIUSING 

Fingerboard slotting is available in 

any of our wood fingerboard material. 

We provide the same scales that are 

offered with our fretting system, and 

the boards are slotted at .023", which 

accommodates our fretwire as well as 

most standard fretwire. Simply note 

the scale length that you want and 

the number of frets needed. The 

nut position is marked by an additional 

slot (sometimes called a “zero” fret) 

– just cut off the excess fingerboard 

wood at this slot. Since each fingerboard 

is slotted when ordered, allow 

2-3 days.If you are making a Fender TM - 

style neck and need some wood behind 

the nut slot, please let us know. 

Slot fingerboard, 

enter part # (left chart) EACH 6+ 

& # of frets .................... $7.00 .... 5.00 

STANDARD SCALES 

Fender, Gibson, PRS 25.5", 24.625", 25" 

Martin Dreadnought 25.4" 

Martin 00 and 000 24.9" 

Class/Flamenco 660mm, 650mm, 655mm, 640mm 

Banjo, tenor 22.875" 

Banjo, plectrum 26.188" 

Bass scales 30", 34", 35" 

Mandolin 13.75", 13.875" 

Ukelele 13.5", 17" 

“Fingerstyle” 25.7" 

Baritone 27.5" 

FINGERBOARD 

SLOTTING 

Selmer 648mm, 670mm

8 

Reprinted below are excerpts from an advance copy of 

John Calkin’s review for American Lutherie of our OM style 

kit B5KOM. American Lutherie is published by The Guild of 

American Luthiers. The Guild (or GAL) is a venerable, 30 year 

old lutherie institution that publishes this fine, informational 

magazine/journal four times a year. We have picked only complimentary 

comments from the article. To see if John had 

any criticisms, we suggest you get a complete copy by becoming 

a member at www.luth.org. 

“There are all kinds of instrument kits, but they all seem 

to fall into two broad categories. Some are designed to 

make construction as easy as possible and may forego 

difficult joinery and traditional materials. The other category 

consists of parts, materials, and construction methods 

that make high demands on the builder’s skill in return 

for an instrument that fulfills all the traditional expectations 

for that instrument. . . . . Luthiers Mercantile International 

only sells kits in this class.” 

“Surprisingly, the braces are furnished as billets of 

spruce and mahogany. The formation of the braces is left 

completely to the builder. This gives the kit maker the 

greatest amount of latitude in brace size and configuration, 

as plenty of stock is supplied, but I thought it might 

stymie the beginner. And though the kit comes with a 

nice blueprint of an OM ``in the Martin style’’, no other 

instructions are included. I queried Chris Herrod [the LMI 

sales manager] about this. He replied that LMI carried a 

full line of lutherie books and was always willing to help 

customers choose the best instructional material [for the 

specific kit]. Chris also said that the kit was designed for 

the builder who wanted the deepest possible guitar making 

experience that didn’t involve starting completely from 

scratch, and that at the rate the kits were selling they 

seemed to have touched on the right prescription.” 

“Building the LMI kit was a rewarding experience. The 

quality of the materials was very high. So little of the meaningful 

work is done by LMI that the outcome rests solely 

in the hands of the builder. The lack of instructions bothers 

me, but in reality any conscientious builder deserves 

to invest in a library of materials to draw upon for advice. 

Study should begin before the kit is even acquired. 

“The deluxe serviced OM kit currently lists for $465, 

$107 more than the deluxe standard kit. The difference is 

well worth it, especially for the inexperienced builder who 

has limited machinery at his facility. Granted, it’s still a 

lot of money, but I sold the magnum for $2000, a sum that 

only represented a nice wholesale cost for such a fine 

guitar. A talented builder could finance a nice basic shop 

in just a few kits, then switch over to scratch building. Of 

course, this assumes a ready market for his guitars. 

“If the magnum [the guitar built from the LMI kit] was 

my only guitar I would be quite content, and it is probably 

the finest acoustic guitar to come out of my shop.” 

ST STAND ST AND ANDARD 

AND ARD 

GUIT GUITAR GUIT AR KITS 

KITS 

These Standard Guitar Kits have all of the 

raw materials and parts needed to assemble 

one complete guitar. With this complete set 

of parts all that is needed for assembly are 

the necessary tools, glue, finishing materials, 

strings, and your time and labor. The woods 

are supplied in the basic sizes and shapes as 

offered here in the catalog, so all design, size 

and shape options are open to you. 

~ NO SUBSTITUTIONS IN ANY OF OUR KITS ~ 

CLASSICAL GUITAR KIT 

This kit has everything to make a high quality classical guitar. 

The major parts included in this kit are: AAA grade Cedar or 

Engelmann top (please state your preference), 1 st grade Indian 

Rosewood back and sides, Ebony fingerboard, quartersawn 

Honduran Mahogany neck blank, and Schaller TM gold plated 

tuners. The binding and purfling scheme is Indian Rosewood 

w/Maple laminate for side purfling and black/white purfling for 

the top and back. The rosette included is our R3 (see pg. 63). 

All other necessary parts are included as well: fretwire, Rosewood 

bridge blank and headplate, kerfing, all internal bracing 

materials, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

B1K Classical Guitar Kit ................................... $294.35 

B1K PARTS LIST 

WICB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Indian Rosewood Classic; WICS, 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Indian Rosewood Classic; 

WF1S, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; WKFC, 2 ea., Kerfing, Cedar Standard Bevel; WKFM, 

2 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBE, 2 ea., Bracewood, Engelmann Spruce; SHG1, 1 ea., 

Schaller Classic Hauser, Gold w/Pearl Buttons; FW72, 1 ea., Fretwire, Soft Standard; BI3B, 1 ea., Backstrip, 

Indian Rosewood; S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; WNHMH, 1 ea., Neck/Head, Mahogany 

1 x 3 x 24; WHMH, 1 ea., Heel Block, Mahogany; WME, 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WBKIC, 1 ea., Bridge 

Blank, Indian Rosewood Classic; WHIP, 1 ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; WHMPV, 1 ea., Headstock 

Veneer, Maple 1/40" Thick; BI3H, 4 ea., Binding, Indian Rosewood w/Laminate; N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 

9 x 55mm; R3, 1 ea., Rosette; TBI, 3 ea., Bone Tie Block Inlay, 2 x 2 x 85mm; WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint 

Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PF2, 2 ea., Maple Wood Strips, 1/4 x 1/40"; WBSC, 1 ea., Spanish Cedar 

Bracewood; PFL1, 2 ea., Laminate, B/W 1/4 x .043"; PL1, 1 ea., Plan, Modern Classic Guitar – Options: 

Engelmann or Cedar Top, Please Note Choice In Comments – If no choice is made we will assume Engelmann; 

WCAAA, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Cedar - AAA; WEAAA, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Engelmann Spruce - AAA. 

FLAMENCO GUITAR KIT 

STANDARD — KITS 

KITS 

We have gathered together a fine selection of popular materials 

to help you build a Flamenco guitar. The kit includes these 

major parts: AAA quality Englemann Spruce top, 1 st quality 

Monterey Cypress back and side set, quartersawn Spanish 

Cedar neck blank, an Ebony fingerboard and Schaller TM gold 

plated tuners. The bindings and thin backstrip are Indian Rosewood 

with black/white purfling to accent the top edge. The R26 

rosette (see page 69) is included with all of these necessary 

parts: fretwire, Rosewood bridge blank and headplate, kerfing, 

all internal bracing materials, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

B2K Flamenco Guitar Kit .................................. $291.20 


WEAAA, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Engelmann Spruce - AAA; WSCP1B, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Monterey Cypress 1st 

Grade; WSCP1S, 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Monterey Cypress 1st Grade; WF1S, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/ 

4 x 18" Min. Dim.; WKFSP, 4 ea., Kerfing, Spruce Standard Bevel; WBE, 2 ea., Bracewood, Engelmann Spruce; 

FW72, 1 ea., Fretwire, Soft Standard; S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; WNHC, 1 ea., Neck 

Cedar, 1 x 3 x 26"; WHC, 1 ea., Heel Block, Cedar 3 x 4 x 6"; WME, 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WBKIC, 

1 ea., Bridge Blank, Indian Rosewood Classic; WHIP, 1 ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; BI3, 4 ea., 

Binding, Indian Rosewood; N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; PFL1, 4 ea., Laminate, B/W 1/4 x .043"; R26, 

1 ea., Rosette; TBI, 3 ea., Bone Tie Block Inlay, 2 x 2 x 85mm; WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment,Spruce/ 

Bevel; PGTPLF, 1 ea., Pickguard Material, Transparent 8 x 8"; PF3, 1 ea., Ebonized Wood Strip, 1/4 x 1/40"/ 

6mm x 1mm; WBSC, 1 ea., Spanish Cedar Bracewood; SHG1, 1 ea., Schaller Classic Hauser, Gold w/Pearl 

Buttons; PL5, 1 ea., Plan, Flamenco Guitar. 


707-433-1823

KITS KITS KITS — STANDARD 

BASIC STEEL STRING 

GUITAR KIT 

This kit is selected for building the best steel 

string guitar with the most affordable collection 

of quality materials. These materials are 

comparable to what most high-end manufacturers 

are using for their mid-priced lines. This 

Mahogany body and Spruce top can produce 

a strong, warm tone. The kit includes: AA 

grade Sitka Spruce top, Sapele Mahogany back 

and sides, quartersawn Mahogany neck 

blank, Indian Rosewood fingerboard, bridge 

blank and headplate, our 2-way truss rod, 

chrome Gotoh TM tuners, black plastic binding, 

B/W purfling for the top edge, and a simple 

herringbone rosette (R13 see page 69). This 

kit is completed with all of these additional 

parts: fretwire, kerfing, all internal bracing materials, end block, 

MOP fingerboard dots, bridge and end pins, black pickguard 

material and heel cap, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

B4K Basic Steel String Guitar Kit ..................... $310.00 


WSAAJ, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - AA Jumbo; WMHSB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Sapele Mahogany; WMHSS, 

1 ea., Guitar Sides, Sapele Mahogany; WFI1, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Indian Rosewood, 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; 

WKFM, 4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS, 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH, 2 ea., 

Bracewood, Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; GGM6, 1 ea., Gotoh Tuners, Chrome, 3l/3r Steel Strng; FW74, 1 ea., 

Fretwire, Hard Standard; S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; DWP6.35K, 1 ea., Dots, Mop 

6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNHMHL, 1 ea., Neck, Mahogahy 1 x 3 x 30"; WHMH, 1 ea., Heel Block, Mahogany; WME, 

1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WBKIJ, 1 ea., Bridge Blank, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; WHIP, 1 ea., Headplate, 

Indian Rosewood; PBIWBB, 2 ea., Bolteron, Black .0625 x 1/4 x 71"; N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; 

TRSD, 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; PI4K, 1 ea., Bridge Pins, Rosewood (6 Pcs); PIE2, 1 ea., End Pin, 

Rosewood; R13, 1 ea., Rosette, Herringbone/ Bold; WBRI, 1 ea., Bridge Reinforcement Plate, Indian 

Rosewood; WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PFL11, 1 ea., Lanimate, B/W 20/20 x .080 

x 64"; PGB, 1 ea., Pickguard Material, Black 5 x 8"; PBB2X7, 1 ea., Black Fiber Heel Cap; PDOTW2, 1 ea., 

Plastic White Side Dot, 2mm; PF3, 1 ea., Ebonized Wood Strip, 1/4 x 1/40"/6mm x 1mm; PL2, 1 ea., Plan, 

Dreadnought 6 & 12 String. 

DELUXE STEEL STRING 

GUITAR KIT 

Gold plated Schaller TM tuners, 1 st grade woods - Indian 

Rosewood body and Ebony fingerboard instead of Mahogany 

body and Rosewood fingerboard, and higher-grade trim elements 

make this a Deluxe kit. These are the materials that 

our custom builders most often choose to make their guitars. 

The major parts of this kit are: AAA Sitka Spruce top, 1 st 

grade Indian Rosewood back and sides, quartersawn Mahogany 

neck blank, Ebony fingerboard and bridge blank, our 

2-way truss rod, gold Schaller TM tuners with Ebony buttons, 

Ivoroid binding with B/W/B purflings and materials for a 3ring 

Herringbone rosette. Also included to complete this kit 

are: fretwire, kerfing, all internal bracing materials, Ebony 

bridge and end pins with MOP dots, Ivoroid heel cap, tortoise 

pickguard material, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

B5K Deluxe Steel String Guitar Kit ................... $358.00 


WSAAAJ, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - AAA Jumbo; WIJB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; 

WIJS, 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; WF1S, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; 

WKFM, 4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS, 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH, 2 ea., 

Bracewood, Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; SM6GAB, 1 ea., Schaller Tuner, 3l/3r, Gold, Ebony Buttons; FW74, 1 ea., 

Fretwire, Hard Standard; BI5, 1 ea., Backstrip, Checkered D-28; S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 

80mm; DWP6.35K, 1 ea., Dots, Mop 6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNHMHL, 1 ea., Neck, Mahogahy 1 x 3 x 30"; WHMH, 

1 ea., Heel Block, Mahogany; WME, 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WBKJ, 1 ea., Bridge Blank, Indian Rosewood 

Jumbo; WHIP, 1 ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; WHMPV, 1 ea., Headstock Veneer, Maple 1/40" Thick; 

PBII, 4 ea., Plastic Binding, Ivoroid .060"; N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; TRSD, 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double 

Action; MPGT, 1 ea., Pickguard, Martin, Tortoise; PFL12, 3 ea., Laminate, B/W/B, 20/20/20 x .080 x 64"; 

PI3MK, 1 ea., Bridge Pin, Ebony w/Mop (6 PCS) ; PIE1M, 1 ea., End Pin, Ebony w/Mop; R13F, 1 ea., Rosette, 

Herringbone/Fine; WBRI, 1 ea., Bridge Reinforcement Plate, Indian Rosewood; WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint 

Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PBII2X7, 1 ea., Ivoroid Heel Cap; PDOTW2, 1 ea., Plastic White Side Dot, 2mm; 

PL2, 1 ea., Plan, Dreadnought 6 & 12 String. 

ARCHTOP GUITAR KIT 

Our newly re-introduced archtop guitar kit offers 

superior quality materials for a great price 

(over 15% off of the individually priced items). The 

kit features a 1st grade Sitka spruce top, highly 

figured Bigleaf maple back and sides, Schaller 

M6 gold tuners, a double action truss rod, and 

ebony for the fingerboard, headplate and tailpiece. 

A PL25 D’Angelico New Yorker plan (drawn 

by Tom Ribbecke) is included. 

B6K Archtop Guitar Kit .............. $699.00 


WAS1, 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce, Arched 1st; WBMAGAB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, 

Bigleaf Maple Archtop High Flame; WBMAGAS, 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Bigleaf Maple 

Archtop High Flame; WNBMPXLC, 1 ea., Neck Stock, Curly Maple, 30 x 3 x 4"; WF1S, 

1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; WKFSP, 4 ea., Kerfing, Spruce 

Standard Bevel; WBS, 1 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; SM6GA, 1 ea., Schaller 

Tuner, 3l/3r, Gold; FW74, 1 ea., Fretwire, Hard Standard; BRIA, 1 ea., Bridge, 

Ebony Archtop Adjustable; WHEA, 1 ea., Headplate, Ebony/ Archtop; N1, 2 ea., 

Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; TRSD, 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; WHED, 1 ea., Headplate Ebony, Double; 

PISAC, 1 ea., Tail Adjuster, Passa; PBIW, 6 ea., Plastic Binding, White .090"; PBI1, 16 ea., Plastic Binding, 

B/W .040"; PGBWB, 1 ea., Pickguard Material, B/W/B/ 9.5 x 12 .090"; PL25, 1 ea., Plan, D’angelico New 

Yorker. 

F5 STYLE MANDOLIN KIT 

The high quality, well matched back, sides and neck featured 

in this kit have the potential to result in a superb mandolin. 

The kit includes a first grade Sitka spruce top, Schaller MNI4 

tuners, and a pre-made ebony adjustable bridge. Also included 

is the book BM4, Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin which 

includes plans for an F5 style mandolin. 

B7K F5 Style Mandolin Kit ............................... $286.95 


WMANDOKIT, 1 KITMandolin Back/Sides/Neck/Top; , (Bigleaf Back, Sides and Neck, Sitka Spruce Top); WFM1, 

1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony, Mandolin; WKFSSP, 2 ea., Kerfing, Spruce, Small; WKFSM, 2 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany, 

Small; WBS, 1 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; SMNI4, 1 ea., Schaller Tuners, Mandolin, F5 Graduated; FW68, 

1 ea., Fretwire, Mandolin or Dulcimer; BRIM, 1 ea., Bridge, Ebony, Mandolin Archtop Adjustable; WDL8, 1 ea., 

Mandolin Support Block, Mahogany; PGBWB, 1 ea., Pickguard Material, B/W/B 9.5 x 12 .090"; WHEA, 1 ea., 

Headplate, Ebony/ Archtop; N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; TRMG, 1 ea., Truss Rod, Mandolin, 

Compression; TRN, 1 ea., Truss Rod Nuts; TRW, 1 ea., Allen Wrench for Truss Rd 9/64; PIE1M, 1 ea., End 

Pin, Ebony w/Mop; TPM, 1 ea., Tailpiece, Gibson Style, F5 Nickel; PBIW, 3 ea., Plastic Binding, White .090"; 

PBI1, 3 ea., Plastic Binding, B/W .040"; DWP4K, 1 ea., Dots, Mop 4mm (20 Pcs); BM4, 1 ea., Book - 

Constructing A Bluegrass Mandolin. 

SOLID BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR KIT 

Featuring a solid mahogany body with a AAA flamed bigleaf 

maple top plate, this kit can be used to create one of many 

styles of electric solid body guitars. The kit contains a chrome 

Schaller tunematic bridge with studs, a Rio Grand Texas/BBQ 

humbucking pickup set in black, mahogany neck, ebony 

headplate and fingerboard, and a Schaller chrome M6 tuner. 

Although the kit comes with Les Paul style accoutrements, it 

can be modified to several other solid body styles. Here at last 

is an alternative to the myriad of (often cheap) screw-together 

electric guitar kits that offer mediocre tonewoods, require no 

real woodworking skills and leave you no flexibility of design. 

With our kit you have everything you need to fashion an exquisite 

instrument similar to many of the high-end models produced by 

PRS, McInturff, Baker, Moonstone, Gibson, and Ibanez – among 

others. By purchasing this kit, you can save more than 15% off of 

the price of the individual parts. 

B9K Solid Body Electric Guitar Kit .................. $498.50 


WSDTAAA, 1 EA, Guitar Top Plate, Flamed, Best Grade; WDSMHL, 1 EA, Solid Body Mahogany Blank 

22 X 13 1/2 X 1 3/4; WNHMHL, 1 EA, Mahogany Neck, 1 X 3 X 30; WF1S, 1 EA, Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4x18' 

Min. Dim.; WHEA, 1 EA, Headplate, Ebony; SM6A, 1 EA, Schaller Tuner, 3l/3r; FW74, 1 EA, Fretwire, Hard 

Standard; RTRED, 1 EA, Truss Rod, Double Action, Electric; TRW, 1 EA, Allen Wrench For Truss Rod 9/64; 

EJPL, 1 EA, Les Paul Jack Plate, Chrome; EJ, 1 EA, Mono-Guitar Jack; EBTSL, 1 EA, Tunematic With Studs, 

Chrome; ESTP, 1 EA, Les Paul Tailpiece, Chrome; EPTBHB, 1 EA, Texas/Bbq Humbuker Set; EVP, 2 EA, Cts 

Pot Vol. Control, 500k; ETP, 2 EA, Cts Pot Tone Control, 250k; EKG, 4 EA, Knob Gibson Style Gold; ECB, 2 

EA, Capacitor, 75v .05 Microfarada; DWP6.35K, 1 EA, Dots, White Mop, 6.35mm (20); DWP2.35K, 1 EA, Dots, 

White Mop, 2.35mm (20). 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

9

10 

Q 

We have developed what we know 

to be the best acoustic guitar 

kits available for the beginning guitar 

maker, or for the more experienced 

guitar maker that appreciates starting 

with the bulk of the machining and 

shaping completed accurately on 

commercial equipment. These kits, 

with the major parts fully serviced/machined, 

make it possible for someone 

without a full complement of wood 

working tools and specialized guitar 

making tools to make a fine acoustic 

guitar at a professional level. These 

kits can be finished with minimal band 

saw use and a small assortment of 

hand tools if need be. Purchasing 

these kits represents as much as a 

20% savings over buying all of these 

parts and services individually. 

We recognize that the Martin dreadnought models D28 (Rosewood) 

and D18 (Mahogany) have been the 

standard for steel string guitar designs 

for over 50 years. And the Martin Orchestra models OM28 (Rosewood) 

and OM18 (Mahogany) are the standard 

for mid-size/fingerstyle steel 

string guitars. The OM model is the 

OOO body size and materials, but 

with the longer 25.4" scale fingerboard 

and neck. Many companies and hand 

makers base their guitars on these 

standards with little or no variation 

from them in shape, size, woods, or 

trim. For this reason we have designed 

our SERVICED GUITAR KITS after 

these models – with minor variations. 

Although these kits can be made 

like these Martin models if you 

choose, we have left some critical 

parts not completely shaped so that 

you may add some individuality or 

personal variation. The blank head of 

the pre-carved neck is large enough 

to accommodate a wide range of designs. 

Rather than supply all top and 

back braces 100% sized and preshaped 

(as found in other kits), we 

have chosen to supply sufficient 

bracewood billets to shape and size 

these critical pieces to your own 

specs. This way you will have some 

control or influence on the final design 

of the top and back bracing systems. 

S 

G 

HIGH QUALITY SERVICED — KITS 

KITS 

HIGH IGH QQUALITY 

Q ALITY SSERVICED 

S ERVICED GGUIT 

G UIT UITAR UIT AR KKITS 

K ITS 

Basic Kit 

B4KOM 

Deluxe Kit 

B5KD 

K 


707-433-1823

KITS KITS — HIGH QUALITY SERVICED 

Up to 

20% SAVINGS 

compared to purchasing 

parts and services 

individually. 

HIGH QUALITY SERVICED GUITAR KITS 

include these machined parts: 

BASIC 

Serviced Steel String Guitar Kit 

The two (2) Basic Serviced Kits offered here have our 

AA grade Sitka Spruce top with a simple Herringbone 

ring rosette (our R13). The sides and back are Sapele 

Mahogany and the neck is a pre-carved Martin D18 

style. The fingerboard, pre-shaped bridge and headplate 

are Indian Rosewood. Black plastic bindings, B/W 

purflings and black heel cap are supplied for body trim. 

The kits also include: chrome Gotoh tuners, our 2way 

truss rod, fretwire, kerfing, all internal bracing materials, 

end block, MOP fingerboard dots, white fingerboard 

side position dot material, bridge and end pins, 

black pickguard, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

~ NO WOOD/PART SUBSTITUTIONS ~ 

B4KD Basic Serviced Kit, 

Mahogany dreadnought ...... $410.00 

B4KOM Basic Serviced Kit, 

Mahogany OM ....................... 410.00 

B4KD Parts List 

WSAAJ WSAAJ, WSAAJ WSAAJ , 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - Aa Jumbo; WMHSB, WMHSB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Sapele Mahogany; WMHSS WMHSS, WMHSS 

1 ea., Guitar Sides, Sapele Mahogany; WFI1, WFI1, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Indian Rosewood, 2 3/4x18" Min. Dim.; WKFM, 

WKFM, 

4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS, WBS, 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH, WBMH, 2 ea., Bracewood, 

Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; GGM6, GGM6, 1 ea., Gotoh Tuners, Chrome, 3l/3r Steel Strng; FW74, FW74, 1 ea., Fretwire, Hard Standard; 

S1, S1, S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; DWP6.35K, DWP6.35K, DWP6.35K, 1 ea., Dots, Mop 6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNCMTN, WNCMTN, 1 ea., 

MartinTM Pre-Carved Neck; WNBCMT WNBCMT, WNBCMT WNBCMT , 1 ea., Neck Bolt; SN, SN, 1 ea., Bolt for Bolt-On-Neck; Allen Wrench for Bolt-On- 

Neck (05470125); Bellevelle Washer for Bolt-On-Neck (580819332); WME WME, WME , 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WHIP WHIP, WHIP 

1 ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; BRIS5C, BRIS5C, 1 ea., Bridge, Indian Rosewood Martin Steel String; PBIWBB, 

PBIWBB, 

2 ea., Bolteron, Black .0625 x 1/4 x 71"; N1, N1, 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6x9x55mm; TRSD TRSD TRSD, TRSD , 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; 

MPG, MPG, 1 ea., Pickguard, Martin, Black; PI4K, PI4K, 1 ea., Bridge Pins, Rosewood (6 Pcs); PIE2, PIE2, 1 ea., End Pin, 

Rosewood; R13, R13, 1 ea., Rosette, Herringbone/ Bold; WBRI, WBRI, WBRI, 1 ea., Bridge Reinforcement Plate, Indian Rosewood; 

WJR, WJR, WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment, Spruce/Bevel; PFL11, PFL11, 1 ea., Laminate, B/W 20/20 x .080 x 64"; PBB2X7, PBB2X7, 

PBB2X7, 

1 ea., Black Fiber Heel Cap; PDOTW2, PDOTW2, PDOTW2, 1 ea., Plastic White Side Dot, 2mm; PF3, PF3, 1 ea., Ebonized Wood Strip, 1/ 

4 x 1/40"/6mm x 1mm; PL2, PL2, 1 ea., Plan, Dreadnought 6 & 12 String; SVRIS, SVRIS, 1 ea., Inlay Steel Rosette; SVBJS, 

SVBJS, 

1 ea., Join Back, Sand Backs and Sides; SVSBD, SVSBD, 1 ea., Bend Sides; SVF25.4, SVF25.4, 1 ea., Slot Fingerboard to 25.4 

W/20 Frets; SVR16, SVR16, SVR16, 1 ea., Radius Fingerboard to 16" Radius; SVBI, SVBI, 1 ea., Insert Backstrip. 

B4KOM Parts List 

WSAAJ WSAAJ, WSAAJ WSAAJ , 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - AA Jumbo; WMHSB, WMHSB, 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Sapele Mahogany; WMHSS WMHSS, WMHSS 

1 ea., Guitar Sides, Sapele Mahogany; WFI1, WFI1, 1 ea., Fingerboard, Indian Rosewood, 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; WKFM, 

WKFM, 

4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS, WBS, WBS, 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH, WBMH, 2 ea., Bracewood, 

Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; GGM6, GGM6, 1 ea., Gotoh Tuners, Chrome, 3l/3r Steel Strng; FW74, FW74, 1 ea., Fretwire, Hard Standard; 

PF3, PF3, PF3, 1 ea., Ebonized Wood Strip, 1/4 x 1/40"/6mm x 1mm; BRIS5C, BRIS5C, 1 ea., Bridge, Indian Rosewood Martin Steel 

String; S1, S1, 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; DWP6.35K, DWP6.35K, 1 ea., Dots, Mop 6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNCMTN, 

WNCMTN, 

1 ea., MartinTM Pre-Carved Neck; WNBCMT WNBCMT, WNBCMT , 1 ea., Neck Bolt; SN, SN, 1 ea., Bolt for Bolt-On-Neck; Allen Wrench for Bolt- 

On-Neck (05470125); Bellevelle Washer for Bolt-On-Neck (580819332); WME WME, WME WME , 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WHIP WHIP, WHIP 

1 ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; WBRI, WBRI, 1 ea., Bridge Reinforcement Plate, Indian Rosewood; PBIWBB, PBIWBB, PBIWBB, 2 

ea., Bolteron, Black .0625 x 1/4 x 71"; N1 N1, N1 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; TRSD TRSD, TRSD , 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; 

MPG, MPG, 1 ea., Pickguard, Martin, Black; PBB2X7 PBB2X7, PBB2X7 1 ea., Black Fiber Heel Cap; PFL11, PFL11, PFL11, 1 ea., Laminate, B/W 20/ 

20 x .080 x 64"; PI4K, PI4K, PI4K, 1 ea., Bridge Pins, Rosewood (6 Pcs); PIE2, PIE2, 1 ea., End Pin, Rosewood; R13, R13, 1 ea., Rosette, 

Herringbone/ Bold; WJR, WJR, 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PDOTW2 PDOTW2 PDOTW2, PDOTW2 PDOTW2 1 ea., Plastic White Side Dot, 

2mm; PL34, PL34, 1 ea., Plan, Orchestra Model Om; SVRIS, SVRIS, 1 ea., Inlay Steel Rosette; SVBJS, SVBJS, 1 ea., Join Back, Sand 

Backs and Sides; SVSB000, SVSB000, 1 ea., Bend Sides; SVF25.4, SVF25.4, 1 ea., Slot Fingerboard to 25.4 w/20 Frets; SVR16, 

SVR16, 

1 ea., Radius Fingerboard to 16" Radius; SVBI, SVBI, 1 ea., Insert Backstrip. 

DELUXE 

Serviced Steel String Guitar Kits 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

11 

NEW 

Easy to install 

STRAIGHT 

MORTISE & TENON 

NECK 

Profiled top joined and sanded • Rosette inlayed 

Sides bent to shape, either Dreadnought or 000/OM 

Profiled back joined and sanded with backstrip installed 

Mahogany neck, pre-carved with straight tenon neck and matching mortise heel block 

Fingerboard slotted to 25.4" scale with 16" radius 

Pre-shaped bridge and pickguard 

Our Deluxe Serviced Kits have higher-grade wood and materials 

than the Basic kits. The major parts are: AAA grade 

Sitka Spruce top with a three-ring Herringbone rosette, 1st grade 

Indian Rosewood back and sides, pre-carved Martin D28-style 

neck with headstock diamond, Ebony fingerboard and pre-shaped 

bridge, Rosewood headplate, ivoroid bindings and heel cap with 

B/W/B purflings. These kits also include: gold Schaller TM tuners, 

our 2-way truss rod, fretwire, kerfing, all internal bracing 

materials, end block, checkered D28 backstrip installed in the 

back, MOP fingerboard dots, white fingerboard side position 

dot material, Ebony bridge and end pins with MOP dots, tortoise 

pickguard, and bone nut and saddle blanks. 

~ NO WOOD/PART SUBSTITUTIONS ~ 

B5KD Deluxe Serviced Kit, 

Rosewood dreadnought ....... $465.00 

B5KOM Deluxe Serviced Kit, 

Rosewood OM ....................... 465.00 

B5KD Parts List 

WSAAAJ WSAAAJ, WSAAAJ 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - AAA Jumbo; WIJB WIJB WIJB, WIJB 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; 

WIJS WIJS, WIJS 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; WF1S WF1S, WF1S 1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4x18" Min. Dim.; 

WKFM WKFM, WKFM 4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS WBS, WBS WBS 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH WBMH, WBMH 2 ea., 

Bracewood, Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; SM6GA SM6GA SM6GA, SM6GA 1 ea., Schaller Tuner, 3l/3r, Gold; FW74 FW74, FW74 1 ea., Fretwire, Hard Standard; 

BI5 BI5, BI5 1 ea., Backstrip, Checkered D-28; S1 S1, S1 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; DWP6.35K DWP6.35K, DWP6.35K 1 ea., Dots, 

Mop 6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNCDMTN WNCDMTN, WNCDMTN 1 ea., MartinTM Diamond Pre-Carved Neck; WNBCMT WNBCMT, WNBCMT 1 ea., Neck Bolt; SN SN, SN 1 

ea., Bolt for Bolt-On-Neck; Allen Wrench for Bolt-On-Neck (05470125); Bellevelle Washer for Bolt-On-Neck (580819332); 

WME WME, WME 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; BRIS5A BRIS5A, BRIS5A 1 ea., Bridge, Ebony, Martin Steel String; WHIP WHIP, WHIP 1 ea., Headplate, 

Indian Rosewood; WHMPV WHMPV, WHMPV 1 ea., Headstock Veneer, Maple 1/40" Thick; N1 N1 N1, N1 N1 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6x9x55mm; TRSD TRSD, TRSD 

1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; MPG MPGT, MPG 1 ea., Pickguard Tortoise, Martin; PI3MK PI3MK, PI3MK 1 ea., Bridge Pin, Ebony w/ 

Mop (6 Pcs) ; PIE1M PIE1M, PIE1M 1 ea., End Pin, Ebony w/Mop; R13F R13F R13F, R13F R13F 1 ea., Rosette, Herringbone/Fine; WBRI WBRI, WBRI 1 ea., Bridge 

Reinforcement Plate, Indian Rosewood; WJR WJR, WJR 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PBII2X7 PBII2X7, PBII2X7 1 ea., 

Ivoroid Heel Cap ; PFL12 PFL12, PFL12 2 ea., Laminate, B/W/B, 20/20/20 x .080 x 64"; PFL2A PFL2A, PFL2A 1 ea., Laminate, B/W/B 3/32 x 

.066"; PBII PBII PBII, PBII PBII 4 ea., Plastic Binding, Ivoroid .060"; PDOTW2 PDOTW2, PDOTW2 1 ea., Plastic White Side Dot, 2mm; PL2 PL2 PL2, PL2 PL2 1 ea., Plan, 

Dreadnought 6 & 12 String; SVRIS SVRIS SVRIS, SVRIS 1 ea., Inlay Steel Rosette; SVBJS SVBJS, SVBJS 1 ea., Join Back, Sand Backs and Sides; 

SVSBD SVSBD, SVSBD 1 ea., Bend Sides ; SVF25.4 SVF25.4, SVF25.4 1 ea., Slot Fingerboard to 25.4 w/20 Frets; SVR16 SVR16, SVR16 1 ea., Radius 

Fingerboard to 16" Radius; SVBI SVBI, SVBI 1 ea., Insert Backstrip. 

B5KOM Parts List 

WSAAAJ WSAAAJ, WSAAAJ 1 ea., Guitar Top, Sitka Spruce - AAA Jumbo; WIJB WIJB WIJB, WIJB WIJB 1 ea., Guitar Backs, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; 

WIJS WIJS, WIJS 1 ea., Guitar Sides, Indian Rosewood Jumbo; WF1S WF1S, WF1S 1 ea., Fingerboard, Ebony 2 3/4 x 18" Min. Dim.; 

WKFM WKFM WKFM, WKFM 4 ea., Kerfing, Mahogany Standard Bevel; WBS WBS, WBS 2 ea., Bracewood, Sitka Spruce; WBMH WBMH, WBMH 2 ea., 

Bracewood, Mahogany - 1/2-5/8"; SM6GA SM6GA, SM6GA 1 ea., Schaller Tuner, 3l/3r, Gold; FW74 FW74, FW74 1 ea., Fretwire, Hard Standard; 

BI5 BI5, BI5 1 ea., Backstrip, Checkered D-28; BRIS5A BRIS5A BRIS5A, BRIS5A BRIS5A 1 ea., Bridge, Ebony, Martin Steel String; S1 S1, S1 1 ea., Bone Saddle, 

2.4mm x 8mm x 80mm; DWP6.35K DWP6.35K, DWP6.35K 1 ea., Dots, Mop 6.35mm (20 Pcs); WNCOND WNCOND, WNCOND 1 ea., Pre-Carved Neck w/Diamond 

w/Customizable Headstock; WNCOH WNCOH, WNCOH 1 ea., Heel For Carved Neck; WME WME, WME 1 ea., End Block, Mahogany; WHIP WHIP, WHIP 1 

ea., Headplate, Indian Rosewood; WHMPV WHMPV, WHMPV 1 ea., Headstock Veneer, Maple 1/40" Thick; PBII PBII, PBII 4 ea., Plastic 

Binding, Ivoroid .060"; N1 N1, N1 1 ea., Bone Nut, 6 x 9 x 55mm; TRSD TRSD, TRSD 1 ea., Truss Rod, Double Action; MPG MPGT, MPG 1 ea., 

Pickguard Tortoise, Martin; PFL12 PFL12, PFL12 2 ea., Laminate, B/W/B, 20/20/20 x .080 x 64"; PFL2A PFL2A, PFL2A 1 ea., Laminate, B/ 

W/B 3/32 x .066"; PI3MK PI3MK, PI3MK 1 ea., Bridge Pin, Ebony w/MOP (6 PCS) ; R13F R13F R13F, R13F 1 ea., Rosette, Herringbone/Fine; 

PIE1M PIE1M, PIE1M 1 ea., End Pin, Ebony w/Mop; WJR WJR, WJR 1 ea., Back Joint Reinforcment,Spruce/Bevel; PBII2X7 PBII2X7, PBII2X7 1 ea., Ivoroid 

Heel Cap 5 1/2" Long; PDOTW2 PDOTW2, PDOTW2 1 ea., Plastic White Side Dot 2mm; PIE1M PIE1M, PIE1M 1 ea., End Pin Ebony w/Mop; PL34 PL34, PL34 

1 ea., Plan, Orchestra Model Om; SVRIS SVRIS, SVRIS SVRIS 1 ea., Inlay Steel Rosette; SVBJS SVBJS, SVBJS 1 ea., Join Back, Sand Backs and 

Sides; SVSB000 SVSB000, SVSB000 1 ea., Bend Sides ; SVF25.4 SVF25.4, SVF25.4 1 ea., Slot Fingerboard To 25.4 w/20 Frets; SVR16 SVR16, SVR16 1 ea., Radius 

Fingerboard To 16" Radius; SVBI SVBI, SVBI 1 ea., Insert Backstrip.

12 

I 

WOODS OODS IINTRODUCTION 

I NTRODUCTION 

LMI is at the forefront of the 

industry when it come to presenting new and 

hard-to-find tonewoods. 

In soundboards we have a fine selection of all the usual favorites 

(Redcedar, Sitka and Engelmann spruce) in a variety of prices and 

qualities -all the way up to the very finest available. In Adirondack spruce, 

we carry two grades that we feel are an outstanding value for those who 

prefer this outstanding tonewood for their steel string guitars. From Europe, 

we offer “German/European spruce” (it is rarely harvested in Germany these 

days, but it is the same fine wood). In the past we have had trouble keeping this 

wood in stock in the higher grades, but no longer, and quantity discounts are 

sometimes available (please call). We carry Italian spruce from time to time as 

well. This is the same species as our European spruce, but it is harvested in 

the Italian alps from the same region that Stradivarius procured his violin tops. 

Call for availability or check our website -this wood is in high demand for 

classical guitars and small bodied “fingerstyle” instruments. 

A common question we get here is “why don’t you carry redwood 

soundboards anymore?”. For several years now, no one who is 

knowledgeable about instruments has been cutting redwood, and 

wood-cutters have been understandably hesitant to pursue it because 

only the rare and endangered old-growth trees are suited 

for guitar soundboards. But things have changed and soon we 

will finally be able to offer certified, sustainably cut redwood tops 

of fine quality. It will be a bit more expensive, but consider that the 

logs must be removed by helicopter in order to preserve our delicate 

old growth forests and it is well worth the extra cost. Redwood makes 

outstandingly rich sounding guitars, similar to cedar but more robust and 

with a darker, red-brown color. Visit www.lmii.com for the latest details. 

We had trouble getting in our now-famous Madagascar rosewood due to a civil 

war that held up shipments for most of 2002. But we are now receiving new lumber and 

are busy processing the wood for sale in August 03. Place your order now and find out what 

nearly every serious luthier in the US is raving about! 

Grenadillo is not a new wood for builders in South America, 

but has rarely been used in America. It is attractive, affordable 

and has a deep, responsive tap tone. Another new one, Pau 

Rosa is admittedly plain looking, but the tap tone on this stuff 

is amazing. Glassy and bright with great sustain, it rings like 

African Blackwood (our most expensive tonewood!). 

Sadly, Koa has become a rarity in guitar woods, with figured 

sets becoming harder and harder to come by. But now, we have 

new sources and if all goes well we should be able to keep this 

exquisite wood in stock during the coming 

year. As a more-than-viable back-up to Koa, 

we are now receiving a trickle of beautiful 

Black Acacia sets as well. It looks like Koa, 

is less expensive and in some cases is a 

bit more dense. 

Finally a new rising star in woods 

for back and sides is Lacewood. It is 

beautiful and exotic in appearance, 

and according to John Greven, it is an 

absolutely superb tonewood as well 

— especially for those looking for a 

vintage Martin TM sound. 


707-433-1823

ACOUSTIC 

COUSTIC GGUIT 

G UIT UITARS UIT ARS 

John McCarthy holds guitar 

with AA Engelmann top. 

TOPS 

With the old-growth forests disappearing, 

wood of the highest 

quality is getting harder to find. 

Despite this we take care to obtain 

the best materials available. 

This is especially true of our 

topwoods. We offer German, 

Sitka, Engelmann, and 

Adirondack spruces and Western 

Redcedar and redwood. 

There are several factors that 

determine the final tone of an instrument but the top is 

where most of a luthier’s effort is focused. Many people 

point to Torres’ experiment of building a guitar with a paper 

mache back and sides to show how important the 

soundboard is in tone production. We have hundreds (if 

not thousands) of soundboards of varying grades in our 

warehouses with most of our stock being in the AA and 

AAA range. 

A WORD ON GRADING 

With only one in a hundred (or more) tops receiving a 

Master grade, they are very rarely in stock. We consider 

our AAA grade stock as our best and we always have 

plenty on hand. AAA’s are chosen for stiffness across the 

top, straight grain, quartersawn, even color and good annular 

ring spacing. Some of the factors moving a top into 

AA are slightly wider ring spacing, mild color variation, or 

lack of silk or medullary rays. These AA tops are great 

tops and are easily the best bargain in each of our top 

species. In A grade there may be a bit of runout, or some 

visible cosmetic flaw. 

A few quick definitions to help us describe the qualities 

found in our soundboards: 

Grain: Some people refer to the annular rings as the Grain. 

Straight grain in this case refers to the lines of the annular rings 

being straight and parallel to each other. Fine grain is when the 

annual rings are close together or are seen as fine lines. Course 

grain is farther apart or the lines are wider and more visible. 

Figure: You will hear words like curly, quilted, bearclaw, and 

fiddleback — these are different kinds of figure. Figure is genetic, 

is only found in a small percentage of trees, and is highly 

prized by furniture makers and luthiers alike. Of these, only 

bearclaw is found in softwoods. Hard to describe verbally, 

bearclaw looks a bit like it sounds, like a bear used the tree to 

sharpen its claws and left small waves in the grain which may 

or may not be symmetrical on both sides of the top. 

SERVICES 

JOINED TOPS 

LMI SERVICES ON PAGE 6 

G 

GUITAR TOPS joined & sanded with 120 grit to: 

Spruce: .... 0.110", 2.8mm 

Cedar: ...... 0.115", 2.9mm 

SVT Sanded tops....................... $10.00/each 

SVTJS Joined & sanded tops ... $15.00/each 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

13 

Stiffness: The soundboard serves two purposes on a 

guitar, one as a stable anchor for the strings, and the 

other as the vibrating unit with which to move air i.e. produce 

sound. It is this dual purpose that makes stiffness 

such an important quality. Too much stiffness and it will 

dampen the tone – too little and the top will distort. Stiffness 

or lack thereof is something we do grade for and is 

one of the first things that will get a top downgraded along 

with major cosmetic flaws. We feel that the stiffer the top, 

the better (as it comes to you from us), so the top can be 

made thinner to reduce weight (another tone killer). 

Color: Consistent and even color is desirable in our 

higher grades. As we move down the grading scale there 

may be color streaks along one edge of the top and maybe 

even some alternating bands of color with can produce an 

interesting and attractive visual affect. 

Size: We have two standard sizes, one for (C) classical 

guitars and one for (J) jumbo or steel-strings. 

CLASSIC: 

21" x 7 1 /4" x 3 /16" / 53.3cm x 18.4cm x 4.7mm 

JUMBO: 

22" x 8+" x 3 /16" / 55.9cm x 20.3cm x 4.7mm 

The above sizes are minimum specifications. If you 

need a larger dimension, please inquire. 

KITS

14 

ADIRONDACK 

DIRONDACK 

(R (RED (R ED ED) ED ) S SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

BEARCLAW BEARCLAW FIGURE 

FIGURE 

SITKA ITKA S SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

Sitka Spruce bearclaw guitar 

by Taku Sakashta 

ACOUSTIC — TOP TOP TOP WOODS WOODS 

WOODS 

Adirondack Red Spruce was used for the tops on many of the great 

pre-war (now vintage or collectible) American guitars. Many guitar makers 

today believe that this wood is a significant contributing factor to the 

strong, clear tone of those older instruments. In the last ten to fifteen 

years there has been a resurgence of its use by many hand builders and 

factories, especially for flat-picked instruments, in an effort to capture 

that vintage sound. But these guitar makers have unfortunately found 

that the quality and useable sizes of this greatly desired tonewood to be 

very limited. 

Finding available logs that will yield full dreadnought sizes in a quality 

similar to the Sitka and Engelmann Spruce available today is virtually 

impossible. True Master or even AAA grade tops are only rarely found by 

the cutters and the few that are found command extraordinary prices. The 

visual/cosmetic quality in general use today by the best builders and high 

end factories has more grain and color variation than either good Sitka or 

Engelmann Spruce — but that variation has been accepted in acquiring 

and working with this fine, great sounding wood. 

We offer two sizes – 8" wide for dreadnoughts and 7½" wide for 000s 

and classicals. These are barely wide enough, so join them carefully. Each 

of these sizes is available in a Good (WAA) and Better (WAAA) quality. These 

cosmetic quality designations are roughly equivalent to the A and AA quality of 

our Sitka Spruce or Engelmann Spruce tops. SEE OUR WEBSITE 

EACH 

WAAAJ Adirondack Spruce, better, dreadnought ............ $80.00 

WAAA Adirondack Spruce, better, 000/classic ............... 75.00 

WAAJ Adirondack Spruce, good, dreadnought ............... 60.00 

WAA Adirondack Spruce, good, 000/classic ................ 58.50 

We often get requests for tops with bearclaw figure, mostly from steel 

string builders. Until now, though, we did not have enough of these figured 

tops to make a separate item in the catalog. But, for almost a year we have 

been collecting the figured tops from our shipments of Sitka Spruce. We 

can now offer limited quantities of bearclaw figured Sitka Spruce tops. 

All of these jumbo (steel string) size tops are quartersawn and stiff. They 

are graded out into two grades – AAA and AA. The AAA grade is relatively 

clear and more even grained than the AA grade, and it will also exhibit bearclaw 

figuring throughout the pattern area. The AA grade will show more grain or 

color variation than the AAA grade, or it may be a clear top with less figuring 

than is expected in the higher grade. 

Both grades are excellent top woods but, as would be expected, the AAA 

grade has a slight visual/cosmetic edge. 

EACH 

WSBCAAAJ Sitka Spruce bearclaw, best, jumbo .....$53.00 

WSBCAAJ Sitka Spruce bearclaw, good, jumbo ......37.00 

www.lmii.com 

FOR 

FULL COLOR PHOTOS 

OF OUR WOODS 


707-433-1823

TOP OP WOODS WOODS — ACOUSTIC 

S 

ENGELMANN 

NGELMANN SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

PICEA ENGELMANNII 

In the last few years Engelmann Spruce has grown in popularity. Many 

better known makers now use Engelmann in lieu of German Spruce since 

good Engelmann has many of the traits desirable in a good German top and it 

is more economical. In appearance it is like German Spruce, but unlike German 

Spruce, it seems to be more uniform in consistency. The tops are often 

more homogeneous looking with the early and late-growth rings being less 

distinct than those of Sitka. Like German Spruce, Engelmann has a beautiful 

ivory sheen and occasionally shows some pink streaking. It is also similar to 

German Spruce in workability. 

Most of our Engelmann Spruce comes from Canada, and we believe it has 

some advantages over the Engelmann from the States. It’s stiffer than Sitka 

Spruce perpendicular to the grain. All higher grade tops are cut from billets. 

EACH 3+ 

WEMJ Engelmann Spruce, master grade, jumbo........ $72.85 ....... NA 

WEM Engelmann Spruce, master grade, classic ........ 70.85 ....... NA 

WEAAAJ Engelmann Spruce, fine grade, jumbo ............... 52.15 ... 46.70 

WEAAA Engelmann Spruce, fine grade, classic.............. 50.15 ... 44.70 

WEAAJ Engelmann Spruce, good grade, jumbo ............. 38.00 ... 34.20 

WEAA Engelmann Spruce, good grade, classic ........... 36.00 ... 32.20 

WEAJ Engelmann Spruce, OK grade, jumbo ................ 27.00 ... 25.45 

WEA Engelmann Spruce, OK grade, classic .............. 25.00 ... 23.45 

WE2J Engelmann Spruce, 2nd grade, jumbo ............... 15.10 ... 13.90 

WE2 Engelmann Spruce, 2nd grade, classic ............. 13.10 ... 11.90 

OTHER INSTRUMENTS 

WLEAA Engelmann Spruce, lute top ............................... 15.95 ... 14.00 Engelmann Spruce top, 

Moonstone Guitars. 

S 

GERMAN ERMAN SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

PICEA EXCELSA, P. ABIES 

This has been the traditional wood for Old World stringed instruments. The 

better grades are in short supply and are quite expensive. German Spruce is 

white in color and lustrous, possessing a beautiful ivory sheen. Most of the 

tops are very even in coloration, and the better ones are quite even in grain 

spacing. Most builders will agree that German Spruce has the potential to 

produce a very broad range of tonecolor—clear highs to full, rich basses—and 

is most often used on their highest models. 

“Bearclaw” sometimes available – please ask. 

WGMJ 

EACH 

German Spruce, master grade, jumbo ............ $138.25 

WGM German Spruce, master grade, classic ............. 136.25 

WGAAAJ German Spruce, fine grade, jumbo ..................... 100.00 

WGAAA German Spruce, fine grade, classic ..................... 98.00 

WGAAJ German Spruce, good grade, jumbo.................... 75.00 

WGAA German Spruce, good grade, classic ................... 67.00 

WGAJ German Spruce, OK grade, jumbo ....................... 52.25 

WGA German Spruce, OK grade, classic...................... 50.25 

S 

ITALIAN ALIAN SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

SOMETIMES AVAILABLE — PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE OR CALL. 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

15 

German Spruce

16 

S 

SITKA ITKA SSPRUCE 

S PRUCE 

PICEA SITCHENSIS 

Preferred for its strength and tough elasticity, Sitka Spruce can endure abuse 

to which the other soundboard materials are less immune, like dirt specks on 

the workbench and roughshod handling by the player. 

Sitka Spruce is very stiff and has a MOE-to-density ratio of 1.57 x 106 — the 

highest of commercially used Spruces. This higher ratio, in theory, is the most 

desirable for soundboards. Because of its strength and toughness it is the 

most popular choice for steel string acoustic guitars. It has also been used 

successfully for classic guitars. (It was John Gilbert’s preferred Spruce for 

soundboards.) 

The color of Sitka Spruce ranges from white to pink to light brown. Some 

tops display a lot of color variation. “Bearclaw” sometimes available. 

EACH 3+ 

WSMJ Sitka Spruce, master grade, jumbo ......$72.85 ........ NA 

WSM Sitka Spruce, master grade, classic ......70.85 ........ NA 

WSAAAJ Sitka Spruce, fine grade, jumbo .............53.00 .... 47.90 

WSAAA Sitka Spruce, fine grade, classic ............51.00 .... 45.90 

WSAAJ Sitka Spruce, good grade, jumbo ...........37.00 .... 33.50 

WSAA Sitka Spruce, good grade, classic .........35.00 .... 31.50 

WSAJ Sitka Spruce, OK grade, jumbo ..............28.00 .... 25.00 

WSA Sitka Spruce, OK grade, classic ............26.00 .... 23.00 

WS2J Sitka Spruce, 2nd grade, jumbo .............15.10 .... 13.90 

WS2 Sitka Spruce, 2nd grade, classic ...........13.10 .... 11.90 

R 

WESTERN ESTERN RREDCEDAR 

R EDCEDAR 

THUJA PLICATA 

Although not a traditional wood for guitar tops, Western Redcedar has continued 

to gain in popularity, especially among classical guitar makers. Today 

many high quality nylon string guitars are made with Cedar. 

Cedar is softer, and not as strong nor as elastic as Spruce, but it is more 

stable with changes in moisture content. It is liked for its warm color, straight 

grain, and clear crisp tap tone. The color ranges from light to reddish to chocolate 

brown. Interesting color variations and streaking available in A and AA 

grade tops. Please inquire. 

EACH 3+ 6+ 

WCMJ W. Redcedar, master grade, jumbo ......$67.40 ........ NA ....... NA 

WCM W. Redcedar, master grade, classic ......65.40 ........ NA ....... NA 

WCAAAJ W. Redcedar, fine grade, jumbo .............51.00 .... 47.00 ... 42.00 

WCAAA W. Redcedar, fine grade, classic ............49.00 .... 45.00 ... 40.00 

WCAAJ W. Redcedar, good grade, jumbo ...........35.00 .... 32.00 ... 28.00 

WCAA W. Redcedar, good grade, classic .........33.00 .... 30.00 ... 26.00 

WCAJ W. Redcedar, OK grade, jumbo ..............26.00 .... 24.00 ... 22.50 

WCA W. Redcedar, OK grade, classic ............24.00 .... 22.00 ... 20.50 

WC2J W. Redcedar, 2nd grade, jumbo ............. 11.50 .... 10.50 ..... 9.50 

WC2 W. Redcedar, 2nd grade, classic ............ 9.50 ...... 8.50 ..... 7.50 

GUITAR TOPS joined & sanded with 120 grit to: 

Spruce: .... 0.110", 2.8mm 

Cedar: ...... 0.115", 2.9mm 

SVT Sanded tops....................... $10.00/each 

SVTJS Joined & sanded tops ... $15.00/each 

ACOUSTIC — TOP TOP TOP WOODS 

WOODS 

Grit Laskin’s Sitka Spruce topped 

classic guitar with armrest bevel. 

Cedar top by Lance McCollum 

SERVICES 

JOINED TOPS 



707-433-1823

TOP OP WOODS WOODS — ARCHTOP GUITAR & MANDOLIN 

ARCHT RCHT RCHTOP RCHT OP GGUIT 

G UIT UITAR UIT AR 

Archtop guitar by Taku Sakashta. 

G 

ARCHTOP GUITAR TOPS 

Two pieces, bookmatched. 

Specify minimum dimensions. 

9" x 22 1 /2" x 1"+ at center 

22.9cm x 57.2cm x 2.54+ at center 

EACH 

WASM Sitka Spruce, master grade .......... $163.50 

WAS1 Sitka Spruce, 1st grade .................. 125.35 

WAS2 Sitka Spruce, 2nd grade .................. 103.55 

WAEM Engelmann Spruce, master grade .. 225.00 

WAE1 Engelmann Spruce, 1st grade........ 178.50 

WAE2 Engelmann Spruce, 2nd grade ........ 152.50 

WAGM German Spruce, master grade ........ 195.00 

WAG1 German Spruce, 1st grade ............. 168.95 

WAG2 German Spruce, 2nd grade ............. 125.00 

ARCHTOP MANDOLIN TOPS 

AR & & M 

M 

Two pieces, bookmatched. Minimum dimensions: 

5.5" x 16" x 7 /8" at center / 14cm x 40.6cm x 22.2mm at center 

We have just added Adirondack Spruce to our Sitka and Engelmann Spruce 

mandolin top woods. This strong, bright wood is favored by many archtop 

mandolin builders to help create that vintage tone - the same as with builders 

of Bluegrass-style dreadnought guitars. The tops that we offer in each of 

these woods are well quartered, straight grained and dry. Master grades are 

the best available in grain and color, 1 st grade are clear color with minor variation 

in grain as compared to masters, 2 nd grade may have minor color and/or 

grain variation. 

EACH 3+ 

WMAA1 Adirondack Spruce mandolin top, 

1st quality ..............................................$58.50 ........ NA 

WMAA2 Adirondack Spruce mandolin top, 

2nd quality ...............................................46.25 ........ NA 

WMAM Sitka Spruce, master grade ....................48.00 .... 43.20 

WMA1 Sitka Spruce, 1st grade ..........................40.35 .... 36.65 

WMA2 Sitka Spruce, 2nd grade .........................26.20 .... 19.65 

WMAEM Engelmann Spruce, master grade ..........51.25 .... 45.80 

WMAE1 Engelmann Spruce, 1st grade ................42.55 .... 38.00 

WMAE2 Engelmann Spruce, 2nd grade ...............34.65 .... 31.25 

T 

& MANDOLIN 

ANDOLIN TTOPS 

T OPS 

Archtop guitar 

Curly Maple 

neck blanks 

See page 36 

Archtop guitar 

Ebony 

tailpieces 

See page 52 

Premade 

Ebony arched 

bridges 

see page 42 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

17 

Jazz archtop guitar with hand-carved 

Englemann Spruce top by Diego Huerga.

18 

BA BACKS BA CKS 

& & SIDES 

SIDES 

While our Topwoods come mainly 

from North America and Europe, our 

backs and sides are truly international. 

From Blackwood from Africa and Rosewood 

from India, to Maple from here in 

our own backyard — we have the 

broadest and best hardwood selection 

anywhere. 

MATCHED SETS 

When you order a back and side set 

you get just that, a book-matched back 

set and a book-matched set of sides. 

SERVICES 

JOINED BACKS/SIDES 


Sand and join back & sand sides: 

Backs: 0.095", 2.4mm 

Sides: 0.090", 2.3mm 

ACOUSTIC — BACK BACK & SIDES SIDES SIDES WOOD 

WOOD 

After grading we match many of the sets up beforehand in order to assure 

consistency. We know that while some people are looking for straight 

grain and even color, others prefer something outrageous — Let us know 

what you prefer so we can make the best selection. 

Just like our soundboards, we have two sizes, Classic and Jumbo/ 

Steel-string. 

LMI can service your back and side sets: 


707-433-1823 

Les Stansell Guitars 

DIMENSIONS 

Classic 

Backs: 21" x 7¼" x .160" / 53.3cm x 18.4cm x 4mm 

Sides: 30" x 4½" x .120" / 76.2cm x 11.4cm x 3mm 

Jumbo 

Backs: 22" x 8" x .160" / 55.9cm x 20.3cm x 4mm 

Sides: 32" x 5" x .120" / 81.3cm x 12.7 x 3mm 

Larger dimensions usually available – please request. 

A note of caution: Some people have an allergic reaction to 

the dust produced by working with some exotic hardwoods. It is a 

good idea to use a dust mask when doing any sanding. Avoid the 

wood entirely if you do have a reaction. 

SVBJS Sand joined back & sides ... $25.00 

SVBS Sand unjoined back & sides . 20.00 

SVBOS Sand backs only .................... 15.00 

SVSOS Sand sides only ..................... 15.00 

SVBI Install backstrip 

(joined, not inlayed) ................... NC 

Sand unjoined back & sides: 

Backs...0.100", 2.5mm 

Sides...0.090", 2.3mm 

BACKSTRIPS 

on page 66

BA BACK BA CK & SIDES SIDES WOOD WOOD — ACOUSTIC 

R 

1 

MADAGASCAR 

ADAGASCAR RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD Special 

There are several varieties of 

Dabergia barroni. Madagascar Rosewood 

or Voamboana, milled in Madagascar. 

The material that we receive 

for backs and sides is the variety 

known in wood circles there as “Rio” 

type – because it can resemble the 

best figured Brazilian Rosewood in 

appearance and sound. 

This lumber is perfect tonewood for 

the backs and sides of steel string 

and classical guitars. Every piece is 

cut from very straight grain lumber that 

is entirely quartersawn and has been 

very well dried. Every side and back 

piece stays flat and stable, and every 

piece has incredible, crisp, bell-like 

tap tones. This wood has all of the 

best attributes of the old Brazilian 

Rosewood – brilliant, deep colors (red/ 

orange, red/brown, brown, purple/ 

brown) with intense black line patterning, 

clear ringing tap tone, easy to 

bend and work – plus, it’s much more 

available, even in the highest quality. 

Since we first introduced this wood 

in last year’s catalog our customers 

have become as excited about it as 

we are. Several of our better-known 

customers have even ordered more of 

these sets a second, and third, time. 

This is our premier body wood and 

it can produce the most exceptional 

guitars in appearance and sound. 

The logs that produce this incredible 

wood are small by guitar wood 

standards. This beautiful lumber is 

only produced in 4" to 5" quartersawn 

widths by our mill. But this lumber is 

straight grained and so similar in patterning 

and color that we have decided 

to do what many experienced 

guitar makers do with narrower, 

straight grain pieces. We match and 

join four matched pieces into what appears 

to be a normal two-piece back. 

With straight grained, quartersawn 

wood of this quality and the experience 

and skill of our technicians, the 

result is usually flawless. 

We are offering these beautiful sets in both jumbo and classic sizes, 

and in three (3) different, purely cosmetic, grades: 

1 

2 

*Occasionally these sets may not be the dimensions for back & sides listed on page 18 

(as in the Festival Quality photo at right), however they will make a full size classical or jumbo guitar. 

SPECIAL QUALITY – Each set in this category is truly exceptional, with 

intense, contrasting color and strong figuring. Sides and backs are almost 

identical matches. These are probably the best back and side sets 

available anywhere at any price. We receive extraordinary lumber and this 

“Special” quality is cut from the best 25% of the pieces. 

FIRST QUALITY – This quality is very high – very straight with figuring – 

and many pieces are at the edge of being the “Special” grade, but either 

the color or the figuring are not quite intense enough. This is purely subjective, 

of course, and the photo here may not appear much different from 

the SPECIAL QUALITY photo shown. These FIRST QUALITY sets would 

be our premier tonewood if it weren’t for those few sets that make it to our 

highest grade. 

3 FESTIVAL GRADE – This grade was created for the Healdsburg Guitar 

Festival 2001. This grade comes from the same quartersawn, straight 

grain lumber, with the same incredible tone, as the two higher grades - but 

there simply is not enough figuring to make the higher grades. There is 

some mild figuring, and even contrasting color in many of these pieces, 

but mainly it is straighter and plainer overall. This is still probably the best 

tonewood in its price range, and is the preferred grade for Bourgeois Guitars 

fine steel strings. 

EACH 

WRFRSPECJ Madagascar Rosewood, special quality, jumbo ...... $375.00 

WRFRSPEC Madagascar Rosewood, special quality, classic........ 345.00 

WRFRJ Madagascar Rosewood, 1st quality, jumbo ................ 275.00 

WRFR Madagascar Rosewood, 1st quality, classic .............. 245.00 

WRFRFESTJ Madagascar Rosewood, festival grade, jumbo ........... 120.00 

WRFRFEST Madagascar Rosewood, festival grade, classic.......... 105.00 

Quality 

2 

First 

Quality 

3 

Festival 

Quality 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

*Occasionally these sets may not be the dimensions for back & sides listed on page 18, 

however they will make a full size classical or jumbo guitar 

as shown in the festival quality photo bottom right. 

19

20 

EAST AST IINDIAN 

I NDIAN RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

OSEWOOD/P 

OSEWOOD/P 

/PALISANDER 

ALISANDER 

A Premium Grade set. 

A 

I 

R 

/P 

Although East Indian Rosewood had been used for guitar backs and sides for many decades it 

came into very common usage starting in the mid-1960s when the more well known Brazilian 

Rosewood became less available in the quantities needed for large scale guitar production. High 

quality Indian Rosewood logs were plentiful and commercially available to the major markets when 

the Brazilian government stopped the export of Brazilian Rosewood logs. Fortunately for us all – 

guitar manufacturers large and small – Indian Rosewood was also found to be an excellent 

alternative to Brazilian Rosewood both visually and tonally. 

The color ranges from red to light brown with golden 

streaks, but more often runs to various shades of purplebrown 

(which eventually oxidizes to a rich brown color). 

The workability of Indian Rosewood is very good. 

It is slightly less dense, more evenly grained and more 

stable than Brazilian Rosewood. It bends well by 

hand or machine. The vast majority of the higher 

quality steel string and classical guitars made over 

the last thirty years have been made in Indian Rosewood. 

Even many of the top classical guitar makers 

– Romanillos, Fleta, Friederich, Gilbert – prefer it to 

Brazilian Rosewood. 

We order the best grade available from the mills in 

India, but the overall quality of all of their grades has fallen noticeably over the 

last ten years or so with the heavy worldwide demand. We believe that the 

best way to present this wood to you is to carefully grade every shipment into 

three general quality ranges and price them accordingly. All of these matched 

sets are dried in our dehumidification kiln, and we sand both sides of all pieces 

to better match sides to backs. We usually have several thousand sets in 

stock at any time, and the grading breaks down like this: 

Above: 

Row “A” are 

second grade 

sets, row “B” 

are first grade, 

and row “C” 

are premium 

grade. 

DALBERGIA LATIFOLIA 


WOOD 

East Indian Rosewood guitar by 

Woodley White 

B 

C 

PREMIUM GRADE – Only around 10% or less of our shipments will fall into 

this highest category. These are quartersawn pieces with straighter and 

tighter grain, very good matches of color and grain of the backs to the 

sides, and good color – usually darker. There are rarely knots, but if 

there are, they are small and solid; and the other features – grain, 

color, match – are very good. 

FIRST GRADE – This is a good grade of wood. The majority of 

the wood we receive falls into this grade. This is the typical 

good factory grade. The sets are quartersawn, with good 

matches of backs to sides. These sets vary from the Premium 

Grade in that they are either slightly less intense in 

color, or have more medium/wider grain, or the grain is 

slightly curved. An occasional knot, or mineral streak, or 

minor water or end stain are possible in this grade, but 

not the norm. 

SECOND GRADE – This grade is good wood structurally 

and tonally, but varies enough cosmetically not to 

make First Grade. These are quartersawn but the grain may 

be wider, or the color is lighter/less intense, or there may be knots or mineral 

streaks. However, these sets usually exhibit only one or two of these factors to downgrade 

from First Grade. We’ve sold this grade to some factories or more production oriented smaller 

shops, so it is quite useable – especially considering the lower cost over Premium and First grades. 

Some have commented that they will order from this grade because they prefer a ‘stripey’ look. 

EACH 3+ 6+ 

WIJPREM E. I. Rosewood, premium grade, jumbo ..........$103.65 ... 98.55 ....... NA 

WICPREM E. I. Rosewood, premium grade, classic ........ 101.10 .... 95.85 ....... NA 

WIJ E. I. Rosewood, 1st grade, jumbo ..................... 74.25 .... 71.00 ... 69.00 

WIC E. I. Rosewood, 1st grade, classic ................... 72.25 .... 69.00 ... 67.00 

WIJ2 E. I. Rosewood, 2nd grade, jumbo .................... 55.25 .... 51.05 ... 45.85 

WIC2 E. I. Rosewood, 2nd grade, classic .................. 52.25 .... 48.05 ... 42.85 


707-433-1823


B 

AFRICAN FRICAN BBLACKWOOD 

B LACKWOOD 

DALBERGIA MELANOXYLON 

Described by Jeffrey Elliott and Cyndy Burton by the comparison: “African 

Blackwood is to Brazilian Rosewood as Brazilian Rosewood is to Indian Rosewood,” 

they went on to say that it was an excellent tonewood, very responsive, 

with a terrific taptone. However, the comparison did not extend to the 

workability of Indian or Brazilian Rosewood. Very hard and heavy with a specific 

gravity of 1.2, it blunts tools, is difficult to work and is difficult to bend 

(Cyndy said that the bending went much easier with the Universal side bending 

machine), however it is strikingly beautiful and polishes to a high luster. It 

is very fine grained, it is quite stable when dry (more stable than most ebonies), 

and glues satisfactorily. The supply of this wood for backs and sides is 

very limited. Only one log in a thousand is large enough for backs. Because of 

this rarity, African Blackwood is the most expensive tonewood we carry. 

EACH 

WABKC African Blackwood, specify size .........$525.00 

A 

BLACK LACK AACACIA 

A CACIA 

BUBINGA UBINGA UBINGA/ 

UBINGA 

AFRICAN FRICAN R RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

DIDELOTIA AFRICANA OR GUIBOURTIA SP. 

Guitar by 

Jeffrey Elliott 

Baranik 

Guitar 

ACACIA MELANOXYLON 

With Koa prices escalating rapidly and availability on the decline, we are 

excited to be able to provide limited quantities of highly flamed Black Acacia 

back and side sets. Known as Australian Blackwood because of the tree’s 

bark, this not-to-distant cousin of the koa tree (Koa is an acacia) offers many 

of the features of the popular Hawaiian wood — Black acacia is one shade 

lighter (more of a honey/gold brown) and the grain generally runs straighter. 

The tap tone is roughly the same as Koa, and some say it makes a better 

sounding guitar. An excellent alternative to rosewood, it has a luminescence 

and depth similar to mahogany. The tree grows well here in northern California 

and many other places such as Africa and India, but the best sets are imported 

from Australia — where it has been a mainstay for many fine builders. 

Other adherents include classical/flamenco guitar builder Kenny Hill and steel 

string builders Mike Baranik and MacPherson guitars. 

EACH 

WACSP Black Acacia, flamed, jumbo .............. $210.00 

WACSPC Black Acacia, flamed, classic ..............200.00 

WAC1 Black Acacia,1st grade, jumbo .............155.00 

WAC1C Black Acacia,1st grade, classic ...........150.00 

WAC2 Black Acacia,2nd grade, jumbo ............ 115.00 

WAC2C Black Acacia,2nd grade, classic .......... 110.00 

Guitar by 

Jim Blilie 

Bubinga is a wood that has been used for years with success. It is a better 

tonewood than it’s been given credit for—probably because low price is not 

usually commensurate with high quality. Harder and heavier than either Brazilian 

or Indian Rosewood, Bubinga is sometimes known as African Rosewood, 

although it’s not a Dalbergia. The most common varieties being used 

for instruments include Didelotia africana and Guibourtia demeusei, one of 

four Guibourtias known as Bubinga. It has a medium texture with interlocking 

grain, and when finished gives a mottled “bees wing” appearance. It’s pinkishmauve 

cast oxidizes to a nice brownish-red over time. Because of its interlocking 

grain, it can be like some of the more difficult Mahogany to bend. 

Overall, Bubinga is one of the best values in a tonewood. EACH 3+ 

WBUCJ Bubinga, jumbo .....................................$52.25 .... 47.00 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

21

22 

R 

COCOBOLO 

OCOBOLO RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

DALBERGIA RETUSA 

Cocobolo is a true Rosewood that grows in southern Mexico and Central 

America along the Pacific seaboard. It’s a beautiful wood, which when 

freshly cut is a bright yellow and orange-red. Over time it oxidizes to a 

rich brown-red color with black streaks. It is probably as close to Brazilian 

Rosewood in beauty and tonal qualities as any wood. These visual 

and tonal features make Cocobolo a premium choice for many builders, 

including José Oribe, internationally known classical guitar maker. 

Cocobolo is heavier than most other Rosewoods we offer, although not 

as stable, and occasionally more brittle. Because it is usually oily it can 

be difficult to glue. (Our FGSMI, All Wood Epoxy is excellent for gluing 

Cocobolo.) Cocobolo also has excellent machining properties and can be 

worked well with a scraper, which will help keep dust down. 

3 + EACH 

WCOCSPJ Cocobolo, special quality, jumbo ..... $163.00 .... 178.00 

WCOCSPC Cocobolo, special quality, classic ..... 160.00 .... 175.00 

WCOCJ Cocobolo, 1st grade, jumbo ................. 97.85 .... 108.75 

WCOC Cocobolo, 1st grade, classic ............... 94.85 .... 105.75 

, C 

CYPRESS YPRESS YPRESS, YPRESS , CCANADIAN 

C ANADIAN 

ANADIAN/ 

ANADIAN 

ALASKAN LASKAN Y YYELLOW 

Y ELLOW C CCEDAR 

C EDAR 

CHAMAECYPARIS NOOTKATENSIS 

Alaskan Yellow Cedar, called Canadian or New World Cypress by some, 

belongs to a genus so closely related to the true cypresses that it was once 

classified with them by botanists. It is an excellent wood for carving, fine and 

even textured, and very close-grained. It is one of the most stable of woods 

in terms of dimensional change due to moisture content change. The light 

yellow heart-wood possesses a pleasant pungent odor. It works easily and 

finishes well and has been used with success for lutes and particularly flamenco 

guitars. 

EACH 

WCP1 Canadian Cypress, 1st grade, classic ............... $45.00 

C 

C 

, M 

CYPRESS YPRESS YPRESS, YPRESS , MMONTEREY 

M ONTEREY 

CUPRESSUS MACROCARPA OR CUPRESSUS MACNABIANA 

Monterey Cypress is a close cousin to Spanish Cypress. The hues have a 

pinkish tone, but the overall appearance is one of a creamy luster. We’ve 

offered this for years as a reasonably priced alternative to Spanish Cypress. 

It’s a little stronger than Spanish Cypress, works nicely, glues and finishes 

well, and from all reports is indistinguishable from Spanish Cypress in terms 

of sound production. First grade is as nice as the material gets, no knots, etc. 

Second grade may have a knot or two, perhaps a blemish, and so is more 

“flamenco” in character. 

EACH 

WSCP1 Monterey Cypress, 1st grade, classic ............... $75.00 

Flamenco in Monterey Cypress & Engelmann 

Spruce by Jim Blilie, Barbarossa Guitars. 


WOOD 


707-433-1823

BA BA BACK BA CK & SIDES SIDES WOOD WOOD — ACOUSTIC 

C 

C 

, S 

CYPRESS YPRESS YPRESS, YPRESS , SSPANISH 

S ANISH 

CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS 

More officially “Mediterranean” Cypress than “Spanish,” having been introduced 

into Spain centuries ago from Asia Minor, most flamenco makers prefer 

this traditional wood, but it’s becoming scarce and expensive. It has been 

used since the 16th century for all kinds of musical instruments including lute 

ribs and harpsichord soundboards. 

It has a creamy-yellowish color with occasional strong late growth lines. 

Spanish Cypress works well, is quite stable if the wood is reasonably well 

quartersawn, but is a little difficult to bend. Most of our “Spanish” Cypress 

comes from Italy. 

EACH 

WSPCSEL Spanish Cypress, select grade, classic .......... $115.00 

WSPC1 Spanish Cypress, 1st grade, classic ................... 98.00 

EUROPEAN 

UROPEAN PPEAR 

P EAR 

PYRUS COMMUNIS 

GRENADILLO 

RENADILLO 

PLATYMISCIUM SPP 

P 

One of the traditional early instrument woods, Pear is still used for recorders, 

lute staves, and violin fingerboards (dyed black). It’s non-porous, finetextured, 

lustrous, strong and stable. It doesn’t range a great deal in color, 

from pinkish-brown to mauve. Tonally, it’s similar to Maple. 

EACH 

WPRJ Flamed European Pear, jumbo ........................... $62.00 

Grenadillo is a relatively new wood to American guitar making but is fairly 

common in South America. It is non-porous, straight grained, very dense, and 

has a ringing, bright tap tone. It works easily but can dull tools a bit, has a 

medium to fine texture, and finishes well. The reddish brown color will darken 

to a brick color over time much like Honduran rosewood. Sure to become 

popular for steel string guitars. 

EACH 3+ 

WGRENJ Grenadillo, jumbo ..................................$60.00 .... 56.00 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

23 

Lester Devoe flamenco guitar.

24 

KOA OA 

Koa was first used as a tonewood in the ukuleles of the Hawaiian islanders. Being exclusive to 

Hawaii, Koa was introduced to the mainland in the ukuleles imported after WWII. When builders saw 

ACACIA KOA its beauty and heard it’s warm tone it wasn’t long before it was showing up in steel string guitars of 

major manufacturers and high-end custom builders. Some classical builders have found it favorable 

including Steve Conner of Massachusetts and Les Stansell of Oregon. 

With colors ranging from brown to gold with rich and varying grain, Koa 

looks as exotic as the region it’s from. With an open pore structure like Mahogany, 

it needs to be filled. It works well in all respects with the usual care 

taken for curly figure. 

Curl or flame has been exhibited in Koa trees less than 20 years old and 

these trees grow fast. Even so, instrument size and grade wood is rare because 

most of the old growth has been cut down. Although it does not alleviate 

the current shortage, Hawaiians are making an effort to plant Koa along with 

other native trees to help assure they will be available well into the future. 

We have three grades of Koa. The more abundant or intense the curl or 

flame is, the rarer and more expensive the sets are. The WK1 quality has 

some flame in both the back and sides, but the WKS quality has bold flame 

over most of the back and sides. 

EACH 

WKS Koa, special high flame, jumbo ................$295.00 

WK1 Koa, good flame/select, jumbo ...................175.50 

WK2 Koa, good color, jumbo ...............................125.50 

High flame Koa back and sides by Mark Blanchard. 

LACEWOOD 

ACEWOOD 

GREVILLEA ROBUSTA 

Originally we ordered Lacewood because it’s unusual figure made it an obvious 

choice for electric guitar tops, but after handling the wood it occurred to us 

that it might make a fine-sounding acoustic guitar back and side material. 

We were not alone in this assessment. When veteran luthier John Greven 

found this wood on our website, he was thrilled, claiming that “ Lacewood 

stands head and shoulders above every other tonewood for back and 

sides, regardless of body size and top material. The sound is big, quick, 

articulate, woody and has a pre-war sounding punch I have never heard 

in any other wood, new out of the box. Every guitar I have made with this 

wood sounds like it has been played in for 50 years, even three days 

after first stringing it up.” 

Similar in color to light mahogany, our Lacewood has outstanding, 

bold crisscrossing figure. It finishes nicely but can be a little tricky to 

bend (like most figured woods). EACH 

WMHL Lacewood, jumbo ..................................$76.50 

E 

MACASSAR 

ACASSAR EEBONY 

E BONY 

ACOUSTIC — BACK BACK & SIDES SIDES WOOD 

WOOD 

DIOSPYRUS CELEBICA 

With alternating bands of black and light tan, our striped Macassar Ebony 

is one of our most striking woods. It comes from Celebes and Sulawesi Island 

in East Indonesia. Macassar Ebony glues well and bends readily as we can 

attest to by all the sets our customers have had us bend for them. Its stability 

and low damping make it a favorite tonewood for Breedlove guitars. Pair it with 

a nice white Englemann Spruce top for an instrument of striking visual and sonic 

quality. 

EACH 

WMAC Macassar Ebony, striped, jumbo ........$325.00 

WMAS Macassar Ebony, straight grain ............250.00 

WMACBL Macassar Ebony, black, jumbo ............170.00 Striped Macassar Ebony by Ed Claxton. 


707-433-1823


EUROPEAN 

UROPEAN 

MAHOGANY 

MAHOGANY 

, H 

MAPLE 

MAPLE 

UROPEAN & & B 

B 

& BIGLEAF IGLEAF 

ACER PSEUDOPLATANUS 

Maple is the traditional wood for instruments of the violin family, and is well 

known for its use in carved back instruments as well as flat back instruments. 

It is prized for figured specimens, particularly “curly” or “flamed” wood exhibiting 

the tight even curls of “fiddleback” figure, as well as “birds-eye” and 

“quilted” or “blister” figure. (Curly figure is most prominent on quartersawn 

surfaces, while birdseye and quilted show best on flat-sawn faces.) 

European Maple is between Rock Maple and Bigleaf in hardness, and is 

fine and even-textured. Its appeal lies in its ease of working and in its lustrous, 

creamy whiteness. Bigleaf Maple is a bit coarser and harder to work. It can 

range in color from ivory, to pink, to tan. Quilted is a little more difficult to 

obtain, but we usually have it in stock. Figured Maple can be described in 

terms of best, good, and medium figure. Because of the tension in the wood 

and the relative instability of thinner stock, most backs and sides of this material 

are rarely flat. You may even require board supports on either side of the 

backs to be jointed. Expect movement in the sets until you have them braced. 

MAPLE, EUROPEAN EACH 

WEMA European, best figure, jumbo ............................ $140.40 

WEMB European, good figure, jumbo ............................... 92.60 

MAPLE, BIGLEAF 

WBMA Bigleaf, best figure, jumbo .................................. 114.50 

WBMB Bigleaf, medium figure, jumbo .............................. 92.35 

WBMC Bigleaf, low figure, jumbo ...................................... 65.00 

WBMQA Bigleaf, quilt, best figure, jumbo ......................... 127.50 

WBMQB Bigleaf, quilt, good figure, jumbo ........................ 102.50 

WBMQC Bigleaf, quilt, medium figure, jumbo ..................... 80.00 

WMB Rock, birdseye, jumbo ........................................ 109.00 

Steve Andersen’s “Emerald City” 

of Bigleaf Maple. 

, S 

KHA HA HA HAYA, HA , HHONDURAN 

H ONDURAN 

ONDURAN, ONDURAN , SSAPELE 

SAPELE 

APELE 

Honduran Mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla, used to be exported mainly 

from Honduras, but now comes more often from Brazil. We also offer African 

Mahogany of the genus Khaya, and Sapele of the genus Entandrophragma, 

which is a little heavier and finer textured than Honduran Mahogany. They are 

all fine woods for guitars due to their relative low cost, ease of working, and 

stability. Sides can be difficult to bend because of variation in density within 

the piece (less water in bending is better than more). Colors range from light 

pink to medium brown to reddish brown. The figure on well-quartered pieces is 

the characteristic stripe resulting from interlocked grain. 

EACH 3+ 

WMHJ Khaya Mahogany, jumbo ...............................$37.50 .... 33.75 

WMHCG Honduran Mahogany, jumbo ............................48.50 .... 43.25 

WMHS Sapele Mahog. (striped appearance), jumbo..33.00 .... 30.00 

Sepele Mahogany guitar by David Berkowitz. 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

25 

European Maple back by 

Michael Greenfield.

26 

MAHOGANY 

AHOGANY 

SWIETENIA MACROPHYLLA 

FLAMED 

FLAMED 

We recently obtained a limited number of flamed Honduran Mahogany back 

and side sets. These are highly flamed sets, although the flame is unlike tiger 

striped figure in that it is somewhat irregular and does not span the entire 

width of the material. If you’re looking for a unique look, this wood is for you. 

EACH 

WMHF Flamed Mahogany, jumbo ...... $195.00 

QUIL QUILTED 

QUIL TED 

These rare and beautiful Honduran Mahogany sets display 

a defined rolling, quilted figure. In the past we have 

carried this wood in various grades for up to $750 a set, but 

after a long search we 

now have a steady supply 

of these sets available 

to us and the quality of the 

figure is high and very consistent. 

All sets exemplify 

the established warm 

tonal properties and workability of Mahogany (use care in bending 

any figured wood). The stunning visual effect of this wood 

will set any guitar apart from the rest. 

M 

YRTLE / / C 

C 

OREGON REGON MMYRTLE 

M YRTLE 

Quilted 

Mahogany 

UMBELLULARIA CALIFORNICA 

Known as California or Bay Laurel, or Oregon Myrtle, or Pepperwood, it 

ranges in color from blond-yellow to taupe and makes very nice guitars. No 

two sets look alike, thus each guitar built from it is an original! 

Steve Henderson of Breedlove guitars raves about it, stating that it has 

great projection qualities and offers a bright sound (similar to Maple). He 

compares it favorably to Indian Rosewood and says that it is an easy wood to 

work and “bends like plastic”. For this reason it is a great wood for beginners. 

Other steel string makers that tout its’ merits include Jeff Robertson and 

Michael Greenfield, who brought an especially beautiful jumbo guitar made 

from Myrtle to our most recent Healdsburg Guitar Festival. Les Stansell uses 

this wood on his fine classical guitars and Robert Ruck has commented that 

it compares favorably to any of the traditional flamenco woods and recommends 

it on all levels. 

EACH 

WMYRSPECMyrtle, special high flame, jumbo .......$160.00 

WMYR Myrtle, good figure, jumbo ....................108.00 

WMYR2 Myrtle, light figure, jumbo ............ .... .....78.00 


WOOD 

/ CALIFORNIA 

ALIFORNIA LLAUREL 

L AUREL 

Guitar by 

Les Stansell 

Flamed 

Mahogany 

EACH 

WMHQ Quilted Mahogany, jumbo... .................. $181.00 


707-433-1823 

L

BA BACK BA BA CK & SIDES SIDES WOOD WOOD — ACOUSTIC 

Padauk is a bright orange or almost crimson wood when freshly cut, but 

oxidizes more to a dark, rich purple-brown over time – although it stays redder 

than Indian Rosewood. Slightly harder and heavier than Indian Rosewood it is 

a good back and side wood in all respects – stable, easy to work, with a 

strong tone. It may be a little difficult to bend compared to the ease of bending 

some of the more pliable woods. The lumber is readily available in larger planks, 

so the sets are moderately priced and exhibit good, straight grain throughout 

most pieces. 

E 

PADAUK ADAUK 

PTEROCARPUS SOYAUXII 

EACH 3+ 

WPADJ Padauk, jumbo ......................................$45.00 .... 40.50 

WPADJ2 Padauk, jumbo 2nd Grade ......................34.50 .... 30.50 

R 

PALO ALO EESCRITO 

E SCRITO RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

DALBERGIA PALOESCRITO 

Palo Escrito is the premiere native back and side wood used by the builders 

in Paracho, Mexico. Its tone and workability are considered similar to 

Indian Rosewood, but with slightly wider grain, more figure, lighter color, and 

lighter weight. It has more visual character when compared to the more homogeneous 

Indian Rosewood and is moderately priced considering its potential. 

The 1st quality jumbo sets are straight, even-grained, and are especially nice. 

The 2nd grade has more flat sawn figure than the 1st grade. 

EACH 

WPE1J Palo Escrito Rw, 1st grade, jumbo .......$68.00 

WPE1 Palo Escrito Rw, 1st grade, classic .......66.50 

WPE2J Palo Escrito Rw, 2nd grade, jumbo ........59.00 

WPE2 Palo Escrito Rw, 2nd grade, classic ......57.00 

F 

ERRO / / M 

M 

PAU AU FFERRO 

F ERRO 

MACHAERIUM VILLOSUM 

A Palo Escrito guitar 

made by German Vasquez. 

/ MORADO ORADO 

Also known as Caviuna, Bolivian Rosewood, or Palo Santos, this Rosewood-like 

wood has many names and is often imported interchangeably with 

other similar species. In appearance it’s much like Indian Rosewood, but substitute 

browns, golds and yellows for the purple shades. 

A nonporous wood, it is a dream to finish, and has a nice tap tone. It’s 

heavier than Indian and Brazilian Rosewood; and it machines and glues well. 

EACH 3+ 

WPAUFJ Pau Ferro, jumbo ................... $88.00 .....82.00 

WPAUF Pau Ferro, classic ................... 85.00 .....78.00 

Guitar by 

Lance McCollum 

Pau Ferro guitar by 

Alastair Fordyce 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

27

28 

R 

PAU AU RROSA 

R OSA 

SWARTIA FISTULOIDES 

Pau Rosa is admittedly plain looking, but the tap tone is amazing. Glassy 

and bright with great sustain, it rings like African Blackwood (our most expensive 

tonewood!). 

EACH 

WPROSAJ Pau Rosa, jumbo .................................$105.00 

, C 

WALNUT ALNUT ALNUT, ALNUT , CCALIFORNIA 

C ALIFORNIA 

JUGLANS CALIFORNIA 

Well known for its use in fine furniture with the more figured material being 

a highly prized wood for veneers, this local wood has proven itself as a tonewood 

with large manufacturers and custom builders alike. 

With its rich brown color and occasional black streaks, Walnut produces a 

striking instrument with a crisp, dry tone and a strong fundamental. Walnut 

works well in all respects, has a pleasant scent, and once it has been dried is 

very stable. 

Our back and side sets often exhibit dramatic fiddleback figure and interesting 

movement in the grain and we put these in a special grade for those 

unique projects. Since it is also in demand by fine furniture builders we occasionally 

run low on the higher grades but we always get the best that is available. 

EACH 

WWS Walnut, special quality, jumbo ......................... $210.00 

WW1 Walnut, 1st grade, good color, jumbo ................ 125.00 

WENGE ENGE 

MILLETTIA LAURENTII 

Wenge is a large straight growing tree found from central through western 

Africa. It is abundant and should be commercially available for years to come. 

In 1983 this wood was first suggested to us as a guitar tonewood by maker 

Don Musser. The grain of the Wenge sets is tight and straight across the 

entire width of backs and sides. The color is chocolate brown with evenly 

spaced black veins. This wood is heavier than either Indian or Brazilian Rosewood 

and is stiffer, but softer, with large pores. Any binding/trim scheme contrasts 

well with the even, consistent color and grain of this wood. 

EACH 3+ 

WWENJ Wenge, jumbo ....................... $72.00 .....65.50 

Figured Walnut backs and sides 

by Warren Fuller. 

Wenge guitar 

by Mark Blanchard. 


WOOD 


707-433-1823

BA BACK BA BA CK & SIDES SIDES WOOD WOOD — ACOUSTIC 

ZEBRAWOOD 

EBRAWOOD 

HORSUS AFRICANA STRIPETICA 

We have carried small stocks of this wood in the past. We now have full 

stocks and recommend Zebrawood as a more boldly colored alternative to 

Indian Rosewood. With about the same density, workability and resonance 

as Indian Rosewood, it is evenly striped overall with small alternating bands 

of gold-tan and dark brown. 

EACH 

WZEJ Zebrawood, jumbo.... ............................$72.00 

ZIRICOTE IRICOTE 

CORDIA DODECANDRA 

Ziricote is most striking in appearance, much like Brazilian Rosewood with 

“spider-webbing” but in shades of greys and olive greens with black rather 

than reds with black. Heavier than most Rosewoods, it works somewhat like 

Ebony, and tends to be brittle. One of the local luthiers, Richard Prenkert, a 

superb classic guitar builder, uses Ziricote frequently and likes it for both its 

tonal and aesthetic qualities. Ziricote is used on many of Breedlove Guitars 

high-end models as well. 

EACH 

WZIRSPECJ Ziricote, special, jumbo ................................ $275.00 

WZIRSPEC Ziricote, special, classic ................................ 270.00 

WZIRJ Ziricote, good quality, jumbo .......................... 155.00 

WZIR Ziricote, good quality, classic ........................ 150.00 

Ziricote back and sides. 

Guitar by Hank Mauel. 

ENDANGERED SPECIES 

R 

BRAZILIAN 

RAZILIAN RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

JACARANDA, RIO ROSEWOOD 

In 1991 Brazilian Rosewood was placed on the endangered species list. Only wood certified to be cut and 

exported from Brazil could be done so legally, and it was difficult to know if the wood was undeniably certified 

according to the C.I.T.E.S. agreement. Therefore, we have decided not to acquire any more of this endangered 

material and will no longer offer it for sale. 

We offer many wonderful substitutes for this wood in our current supplies. Many builders consider Cocobolo, 

Amazon Rosewood, Ziricote, or Madagascar Rosewood as very reasonable alternatives to Brazilian Rosewood 

as a body wood. Others even believe that African Blackwood or Macassar Ebony to be more than comparable. 

You’ll need to balance the wood specifications, value, and look for your personal choice. 



WEBSITE 




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29

30 

ARCHTOP GUITAR BACK & SIDE SETS 

In the tradition of the masters, we try to obtain the highest quality wood 

for your archtop guitars. 

Bigleaf Maple is our domestic choice and is available in both curly and 

quilted figure with the quilted being rarer and a bit more difficult to obtain. 

Bigleaf can occasionally have a stringy texture and be a bit difficult to work 

but it is not enough to deter builders, as its popularity demonstrates. It 

finishes beautifully and sounds excellent. 

Our European Maple has a fine texture, carves easily and has a creamy 

white color. The figure it exhibits is extraordinary especially under finish but 

is only available in Fiddleback and not in quilted. 

Backs: 9" x 22" x 1 1 / 4"; tapering to 1 / 4"; 

22.9cm x 55.9cm x 31.8mm tapering to 6.4mm 

Sides: 4" x 34" x 3mm / 10.2cm x 86.4cm x 3mm 

EACH 

WEMAGA European Maple, high flame ...............$390.00 

WEMAGB European Maple, good flame ................325.00 

WBMAGA Bigleaf Maple, high flame ......................300.00 

WBMAGB Bigleaf Maple, medium flame ...............197.60 

WBMAGQA Bigleaf Maple, A grade quilt ..................350.00 

WBMAGQB Bigleaf Maple, B grade quilt ..................248.00 

ARCHTOP MANDOLIN BACK & SIDE SETS 

Bigleaf Maple is our domestic choice for our mandolin backs and sides. 

It is available in both curly and quilted figure with the quilted being rarer and 

a bit more difficult to obtain. Bigleaf can occasionally have a stringy texture 

and be a bit difficult to work but it is not enough to deter builders, as its 

popularity demonstrates. It finishes beautifully and sounds excellent. 

DIMENSIONS: 2 piece bookmatched sets 

Backs: 5.5" x 16 1 /2" x 7 /8" tapering to 1 /4" 

13.9cm x 41.9cm x 2.2cm tapering to 6mm 

Sides: 2" x 28" x 4mm / 5.1cm x 71.1cm x 4mm 

WBMAMA 

EACH 

Bigleaf Maple, good flame, mandolin ......... $77.50 

WBMAMB Bigleaf Maple, low flame, mandolin .............. 57.00 

WBMAMQA Bigleaf Maple, good quilt, mandolin ............. 95.00 

WBMAMQB Bigleaf Maple, low quilt, mandolin ................ 75.00 

WMANDOKIT Bigleaf Maple mandolin wood kit 

w/back, sides & neck blank, good flame, 

and 1st grade Spruce top ............................ 156.00 

F5 STYLE MANDOLIN KIT 

The F5 Mandolin Kit combines the WMANDOKIT (above) with other 

essential parts/materials needed to build a superb mandolin. The kit 

includes a first grade Sitka spruce top, Schaller MNI4 tuners, a premade 

ebony adjustable bridge, and the book BM4, Constructing a Bluegrass 

Mandolin – which includes plans for an F5 style mandolin. 

B7K F5 Style Mandolin Kit ............................... $286.95 

See GUITAR KITS on pages 8-11 

ARCHTOP & MANDOLIN — BACK BACK & SIDES SIDES WOOD 

WOOD 

WBMAMQA 

Backdrop is D’Angelico New Yorker from 

which the PL25 plan was taken. 

WMANDOKIT 

1st grade 

spruce top 

included, 

not pictured. 


707-433-1823 

WBMAMQB

SOLID SOLID BOD BOD BODY BOD BOD WOODS WOODS — ELECTRIC GUITAR 

B 

G 

W 

SOLID OLID BBOD 

B OD ODY OD GGUIT 

G UIT UITAR UIT AR WWOODS 

W OODS 

At LMI, we carry over our expertise in acoustic guitar tonewoods to our solid body materials. We offer only the finest 

pattern-grade Honduran Mahogany, light-weight Swamp Ash with beautiful figure and defect-free Alder blanks. Add this 

to our outstanding selection of premium fingerboards (page 37) and figured top-plates (pages 32-34) and you have all 

the components necessary for your electric masterpiece. We also carry two outstanding, hard-to-find pick-up lines 

(Rio Grande and Joe Barden, pages 78-79) so you can raise the quality quotient even higher. 

ELECTRIC GUITAR BODY BLANKS 

Mahogany Mahogany • • Alder Alder • • Swamp Swamp Ash 

Ash 

We currently offer the three (3) most popular woods for electric guitar bodies. 

Honduran Mahogany comes as one solid piece, while the Alder and 

Swamp Ash are offered as two (2) pieces to be joined by the maker. 

These pieces are 1¾" thick so if they are carefully joined there will be 

minimal surface sanding needed for final thickness. 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

WSDMHL 

EACH 

Mahogany 

22" x 13 ½" x 1 ¾" ...................................... $81.75 

WSDA 

Alder, two (2) pieces 

20" x 7+" x 1 ¾" ............................................ 49.75 

WSDSA 

Swamp Ash, two (2) pieces 

20" x 7+" x 1 ¾" ............................................ 65.00 

Bottom photos (L-R): Electric Guitars by Roger Sadowsky, Bill Asher and Steve Helgeson. 



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32 

ELECTRIC GUITAR TOPS 

Starting with the Gibson TM Les Paul TM electric guitars in the 1950’s and expanding to 

most factory electric guitars today, hardwood top plates (usually figured Maple) have 

been laminated to the top of the core body wood for decoration and sound alteration. 

In addition to our stock of various figured Maples, different burls and exotic hardwoods 

offered here can also be used for very striking and distinctive looks. These 

electric guitar tops are available in two thicknesses: 5 /8+" thick (Les Paul TM or carved 

top) and ¼+" thick (drop-tops). Any of our beautiful acoustic guitar backs may by 

used as a thinner ( 1 /8") decorative veneer on the electric guitar body. 

These decorative electric guitar tops come as two (2) book-matched pieces that 

will make a 20-22" x 14½" top when joined and laminated to a body blank. 

Quilt drop top on guitar by Sylvan Wells. 

(2003 ASIA symposium) 

Figured Figured Maple 

Maple 

Figured Maple is our biggest seller and we get some of the best material 

available. It is available here in both flame figure and in quilt figure in 

various grades in either Les Paul or drop-top thickness. 

Our grading scale follows a good (A grade), better (AA grade), best 

(AAA grade) scale. Do not confuse our grading with other industry grading, 

since our AAA grade is comparable to 4A and 5A grades of other vendors. 

(By the same token our grading categories are broader.) 

Our good grade has subtle figure that may not appear very distinct in 

the white, but good staining or shading techniques can bring out a beautiful, 

soft moving affect. In the better grade the wood will be distinctly figured 

in the white and with good contrast and figure throughout most of the pattern 

area. This is what you are used to seeing on vintage Les Paul models. 

The best grade has the highest degree of contrast and intensity of 

figure and is the hardest to find and acquire. The higher grade quilted tops 

are the rarest, and thus more expensive than even the finest flamed top. The 

highest grade tops of both the flamed and quilted tops really are something 

special, and will give an instrument a dramatic, eye-popping appearance. 

Maple tops are two (2) pieces – 20" x 7" (50.8cm x 17.8cm) 

Les Paul (carved top) size is 

5 /8"(15.9mm) thick and drop-top size is ¼" (6.35mm) thick. 

EACH 

WSDTA LP top plate, good flame............................... $115.00 

WSDTAA LP top plate, better flame ............................... 135.00 

WSDTAAA LP top plate, best flame ................................. 165.00 

WSDTQA LP top plate, good quilt................................... 105.00 

WSDTQAA LP top plate, better quilt ................................. 172.00 

WSDTQAAA LP top plate, best quilt ................................... 222.50 

DROP-TOP STYLE MAPLE TOP PLATES – ¼" thick (6.35mm) 

EACH 

WSDTPA Drop-top plate, good flame ............................. $57.50 

WSDTPAA Drop-top plate, better flame .............................. 62.00 

WSDTPAAA Drop-top plate, best flame ................................ 75.00 

WSDTPQA Drop-top plate, good quilt ................................. 60.00 

WSDTPQAA Drop-top plate, better quilt ................................ 88.00 

WSDTPQAAA Drop-top plate, best quilt ................................ 110.00 

ELECTRIC GUITAR — SOLID SOLID BOD BODY BOD WOODS WOODS 

WOODS 

Maple drop-top, best flame 

WSDTPAAA 

Maple drop-top, best quilt 

WSDTPQAAA 


707-433-1823

SOLID SOLID BOD BODY BOD BOD WOODS WOODS — ELECTRIC GUITAR 

ALTERNATIVE ELECTRIC GUITAR TOPS 

As we continue to acquire and offer a wider variety of woods for acoustic guitars we have also come across more 

woods that would be attractive electric guitar tops. To complement our stock of flamed and quilted Maple tops, we now 

offer Lacewood, Flamed Oregon Myrtle, Figured Redwood, and Zebrawood for drop tops. Each set is a book-matched 

pair approximately 5 /16" (7.9mm) thick with top half widths of 7¼" (18.4cm) minimum — width of joined top 14½" 

(36.8cm) minimum — plenty for most guitar bodies. 

Lacewood 

Lacewood 

GREVILLEA ROBUSTA 

TOP PLATE 

Lacewood is very similar to Mahogany 

in weight and color but with 

very bold cross grain figuring. As can 

be seen here, there is a strong, regular 

cross grain patterning quite similar 

to quilt. This wood works and finishes 

easily and will provide a unique 

appearance to a bass or guitar top. 

WSDTPLACAAA 

Lacewood drop-top plates, 

5 

/16" (7.9mm), highly-figured .. $62.00 

WSDTPLACAA 

Lacewood drop-top plates, 

5 

/16" (7.9mm) ............................ 49.00 

Myrtle drop top, 

highly-figured 

Lacewood, AAA 

Flamed Flamed Oregon Oregon Myrtle 

Myrtle 

TOP PLATE 



WEBSITE 




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33 

Lacewood, AA 

We have offered this attractive wood for guitar back and sides for a couple 

of years now with great success. We now have good sets for these electric 

guitar top plates. The wood is well flamed like Maple, but with interesting 

brown, blond, and tan color streaks creating more color contrasts than in the 

Maple tops. 

WSDTPMYRAAA 

Flamed Myrtle drop-top plates, 5 /16" (7.9mm), 

Well-flamed or AAA .....................................................$75.00 

WSDTPMYRAA 

Flamed Myrtle AA drop-top plates, 5 /16"(7.9mm), 

Flamed or AA .................................................................52.25 

CUSTOMER QUOTE 

“Thanks for getting my order to me so fast...your new shipping system is working great, and 

it is a very pleasant surprise to have things show up so quickly..in this case overnight. I am 

looking forward to my first guitar festival as an exhibitor, and working furiously to finish some 

things up..the quick shipping just makes it easier.” 

Thanks again, and Best regards, 

Paul Fisher /Fisher Handmade Guitars

34 

Figured Figured R RRedwood 

R edwood 

TOP PLATE 

We have supplied these highly figured top plates to electric guitar manufacturers 

for a while now, so it seemed natural to offer them to our catalog 

customers. These plates are reddish-brown with flame or burl figuring. Each 

is unique. This material is softer than other top plate material and any 

swirling burl figure may need to be stabilized with epoxy or superglue to fill 

any small voids before finishing. A strong, hard finish is recommended 

rather than a simple oil application. 

WSDRF Redwood flamed drop-top plate, 

5 

/16" (7.9mm) ........................................................ $65.00 

WSDR Redwood flamed drop-top plate, 

5 /16" (7.9mm), 2nd ................................................. 36.00 

Zebrawood 

Zebrawood 

TOP PLATE 

Flamed 

Redwood 

This boldly striped Rosewood has been used as top plates on many 

high-end electric basses. Although it is not figured like most woods used 

for top plates, the straight, contrasting gold-tan and dark brown stripes 

work well with bodies and necks laminated from contrasting woods. 

WSDTPZEB Zebrawood drop-top plate, 

5 /16" (7.9mm) ..........................................$75.00 

Curly Maple 

neck blanks: 

WNBMPXLC & WNHMPC 

Zebrawood 

Make Your Own Electric Guitar 

& OTHER ELECTRIC GUITAR BOOKS START ON PAGE 119 

ELECTRIC GUITAR NECK BLANKS 

Please refer to the NECK WOODS, beginning on next page, for 

neck blanks. We have Rock Maple, Curly Rock Maple, and Mahogany 

in several sizes for electric guitar and bass necks. 

ELECTRIC GUITAR 

FINGERBOARDS 

In the FINGERBOARD section, starting on 

page 37, we offer eight (8) different woods in 

various sizes for electric guitars and basses. 

ELECTRIC GUITAR — SOLID SOLID BOD BODY BOD WOODS WOODS 

WOODS 

Cocobolo fingerboards 


707-433-1823

NECK NECK NECK WOODS 

WOODS 

W 

NECK ECK WWOODS 

W OODS 

We offer a broad selection of materials for instrument necks. 

Listed here are Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, and Maple in a variety 

of sizes to be used for different styles of neck construction. 

All of these blanks are cut from wood especially selected, dried 

and dimensioned for necks—not your average lumber. These 

particular species have been selected over time for neck construction 

because of their strength, stability, and machineability. 

NECK BLANKS 

Available here from our warehouse 

are the finest pattern grade, 

quartersawn Honduran Mahogany 

neck blanks. With consistent density 

and homogenous grain, and excellent 

stability and workability, this 

Mahogany is the preferred wood for 

steel string guitar necks. We select 

from thousands of board feet of raw 

lumber to get the best, highest quality 

boards for these neck blanks. Only 

the straightest, clearest pieces are 

used. 

All stock is 

quartersawn, unless 

otherwise specified. 

Quartersawn is 

understood to be 90° 

with up to 20° 

variance acceptable 

off perfect quarter. 

Honduran Mahogany neck with inlay by Ervin Somogyi 

MAHOGANY 

AHOGANY 

The drawings (at right) show several 

ways that our neck and heel 

blanks can be mated to create different 

types of necks (#1 -one piece 

neck, #2 -solid heel with scarf joint 

headstock, #3 -stacked heel with 

scarf joint headstock). The WNHMH1 

blank (3" x 4" x 30") is large enough 

for two (2) complete one-piece necks 

to be cut from it (drawing #1). The 7 /8" 

thick WHNMH (24" long) may be long 

enough to complete a neck on some 

smaller instruments without purchasing 

additional heel material (our 

4+ EACH 

WNHMH1 Neck blank, Mahogany, makes two (2) necks 

30" x 4" x 3" / 76.2cm x 10.2cm x 7.6cm ........... NA .... $73.00 

WNHMH Neck blank, Mahogany 

24" x 3" x 7 /8" / 61cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm ........... 17.00 ...... 19.00 

WNHMHL Neck blank, Mahogany, long 

30" x 3" x 7 SEE 

PAGE 2 

/8" / 76cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm ........... 18.50 ...... 21.50 

WHMH Heel block, Mahogany 

6" x 4" x 3" / 15.2cm x 10.2cm x 7.6cm ......... 14.00 ...... 17.00 

WHMH12 Heel block, Mahogany 

12" x 3" x 1" / 30.4cm x 7.6cm x 2.5cm ........... 8.35 ...... 10.40 

C 

SPANISH ANISH CCED 

C ED EDAR ED AR NECK BLANKS 

4 + EACH 

WNHC Neck/head, Spanish Cedar .......................$19.65 .... 22.90 

24" x 3" x 7 /8" / 61cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WNHC2 Neck/head, Spanish Cedar, 2nd grade .......... NA .... 10.00 

24" x 3" x 7 /8" / 61cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WHC12 Heel block, Spanish Cedar ........................... 7.65 ...... 9.85 

12" x 3" x 1" / 30.5cm x 7.6cm x 2.5cm 

WHC Heel block, Spanish Cedar ..........................14.60 .... 16.65 

6" x 4" x 3" / 15.2cm x 10.2cm x 7.6cm 

What’s Necks? 



WEBSITE 




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35 

— A MAHOGANY UPDATE — 

Looking to the future, LMI is investigating several 

species of wood to replace Honduran mahogany. For 

those who are not aware, Genuine Honduran mahogany 

is on the fast track to CITES Appendix I protection, 

which is the same CITES classification that protects 

Brazilian Rosewood these days (see page 29). 

This would, of course, be semi-catastrophic as this is 

the premier wood for guitar necks and most builders 

consider it irreplaceable because of it’s excellent stability 

and workability. Obviously, some compromises 

must be made with a new material, but as always, LMI 

is committed to respecting the law and environmental 

intentions of the CITES organization (http:// 

www.cites.org/) We will not mis-represent imposter species 

of Mahogany. If you are working with any neck woods 

which you think may be a viable alternative to Honduran 

Mahogany, we are interested in your thoughts. 

WNHC 

WHC12 

WHMH or WHMH12) but it will be very 

close on most guitars. Measure carefully! 

Drawing #2 shows the WHNMH 

with the WHMH used for a solid heel. 

The 7 /8" thick WHNMHL (30" long) is 

long enough to provide the material 

for a stacked heel with a scarf joint 

headstock (#3). # 1 

WHC 

# 2 

# 3

36 

EACH 

WNHMP Neck/head, Rock Maple ............................ $20.25 

24" x 3" x 7 /8" / 61cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WNHMPL Neck/head, Rock Maple .............................. 22.50 

30" x 3" x 7 /8"/ 76.2 cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WNHMPLB Neck/head, Rock Maple for bass ................ 32.50 

38" x 3" x 7 /8" / 96.5cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WHMP12 Heel block, Rock Maple ................................. 8.75 

12" x 3" x 7 /8"/ 30.5cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

WHMP122 Heel block, Rock Maple, 2nd grade .............. 4.00 

12" x 3" x 7 /8"/ 30.5cm x 7.6cm x 2.2cm 

CURL URL URLY URL MMAPLE 

M APLE EACH 

WNMMP Curly Maple mando neck blank .............................. $34.00 

16" x 2 1 /2" x 2 1 /2"/ 40.6cm x 6.4cm x 6.4cm 

WNBMPXLC Curly Maple neck blank .......................................... 109.00 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

30" x 4" x 3"/ 76.2cm x 10.2cm x 7.6 cm 

Piece is quartered along the 4" face and nicely figured for 

a dramatic look on your next archtop or steel-string guitar. 

WNHMPC Curly Maple neck blank 

24" x 3" x 1"/ 61cm x 7.6cm x 2.5cm ....................... 38.25 

For making a Fenderstyle bolt-on neck, quartersawn. 

WNHMPLBC Curly Maple, bass neck ..............................47.00 

38" x 3" x 1"/ 96.5cm x 7.6cm x 2.5cm 

NECK BLANKS 

M 

ROCK OCK MMAPLE 

M APLE M 

NECK BLANKS 

NECK BLANKS 

M 

PRE RE RE-CARVED 

RE ARVED MMAHOGANY 

M AHOGANY 

3" (7.6cm) x 7" (17.8cm) x .550" (13.9mm) at the peghead; 

1.775" (45.1mm) at the nut; 2.300" (58.4mm) at the 14th fret; 

Carved for a 25.4" or 25.5" scale length. 

Our pre-carved dovetail necks are made to match the MartinTM-style neck, 

but with tighter tolerances. These necks are made of quartersawn Honduran 

Mahogany with an oversized peghead which allows the builder to customize 

their peghead shape. The neck has a French dovetail with a 21 /2° taper cut 

into the heel. Each neck has a 1 /4" x 3 /8" truss rod slot cut to accomodate our 

double action rod. (see TRSD page 47) 

WNCO Martin OM/D neck w/neck block .................................. $109.95 

WNCOD Martin OM/D Diamond neck w/neck block .................... 117.95 

WNCOG Gibson neck w/neck block ............................................... 13.95 

WNCOH Neck block for all above necks ........................................... 9.05 

We now offer straight mortise and tenon style pre-carved MartinTM-style diamond and traditional necks. For ease of use, each of these necks has the 

option of having the threaded brass inserts pre-installed in the tenon in either an 

OM or Dreadnought configuration (includes bolts, washer & wrench). Neck blocks 

are included with the neck part number but may be purchased separately. 

Pre-installed Bolt-on Inserts Straight Mortise/Tenon 

WNCMTOM MartinTM OM, w/neck blk. Str. mortise/tenon .............. $112.95 

WNCMT MartinTM D, w/neck blk. Str. mortise/tenon ................... 112.95 

WNCDMTOM MartinTM Diamond, OM, w/neck blk. Str. mort/tenon .... 120.95 

WNCDMT MartinTM Diamond, D, w/neck blk. Str. mort/tenon ....... 120.95 

WNBOM MartinTM Om neck block only ............................................ 9.05 

WNBCMT MartinTM D neck block only ................................................ 9.05 

Not Drilled for Installation - Straight Mortise/Tenon 

WNCMTNH MartinTM OM/D w/neck blk. Str mortise/tenon ............ $109.95 

WNCDMTNH MartinTM Diamond OM/D w/neck blk Str mort/tenon .... 117.95 

WNBCMTNH MartinTM neck block for all above necks ............................ 9.05 

WNBMPXLC 

WNHMPC 

Dovetail 

WNHMP 

WHMP12 

NECK NECK WOODS 

WOODS 

WNHMPLB 

WNHMPL 

NOTE: When fitting the dovetail, the neck 

should be about 3 /8" proud of the heel block. This 

gives you more room to manuever to get the 

centerline and angle just right, once the sides are 

attached. (The dovetail-mortise fit should not be a 

“glove fit” as you get it from us.) Work the shoulders 

of the neck first; use carbon (articulating) paper, 

and sandpaper to mark and pare away. 

Mortise and 

tenon style 

Bolt-on Neck Inserts 

page 49 


707-433-1823

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBOARD SIZES 

(minimum dimensions) 

STANDARD: 

20+” x 23 /4" x 5 /16" 

508+mm x 69.9mm x 7.9mm 

WIDE: 

20+” x 3+” x 5 /16" 

508+mm x 76.+mm x 7.9mm 

ELECTRIC: 

20+” x 21 /2" x 5 /16" 

508+mm x 63.5mm x 7.9mm 

BASS: 

26+” x 23 /4" x 5 /16" 

660+mm x 69.9mm x 7.9mm 

BASS 5 STRING: 

28+” x 31 /4" x 5 /16" 

711+mm x 82.6mm x 7.9mm 

BASS 6 STRING: 

28+” x 33 /4" x 5 /16" 

711+mm x 95.3mm x 7.9mm 

MANDOLIN: 

12" x 2" x 1 /4" 

304.8mm x 50.8mm x 6.35mm 

SERVICES 

LMI SERVICES ON PAGES 6-7 

RADIUSING 

The following radii are available: 

* We can not radius 

fingerboards wider than 3 inches. 

EACH 6+ 

SVR12 12" ............ $7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR15 15" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR16 16" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

SVR20 20" .............. 7.00 ...... 5.00 

FINGERBO 

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBO ARDS 

LEFT: Inlaid Ebony 

fingerboard by 

local inlay artist, 

author and teacher 

Larry Robinson. 

RIGHT:Fret Slotting 

System, SPFSYA, 

page 87 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

37 

All of our fingerboards are kiln dried right here in our 

Healdsburg warehouse to insure that they are as stable as 

possible. We usually have more than 10,000 fingerboards 

in stock at any given time as we supply most of the major 

manufacturers. If you want to stock up (25 or more units), 

call us about getting a quote for extended quantity discounts. 

All the boards are guaranteed to be free of cracks and 

defects. Our fingerboards are free from warpage when we 

ship them, though some boards (ebony particularly) may 

move a little when shipping to different climates. Usually, 

this can be corrected by weighing the board down between 

stickers for a while and should pose no problems once the 

fingerboard is glued down to the neck. 

Grading on our fingerboards is based on purely aesthetic 

factors. 2nd grade ebony will show more streaks and gray 

patches than the 1st grade, which will be predominately 

black. 2nd grade rosewood will be slightly more pale or 

wider grained than the 1st grade boards etc. 1st grade 

Madagascar fingerboards feature Brazilian-like black line 

figuring, the 2nd grade boards offer less figure but still have 

nice color. 

At left are our standard minimum dimensions (the wood 

you receive may be slightly larger). Note: Occasionally we 

have larger dimensions available, please inquire. 

FINGERBOARDS CAN BE 

RADIUSED AND THEN 

SLOTTED TO ANY OF OUR 

AVAILABLE SCALES. 

SEE CHART PAGE 7 

CUSTOM SLOTTED FINGERBOARDS 

Fingerboard slotting is available in any of our wood fingerboard 

material. We provide the same scales that are offered with our 

fretting system, and the boards are slotted at .023", which accommodates 

our fretwire as well as most standard fretwire. Simply 

note the scale length that you want and the number of frets needed 

(see page 7). Slot fingerboard. ..... $7/ea ..... $5/six or more 

FRET 

SLOTTING 

SYSTEMS 

See page 87 

FRETWIRE 

see page 50

38 

EBONY BONY 

There are about 435 species of Ebony, of which about 20 are in 

commercial usage. One of the densest of woods, Ebony is chosen 

for fingerboards for its resistance to wear, compression strength parallel 

to the grain, and for its blackness which provides a uniform 

contrasting background for inlay work. It also holds the fret tang 

well. Like other very dense woods, Ebony shrinks greatly during 

seasoning and undergoes large dimensional change in response 

to humidity changes. Ebony seasons slowly compared to other 

woods, but once in service is very stable. 

Ebony trees are no longer very large, therefore, it is uneconomical 

to cut them for quartersawn fingerboards. Because slab-sawn 

boards are not as stable as quartersawn boards, we like to kiln dry the Ebony 

that passes through our Healdsburg warehouse. After drying, all Ebony fingerboards 

for retail sale are sanded to 5 /16" (7.9mm) thickness. 

For wholesale pricing or quantity discounts, please call. 

EACH 3+ 

WF1W Ebony, wide, 1st grade .................... $22.90 .... 21.00 

WF1S Ebony, standard, 1st grade ............... 18.00 .... 15.60 

WF2 Ebony, standard, 2nd grade ............... 13.10 .... 11.45 

WF1E Ebony, electric, 1st grade .................. 18.00 .... 15.60 

WF2E Ebony, electric, 2nd grade ................. 14.00 ........ NA 

WFBS1 Ebony, bass, 1st grade ...................... 26.00 .... 23.90 

WFBS2 Ebony, bass, 2nd grade ..................... 22.90 .... 19.80 

WFBSW1 Ebony, 5-string bass, 1st grade ........ 33.30 .... 29.15 

WFBSW2 Ebony, 5-string bass, 2nd grade........ 28.10 .... 26.00 

WFBSXLW1 Ebony, 6-string bass, 1st grade ........ 55.15 .... 51.00 

WFM1 Ebony, mandolin ................ 8.50 .......... 7.95 ...... 7.25 

WFM2 Ebony, mandolin, 2nd grade3.65 ........... NA ........ NA 

Fingerboard minimum dimensions chart on page 37 

HONDURAN 

ONDURAN RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

EACH 

WFH1 Honduran Rosewood, standard, 1st grade ......... $10.00 

WFH2 Honduran Rosewood, standard, 2nd grade ............ 3.50 

R 

R 

E 

MACASSAR 

ACASSAR EEBONY 

E BONY 

EACH 3+ 

WF1M Mac. Ebony, standard, 1st grade .........$18.00 .... 14.60 

WF1MB Mac. Ebony, 5-string bass, 1st grade ....25.00 .... 22.00 

INDIAN NDIAN RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

Indian Rosewood in recent decades has been the most widely used wood for fingerboards 

on production electric and acoustic guitars around the world. Although it is not as wear resistant 

as Ebony or some of the more dense Rosewoods, it is valued for its greater stability, lower 

cost and more colorful grain by the larger production facilities. It is also lighter than Ebony but 

with equal longitudinal strength when glued to the neck. Note that these fingerboards come out 

of India slightly tapered in width from one end to the next. The width stated is the widest end. 

EACH 3 + 

WFI1 Indian Rw, standard, 1st .......................... 8.55 ...... 7.50 

WFI2 Indian Rw, standard, 2nd ......................... 7.30 ...... 6.45 

WFIB1 Indian Rw, bass .......................................10.40 ...... 8.85 

WFIB1W Indian Rw, bass, wide .............................13.10 ...... 9.65 

WFIM Indian Rw, mandolin ................................. 5.45 ...... 4.25 

WFIM2 Indian Rw, mandolin, 2nd ......................... 3.65 ........ NA 

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBOARDS 

This is way that Ebony is received in the raw 

form by our fingerboard supplier. It is hard to 

believe that all of our great fingerboards come 

from these small, rough billets. 


707-433-1823

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBOARDS 

R 

MADAGASCAR 

ADAGASCAR RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

There are many species of Rosewoods from Africa, two of which are finding 

use in fingerboards. One is Madagascar Rosewood which is very much like 

Brazilian Rosewood in terms of color (orange-red), open pores and ink-black 

lines. It is harder, often heavier, and stiffer, making it an excellent fingerboard 

material, and a good Brazilian Rosewood substitute. Most fingerboards of this 

material are quartersawn and nearly always straight grained. 

EACH 3 + 6 + 

WFRS Madagascar Rw, standard, 1st .. $12.50 .... 10.00 ...... 8.50 

WFRS2 Madagascar Rw, standard, 2nd ...... 9.40 ...... 7.30 ...... 5.20 

WFRBS Madagascar Rw, bass, 1st ........... 14.75 .... 12.00 .... 10.00 

WFRBS2 Madagascar Rw, bass, 2nd ............ 9.30 ...... 8.00 ........ NA 

BOIS OIS DD’ROSE 

D OSE 

EACH 3 + 6 + 

WFBOIS Bois d’rose, standard, 1st ......... $12.50 .... 10.00 ...... 8.50 

WFBOIS2 Bois d’rose, standard, 2nd............. 8.00 ...... 7.25 ...... 6.75 

F 

D 

DALBERGIA MARITIMA 

Dalbergia maritima, also known as “Bois d’rose, is the second species 

of Rosewood from Africa commonly used for fingerboards. This 

variety is rich dark purple when freshly cut but turns almost black 

within months. This is one that Tom Anderson likes, stating that it 

offers the stability of Rosewood, but has the appearance of Ebony— 

adding a vintage look of old, oil and grime-impregnated, Rosewood 

fingerboards. 

PAU AU FFERR 

F ERR ERRO/MORADO 

ERR ORADO 

In the last few years this has become quite a popular fingerboard wood, 

mostly among electric guitar manufacturers. The devotees include Fender TM , 

Music Man TM , Peavey TM , Sadowsky TM , and several more. It’s likely to become 

even more popular in the next few years as it will probably be less expensive 

than Indian Rosewood, the current wood of choice for fingerboards among 

large manufacturers. Pau Ferro (Machaerium villosum or schleroxylon), also 

known as Morado, Santos Rosewood, or Bolivian Rosewood is not a true 

Rosewood, but it boasts many of the qualities that are highly regarded in a 

fingerboard wood. It’s stable, abrasion resistant, hard, attractive, exotic and 

has good compression strength parallel to the grain. It’s not so resinous that 

it can be difficult to glue like a few of the Rosewoods. From Brazil and Bolivia, 

supplies are adequate and no shortages are anticipated. 

EACH 3 + 6 + 

WFPAU Pau Ferro, standard, 1st .................. $6.55 ...... 6.00 ...... 5.85 

WFPAU2 Pau Ferro, standard, 2nd ................... 5.45 ...... 5.00 ...... 4.70 

WFPAUW Pau Ferro, 1st, wide ........................... 7.40 ...... 6.50 ...... 5.75 

WFPAUB Pau Ferro, bass .................................. 9.30 ...... 8.80 ...... 8.40 

WFPAUBW Pau Ferro, bass, wide ........................ 9.75 ...... 9.25 ...... 8.85 

WFPAUBW2 Pau Ferro, bass, wide, 2nd ................ 8.25 ...... 7.35 ...... 6.60 

WFPAUBWX Pau Ferro, bass, wider, 27" x 3 1 /2" ... 10.70 .... 10.10 ...... 9.60 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

39 


Pau Ferro fingerboards stickered for 

drying at our warehouse.

40 

R 

COCOBOLO 

OCOBOLO RROSEWOOD 

R OSEWOOD 

Dense, lustrous and inexpensive, Cocobolo is rapidly gaining in popularity 

as a fingerboard wood, especially among bass builders. Fine alternating lines 

of red, orange, yellow and black make it a striking and exotic choice. Available 

in bridge blanks and headplates. 

EACH 3 + 6 + 

WFCOC Cocobolo, standard, 1st Grade..... $5.40 ...... 4.70 ...... 4.20 

WFCOC2 Cocobolo, standard, 2nd Grade ...... 4.00 ........ NA ........ NA 

WFCOCB Cocobolo, bass ............................... 8.40 ...... 7.50 ...... 6.50 


B 

UPRIGHT PRIGHT BBASS 

B ASS 

FINGERBOARDS 

FINGERBOARDS 

LMI is pleased to supply these beautiful ebony fingerboards 

for the upright bass. Found on basses by Clevinger and John 

Knutson (‘The Messenger Bass”) among others, these fingerboards 

come fully profiled and machined and require little 

more work than finish sanding. Made of dense, stable and 

longwearing ebony, the main differentiating factor between 

the four grades (1A -our best grade, 1st grade, 2nd grade 

and 3rd grade) is the amount of gray/brown streaking. The 

highest grade is nearly perfectly black but even in the lower grades we have found the wood to be 

basically dark and of outstanding quality. We stock 3 /4 and 4 /4 size (and a limited number of 

1 /4 sized boards) with the option of a beveled profile or round profile. 

The Messenger TM 

upright electric bass 

by Knutson Luthiery 

WFUB1/41AC 

EACH 

1 

/4 size, Best grade, Beveled profile ........................ $205.00 

WFUB1/41AR 1 

/4 size, Best grade, Round profile ............................. 205.00 

WFUB1/41C 1 

/4 size, 1st grade, Beveled profile ............................. 175.00 

WFUB1/41R 1 

/4 size, 1st grade, Round profile ............................... 175.00 

WFUB1/411C 1 

/4 size, Second grade, Beveled profile ..................... 140.00 

WFUB1/411R 1 

/4 size, Second grade, Round profile ........................ 140.00 

WFUB3/41AC 3 

/4 size, Best grade, Beveled profile .......................... 205.00 

WFUB3/41AR 3 


WFUB3/41C 3 


WFUB3/41R 3 


WFUB3/411C 3 

/4 size, 2nd grade, Beveled profile ............................ 140.00 

WFUB3/411R 3 

/4 size, 2nd grade, Round profile .............................. 140.00 

WFUB3/4111C 3 /4 size, 3rd grade, Beveled profile ............................. 110.00 

WFUB3/4111R 3 /4 size, 3rd grade, Round profile ............................... 110.00 

WFUB4/41AC 4 

/4 size, Best grade, Beveled profile .......................... 205.00 

WFUB4/41AR 4 


WFUB4/41C 4 


WFUB4/41R 4 


WFUB4/411C 4 

/4 size, 2nd grade, Beveled profile ............................ 140.00 

WFUB4/411R 4 

/4 size, 2nd grade, Round profile .............................. 140.00 

WFUB4/4111C 4 /4 size, 3rd grade, Beveled profile ............................. 110.00 

WFUB4/4111R 4 /4 size, 3rd grade, Round profile ............................... 110.00 

CUSTOMER QUOTE 

“. . . I would also like to let you know that I could not be more pleased with the outstanding 

quality of materials I have received from you, it is really great to be able to order 

products sight-un-seen and hope for the best and get it.” 

Thanks, JLA 


707-433-1823

BRIDGES 

BRIDGES BRIDGES — BRIDGE BLANKS 

BRIDGES RIDGES 

BRIDGE BLANKS 

CLASSIC: 

7 3 /4" x 1 1 /4" x 5 /16" 

19.7cm x 3.2cm x 7.9mm 

Unless noted, the following bridge blanks are the typical minimum dimensions above. 

SNAKEWOOD 

EACH 

WBKSN Snakewood, Classic/steel string ........................ $40.00 

83 /8" x 2" x 7 /16", 21.3cm x 5.1cm x 11mm 

EBONY 

EACH 6+ 

WBKC Ebony, Classic ........................................$4.80 ...... 3.40 

WBKJ Ebony, Steel string ................................... 4.80 ...... 3.40 

WBKJS Ebony, Steel String 

71 /8" x 13 /8" x 5 /16", 18cm x 3.5cm x 7.9mm ................ 0.95 ........ NA 

WBK12 Ebony, 12-string ....................................... 5.75 ...... 3.90 

WBKJ2 Ebony, Steel string, 2nd ........................... 3.50 ...... 2.40 

WBKJD Ebony, Extra Long 

12" x 17 /8" x 5 /16", 30.5cm x 4.8cm x 7.9mm .............. 9.30 ...... 6.20 

INDIAN ROSEWOOD 

EACH 6+ 

WBKIC Indian Rw, Classic ...................................$3.30 ...... 2.75 

WBKIC2 Indian Rw, Classic 2nd grade .................. 2.20 ........ NA 

WBKIJ Indian Rw, Steel string ............................. 3.30 ...... 2.75 

WBKIJ2 Indian Rw, Steel string, 2nd Grade .......... 2.20 ........ NA 

WBKI12 Indian Rw, 12-string .................................. 3.30 ...... 2.75 

MADAGASCAR ROSEWOOD 

EACH 6+ 

WBKMC Madagascar Rw, Classic ........................$3.95 ...... 2.60 

WBKMJ Madagascar Rw, Steel string ................... 3.80 ...... 2.60 

WBKM12 Madagascar Rw, Steel, 12-string ............. 4.20 ...... 3.20 

COCOBOLO ROSEWOOD 

EACH 

WBKCOCO Cocobolo Rw, Classic ............................$3.30 

WBKCOCOJ Cocobolo Rw, Steel string ....................... 3.30 

PAU FERRO/MORADO 

EACH 6+ 

WBKPAUJ Pau Ferro, Steel string ............................$2.20 ...... 1.75 

WBKPAUJD Pau Ferro, SS, dbl., 

16 1 /2" x 2" x 1 /2", 41.9cm x 5.08cm x 12.7mm ........... 4.75 ...... 4.25 

MACASSAR EBONY 

MINIMUM DIMENSIONS 

(Blanks may be slightly larger) 

STEEL STRING: 

6 1 /2" x 1 9 /16" x 5 /16" 

16.5cm x 3.8cm x 7.9mm 

HONDURAN ROSEWOOD EACH 

WBKH Honduran Rw, Jumbo ..............................$4.50 

12 STRING: 

7 1 /2" x 2+" x 3 /8" 

19cm x 5+cm x 1cm 

EACH 6+ 

WBKMACJ Macassar Ebony Jumbo .........................$4.95 ...... 4.25 

WBK12 

WBKMC 

WBKPAUJ 

Bridge by 

Marc Maingard 

of South Africa. 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

41 

QUANTITY 

PRICING 

AVAILABLE 

We stock around 

40,000 blanks. 

WBKIC 

WBKCOCO 

These bridge blank 

photos are meant to 

give you an idea of 

the range in grain 

variation. You might 

take a look at the 

headplates on page 

43 for further examples. 

CUSTOMER 

QUOTE 

“Hi LMI, I ordered a couple of items 

on monday, had them shipped by 

FedEx Express and got them 

tuesday afternoon. I live in Québec 

and you’re in California: I’m 

stunned! That’s exactly the kind of 

reaction time I would have been 

dreaming of! The package was impeccable 

and I got everything I 

wanted. Thanks a lot!” 

E.B.

42 

B 

PREMADE 

REMADE BBRIDGES 

B RIDGES 

PRE-MADE WOOD BRIDGES 

CLASSICAL 

BRI1 Indian Rw, classical, 

string spacing 211 BRIR 

/32" (59.5mm) ........................... $15.30 ... 10.40 

Brazilian Rw, classical, 

string spacing 23 EACH 3+ 

/8" (60.3mm) ............................... 18.00 ... 14.60 

BRIRNH Brazilian Rw, classical w/o holes or saddle slot 

(for custom string spacing/saddle slot options)... 15.30 ... 10.40 

BRIRNHSS Brazilian Rw, classical w/o holes with saddle slot 

(for custom string spacing) ................................... 15.30 ... 10.40 

MARTIN & ARCHTOP: 

BRIS5A Ebony, Martin-style, 

string spacing 2 1 /8" (54mm) .................................. 14.45 ... 12.40 

BRIS5AL Same as BRIS5A (above) but left-handed ............ 14.45 ... 12.40 

BRIS5C Indian Rw, Martin-style, 

string spacing 2 1 /8" (54mm) .................................. 13.65 ... 12.00 

BRIA Ebony, arched, adjustable .................................... 14.20 .... 11.20 

BRIAG Ebony, arched, gold screws ................................. 14.20 .... 11.20 

BRIM Ebony, arched, mando .......................................... 14.20 .... 11.20 

BRIMG Ebony, arched, mando, gold screws .................... 14.20 .... 11.20 

GRAPHITE BRIDGE 

Martin-style bridge of graphite-epoxy. Nicely molded, it resembles wood to 

such a degree that we’ve had customers return them saying they 

“ordered the graphite bridge.” David Young, in his use of graphite 

bridges found that they helped clarify and separate the highs, as 

well as give better definition across the spectrum. (Epoxy it to a 

Maple veneer darkened with felt marker, then glue that to the 

soundboard—in case you need to remove the bridge in the future.) 

GRB “Martin 

EACH 

TM-style,” graphite, 

string spacing 21 /8" (54mm) ...................................... $22.25 

PREMADE — BRIDGES 

BRIDGES 

Beautiful 


707-433-1823 

Tieblock inlays 

SEE IPAGE XX 

CLASSICAL: The saddle slot on 

classical bridges is compensated 

(slanted) about 2.5mm. 

BRIRNH and BRIRNHSS classical 

are made without holes/ 

saddle slots for custom string 

spacing/saddle slot options. 

MARTIN & ARCHTOP: 

The Martin-style bridges 

(BRIS5A & BRIS5C ) are not direct 

replacements for Martin 

bridges in all cases. These have 

2 1 / 8" string spacing. BRIA, 

BRIAG, BRIM, & BRIMG are for 

Archtop guitars and mandolins. 

Black Horn Nuts & Saddles and 

Fossilized Walrus Ivory Pins with Paua Dot 

EACH 

NBH Black Horn nut, 5 /16" x 7 /16" x 2" ............... $5.50 

SBH Black Horn saddle, 5 /32" x 13 /32" x 4"........... 6.50 

PBH Black Horn bridge pins (6) ....................... 58.00 

PEBH Black Horn end pin ................................... 14.95 

PFWIP Fossilized walrus ivory bridge pins (6) .. 144.50 

PEWIP Fossilized walrus ivory end pin ................ 39.95

HEADPLATES 

HEADPLATES 

WHH 

Michael 

Millard’s 

Froggy 

bottom 

peghead 

WHE 

WHCOC 

WHM 

HEADPLA 

HEADPLATES 

HEADPLA TES WHKP 

Gilbert 

guitar with 

headplate 

of Ebony 

is unusual 

in a 

classical 

guitar. 

WHEMP 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

43 

Headplates add strength to the head-neck joint and it is usually preferred that 

they be quartersawn. Occasionally we get requests for headplates with more 

design or contrast such as is provided in slab-sawn pieces. Periodically additional 

woods are available — please ask. 

HEADPLATES: 

71 /2" x 31 /2" x 7 /64" 

(Doubles = 2 x length) 

19cm x 8.9cm x 2.8mm 

BURL: 

71 /2" x 31 /2" x .060" 

19cm x 8.9cm x 1.5mm 

WHIP 

WHP 

Dimensions given are minimum. 

In most cases, the headplates are 

oversized, and sanded flat. (Retail only) 

EACH 6+ 

WHM Madagascar Rosewood ......................................$5.15 ........ 4.25 

WHE Ebony, wide 3 3 /8"+ ...............................................7.00 ........ 6.15 

WHE2 Ebony, wide, 2nd ..................................................3.50 ........ 3.00 

WHEA Ebony, extra-wide 9 x 5 x 5 /32" ...........................12.00 ...... 10.80 

WHCOC Cocobolo Rosewood.............................................5.15 ........ 4.50 

WHCM Curly Maple ..........................................................3.25 ........ 2.75 

WHEMP Curly Maple, European ........................................3.50 ........ 2.95 

WHIP Indian Rosewood ..................................................3.60 ........ 2.65 

WHIPD Indian Rosewood, doubles ...................................5.00 ........ 4.50 

WHAB African Blackwood, 2 pc. ...................................14.00 .......... NA 

WHP Pau Ferro ..............................................................4.10 ........ 3.25 

WHH Honduran Rosewood ............................................4.30 ........ 3.65 

WHKP Koa ........................................................................4.25 ........ 3.45 

WHFKP Flamed Koa ..........................................................7.00 ........ 6.30 

WHSN Snakewood .........................................................24.00 .......... NA 

WHB Bubinga .................................................................2.75 ........ 2.50 

WHBE Eastern Maple burl/birdseye ................................9.00 ........ 7.50 

WHBBEB Maple burl/birdseye, bookmatched 2-pc ........... 11.00 ........ 9.50 

WHBYC Alaskan Yellow Cedar burl/birdseye ....................8.75 ........ 7.50 

WHBYC3 Yellow Cedar burl/birdseye, 3-pc book ..............27.00 .......... NA 

WHBYCB Yellow Cedar burl/birdseye, 2-pc book .............. 11.00 ........ 9.50 

WINBBE Maple burl/birdseye, 30x.060 inlay mat’l. ...........8.75 .......... NA 

WINBYC Yellow Cedar burl/birdseye, inlay mat’l ............. 11.00 .......... NA 

WHW Walnut ...................................................................4.10 ........ 3.25 

WHZ Ziricote ................................................................10.00 .......... NA 

HEADPLA EADPLA EADPLATE 

EADPLA TE 

VENEERS ENEERS 

Standard veneers for headplate sandwiches 

7 1 /2" x 3 1 /2" x 1 /24" or 1 /40" 

19cm x 8.9cm x 1mm or .6mm 

For details, see VENEERS page 68

44 

BRACEWOOD 

Bracewood with a split face is preferred so that the piece 

has perfect vertical grain as well as having the grain run 

longitudinally through the brace for maximum strength. At 

present, we are supplying pieces sawn from billets with a 

split face so that a plane is established for cutting braces. 

Our bracewood will exhibit the important qualities of our finest 

grade tops: no runout, even grain, and so on. 

Please note! 

The prices for our German, Sitka and Engelmann Spruce, 

and Western Redcedar bracewood are listed as ‘per unit’. 

One unit is equal to 1½" x 1½" x 22-24" (3.8cm x 3.8cm x 

56-61cm) . Because many of our customers prefer to split 

several braces off of the same piece of wood (for consistency 

from brace to brace) we often sell several units worth of 

wood in a single piece. So for example, if you order 2 units 

of bracewood, you 

may receive a single 

billet of irregularly 

sized wood measuring 

FOR LIGHTER, STRONGER BRACES USE 

GR5 (.010" graphite reinforcement) for classic guitar fan struts 

and GR6 or GR7 (.020" or .030") for steel string struts. 

(see Graphite Composite Sheet Stock page 48) 

BRIDGE PLATE 

S 

For reinforcing the bridge area, Maple or Rosewood bridge plates are 

used on steel string guitars underneath the soundboard, as illustrated. For 

classic guitars, often a pad of Spruce is used, which adds stability and 

increases stiffness across the grain. Usually there is enough Spruce left 

from the soundboard to make this pad — Though some builders elect to 

order a 2nd grade soundboard for this material. 

Dimensions: 2 1 /2" x 7 1 /2" x 1 /8" / 6.4cm x 19cm x 3.2mm 

EACH 6 + 

WBRI Indian Rosewood ......................... 3.85 ..... 2.95 

WBRM Maple ........................................... 2.50 ..... 1.95 

INTERNAL 

INTERNAL INTERNAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

E 

INTERNAL 

NTERNAL SSTRUCTURAL 

S TRUCTURAL EELEMENTS 

E LEMENTS 

EMBELLISHED INNARDS 

It’s not enough to just add side support to your guitar box. For 

Chris Jenkins, it’s got to be inlaid, too. Chris, a veterinarian and a 

guitar builder from Arlington, Texas, has visited us several times, 

and brought some work and photos. Even his heel block is inlaid! 

(Chris was wondering if we could provide inlaid kerfing.) 

at least 3" x 1½" x 24" and not two pieces measuring 1½" x 1½" x 24". We 

recommend purchasing at least two units to brace the top of a guitar and one 

unit to brace the back. 

Many builders prefer to brace the back with Mahogany, which we sell as cut 

(as opposed to split) units. With varying profiles, expect 1½" to 2" square at the 

end by 24+" long, which should be more than enough for one guitar back. 

EACH 6 + 

WBS Sitka Spruce .............................................. 5.50 ..... 4.75 

WBE Engel. Spruce ............................................ 5.50 ..... 4.75 

WBC Western Redcedar .................................... 5.50 ..... 4.75 

WBSC Spanish Cedar ........................................... 5.50 ..... 4.75 

WBMH Mahogany — 3 /4"- 7 /8" ................................. 6.25 

WBG German Spruce ....................................... 10.50 

WBA Adirondack (Red) Spruce 

(Pieces 18"+ long. In orders of 3 or more, 

some pieces will be 14" long.) ...................... 8.00 

Grain direction Maple or Rosewood 

Spruce strap on a classical 


707-433-1823

INTERNAL INTERNAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

BACK JOINT REINFORCEMENT 

This cross-grained Spruce strip is glued to the inside of the back, spanning 

and reinforcing the joint of the back halves. We provide these strips from 

stock sanded to 3 /32" thickness. They’re beveled and ready-to-go except for final 

shaping to a rounded profile, which is done after the strip is glued to the back. 

EACH 6 + 

WJR Spruce, 3 /32" x 22" x 3 /4" ........................... $3.85 ..... 3.05 

2.4mm x 55.9cm x 1.9cm 

KERFING 

Kerfing provides a gluing surface for the joining of the backs, tops, and 

sides. Some builders use it with the kerf facing out, that is, so the kerfs are 

visible, and others glue the kerfed face to the inside. We offer four kinds of 

wood for guitar and two kinds for smaller instruments. Some builders choose 

the same type of wood as the soundboard for the kerfing along the top and 

sides. For the junction of the back and sides, the choice is usually Mahogany, 

Spanish Cedar, Basswood, or Spruce. It’s a good idea to use a wood with a 

similar rate of expansion and contraction as that to which it’s being glued. The 

kerfing is sold individually, so that you may mix your choices. Each piece is 

32" long, preslotted and ready to glue. Four pieces will do for most guitars. 

Several profiles are offered in different woods. Standard (1) is the most 

traditional for steel string guitars and modern classicals. If you have a smaller 

instrument or binding and purfling scheme you can use the triangular (2) profile. 

Our new reverse kerfing (3) is designed to give added stability to the 

sides. By gluing the kerfed face you effectively make the side that much 

thicker and therefore more rigid with little weight or mass added. With a radiused 

top edge, it presents a very clean look inside the body. For more traditional 

classical guitars we offer unkerfed Basswood lining (4). Dulcimer and mandolin 

builders can use our smaller square (5) kerfing. 

7 GUITAR: /32" x 5 /8" x 32", 128" required 

5.6mm x 1.6cm x 81cm, 325cm required 

MANDOLIN/ 7 /32" x 5 /16" x 32", 120" required 

DULCIMER: 5.6mm x 7.9mm x 81cm, 305cm required 

EACH 8+ 

WKFSP kerfing, Spruce, standard ........................$4.60 ...... 3.90 

WKFSPTJ kerfing, Spruce, triangular ........................ 4.60 ...... 3.90 

WKFSSP kerfing, Spruce, small .............................. 3.25 ...... 2.70 

WKFC kerfing, Western Redcedar, standard ...... 4.40 ...... 3.70 

WKFM kerfing, Mahogany, standard.................... 4.95 ...... 4.25 

WKFMT kerfing, Mahogany, triangular ................... 4.60 ...... 3.90 

WKFMR kerfing, Mahogany, reverse ...................... 4.95 ...... 4.25 

WKFSM kerfing, Mahogany, small ......................... 3.25 ...... 2.70 

WKFSC kerfing, Spanish Cedar, standard ............. 4.60 ...... 3.90 

WKFSCT kerfing, Spanish Cedar, triangular ............ 4.60 ...... 3.90 

WKFB kerfing, Basswood, standard ................... 4.10 ...... 3.20 

WKFBU kerfing, Basswood lining, unkerfed .......... 2.95 ...... 2.45 

WKFBR kerfing, Basswood, reverse ...................... 4.10 ...... 3.20 

MAHOGANY END BLOCK 

EACH 

WME Mahogany end block, 

5½" x 3" x 1", 13.9cm x 7.6cm x 2.5cm ......... $4.60 

Note that grain of end block 

follows the grain of the sides. 

1- STANDARD 

3- REVERSE 

5- SMALL 

2- TRIANGULAR 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

45 

4- UNKERFED

46 

HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE 

FROM TRUSS RODS TO TUNING MACHINES 

R 

TRUSS RUSS RRODS 

R ODS 

We have our truss rods custom made for us to our 

specifications which we have developed over the years 

with much input from our customers. With three styles 

of 1-way rods and 2 styles of dual-action rods, each 

coming in several lengths, We are sure we have one 

that will work for your instrument. Call us to inquire about 

larger quantities or custom lengths. 

ONE-WAY RODS 

The one-way truss rod was developed over twenty years 

ago by Bill Lewis in collaboration with Michael Gurian, of Gurian 

Instruments. It’s based on the truss rod of the old Vega Banjos. 

Rickenbacker Guitar has also employed a similar rod for 

many years. Thousands of these truss rods have been in use, and are still in 

use. Over the last several years we have made a few refinements. We now 

use a brass stop block, and have made the broach of the truss rod nut a little 

smaller so that the walls of the Allen keyway are thicker. 

The one-way rod is wrapped with nondegenerating plastic for protection 

from deterioration. The plastic covering is also protection against “rod buzz” 

and makes it unnecessary to use glue or silicone. 

The head is not needlessly weakened by excessive cutting away where the 

head meets the neck, and in turn, a narrow 3 /8" cover plate is adequate; and 

the rod is easily replaceable (if need be) since no glue is required. 

Three sizes (length does not include the 3 /4" nut): 

TWO-WAY RODS 

About half the price of the wrapped one-way rod, this rod has a few additional advantages. 

It can be used with thinner necks. You need only rout or table saw a 3 /16" x 3 /8" deep 

slot, not a 1 /2" deep slot. The rod on top is square in cross section, welded to a bar of 

roundstock. This helps keep the channel clean of glue from fingerboard gluing. As well, 

more surface area bears against the fingerboard, making fingerboard cracking highly improbable, 

and the use of a spline unnecessary. Put a piece of scotch tape over the rod when 

spreading glue, then remove it right before clamping the fingerboard. It’s a good idea to 

cushion this rod with a little silicone, especially near the nut and at few other points along 

the length of the rod. This prevents the rod’s resonant frequency from making unnerving 

buzzing sounds when certain notes are played. The keystock against which the nut bears 

may be ground away a little if needed, and you will have to excavate a little more, about 1 /2", to 

accommodate the adjusting nut. 

Offered in five lengths: 

Overall 

Length 

Square 

Stock 

Overall 

Length 

ASTERISKS MARK POINTS OF GREATEST FORCE 

Truss rod nut on bottom 

ROD DIMENSION COMPARISONS 

Truss Rod Rod Depth Rod Width 

TRST 3 /8" 0.375" 3 /16" 0.188" 

TRSD 3 /8" 0.375" 1 /4" 0.250" 

TRS 7 /16" 0.438" 29 /128" 0.227" 

TREC 29 /128" 0.227" 29 /128" 0.227" 

TRMR 23 /64" 0.360" 13 /32" 0.400" 

EACH 3 + 

TRS 14 1 /2" x 15 /32" for steel string ....... 14¾"......... 14" ...... $20.25 ..... 18.25 

TRE 17" x 15 /32" for electric ................ 17¾"......... 17" ........ 20.25 ..... 18.25 

TRBS 22 3 /4" x 15 /32" for bass ................. 23½"..... 22¾" ........ 20.25 ..... 18.25 

Square 

Stock 

TRS rod with heat-shrink tubing cut 

back to expose (white) plastic spacer 

between rods and fiberglass tape wrap. 

Note the brass stop block and the 

specially made LMI nut. 


707-433-1823 

Plastic 

cover 

TRUSS RODS — HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

Fiberglass 

tape Plastic 

spacer 

As long as rod ends somewhere 

after this point, all is well. Exact 

length is not critical. 

Depending on wood hardness, etc., thickness at this point should 

be about 3 /32" or over. If less, and extreme adjustment is likely, 

then rod should be changed end for end and adjusted through the 

soundhole. 

EACH 3 + 

TRSTA Truss rod, 13 1 /4" x 3 /8" ............................. 14" .............. 13¼" ........ $12.25 ..... 11.10 

TRST Truss rod, 14 1 /2" x 3 /8", for steel string .... 15¼"........... 14½" .......... 12.25 ..... 11.10 

TRET Truss rod, 17" x 3 /8", for electrics ........... 17¾"........... 17" ............. 12.25 ..... 11.10 

TRBST Truss rod, 22¾" x 3 /8", for bass .............. 23½"........... 22¾" .......... 12.25 ..... 11.10 

TRMT Truss rod, 8 1 /2" x 3 /8", for mandolin ......... 9¼" ............. 8½" ............ 12.25 ..... 11.10

HARDWARE HARDWARE — TRUSS RODS 

COMPRESSION ROD 

The compression rod is made from 3 /16" stock and is wrapped 

in high quality heat-shrink tubing. The adjustment is accomplished 

by tightening the Allen nut on the threaded end of the rod. The rod 

is held immobile at the opposite end by means of a right-angle 

bend. The wrapping prevents rattling and insures a good snug fit 

without binding in the slot. A 9 /64" Allen key is included with every 

rod for adjustment. 

Overall Length Round Stock EACH 3 + 

TREC Compression rod, electric ............ 17½" ............. 17" ......... $10.25 ...... 9.10 

TRES Compressionrod, steel string....... 15" ................ 14½" ........ 10.25 ...... 9.10 

TRMG Mando/Gibson TM , compression .... 9" .................. 8½" .......... 10.25 ....... 9.10 

DOUBLE ACTION RODS 

TRUSS ROD NUTS 

Wooden spline may be curved, but it’s not necessary. Glued in place over rod. 

Graphite, GRO may be TRUSS used in place of aRODS 

spline. 

This is the best rod on the market these days. Based on the best of several 

designs, this rod offers adjustment capabilities as well as several other advantages 

over rods of similar design. Requiring a 11 /32" - 3 /8" depth of slot by 1 /4" wide, for 

thinner necks, and with square bar stock on top bearing against the bottom of the 

fingerboard, no filler strip is necessary as described with the Two-way rod. Turn 

the nut one way and the rod turns one way, turn the nut the other way, the rod turns 

the other way! With this rod the nut is actually welded onto the adjusting rod which 

has been right-hand threaded on one end, and reverse threaded the other. The 

bottom, round rod is covered with heat-shrink tubing like our compression rod, to 

protect against rod buzz. This rod is essentially installed just like the Two-way 

rod, but you need to rout a slot 1 /4" wide x 3 /8" deep. The bar-stock dimensions and the round-stock OD with the heatshrink 

tubing is the same and makes for easy installation. This rod goes with all of our pre-carved necks (see page 36). 

MARTIN TM - STYLE TRUSS ROD 

Plastic 

spacer 

This is our newest two-way adjust-able rod, the same 

type of rod that Martin Guitar is using. The rod, made 

for us by Gotoh, consists of a U-channel .360" 

deep by .400" wide and is 15 1 /8" long. 

A rod .200" is flattened at 

one end and welded at 

the boxed end. The nut 

(.356" OD), which extends out from the rod 1.16" is captured by a 

Rod flattened 

Boxed end 

“Protected by U.S. Patent No. 6,259,008” 

Overall 

Length 

with nut 

Square 

Stock EACH 3 + 

TRSDA Truss rod, 131 /4" x 3 /8" .......................... 141 TRSD 

/8" ..... 13¼" ...... $21.25 ..... 19.25 

Truss rod, 141 /2" x 3 TRED 

/8", for steel string . 15½" ..... 14½" ........ 21.25 ..... 19.25 

Truss rod, 17" x 3 TRBSD 

/8", for electrics ........ 18" ........ 17" ........... 21.25 ..... 19.25 

Truss rod, 223 /4" x 3 /8", for bass ........... 23¾" ..... 22¾" ........ 21.25 ..... 19.25 

collar welded into the channel. Three plastic spacers keep the 

rod centered in the channel, while preventing rod buzz. 

Overall Length EACH 3 + 

TRMR Truss rod, 15 1 /2" x 23 /64", for steel string ........ 15 7 /16" ............ $11.70 .. 10.15 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

47 

Note the longer keystock, which 

facilitates easy nut adjustment. 

TOOL TIP 

BALL-END 

END MILL 

For added strength and a better 

fit, use this solid carbide, 

ball-end end mill for a round 

bottomed truss rod slot. 

1 /4" cut x 7 /8" LOC 

1 /4" shank. For 1 /4" slots 

(Overall length 21 /2") 

CA338 

$33.80 

See 

END MILLS 

page 93 

The LMI truss rod nut is 3 /4" length x 1 /4" OD with a 10-32 thread. Supplied with all our truss rods (along with a special 

long shanked 9 /64" Allen wrench), they’re designed to keep headstock cutaway to a minimum. These are available for 

people who make their own truss rods. 

After several requests, we’ve made available a FenderTM-style nut with the 

same 10-32 thread as our LMI nut. OD is 3 /8" and length is 1 /2". 

EACH 12 + 

TRN LMI truss rod nut ..................................... $3.65 ..... 3.40 

TRNF Truss rod nut, “FenderTM ” ........................... 2.36 ..... 2.05 

9 TRW /64" Allen wrench for LMI truss rod nut ....... .95

48 

GRAPHITE COMPOSITE 

Since graphite-epoxy exhibits so 

many of the qualities useful in fine 

instrument construction, namely, low 

weight, stiffness, stability, resistance 

to fatigue and creep, it naturally has 

come into increasing popularity 

among builders. We’ve been making 

and offering graphite-epoxy laminates 

since 1982, and it continues 

to find more uses and more advocates. 

Its low weight and high stiffness – 

three times stiffer than steel on a 

weight-to-weight basis, 80% as stiff 

Graphite Composite 

BAR STOCK 

for Neck Reinforcement 

GRAPHITE U-CHANNEL ROD 

GR0 GRI GR2 GR3 GR4 GRBO GRB4 

EACH 3 + 

GR0 3 /16" x 1 /4" x 18", 4.8mm x 6.35mm x 45.7cm ................ 9.90 ....... 8.35 

GR1 1 /4" x 1 /2" x 18", 6.35mm x 12.7mm x 45.7cm ............... 24.45 ... 21.85 

GR2 1 /4" x 3 /8" x 18", 6.35mm x 9.5mm x 45.7cm ................. 19.25 ... 16.65 

GR3 1 /8" x 1 /2" x 18", 3.2mm x 12.7mm x 45.7cm ................. 13.55 ... 11.45 

GR4 1 /8" x 3 /8" x 18", 3.2mm x 9.5mm x 45.7cm .................. 9.90 ....... 8.35 

FOR BASS 

GRBO 1 /4" x 3 /16" x 24", 6.35mm x 4.8mm x 61cm ................... 13.00 ... 11.45 

GRB2 1 /4" x 3 /8" x 24" , 6.35mm x 9.5mm x 61cm ................... 24.45 ... 21.85 

GRB4 1 /8" x 3 /8" x 24", 3.2mm x 9.5mm x 61cm....................... 11.45 .... 10.40 

Similar to Martin’s TM present-day rod of aluminum, the graphite U-channel 

with a better memory and sound-enhancing capabilities, offers an excellent 

solution to neck movement and “dead spots.” 

Graphite Composite 

SHEET STOCK 

on a cross-sectional 

area comparison – 

offers many advantages 

to the guitar 

builder. Without fear 

of fatigue, fan 

braces (between 

which a sheet of graphite-epoxy has 

been laminated) can be shaved down 

considerably, allowing the top to be 

more responsive to string energy. 

Neck reinforcement stock can be 

EACH 

GRU U-Channel, 18" long ..............................$21.65 

GRUB U-Channel for Bass, 24" long .................29.15 

Can be used to reinforce bracing material by either laminating 

it between bracewood or laminating bracewood between 

two pieces of graphite composite. (See illustration at left: graphite 

scale dimension exaggerated for illustration purposes). Suggested 

for fan braces or anywhere extra strength or protection 

against creep is required. Also used in broken peghead splices. 

EACH 3 + 

GR5 .010" x 1" x 18", .25mm x 25.4mm x 45.7cm 

recommended for classical guitars ................................. $4.20 ..... 3.70 

GR6 .020" x 1" x 18", .51mm x 25.4mm x 45.7cm 

Like GR5, suggested for steel string guitars. .................. 6.15 ..... 5.20 

GR7 .030" x 1" x 18", .76mm x 25.4mm x 45.7cm 

Suggested for steel string guitar or box-beam layups. ... 7.20 ..... 6.25 

GRAPHITE COMPOSITE — HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

laminated in such a manner that the 

reinforcement continues through the 

peghead joint, reducing flex and 

therefore reducing energy loss to the 

head area. 

Bracewood 

Uses of graphite sheet 


707-433-1823 

7/32" 

1/4" 

1/2" 

Graphite U-channel rod 

Graphite 

GRAPHITE SCRAP 

Use for nuts/saddles, experiments 

Per oz. 

GSCRP Graphite scrap ...... $6.25 

PLEASE SPECIFY 1 /8" or 1 /4" STOCK. 

* As a point of reference, GR1 bar stock – 

1 /4" x 1 /2" x 18" – weighs 1.5 oz. 

3/8"

HARD HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE — BOLT-ON NECK 

BOLT-ON NECK 

INSERTS 

These threaded brass inserts 

and Allen-head bolts 

make neck alignment, attachment 

and removal a 

breeze. Many of the leading 

manufacturers and hand builders 

attach necks to bodies with this 

system. The machining of the neck 

is greatly simplified, especially with the 

neck flush-mounted to the body without 

the complication of either 

a dovetail or mortise 

and tenon joint. The inserts 

have an aggressive thread to hold in the 

end grain of the flush-mounted heel (or tenon, 

if you choose). 

Each package contains 2 inserts, 2 bolts, 1 allen 

Bolt-on neck detail. Guitar by Kevin Ko. wrench, 1 nut, and 2 conical Belleville 

washers—enough for one neck. The 

Belleville washers compress when the nut is tightened and continue exerting 

tension, reducing the possibility of the bolt ever loosening. 

EACH 4 + 

TNI2 Pair of neck inserts & bolts ................ $8.40 ..... 7.60 

Dovetail 

neck 

blank 

PRE-CARVED MAHOGANY 

NECK BLANKS 

page 36 

“I just wanted to tell you that your new shipping service is fantastic. 

I placed an online order on Thurs. 24th early AM and it was at my 

door in Buffalo NY this afternoon. This will certainly change the 

number of orders I place with LMI.” 

Thanks 

B.C., New York 

PS – The ebony fretboards that are on sale where great. 

“I ordered some items last Friday. I needed a wide ebony 

bridge for a Kasha style bridge. Your salesperson was 

kind enough to check the width of the 12 string bridges 

and found one that met my needs. He told me that I had 

missed the friday shipping cutoff and my package would 

leave monday and that I should have it by Friday (the 16th) 

Received the package yesterday-!!. The bridge blank is 

perfect. Great service-great stuff and very fast shipping — 

I’m a happy guy!! 

R.L., Florida 

Straight mortise & tenon 

bolt-on-neck 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

49 

CUSTOMER QUOTES 

“Just to say thanks for my order, 

arrived today, could not believe the 

speed and efficiency of you lot. Very 

impressed! Will obviously be in 

touch in the not too distant future.” 

Regards 

Chris, England

50 

FRETWIRE 

RETWIRE 

Fretwire is sold in 4' lengths—enough for one instrument, 

or 100' lengths. For easier installation, fretwire is 

coiled with the tang toward the inside of the curve. (For 

even easier installation, see Steve Klein’s plans for a fret 

bender, PL16 (see page 124). 

There is roughly a 50% discount on 100' lengths. For 

these larger quantities, please add a double zero (00) 

after the standard catalog number, i.e., FW6800, FW7400, 

etc. 

All fretwire is extruded, and, as a consequence, the 

corners formed by the intersection of the bead and the 

tang are not crisp, sharp angles, but rounded ones. We 

recommend slightly beveling the edges of the fingerboard 

slots with a needle file, FNP (page 91) so that the fretwire 

seats properly. This beveling also makes it possible to 

pull out the fretwire, if necessary, without fear of tearing 

up wood. (A drop or two of water in the fret slot helps 

lubricate for easier tang entry.) 

FW68 Our smallest fretwire especially made for banjos, 

mandolins, dulcimers, and small instruments, but 

can be used on guitars as well. 18% nickel silver. 

Weight of 100 ft. = 1 lb. 

FH = 0.090" CH = 0.032" CW = 0.056" TW = 0.020" SW = 0.030" 

FW72 A softer, standard size, used mostly for classic 

guitars.(Nylon strings wear better with a softer 

wire.) Easy to work with. 12% nickel silver. Weight 

of 100 ft. = 1 lb. 8 oz. 

FH = 0.100" CH = 0.043" CW = 0.083" TW = 0.019" SW = 0.034" 

FW74 Hard, standard size (for MartinTM and FenderTM refrets), long wearing fretwire. This is easily our 

most popular fretwire and is used mostly for steel 

string, classic, and electric guitars (and in that 

order). 18% nickel silver. Weight of 100 ft. = 1 lb. 

8 oz. 

FH = 0.097" CH = 0.043" CW = 0.080" TW = 0.020" SW = 0.037" 

FW75 Longer wearing because of its size, but softer and 

easier to work with like FW72. A good fretwire to 

use if your customer likes to “bend” his notes. 

12% nickel silver. Weight of 100 ft. = 2 lb. 14 oz. 

FH = 0.129" CH = 0.046" CW = 0.098" TW = 0.023" SW = 0.048" 

FW27 A fretwire with a wider but shallower crown than 

the FW75. Used for GibsonTM jumbo refret jobs or 

to match larger frets that have been worn down. 

Also used by some classic guitar makers who 

are experimenting with wider wire. 18% nickel 

silver. Wt. of 100 ft. = 2 lb. 14 oz. 

FH = 0.109" CH = 0.036" CW = 0.106" TW = 0.020" SW = 0.036" 

FW110 With the largest crown in both width and height 

that we carry,this is one of the largest fretwires 

available anywhere. It’s super for Rock and Roll. 

At 18% nickel silver, it’s a longer lasting alloy 

and will wear well for string benders and any guitarist 

who’s tough on frets. 

FH = 0.104" CH = 0.050" CW = 0.110" TW = 0.021" SW = 0.032" 

FRETWIRE — HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

Our fretwire is made in 

Holland and we believe 

it to be the best 

around. 

FH = Fret Height 

CH = Crown Height 

CW = Crown Width 

TW = Tang Width 

SW = Stud Width 

COMPARISON CHART: INCHES 

FH CH CW TW SW 

FW68 0.090" 0.032" 0.056" 0.020" 0.031" 

FW72 0.100" 0.043" 0.083" 0.019" 0.034" 

FW74 0.097" 0.043" 0.080" 0.020" 0.037" 

FW75 0.129" 0.046" 0.098" 0.023" 0.048" 

FW27 0.109" 0.036" 0.106" 0.020" 0.036" 

FW110 0.104" 0.050" 0.110" 0.021" 0.032" 

COMPARISON CHART: MILLIMETERS 

FH CH CW TW SW 

FW68 

FW72 

FW74 

FW75 

FW27 

FW110 

2.29 0.81 1.42 0.51 0.79 

2.54 1.09 2.11 0.48 0.86 

2.46 1.09 2.03 0.51 0.94 

3.28 1.17 2.49 0.58 1.22 

2.77 0.91 2.69 0.51 0.91 

2.64 1.27 2.79 0.53 0.81 

3 + EACH 

FW68 Mando/dulcimer, 4' ..................... $3.05 ... 3.35 

FW6800 Mando/dulcimer, 100' ................. 30.20 . 37.45 

FW72 Soft, standard, 4' .......................... 3.35 ... 4.10 

FW7200 Soft, standard, 100' .................... 42.65 . 47.85 

FW74 Hard standard size, 4' .................. 3.35 ... 4.10 

FW7400 Hard standard size, 100' ............ 42.65 . 47.85 

FW75 Large bass, 4' ............................... 4.20 ... 4.70 

FW7500 Large bass, 100' ......................... 55.15 . 60.35 

FW27 Lrg/hard/wider bead, 4' ................. 4.40 ... 5.10 

FW2700 Lrg/hard/wider bead, 100' ........... 53.00 . 58.00 

FW110 Largest/hard/wider fret, 4' ............. 7.00 ... 7.50 

FW1100 Largest/hard/wider fret,100' ........ 62.40 . 68.65 


707-433-1823

HARDWARE HARDWARE — NUTS & SADDLES 

UTS & & S 

S 

NUTS UTS 

& SADDLES ADDLES 

N0 N1 NC S0 S1 S2 S2A S2B S3 SC 

Bone is the material of choice these days for nuts and saddles. Its creamy 

smooth quality and natural denseness make it perfect both visually and mechanically. 

Another material now used for nuts and saddles is Corian. ® Its 

appearance is very much like bone, it expands and contracts like wood, and it 

has the advantage of non-porosity making it particularly useful for transducertype 

pickup systems. 

We have several useful sizes of bone from which to choose. Please note that 

S0 is for the extra long slots of the old MartinsTM . Please note that S1 (medium 

height) and S2A (tall) saddles fit 3 /32" slots, and S2 (medium height) and S2B (tall) 

saddles fit 1 /8" slots. The special S3 is extra wide and tall to accommodate extra 

wide compensation or extra tall saddle height needs. 

All dimensions given are minimum. 

NUTS (Nuts below are bone unless specified otherwise.) 

EACH 12 + 24 + 

NF For FenderTM-style guitars, (not shown).............. $2.60 .. 2.10 .. 1.80 

3.18mm x 10.32mm x 54.77mm / 1 /8" x 13 /32" x 25 /32" 

N0 For classics and special applications .................. 3.65 .. 3.05 .. 2.60 

7.94mm x 10.32mm x 55.56mm / 5 /16" x 13 /32" x 23 /16" 

N1 For steel string or classic ..................................... 3.35 .. 2.85 .. 2.45 

6.35mm x 8.73mm x 55.56mm / 1 /4" x 11 /32" x 23 /16" 

N2 For 7- or 8-string (not shown) .............................. 3.55 .. 3.05 .. 2.60 

6.35mm x 11.91mm x 65.09mm / 1 /4" x 15 /32" x 29 /16" 

NC Corian ® For steel string or classic ........................ 1.85 .. 1.50 .. 1.15 

6.35mm x 10.32mm x 57.15mm / 1 /4" x 13 /32" x 21 /4" 

SADDLES (Saddles below are bone unless specified otherwise.) 

EACH 12 + 24 + 

S0 For wide bridge slots, Martin TM , etc. .................... $3.05 .. 2.70 .. 2.40 

3.8mm x 12mm x 108mm 

S1 Standard for steel or classic .................................. 2.70 .. 2.40 .. 2.20 

2.38mm x 7.94mm x 82.55mm / 3 /32" x 5 /16" x 3 1 /4" 

S2 Steel string / older Martins .................................... 3.05 .. 2.70 .. 2.40 

3.18mm x 7.94mm x 82.55mm / 1 /8" x 5 /16" x 3 1 /4" 

S2A Extra height for high action .................................... 3.05 .. 2.70 .. 2.40 

2.38mm x 11.91mm x 82.55mm / 3 /32" x 15 /32" x 3 1 /4" 

S2B Extra height for high action .................................... 3.40 .. 3.15 .. 2.70 

3.18mm x 11.91mm x 82.55mm / 1 /8" x 15 /32" x 3 1 /4" 

S3 Bone, for extra compensation ............................... 3.40 .. 3.15 .. 2.70 

5.56mm x 11.91mm x 82.55mm / 7 /32" x 15 /32" x 3 1 /4" 

SC Corian ® .................................................................... 1.70 .. 1.30 .. 1.05 

3.18mm x 9.53mm x 76.2mm / 1 /8" x 3 /8" x 3" 

END MILLS 

Solid carbide, double-fluted 

end mills for slotting bridges. 

See page 93 

NUT & SADDLE FILES 

Designed to cut varying 

string size grooves in the nut. 

See page 91 

TOOL 

TIP 

BEAUTIFUL 

BLACK HORN 

NUTS & SADDLES 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

EACH 

51 

NBH Black Horn nut, 

5 

/16" x 7 /16" x 2" ................. $5.50 

SBH Black Horn saddle, 

5 

/32" x 13 /32" x 4" .................. 6.50 

Also available, 

black horn bridge pins & end pins 

see page 59 

TBI 

TIEBLOCK INLAYS 

These small bone pieces are 

inlayed into the front and back edges 

of classical guitar bridge tieblocks to 

resist string damage to those edges. 

TBI 

Bone tieblock inlay – use 3 pieces 

3 

/32" x 3 /32" x 3" 

2.38mm x 2.38mm x 76.2mm 

EACH 12+ 24+ 

$2.10 $1.90 $1.70 

R9T 

Tie block Inlay for R9 rosette. 

EACH 3+ 

$4.95 $3.15 

R10T 

Tie block inlay for R10 rosette. 

EACH 3+ 

$4.95 $3.15

52 

TAILPIECES 

AILPIECES 

ARCHTOP GUITAR 

EBONY TAILPIECE BLANKS 

Ebony block for tailpiece, bridge(s) and headplate(s). Most archtop makers these days are 

carving or machining their own tailpiece out of Ebony. The part number we use, WHED, is also 

used for double bridges. 5 /8" thick, 8+" long, and at least 3" wide (3 1 /2" is often available). 

EACH 6+ 

WHED Ebony TP, 8+" x 3 +" x 5 /8", 20.3cm x 7.6cm x 1.6cm .....$11.00 ...... 9.75 

WHED158 Ebony TP, 8" x 3 3 /8" x 1 5 /8", 20.3cm x 8.6cm x 4.1cm ....... 18.25 .... 16.25 

SELMER/MACCAFERRI STYLE TAILPIECE 

Made of hand embossed, solid brass, this 1930’s Selmer style tailpiece is 

perfect for Selmer/Selmer MacCaferri style jazz guitars. It features red leather 

padding and a beveled ebony insert. It measures 2 1 /4" deep by 4 1 /2" long with 

a string spacing of 2 3 /16" or 56mm. 

EACH 

TPMS Selmer/MacCaferri style tailpiece .........$57.95 

6 STRING TAILPIECE 

CAST MANDOLIN TAILPIECES 

Designed in the style of John Monteleone—one of the most highly regarded builders 

of archtop guitars and mandolins—these beautiful cast bronze tailpieces are the 

best available. Offered in three finishes: unplated bronze, nickel-plated, and goldplated. 

The polished, unplated bronze will develop a nice patina in time. Mounting 

screws are included. 

MANDOLIN TAILPIECE 

Ebony tailpiece by Steve Grimes, 

made from an Ebony blank. 

Tailpiece for 6 string 335-style guitar/archtop guitar. Nice quality, die-cast, it extends 5 1 /2" 

from the bend in the hinge over the top and 1 1 /2" to the bottom of the mount. String spacing is 

1 31 /32". This is a rigid and heavy tailpiece. (The rigidity lends to intonation and the heaviness to 

sustain.) Mount it solidly and it will add nicely to the sound quality of the guitar. 

EACH 

TP6 6-string tailpiece .................................................. $19.35 

EACH 

TPMAB Monteleone-style tailpiece, unplated bronze ..... $78.00 

TPMAN Monteleone-style tailpiece, nickel plated ............. 93.60 

TPMAG Monteleone-style tailpiece, gold plated................ 98.80 

TAILPIECES — HARD HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE 

Fine quality tailpiece with cover plate. For GibsonTM F5-style and A-style mandolins. 

Upon taking the cover off you will note that there are 12 “fingers” for securing 

the string loops. The four bottom “fingers” hold the loops of the two treble 

courses after the strings have been angled around the four “fingers” to their right. 

This reduces stress and lessens the likelihood of string breakage. Available in 

nickel and gold-plated steel. Only the nickel-plate is available engraved. 

EACH 

TPM Mando tailpiece, nickel ....................................... $10.90 

TPME Mando tailpiece, engraved, nickel ........................ 14.50 

TPMG Mando tailpiece, gold ............................................ 15.10 TPME TPM TPMG 

SACCONI TAILPIECE ADJUSTER 

These tailpiece adjusters are made from black nylon with two knurled brass 

adjustment nuts. These two sizes should cover most applications from archtop 

guitars to cellos with 1.75 to 2” of thread on each end that can trimmed to fit 

your tailpiece. Use the PISAC with the Benedetto tailpiece, EPBEN. 

EACH 

PISACC Sacconi adjuster for cello ..................................... $5.75 

PISAC Sacconi adjuster for archtop ................................... 5.25 


707-433-1823

HARDWARE 

HARDWARE HARDWARE — TUNING MACHINES 

M 

TUNING UNING MMACHINES 

M ACHINES 

We offer a broad selection of tuning machines for steel string and classical 

guitars, as well as several for bass guitars, mandolins and banjos. 

The majority of these tuners are from the Schaller TM and Gotoh TM product 

lines with additional hand made classical tuners from John Gilbert and 

bass guitar tuners from Hipshot TM . New to our selection are three models 

for slot head steel string guitars and steel string mini tuners, all from Gotoh TM . 

SCHALLER TM 

SCHALLER TM 

EACH 3 + 

SM6AMINI Schaller TM SS mini, 3L/3R, ...................... 41.10 ... 36.95 

SM6LMINI Schaller TM SS mini, all lefts (6 in line) ..... 42.25 ... 38.10 

SM6GAMINI Schaller TM SS mini, 3L/3R, gold .............. 71.80 ... 64.50 

SCHALLER TM 

STEEL STRING MINIS 

Minis are like the Schaller TM steel string tuners above, but with a smaller 

gear housing and smaller buttons. Because of its lighter weight, and gear ratio 

of 14:1, the mini series is used when peghead size and weight is of concern. 

Because of the smaller buttons, the individual machines can be mounted closer 

together than can the standard SM6 model machines. Two sets of minis are 

used for twelve string guitars. 

Schaller Schaller 

TM 

Tuning uning Machines 

Machines 

Schaller TM is one of the first manufacturers to use a cast, sealed, and 

lubricated gear housing, and their machine has been copied by many. With 

removable and replaceable buttons, tension adjustable by tightening the 

knobs, and threaded hexhead bushings, Schallers TM are still one of the 

very best values in a tuner. 

STEEL STRING 

Schaller TM tuning machines for steel string guitar: 3 left, 3 right. Still one of 

the best available for large acoustic or electric guitars. These tuners have a 

very smooth action and are available in chrome, gold, or black plating. 

SM6GAB 

REPLACEMENT BUTTONS 

12:1 gear ratio. 

3 /8"/10mm diameter pegholes 

required. 

EACH 

SBE Schaller TM Ebony buttons, (6) 

for SM6A & SM6GA ................................................... $21.35 

SBEM Schaller TM Ebony button minis (6) 

for SM6AMINI, SM6LMINI & SM6GAMINI................ 21.35 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

53 

Peghead with SM6GAB gold-plated tuners 

with Ebony buttons by Michael Hornick of 

Shanti Guitars. 

Above:SM6GA, Below: SM6B 

EACH 3 + 

SM6A Schaller TM SS, 3L/3R, chrome,w/screws ..... 41.00 ... 36.95 

SM6GA Schaller TM SS, 3L/3R, gold,w/screws ............ 71.75 ...... NA 

SM6B Schaller TM SS, 3L/3R, black,w/screws .......... 52.00 ... 46.80 

SM6GAB Schaller TM SS, 3L/3R, gold w/Ebony buttons . 76.75 ... 73.75

54 

Schaller Schaller 

TM 

SCHALLER TM 

SCHALLER TM 

TUNING MACHINES cont. 

VINTAGE OPEN BACK TUNERS 

Until now the options available for light-weight vintage style, open back 

tuners were at the extremes – either inexpensive low quality models or 

fine precision-machined, high quality tuners for about $150.00. 

SchallerTM now makes these great vintage style, open back tuners 

with the weight, styling, and precision to please anyone making 

fine guitars in style of the ‘30s and ‘40s. These new machines are 

designed and manufactured with Schaller’sTM usual high quality standards 

and yet are available in the moderate price range. The tuning 

action is smooth and accurate as you would expect from 

SchallerTM , and smaller press fit bushings included give your headstock 

a clean, uncluttered look. Available in chrome or gold finish. 

EACH 3 + 

SVC SchallerTM vintage style, open back, chrome .... $35.50 ..... 30.00 

SVG SchallerTM vintage style, open back, gold ........... 38.75 ..... 35.00 

SCHALLER 

Tuning machine for bass. 2 left and 2 right. 

Enclosed gears, 12:1 gear ratio. 

TM 

BASS TUNING MACHINES 

EACH 3+ 

SM4 SchallerTM Bass, 2L/2R, chrome. ........ $60.50 ... 55.50 

CLASSIC TUNING MACHINES 

SchallerTM Hauser-style machines with heavier cast (rather than 

stamped) plates and solid brackets. This model has no peers in its 

price range and can compete in all respects with machines costing 

twice as much. Gold or nickel-plated, engraved, well-made pearloid 

buttons, seamless and translucent, this tuner is virtually indistinguishable 

from the real thing. Nylon rollers. Gear ratio 16:1, post-hole spacing 

70mm (13 /8"). Barrel diameter is 10mm ( 3 /8"). Probably the most popular 

classic machine in use. For aesthetics and price, it’s a hard tuner 

to beat. 

EACH 3+ 

SHG1 Schaller Hauser, gold, cast ....... $40.60 ...... 35.90 

SHG1B Schaller Hauser, gold, cast, 

ebony button .................................... 48.60 ...... 43.90 

SHNI1 Schaller Hauser, nickel, cast....... 34.35 ...... 30.20 

SCHALLER TM 

Gibson TM 

A-style 

MANDOLIN TUNING MACHINES 

4-on-a-plate with shafts for the GibsonTM A-style mandolin. 70mm 

post hole spacing ( 29 /32") with a gear ratio of 16:1. Gold and nickelplated. 

Pearloid buttons. 

EACH 3 + 

SMG3 “A” 4/plate, gold-plated .......... $52.00 .....46.80 

SMNI3 “A” 4/plate, nickel-plated ......... 39.55 .....35.40 

F5-style 

This tuner is for the F5-style with graduated shafts. 70mm posthole 

spacing ( 29 /32"), gear ratio is 16:1. 4-on-a-plate, gold or nickelplated. 

EACH 3 + 

SMG4 F5 4/plate, gold-plated .......... $52.00 .....46.80 

SMNI4 F5 4/plate, nickel-plated ......... 39.55 .....35.40 

TUNING MACHINES — HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

Above: Gibson TM A-style; Below: F5-style 


707-433-1823

HARDWARE 


Gotoh TM machines are head-to-head quality competitors with the longer established Schaller TM machines. There are 

even major hand makers and factories that prefer them over the Schaller TM tuners. They are certainly more competitively 

priced than the Schallers TM , and this may be the deciding factor for some. The selection of classical tuners available from 

Gotoh TM is certainly broader in both quality/cost and variety, providing models from $13.80 economy tuners to the $162.25 

models used on some of the finest guitars in the world. 

GOTOH STEEL STRING 

STEEL STRING ENCLOSED 

GotohTM M6-style machines. Chrome and gold. Good OEM or replacement 

machines for any guitar. 16:1 gear ratio is greatest ratio of any steel string 

machine available. 10mm / 3 /8" diameter pegholes required. Hex bushings. 

EACH 3+ 

GGM6 Gotoh SS enclosed, 3L/3R, chrome ............... $28.10 ... 26.00 

GGM6G Gotoh SS enclosed, 3L/3R gold ....................... 35.40 ... 30.20 

GGGRE Gotoh SS enclosed, 3L/3R, chrome, 

w/black “Grover-style” buttons .............................. 46.95 ....... NA 

GGGR Gotoh SS enclosed, 3L/3R, chrome, 

with “Grover-style” buttons .................................... 18.75 ....... NA 

STEEL STRING MINI 

These are the same great, enclosed machines as those above, except that 

they have smaller cases and buttons. These can work better than full size 

machines in smaller guitar heads or where less weight in the head is desired. 

These features make the mini tuners a first choice for 12-string guitars. 

EACH 3+ 

GGM6MINI Gotoh SS mini, 3L/3R, chrome .........$28.10 .... 26.00 

GGM6GMINI Gotoh SS mini, 3L/3R, gold ................35.40 .... 30.20 

CONTOUR STEEL STRING 

Gotoh has styled a completely different look in these machines than in 

any others available. The smooth, rounded, flowing lines of the case and buttons 

are quite a contrast to the trim, yet “boxy”, look of the M6-style enclosed 

tuners by both Gotoh and Schaller. These are the most “modern” looking 

tuners available. We previously called them “Organic.” 

EACH 3+ 

GGM6GS Gotoh SS contour, 3L/3R, gold ..................... $71.80 ... 65.35 

GGM6GSB Gotoh SS contour, 3L/3R, gold black button .. 78.10 ... 74.65 

GGM6GSBM Gotoh SS contour mini, 

3L/3R, gold with black button ............................. 75.00 ... 73.00 

VINTAGE STYLE 

Kluson-style with the vintage look. Nickel-plated, 15:1 gear ratio, hex bushing, 

screws included. 3 left, 3 right, 11 /32" posthole required. 3 + EACH 

GGMKS Gotoh TM vintage, 3L/3R, nickel ...................$28.60 .... 26.55 

GOTOH TM 

GO GOTOH GO OH TM Tuning uning Machines 

Machines 

SLOT-HEAD STEEL STRING 

Guitars with slotted heads have become more popular in the last few years, 

especially in 12 fret/parlor-style models, many builders have found that there 

are only very expensive or economy level tuning machines available. We have 

chosen to offer these two different tuning machines by Gotoh TM to fill a more 

medium quality/price range. The GGMKSLOT tuning machine pictured here is 

a vintage style machine with the gears enclosed on individual plates with 

metal buttons. These are available in both chrome and gold. The GGSR 

tuning machines are 3-on-a-plate with open gears on an engraved brass 

plate and ivoroid buttons. Both of these tuning machine sets are provided 

with twelve bushings (require 11 /32" hole) to hold both ends of the 

¼" shafts, if you choose. 

EACH 

GGMKSLOT Gotoh TM vintage slot, chrome .................$28.60 

GGMKSLOTG Gotoh TM vintage slot, gold ........................40.00 

GGSR Gotoh TM vintage slot, 3-on-a-plate, gold ..48.50 

GGM6 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

GGSR 

55 

GGGR 

Contour steel string 

Vintage tuners 

GGMKSLOTG

56 

GOTOH GOTOH 

TM 

TUNING MACHINES cont. 

GOTOH TM 

CLASSICAL TUNERS 

GGC1 Handsome classical machines with the traditional Spanish-style 

lyre. As mentioned previously, there is a fair amount of roller “side to side” 

movement, but from all reports they work very well when brought up to tension. 

Very sturdy, with brackets riveted to the plates. Nice engraving; removable 

buttons. 10mm / 3 /8" diameter barrel, gold plated and 70mm post-hole 

spacing (1 3 /8"). 14:1 gear ratio. 

GGCR Handsome, solid, with brushed matte finish and beveled plates. oval, 

grained ivoroid buttons.14:1 gear ratio, 70mm (35mm) post-hole spacing. 

GGC2 Similar to the GGC1s but a little lighter, pearloid buttons not as 

translucent, but removable, and the brackets are riveted to the plates. An 

excellent machine for the money. 10mm / 3 /8" diameter barrel, gold plated and 

70mm (35mm) posthole spacing (1 3 /8"). 14: 1 gear ratio. 

GGC Economy model but similar to the GGC2s. Plates are stamped out, 

and brackets are “bent over” to accommodate the worm gear. The buttons are 

more opaque pearloid and not removable. A nice looking machine, especially 

when considering the price. 10mm / 3 /8" diameter barrel, gold plated and 70mm 

(35mm) post-hole spacing (1 3 /8"). 14: 1 gear ratio. 

EACH 3+ 

GGC1 Gotoh classic tuner, w/lyre, good .............$46.50 .... 42.00 

GGCR Gotoh classic tuner, matte finish ................49.95 .... 47.25 

GGC2 Gotoh classic tuner w/lyre, good.................29.05 .... 27.00 

GGC Gotoh classic tuner w/lyre, economy .........14.90 .... 12.80 

GOTOH TM 

Used on top-of-the-line concert instruments, GotohTM premium classical 

tuners are probably the nicest looking machines available from a large-scale 

manufacturer. Solid construction with cast, beveled plates—the brackets are 

inset into the plates from the back side with no rivets. Available in gold or 

black (with Ebony buttons), 10mm barrel size, 70mm post-hole spacing, with 

a 14:1 gear ratio. 

EACH 

GGCSPEC Gotoh gold plate, 

ivoroid buttons, white roller ................. $145.00 

GGCSPECB Gotoh black plate, 

ebony button, black roller ..................... 178.25 

GGCSPECEB Gotoh gold plate, 

ebony button, white roller ..................... 165.00 

GGCSPECEBB Gotoh gold plate, 

ebony button, black roller ..................... 165.00 

GOTOH 

REPLACEMENT BUTTONS 

PREMIUM CLASSICAL TUNERS 

The GBB buttons are compatible with 

our GGM6 and GGM6G. The GBBM buttons 

are compatible with our GGM6MINI 

and GGM6GMINI. The rollers fit Gotoh 

classical tuners (above). 

GOTOH“ BUTTONS EACH 

GBB Black buttons, Set of 6 .... $21.25 

GBBM Black mini buttons, 

Set of 6, ............................. 21.25 

GGRB Mini buttons 

Fender-style (per button) ...... .65 

ROLLERS 

GGR GotohTM roller .................... $3.00 


HARDWARE 

GOTOH 

REPLACEMENT ROLLERS 


707-433-1823


Gilbert 

Gilbert 

Gilbert Classical Tuners 

John Gilbert has an extensive tool engineering background and is renowned for the 

quality and consistency of his classical guitars. John developed these tuners to compliment 

his instruments. His design and engineering incorporated many improvements 

over commercially manufactured tuners. The roller gear is made from phosphor bronze 

to ensure long life. The roller gear and shaft are machined as one piece to eliminate 

play. The worm shaft is machined from stainless steel to eliminate corrosion and wear. 

All natural wood buttons are hand selected for color and grain match. Each component 

is hand polished assembled and run-in. The spacing of the single machines can be 

varied to fit any instrument and are available for 7+ strings. 

The traditional tuners are 18-karat gold plated or black zinc plated. They are also 

available for 7+strings. Traditional tuners have a roller spacing of 70mm, (13 /8"). 

All of the tuners are available with your choice of natural ebony, snakewood, natural 

or faux mother-of-pearl or ivoroid buttons. The gear inlay is available in abalone, ebony, 

snakewood, mother-of-pearl or plain polished 

bronze. The rollers are available in black or white 

(Delrin ® over a bronze shaft). Each set of tuners 

is hand made to order. 

When ordering these tuners please refer to the chart below to select the options available. 

TYPE BUTTON GEAR INLAY ROLLERS PLATE PRICE 6 STRING PRICE 7 STRING 

GT (GT7) Individual - 6 tuners E, I, P A, E, S, M, PB W, B B $159.50 $186.08 

GTP (GTP7) Individual - 6 tuners M A, E, S, M, PB W, B B 171.50 200.08 

GTS (GTS7) Individual - 6 tuners S A, E, S, M, PB W, B B 219.50 256.08 

GTT (GTT7) Traditional, 3-on-a-plate E, I, P A, E, S, M, PB W, B G, B 159.50 186.08 

GTTP (GTTP7) Traditional, 3-on-a-plate M A, E, S, M, PB W, B G, B 171.50 200.08 

GTTS (GTTS7) Traditional, 3-on-a-plate S A, E, S, M, PB W, B G, B 219.50 256.08 

*Traditional, 3-on-a-plate tuners 

come with 2 plates. 

*When ordering a 7 string tuner, 

please specify whether you prefer the 

extra tuner on the treble or bass side. 

UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED 

FOR 5 YEARS 

AGAINST WEAR OR DEFECTS 

IN CRAFTSMANSHIP OR MATERIALS. 

E-Ebony 

I-Ivoroid 

P-Pearloid 

A-Abalone 

S-Snakewood 

TUNING MACHINE REPLACEMENT SCREWS 

Available for all tuning machines that we carry. 

PER DOZEN 

EMSC Roundhead phillips, chrome ................... $1.50 

EMSCG Roundhead phillips, gold ........................... 1.50 

EMSG Flat head phillips, gold .............................. 3.00 

M-Mother-of-Pearl, 

PB-Polished Bronze (recessed) 

W-White 

B-Black 

G-Gold 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

57

58 

ULTRALITE BASS TUNERS 

Manufactured by Hipshot, the Ultralite tuners pair well with our Hipshot Bass Bridges and have several excellent 

features. They are designed to be lightweight and sturdy, combating the neck-heavy problems many basses have. 

With a 20:1 gear ratio accurate tuning is assured. They are available with either a modern “Y” shaped key or a more 

vintage “Clover” style key to match any style bass. The Ultralites are reversible and 

sold individually so any left-right or string number combination can be easily achieved. 

EACH 6+ 

HB6YC Ultralite bass, chrome “Y”-key, single machine ........... $19.25 ... 17.25 

HB6YG Ultralite bass, gold, “Y”-key, single machine ................. 25.25 ... 23.75 

HB6YB Ultralite bass, black, “Y”-key, single machine ............... 19.25 ... 17.25 

HB6CC Ultralite bass, chrome, “C”-key, single machine............ 19.25 ... 17.25 

HB6CG Ultralite bass, gold, “C”-key, single machine ................. 25.25 ... 23.75 

HB6CB Ultralite bass, black, “C”-key, single machine ............... 19.25 ... 17.25 

FLAMENCO PEGS / VIOLIN PEGS 

All pegs require some sanding with 400 or 500-grit paper (see TRI-M-ITE 

on page 116) . All tapers are standard 1:30 with slight variations. Standard 

violin pegs are often used on dulcimers as well as for flamenco guitars. 

Our friend and flamenco builder, Lester Devoe asked for a proper flamenco 

tuning peg, and we promptly supplied him with these nicely turned Ebony pegs. 

EACH 12 + 

PE1 Violin, Rosewood, standard ....................$1.85 ...... 1.30 

PE1E Violin, Ebony, standard ............................ 2.25 ...... 1.80 

PEF Flamenco/viola, Ebony ............................. 2.35 ...... 1.90 

SCHALLER TM BANJO TUNING MACHINES 

Schaller TM banjo tuning machines. Five-wheeled, planetary-geared banjo 

pegs work great on dulcimers as well as banjos. 4:1 gear ratio. Pearloid buttons 

and knurled thumb screws. 3 /8" pegholes required for SB4s. SB5 available 

for 5 string banjos. Sold individually. 

EACH 

SB4 Schaller TM banjo tuner, chrome, single machine ...... $15.40 

SB5 Schaller TM banjo, chrome, fifth string ........................... 18.50 

GROVER TM 

DELUXE UKULELE PEGS 

Designed for superior instruments, the machined brass housing, string post, 

and face bushing provide solid, yet smooth, tuning action. Set of four (4) with 

black plastic buttons. These are used on many of the best hand made and 

factory made ukes. 

UKELELE & MANDOLIN PEGS/TUNERS 

EACH 3+ 

GM4 Grover TM deluxe ukulele pegs (4) ...........$27.75 .... 25.75 

ECONOMY UKULELE PEGS 

These are slightly smaller and lighter than the Deluxe pegs above. Set of 

four (4) fitted with plastic tension washers and black plastic buttons. 

EACH 3+ 

GMPN4 Grover TM economy ukulele pegs (4) ........$8.35 ...... 7.25 

ECONOMY “A” SIZE 

MANDOLIN TUNING MACHINES 

These economy priced tuning machines are designed for use with simpler, 

less expensive mandolins – possibly the flat top and flat back models. Available 

in both a gold finish and a chrome finish, these machines are 4-on-plate 

with the standard 70mm spacing between the outside two string posts. 

EACH 3+ 

GMC4 GroverTM economy mando. tuners, Chrome ....$29.50 .... 27.75 

GMG4 GroverTM economy mando. tuners, Gold ...........33.75 .... 30.65 


HARDWARE 


707-433-1823 

PE1 

PE1E PEF

HARDWARE HARDWARE — BRIDGE & END PINS/STRINGS 

BRIDGE RIDGE & 

END ND P PPINS 

P INS 

All of our bridge and end pins have a 3° taper and fit most modern acoustic 

guitars. Our SPRMP reamer will fit the bridge pins and the SPRM2 will fit the endpins 

listed here. Some guitars have 5° pins and our SPRMP5 reamer will help you refit 

those, but will not work with our LMI pins. 

(See Reamers page 97) 

(6 pins per pack) 

1 pack 4+ packs 

PI1K 

PI3K 

PI3AK 

PI3MK 

PI4K 

PI4MK 

PI7K 

Cream plastic, A=.95"; B=.21"; C=.14" ....... $1.25 ....... 1.00 

Ebony, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.18" ...................... 4.00 ....... 3.38 

Ebony w/ab dot, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.16" ....... 6.45 ....... 5.75 

Ebony w/MOP dot, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.18" ..6.45 ....... 5.75 

Ind. Rw, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.18"..................... 4.00 ....... 3.38 

Ind. Rw w/MOP dot, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.18" 6.45 ....... 5.75 

Boxwood, A=.80"; B=.21"; C=.18" ................. 4.00 ....... 3.38 

WOOD & PLASTIC BRIDGE PINS 

WOOD END PINS 

EACH 4+ 

PIE1 

PIE1M 

PIE3A 

PIE2 

PIE2M 

PIE6 

Ebony, A=.74"; B=.30"; C=.25" ...................... $1.05 ....... .80 

Ebony w/MOP dot, A=.74"; B=.30"; C=.25" .... 1.90 ..... 1.35 

Ebony w/abalone dot, A=.74"; B=.30"; C=.25" 1.90 ..... 1.35 

Ind. Rw, A=.74"; B=.30"; C=.25"....................... 1.05 ....... .80 

Ind. Rw w/MOP dot, A=.74"; B=.30"; C=.25" ..1.90 ..... 1.35 

Boxwood, A=.72"; B=.32"; C=.29" ................... 1.40 ....... .85 

METAL END PINS/STRAP PINS 

STRINGS TRINGS 

DR HANDMADE STRINGS 

LISA STRINGS 

EACH 4+ 

PIE3 Chrome w/screw .............................................. $1.30 ....... .95 

PIE3G Gold w/screw ..................................................... 1.35 ....... .95 

FOSSILIZED WALRUS IVORY PINS 

WITH PAUA DOT 

EACH 

PFWIP Fossilized walrus ivory bridge pins (6) ........ $144.50 

PEWIP Fossilized walrus ivory end pin ....................... 39.95 

BLACK HORN PINS 

PBH Black Horn bridge pins (6) ............................... 58.00 

PEBH Black Horn end pin .......................................... 14.95 

Dimensions: 

DR uses a careful process that keeps the core wire under high tension equal to, or 

greater than the string tension at concert pitch. They’re made with very high pressure 

while holding the wrap material by hand—the core material does not have to be soft to 

avoid breakage on high speed machinery. This actually means that more metal is compressed 

into the string than with equivalent strings from other manufacturers. The DR .042" string contains more metal than a comparable .044". More mass reaches pitch with 

lower tension. EACH 3+ 

STDRT Electric sets gauged: .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .0465, Compression-wound, nickel-plated .......................... $7.25 ....... 6.25 

STDRP Acoustic stress-free phosphor, bright and sweet: .012, .016, .024,. 032, .042, .054 ............................................. 7.45 ....... 6.45 

STDRPB Rare phosphor bronze, loud, warm, and fat (best materials). Gauges as STDRP. ............................................. 8.50 ....... 6.90 

STDRZ Zebra strings - wound w/ bronze & nickel, Acoustic-electric applications: .010, .013, .017,. 026, .036, .046 ...... 9.35 ....... 8.35 

Lisa Hurlong – an American classical guitarist living in Granada, Spain – has these 

classical guitar strings manufactured to the requirements of the guitar makers and players 

that she works with in Spain. Good sounding, long lasting and very affordable (about 

half the cost of equivalent strings in music stores), these strings are successfully marketed 

throughout southern Spain and have been enjoyed by our customers. Available in 

high and medium tension. 

EACH 3+ 

STRL High tension classical guitar string set ............... $6.10 ....... 5.45 

STRLM Medium tension classical guitar strings ................ 6.10 ....... 5.45 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

A 

B 

C 

59 

Fossilized walrus 

ivory pins 

with paua dot 

Black 

horn pins 

SEE 

COLOR 

PHOTO 

ON 

COVER

60 

G 

ACOUSTIC 

COUSTIC GGUIT 

G UIT UITAR UIT AR PPICKUPS 

P ICKUPS 

HIGHLANDER ACOUSTIC PICKUP 

Bob Wolstein teamed up with Rick Turner to develop the Highlander 

acoustic pickup. Using highly sophisticated computer circuit simulation software 

in conjunction with listening tests in Jackson Browne’s Groove Master 

recording studio, they’ve come up with a fully integrated pickup system including 

preamp for acoustic nylon or steel string instruments. This under saddle 

pickup is a new and unique design with a coaxial transducer that is sensitive 

along the full length of the saddle—making it useful for any string spacing, 

including acoustic bass guitars. 

The preamp, which is enclosed in an extension of the endpin, is a discreet 

class A-type circuit with separate stages for buffering the pickup input and 

driving the guitar cable and amplifier. Hum and circuit noise are imperceptible. 

Intermodulation distortion is reduced to provide good clarity for chording. The system 

is self-contained and requires no soldering. Endpin is threaded type 9 /16" x 12 

NC tap type. 9V battery holder is affixed to the inside of the guitar with foam tape. 

HEADWAY ACTIVE ACOUSTIC GUITAR TRANSDUCERS 

Recently there have been 

several new acoustic guitar 

pickup products introduced as 

well as new models by the established 

manufacturers. We 

have been testing and listening 

to all of these new products 

and have decided to offer two under-saddle 

transducers by HEADWAY Electronics, based in 

the UK. These pickups impart a very warm, acoustic 

sound with a strong signal. Originally recommended 

to us by Michael Millard of Froggy Bottom 

guitars and in use by a great number of the 

fine luthiers in the U.K., these pickups are the 

perfect solution for those who like the inobtrusive 

look and installation of piezo elements, but want 

to avoid the brittleness and tightness of the piezo 

pickups. Both of these pickups have 0.100" coaxial 

cable under-saddle elements that fit in a 1 /8" 

EPHE1 

P 

EACH 

EIP-1 Highlander pickup ............................ $140.00 

EIP-1V Highlander w/volume control ............. 172.00 

EIP-2 Highlander pickup w/mini jack .......... 162.50 

slot, a small rounded trough in the bottom of the saddle slot for a more secure fit of the 

element is recommended, but not necessary. This trough can be routed with the mini ballend 

router bit listed below, CA7. A standard battery holder is supplied and wired to each of 

these units. 

The more basic unit, the EPSNAKE, has a very small pre-amp mounted in-line 

between the under-saddle element and the end pin jack with EQ set for low end roll off 

to cut body noise. It has a tone and signal that is far superior to the other products 

available anywhere near the price range of this unit. There are actually no other active, 

pre-amped products in this price range to our knowledge. 

The second unit, the EPHE1, has a much more sophisticated pre-amp which greatly 

improves equalization with a naturalistic mid-range cut that counters the tendency of 

most pickups to amplify the mid-range hump in steel string guitars. This unit also 

incorporates an FET switching system that reduces the amplified “clunk” when plugging 

in and out. 

EACH 

EPSNAKE Headway basic active transducer ......... $99.00 

EPHE1 Headway HE1 better transducer ........... 169.00 

CA7 Small ball end cutter, 1 /8" shank ............. 18.95 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR PICKUPS — HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE 

The EIP-1 is available with pickup, 

preamp and endpin jack. EIP-1V also 

includes a miniature volume control 

knob mounted through the side of the 

instrument. The EIP-2 has a mini-jack 

attached, which allows you to wire the 

unit to a second pickup or mike, or 

another mini-plug. 


707-433-1823 

EPSNAKE 

TOOL 

TIP 

1/16" BALL-END MILL 

1/8" SHANK (CA7) 

This router bit is used to fit 

the elements of cable type 

transducers (Highlander/ 

Headway) more securely in 

saddle slots. 

FOR MORE DETAILS 

SEE PAGE 93

HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE ARE — ACOUSTIC GUITAR PICKUPS 

L.R. BAGGS TM 

ACOUSTIC PICKUP 

The Lloyd Baggs TM pickup is probably the most popular acoustic guitar 

pickup on the market and with good reason. Lloyd, a guitar builder for many 

years, designed his pickup with years of experience behind him. Designed 

with the luthier in mind, all the electronics are cast right in to the saddle— 

there’s not the installation difficulty that there is with shim-type pickups. 

The saddle can be filed, sanded, and shaped for intonating, making installation 

much like that of standard saddles. With what Lloyd calls a “threedimensional” 

sensor, the pickup is responsive in three dimensions: up and 

down, back and forth, and side to side. Most of the shim-type pickups are 

responsive only to downward pressure, and are uni-dimensionally responsive 

with high output, low noise, and flat frequency response. The Baggs TM 

pickup has been used for several years on both steel string and nylon string 

guitars with great results and many happy customers! 

EACH 

EPBAGLB-12 2 3 /8" L.R. Baggs TM pickup ................. $115.00 

EPBAGLB-6X 2 1 /4" L.R. Baggs TM pickup ................... 115.00 

EPBAGLB-6 2 1 /8" L.R. Baggs TM pickup ................... 115.00 

EPBAGLB-C Classic L.R. Baggs TM pickup .............. 115.00 

L.R. BAGGS TM 

DUAL SOURCE 

Based on the Baggs TM Ribbon Transducer. A recent development of Lloyd’s, 

an undersaddle pickup which is made up of multiple, independent micro-thin 

directional sensors that respond to top vibration rather than to string pressure. 

The Dual Source combines this active onboard pickup with a microphone mixing 

system with all controls. Installs without having to cut or drill or solder, 

leaving your guitar unaltered. Works with any string spacing, and features: 

one cord mix; discrete pure class A mixer; remote control with master volume 

and microphone level control; high end microphone. Instructions included, 

requires 9V battery. 

EACH 

EPBAGDS Baggs TM Dual Source, 1 /8" .................... $209.35 

EPBAGDS32 Baggs TM Dual Source, 3 /32" ................... 209.35 

L.R. BAGGS TM 

RIBBON TRANSDUCER 

Because it’s largely a vibration sensitive pickup (rather than pressure), balance 

problems due to uneven pressure from the saddle are dramatically reduced. 

And because the ribbon is made of many independent directional vibration 

sensors the “RT,” as it is known, presents a “lifelike picture of the tone 

of your guitar in a way that no uni-dimensional pickup is capable of.” Works 

with any string spacing. Studio quality sound. Includes onboard preamp, and 

endpin jack. Requires 9V battery. Instructions included. 

EACH 

EPBAGRT Ribbon Transducer, 1 /8" element ....... $132.00 

EPBAGRT32 Ribbon Transducer, 3 /32" element ....... 123.00 

L.R. BAGGS TM 

PARA ACOUSTIC D.I. 

A studio quality combination pre-amp/equalizer, the Para Acoustic D.I. can be combined 

with any pickup including low-output pickups. It boasts many features including: 

discrete pure class A FET input; signal not passed through any active stages to achieve 

the EQ function; 5-band EQ; adjustable gain up to 24 db; phase inversion; runs on 48V 

phantom power or 9V battery; XLR balanced output; ultrahigh input impedance; parallel 

effects loop; external battery compartment access; low cut filter; battery status 

LED; Phantom power indicator; high current buffered output; heavy-duty (roadworthy); 

One-year warranty. Requires 9V battery. 

EACH 

EPBAGP Baggs TM Para Acoustic D.I. .................. $175.00 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

61 

There are several models of the standard 

saddle depending on the string spacing 

of your guitar. For 12 string or 2 3 /8", 

use the LB-12; for 2 1 /4" spacing use the 

LB-6X; and for 2 1 /8", request the LB-6. 

For classic guitar the LB-C is for string 

spacing of 2 1 /4". Lloyd’s years as a 

builder are reflected in the excellent installation 

instructions that come with the 

pickup. Five year warranty.

62 

FISHMAN MATRIX ACOUSTIC PICKUP 

The Matrix is one of the most popular pickups on the market today. Each pickup comes with an under-the-saddle 

pickup element and an active buffered pre-amp conveniently mounted on an endpin jack. 

The Natural I is voiced for well balanced and evenly voiced instruments. It works especially well on smaller bodied 

steel string guitars (OOO or Concert size) due to a boost in bass response from the pre-amp. It works equally well on 

classical guitars. The Natural I is most often used by fingerstylists and solo performers. 

The Natural II is for instruments with a fair amount of low-mids and bottom end that need to cut through the mix. The 

pre-amp is voiced to help control boominess in larger 

bodied guitars (Dreadnought and Jumbo size). 

Flatpickers will appreciate the bit of extra attack to 

help them stand out from the band. 

Both the Natural I and II are available in 2 widths 

( 3 /32" and 1 /8") to match your saddle slot and come 

with a battery clip. One 9-volt battery required. 

EACH 

EMANNT1 Acoustic Matrix Natural 1 3 /32" .... $113.00 

EMATNT1 Acoustic Matrix Natural 1 1 /8" ....... 113.00 

EMANNT2 Acoustic Matrix Natural 2 3 /32" ...... 113.00 

EMATNT2 Acoustic Matrix Natural 2 1 /8" ....... 113.00 

FISHMAN RARE EARTH 

HUMBUCKING SOUNDHOLE PICKUP 

Its unobtrusive design, ease of installation, and great 

sound make the Rare Earth a good choice for those 

looking for a different sound without altering the instrument. 

It is a stacked-coil humbucker for ultra quiet performance 

with a brilliance switch that adds a subtle treble boost 

from 2 kHz to 20 kHz to help you cut through a thick mix 

or add sparkle to a solo piece. This pickup was also designed 

for use with bronze strings, unlike other magnetic 

pickups. It mounts inside the soundhole with built-in padded 

clamps and is pre-wired to an inline jack that can 

double as an end-pin jack for a more permanent installation. 

Two 1.5-volt batteries are included. 

EREP102 

EACH 

Fishman Humbucking Soundhole Pickup ........ $165.00 

END PIN JACK 

For ease if installation, this jack can’t be beat. Just drill a ½" hole, solder, 

push it through, and tighten. It comes with a shielding barrel and copper tape 

for quiet operation. It has a third lug so it can be wired to turn off the battery for 

your pre-amp just by removing the ¼" jack. The strapbutton is large and deeply 

grooved to hold the strap securely. Installation instructions are included. 

EACH 

EBJB End pin jack............................. $11.50 

END PIN JACK-THREADED 

A course-threaded 1 /4" Switchcraft end pin jack is what everyone’s looking 

for. Unlike inferior copies these have no dead spots. A stereo/mono jack, drill 

a 7 /16" hole, and tap with a 9 /16" – 12 thread. 

EACH 3+ 

EPJK End pin jack, Switchcraft ........ $12.95 .... 11.90 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR PICKUPS — HARD HARDWARE 

HARD ARE 


707-433-1823

DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS ELEMENTS — PREMADE ROSETTES 

E 

DECORA ECORA ECORATIVE 

ECORA TIVE EELEMENTS 

E LEMENTS PRE-MADE ROSETTES — These are some of the most vivid and tasteful rosettes we’ve seen. Measurements 

vary so see the individual rosettes for inner and outer diameters. They range in thickness from 1 to 1.5mm thick. 

Always wait for the rosette to arrive before routing your slots. 

EACH 3 + 

R1 93mm ID, 21mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, green red, blue 

R2 91mm ID, 18mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, brown, purple 

R3 91mm ID, 22mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, brown, green 

R5 104mm ID, 15mm wide ......................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, brown. For steel string guitar 

EACH 3 + 

R9 93mm ID, 20mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, brown, red 

R9T Tie block Inlay for R9. .....................................4.95 .... 3.15 

R10 93mm ID, 20mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, brown, blue 

R10T Tie block inlay for R10. ...................................4.95 .... 3.15 

EACH 3 + 

R11 93mm ID, 20mm wide, Black, white, red, blue ..... 15.00 .. 12.00 

R11N Like R11, but 6mm ................................................. 8.00 .... 7.00 

R12 93mm ID, 20mm wide ........................................... 12.00 .. 15.00 

Black, white, red, blue – Like original Ramirez. 

R13 117mm ID, 7mm wide, bold pattern .....................5.15 .... 4.45 

Black, white herringbone, for steel string. 

R13F Like R13 (same size) w/ fine pattern ....................5.15 .... 4.45 

R14 93mm ID, 25mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, taupe, red – Our largest. 

FROM ROSETTES 

TO PICKGUARD MATERIAL 

EMAIL EMAIL: EMAIL : service@lmii.com service@lmii.com service@lmii.com — SEE COLOR PICTURES / / F FFAX 

F AX AX: AX : 707-433-8802 707-433-8802 OF OUR ROSETTES • • • WEBSITE 

WEBSITE 


WEBSITE 

ON THE WEB. : www www.lmii.com 

www — .lmii.com 

.lmii.com 

63 

EACH 3 + 

R18 92mm ID, 20mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, natural, red, green, rust 

R19 91mm ID, 20mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red – very fine. 

R20 91mm ID, 19mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, gold, red 

R21 91mm ID, 21mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, dark green 

EACH 3 + 

R22 90mm ID, 18mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, natural, red, dark red, green, lime green 

R23 90mm ID, 18mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, orange, red – Finest tiles. 

R24 90mm ID, 21mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, green, yellow 

EACH 3 + 

R25 90mm ID, 21mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, dark, red, dark green, yellow 

R26 90mm ID, 22mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, green. Traditional looking. 

R27 91mm ID, 22mm wide ........................................... 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, forest green. 

R28 Rose pattern, 91mm ID, 19mm wide ................. 15.00 .. 12.00 

Black, white, red, green, lime green

64 

Tile from an 

Ervin Somogyi rosette 

ROSETTE STICKS 

The rosette is often a makers signature 

and a place to express himself. After 

a great deal of cajoleing, our rosette 

distributor agreed to sell us the same material 

they use. All come a generous 17” 

long and .8mm thick. They are made 

like our colored veneers, pressure dyed 

and in the same colors for a matching 

asthetic scheme. Making a rosette is 

fun and not as difficult as it may seem. 

COLOR .8mm x .8mm 1.0mm x 1.0mm 1.5mm x 1.0mm 

White (natural) ......... VSW.8............... VSW1.0 ................VSW1.5 

Black .......................... VSB.8 ............... VSB1.0 .................VSB1.5 

Red ............................. VSR.8 ............... VSR1.0 .................VSR1.5 

Blue-teal .................... VSBL.8 ............. VSBL1.0 ............... VSBL1.5 

Green ......................... VSG.8 ............... VSG1.0 .................VSG1.5 

Purple ........................ VSP.8 ................ VSP1.0 .................VSP1.5 

Yellow ........................ VSY.8 ................ VSY1.0..................VSY1.5 

Orange ....................... VSO.8 ............... VSO1.0 .................VSO1.5 

Brown (rust)............... VSBR.8 ............. VSBR1.0 ...............VSBR1.5 

Pink ............................ VSPK.8 ............. VSPK1.0 ...............VSPK1.5 

Bundle of 10 

ROSETTE STICKS .......................................$4.70 

SERVICES 

ROSETTE INLAYING 


ROSETTE INLAY MATERIAL 

ROSETTES — DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

This graphic shows a typical rosette layup 

made from LMI rosette sticks, veneer 

sheet stock and wood purflings. 


707-433-1823 

EACH 

RIPI Pink Ivory Material, 9" x 1½" x ¼" 

Requires two per rosette .........................$3.25 

RIS Snakewood Material, 9" x 1½" x ¼" 

Requires two per rosette .........................14.25 

SERVICE PROCEDURE: 

1 Order the top of your choice. 

• The top will have to be joined and sanded. 

2 

For CLASSICAL GUITARS, order a 

• The book-matched face will be used, unless the 

other face looks nicer, with straighter grain, better 

color, more silk, etc. 

• The placement of the rosette will fix the position of 

the top on the blank. 

rosette (page 63) and use classical 

guitar service, SVRIC. 

3 For STEEL STRING GUITAR: 

• 3-ring rosettes – order part # R13 (Bold 

• You will have to do some leveling with a scraper or Herringbone) or R13F (Fine Herring- 

sandpaper because when LMI cleans up the top in bone) for the central ring. For the out- 

the thickness sander, the rosette will still feel a bit 

proud because the surrounding soft wood will be 

taken off faster than the harder rosette. 

side and inside rings, order (1) PFL2A 

purfling. Use service SVRIS. 

• Single-ring rosettes order the R5 

Rosette inlay service prices include (page 63) and use service SVRIC. 

joining, sanding and inlaying costs. 

EACH 

SVRIC Inlay classical/steel string, single-ring rosette ....................$65.00 

SVRIS Inlay steel string, 3-ring rosette ..............................................75.00

DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS ELEMENTS — PURFLINGS & BINDINGS 

URFLINGS & & B 

B 

PURFLINGS 

URFLINGS 

1 /4" 

or 

6mm 

& BINDINGS 

INDINGS 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

65 

Left: Charles Fox uses a single bold Maple line to frame his classical guitar. 

(*Note the combination of dark side, dark binding with contrasting white laminate. Many combinations 

can be used to achieve your desired effect). 

WOOD STRIPS FOR PURFLING & TRIM 

These are thin wood strips cut from veneer sheets. Some are offered in 1 / 

28" thickness (1 mm), most are1 /40" thickness (0.6 mm). “Ebonized” strips are 

pure black. Ebony strips are dark brown. 

All wood strips are 32" minimum length — measurements approximate. 

EACH 12 + 

PF1 Maple, 1 /4" X 1 /28" / 6mm X 1mm ............................ $1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF2 Maple, 1 /4" X 1 /40" / 6mm X .6mm ............................. 1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF2A Maple, 3 /32" X 1 /40" / 2.5 mm X .6mm ........................ 1.05 ..... 0.70 

PF3 Ebonized (black), 1 /4" X 1 /40" / 6mm X .6mm ........... 1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF3A Ebonized (black), 3 /32" X 1 /40" / 2.5mm X .6mm ....... 1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF4 Indian Rosewood, 1 /4" X 1 /40" / 6mm X .6mm ........... 1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF4A Indian Rosewood, 3 /32" X 1 /40" / 2.5mm X .6mm ....... 1.10 ..... 0.80 

PF5 Ebony (dark brown), 1 /4" X 1 /40" / 6mm X .6mm ....... 1.40 ..... 1.10 

PF5A Ebony (dark brown), 3 /32" X 1 /40" / 6mm X .6mm ...... 1.40 ..... 1.10 

1 /24" 

or 

1mm 

BOLD MULTI-LINE PURFLING 

1 /4" 

or 

6mm 

1 /40" 

or 

.6mm 

3 /32" 

or 

2.5mm 

1 /40" 

or 

.6mm 

Thin black veneers (fiber) and thin white wood veneers are laminated 

together and cut into strips to make these purfling pieces. These are 

more bold in appearance because the alternating black and white lines 

are each approximately 0.020" thick. Our designation BW is black/white, 

BWB is black/white/black, etc. These bold purflings are usually installed 

in combination with the bindings as illustrated in the drawing. 

All purfling strips are 32" minimum length — measurements approximate. 

EACH 12 + 

PFL1 BW, 1 /4" X .043" / 6mm X 1mm .......................... $1.50 ..... 1.00 

PFL1A BW, 3 /32" X .043" / 2.5mm X 1mm ....................... 1.50 ..... 1.00 

PFL1AT BW, 1 /4" X .024" / 6mm X .6mm ........................... 1.50 ..... 1.00 

PFL1BT BW, 3 /32" X .024" / 2.5mm X .6mm ...................... 1.50 ..... 1.00 

PFL2 BWB, 1 /4" X .066" / 6mm X 1.6mm ...................... 1.50 ..... 1.90 

PFL2A BWB, 3 /32" X .066" / 2.5mm X 1.6mm ................. 1.90 ..... 1.50 

PFL2AT BWB, 3 /32" X .035" / 2.5mm X .9mm .................... 1.90 ..... 1.50 

PFL3A WBW, 3 /32" X .066" / 2.5mm X 1.6mm................. 1.90 ..... 1.50 

PFL4 BWBW, 1 /4" X .098" / 6mm X 2.5mm................... 2.25 ..... 1.75 

PFL4A BWBW, 3 /32" X .098" / 2.5mm X 2.5mm .............. 1.90 ..... 1.50 

1 /40" 

or 

.6mm each lam. 

1 /4" 

or 

6mm 

1 /40" 

or 


3 /32" 

or 

2.5mm 

The above diagrams are approximate sizes. 

Please measure for exact dimensions before routing ledge. 

.0125" 

or 


3 /32" 

or 

2.5mm 

Englemann Spruce with laminate detail. 

MAKE YOUR OWN COLORED STRIPS 

COLORED VENEERS 

See page 68

66 

FINE MULTI-LINE PURFLING - DOUBLE LENGTH 

These edge purflings have a finer, or refined, look because the black and white veneers used are very thin – approximately 

0.010". Both the black and white lines are a fiber product. The black is very black, and the white is very white. 

These finer fiber purflings are our industry’s current standard. Martin TM , Taylor TM , Tacoma TM , Larivee TM and many more 

smaller factories and hand makers use these same purflings in the sizes offered here. We are even offering these 

items in a “wrap-around” length of 64", one piece goes completely around the top or back – eliminating the need for the 

joint at the bottom. These strips can be cut in half if only a 32" length is 

needed. This longer length gives more options for use. There are even matching 

backstrip pieces to match the selected purfling with the backstrip trim 

(see backstrips BI7B, BI8B, BI10B below). 

All fine line purfling strips are 0.080" tall and 64" long (double length). 

EACH 12 + 

PFL7 BWB purfling, 0.030" thick, 10B/10W/10B ... 3.50 ..... 3.00 

PFL8 WBW purfling, 0.030" thick, 10W/10B/10W . 3.50 ..... 3.00 

PFL10 BW purfling, 0.020" thick, 10B/10W ............. 2.40 ..... 2.00 

PFL11 BW purfling, 0.040" thick, 20B/20 ................. 2.40 ..... 2.00 



MARQUETRY PURFLING 

Anything on the edge of an instrument that isn’t the outermost edge (binding) 

is called “Purfling.” These all-wood marquetry strips add an appealing 

visual element to distinguish your instrument. Derived from Martin’s D-28 models, 

we offer 2 types of “herringbone” purfling, fine and bold (rosettes to match 

both on page 63). Next we have two diagonal check purflings, one in alternating 

black and white and our brown and white with BWB separators (see below 

for backstrip to match). They can also be inlaid into the back for a matching 

backstrip. Bend these dry and don’t soak them in water. 

All purflings are 32" in length. 

EACH 12 + 

PFI2 BW diagonal check, framed in white...... $3.55 ..... 2.75 

100" x .100" / 2.5mm x 2.5mm 

PFI3 Herringbone, fine, 3 /32" x 1 /8" ...................... 3.55 ..... 2.75 

PFI4 Herringbone, bold, 5 /32" x 1 /8" ..................... 3.55 ..... 2.75 

PFI5 BW/Brown, white framed .......................... 3.55 ..... 2.75 

7 

/64" x 3 /32" / 3mm x 2.5mm 

BACKSTRIPS 

Backstrips BI1B, BI3B, and BI4B listed here match the bindings BI1R, 

BI3H, and BI4H. See how matched backstrip and bindings are used in combination 

in the photo at right of a Charles Fox guitar. Also included here are 

four (4) decorative marquetry backstrips, three of which are similar to those on 

vintage instruments. The three fine line backstrips added to the bottom of the 

list match the new fine multi-line purflings offered at the top of the page. 

Dimensions: approximately ¼" wide x 1 /8" thick x 26" long, enough for butt 

joint, too. Except BI7B, BI8B, and BI10B fine line strips – they are 3 /16" tall. 

EACH 3+ 

BI11B Snakewood backstrip .................................................... $7.25 ...... NA 

BI1B Maple backstrip w/Rw ..................................................... 3.25 .... 2.95 

BI3B Indian Rw backstrip w/lam .............................................. 3.75 .... 3.30 

BI4B Ebony backstrip w/lam ................................................... 4.25 .... 3.90 

BI9B Cocobolo backstrip w/Maple lam .................................... 3.55 .... 3.25 

BI5 Checkered D-28 backstrip, .175 wide ............................ 3.45 ...... NA 

BI6B “Chevron” backstrip, to match PFI5 purfling, .2 wide ..... 5.10 ...... NA 

BI20B Fine “zipper” pattern backstrip, .15 wide ........................ 4.95 ...... NA 

BI21B D-35, bold “zipper” pattern backstrip, .25 wide .............. 4.95 ...... NA 

BI7B BWB fine line backstrip, 0.030 wide, 10B/10W/10B ..... 1.80 .... 1.50 

BI8B WBW fine line backstrip, 0.030 wide, 10W/10B/10W .. 1.80 .... 1.50 

BI10B BW fine line backstrip, 0.020 wide, 10W/10B ............... 1.70 .... 1.40 

PURFLINGS & BINDINGS — DECORATIVE 

DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

64" 

WRAP-AROUND 

ONE PIECE GOES 

COMPLETELY AROUND 

THE TOP OR BACK 

PFI2 PFI3 PFI4 PFI5 


707-433-1823 

Charles Fox guitar 

BI1B BI3B BI4B BI5 BI6B BI20B BI21B

DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS ELEMENTS — PURFLINGS & BINDINGS 

WOOD BINDING 

Binding serves to protect the corners of the instrument as well as seal the 

end grain of the soundboard and back. We cut our own binding and sand it to 

assure that it is all the same thickness. All edges are smooth and square 

and ready to be bent. Several of the bindings come with a contrasting laminate 

on one edge to frame in your sides. Do not soak the bindings w/laminates—go 

ahead and mist them or bend them dry. The Universal Side Bending 

Machine, SPBUCOM, is an effective way to bend binding. You can use 

the side form, with no modification, to easily bend difficult curly figure. 

All Binding measures 1 /4" x .080" x 32" except BI8 (Madagascar) BI10 

(Snakewood) and BI11(Boxwood) which are 3 /16" tall. 

EACH 12+ 

BI1T Maple binding ............................................................. $2.30 ....... 1.80 

BI1R Maple binding with Rosewood lam. ............................. 2.65 ....... 2.25 

BI3H Indian Rosewood binding with lam. ............................. 2.75 ....... 2.45 

BI3T Indian Rosewood binding, 1 /4" tall ................................ 2.50 ....... 2.20 

BI4T Ebony binding ............................................................... 3.75 ....... 3.25 

BI4H Ebony binding with white lam. ..................................... 4.15 ....... 3.65 

BI6T Koa binding, plain, 1 /4" tall ............................................ 2.65 ....... 2.25 

BI12T Koa binding, curly, 1 /4" tall ............................................ 6.75 ......... NA 

BI7T Maple binding, curly, 1 /4" tall ........................................ 4.25 ....... 3.65 

BI8T Madagascar Rw binding, sub for Braz. ....................... 2.30 ....... 2.10 

BI8H Madagascar Rw binding, sub for Braz. w/lam. ........... 2.80 ....... 2.65 

BI9T Cocobolo Rw binding .................................................... 2.40 ....... 2.00 

BI9H Cocobolo Rw binding with laminate ............................. 3.95 ....... 3.35 

BI10 Snakewood binding .................................................... 12.75 ......... NA 

BI11 Boxwood binding .......................................................... 3.50 ....... 2.80 

PLASTIC BINDING 

Plastic makes a good binding due to its resiliency and ease in bending. 

You can rip the laminated bindings to use as purfling. Most are 54" long 

with the exception of the black and white Bolteron that is 71" long, and the 

F-hole binding which is 12" long. 

Dimensions with each part: thickness x width 

PBIWB White, Bolteron — A 

— B 

— C 

— D 

TM .0625" x 1 /4" x 71" ...... $2.60 ...2.00 

PBIWBB Black, BolteronTM .0625" x 1 /4" x 71" ........ 2.60 ...2.00 

PBIB Black .080" x 1 /4" ...................................... 2.40 ...2.00 

PBIW White .090" x 1 /4" ...................................... 2.60 ...2.00 

PBI1 BW, .040" x — E 

— F 

— G 

— H 

1 /4"/.020"/.020" ..................... 2.75 ...2.40 

PBI2T BWB, .090" x 1 /4"/.030"/.030"/.030" ........ 2.95 ...2.60 

PBI3 BWB, .060" x 1 /4"/.020"/.020"/.020" ........ 2.95 ...2.60 

PBI4 WBW, .090" x 1 /4"/.030"/.030"/.030" ........ 2.95 ...2.60 

PBI5 BWBW,.080" x — I 

— J 

— K 

— L 

— M 

— N 

1 /4"/.020"/.020"/.020"/.020" .. 3.25 .... 2.75 

PBI6 WBW, .060" x 1 /4" /.020"/.020"/.020" ...... 2.95 ...2.60 

PBII Ivoroid, .060" x 1 /4" .................................... 3.75 ...3.30 

PBIIB Ivoroid/bk, .060" x 1 /4" /.040"/.020" .......... 5.55 ...5.05 

PBIIBI Iv/bk/iv, .090" X 1 /4"/.020"/.020"/.050" ....... 5.55 ...5.05 

PBIC Cream, .060" x 1 /2" ................................... 4.65 ...3.70 

ARCHTOP F-HOLE BINDING 

PBAW White, .090" x 1 1 /4" x 12" ....................... $3.25 

PBAB Black, .080" x 1 1 /4" x 12" ......................... 3.25 

END GRAFT / HEEL CAP 

EACH 12 + 

Dimensions: 

Plain: 

3 

/16" x .080" x 32" 

1 /4" x .080" x 32"(T) 

With Maple or 

Rosewood laminate: 

7 /32" x .080" x 32" 

A B C D 

E F G H 

I J K L M N 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

67 

Snakewood binding 

Guitar by Sergei DeJonge 

BINDING 

TAPE 

For 

Gluing/ 

Attaching 

Bindings 

see page 115 

Enlarged 

end 

view of 

plastic 

bindings 

to show 

patterns 

& 

textures. 

At 2" by 7" this is enough to tie in the binding on the top and back with an end graft 

and dress up the neck with a heel cap. Great for a vintage Martin 

3 + EACH 

PBII2X7 Ivoroid, end graft/heel cap ......... $2.75 ..... 3.00 

PBB2X7 Black, end graft/heel cap ............ 2.75 ..... 3.00 

-look. Ivoroid grain 

runs along the 7" length.

68 

VENEERS ENEERS 

Indian Rosewood 

veneer, VRW6 

The WIJVS is not sawn, but sliced. 

That means that they will naturally cup. 

These must be flattened under weights 

for a period of time before they can be 

used (They can not be sanded flat). 

COLORED VENEERS 

These are our special veneers for making your own purfling strips, headplate veneers, and other details to set 

your instruments apart. These are pressure dyed to assure that the color goes all the way through. With their large 

size (36" x 8" x .6mm or .3mm, your choice) this is truly a unique product. White is a natural Maple color. All colors 

match the veneer sticks for a complete aesthetic across your instrument. 

EACH 6 + 

VBR6 Rust, 0.6mm .................................. $14.75 ... 12.50 

VBR3 Rust, 0.3mm .................................... 13.10 ... 10.40 

VB6 Black, 0.6mm .................................. 14.75 ... 12.50 

VB3 Black, 0.3mm .................................. 13.10 ... 10.40 

VO6 Orange, 0.6mm ............................... 14.75 ... 12.50 

VO3 Orange, 0.3mm ............................... 13.10 ... 10.40 

VW6 White, 0.6mm .................................. 14.75 ... 12.50 

VW3 White, 0.3mm .................................. 13.10 ... 10.40 

VY6 Yellow, 0.6mm ................................. 14.75 ... 12.50 

VY3 Yellow, 0.3mm ................................. 13.10 ... 10.40 

VP6 Purple-blue, 0.6mm ......................... 14.75 ... 12.50 

VP3 Purple-blue, 0.3mm ......................... 13.10 ..... 0.40 

VG6 Green-teal, 0.6mm .......................... 14.75 ... 12.50 

VG3 Green-teal, 0.3mm .......................... 13.10 ... 10.40 

VR6 Red, 0.6mm ..................................... 14.75 ... 12.50 

VR3 Red, 0.3mm ..................................... 13.10 ... 10.40 

VBL6 Blue-navy, 0.6mm ............................ 14.75 ... 12.50 

VBL3 Blue-navy, 0.3mm ............................ 13.10 ... 10.40 

HEADPLATE VENEERS 

WOOD VENEERS 

We offer Indian Rosewood and 

flamed European Maple to add decorative 

touches to your instruments. 

The flame on the Maple (VEM6) is excellent 

and even quite visible on edge. 

It looks great as a purfling line between 

two other dark lines or in a 

headplate sandwich. The Indian Rosewood veneers 

(VRW6) make a great contrast to the flamed 

Maple. Both are 5" x 33" x .6mm so there is plenty 

of material for a variety of uses. VRW6 can also be 

used for veneering sides. 

VENEERS: 7 1 /2" x 3 1 /2"" x 1 /24" or 1 /40" / 19cm x 8.89cm x 1mm or .6mm 

We offer standard veneers for headplates, dimensions above, as well as 

high quality colored rosette-making veneers, out of which you may make lines 

or laminates as well as headplate sandwiches. Please request a color rosette 

page from your salesperson or see our website. 

EACH 6+ 

WHMPEV Ebonized veneer, 1 /40" ................................ $1.25 ...... 0.95 

WHMPV Maple veneer, 1 /40" ........................................ 0.75 ...... 0.55 

WHHV Maple veneer, 1 /24" ........................................ 0.75 ...... 0.55 

WHMPVF Maple flame veneer, 1 /40" ............................. 1.45 ...... 1.20 

VENEERS — DECORATIVE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS 

ELEMENTS 

The guitar above was made by René Baarslag 

of Granada, Spain. His “lines” are flamed European 

Maple,VEM6, and really add a “sparkle” to 

the trim. We now offer it in veneer sheets so you 

can cut your own lines and headplate veneers. 

EACH 6+ 

VEM6 Flamed Euro Maple, 5" x 33" x .020" (.6mm) ... $9.40 ..... 7.80 

VRW6 Indian Rw, 5" x 33" x .020" (.6mm) ..................... 9.40 ..... 7.80 

WIJVS Indian Rosewood, 5" x 33" x .110"....................... 9.40 ..... 7.80 

MM 0.0001 in. 

0.3 0.012" 

0.6 0.024" 

WOOD HEADPLATES page 43 


707-433-1823

DECORA 

DECORA 

DECORATIVE 

DECORA TIVE ELEMENTS ELEMENTS — PICKGUARD MATERIAL 

PICKGU ICKGU ICKGUARD 

ICKGU ARD MMATERIAL 

M TERIAL 

PICKGUARD SHEETS (PGTPL and PGTPLF are self-adhesive) 

EACH 4+ 

PGTPL Transparent, .005" thick, 8" x 10" sheet ........ $3.20 ..... 2.40 

PGTPLF Transparent, .011" for flamenco, 8" x 8"3.35 .... 2.65 

PGB Black, .035" thick, 5" x 8" sheet....................... 2.55 ..... 1.70 

PGBL Black, .035" thick, 8" x 10" sheet .................... 3.95 ..... 2.95 

PGTS Tortoise-color, .020" thick, 5" x 8" sheet .......... 9.30 ..... 8.00 

PGTSL Tortoise-color, .020" thick, 8" x 10" sheet ....... 11.45 ..... 9.20 

PGTSY Tortoise, yellow, .020" thick, 5" x 8" sheet ....... 5.95 ..... 4.75 

PGTSLY Tortoise, yellow, .020" thick, 8" x 10" sheet ... 10.40 ..... 8.20 

PGBWB BWB, .090" thick, 9.5" x12" sheet ................... 6.45 ..... 4.75 

MPGTB 

See 

catalog 

cover 

for color 

photo 

MARTIN TM -SYTLE 

PICKGUARDS 

(Celluloid Nitrate) 

TOR-TIS TM PICKGUARDS 

M 

MPG EACH 4+ 

Black 

self-adhesive ........ $3.90 .. 2.60 

MPGT 

Tortoise-color (reddish) 

self-adhesive .......... 4.75 .. 3.75 

MPGTB 

Tortoise-color (closer to natural) 

self-adhesive .......... 7.00 .... NA 

Tor-tis TM is an exciting new pickguard product designed to match the original 

tortoise-style pickguards of the ’30s and ’40s, but with many more advantages. 

Impact and scratch resistant, it will not shrink or crack. It is acoustically 

transparent, and the precast pickguards polish out nicely with a radiused 

edge so that they appear to have been “finished in.” Highly refractive, chemically 

inert (untouched by all solvents), with the Tor-tis TM resins backed by 

twenty-five years of industrial use, any tortoise would be proud to sport Tortis 

TM as its carapace. 

Tor-tis TM is available in sheets as well as in the following sizes and colors 

from stock. Pre-cut pickguards have adhesive back. 

PGTOR1* 

EACH 

Small teardrop, OM (Lakewood) ...... $21.80 

PGTOR2* Medium teardrop, small MartinTM D ... 32.70 

PGTOR3* Large, J-200 sizes .............................. 49.00 

PGTOR4* D-28 .................................................... 32.70 

PGTOR5* D-45 .................................................... 32.70 

SHEET STOCK (warm in water, cut w/scissors) 

PGTORS* .035" - .045", 4½" x 71 specify color 

/2" 

................................................. $32.70 

PGTORS1* .035" - .045", 7½" x 12" 

specify color ................................................. $54.50 

*Please add an 

M for medium, D for dark, B for bold, 

V for Vintage or F for Firestripe 

to the end of your part number when ordering. 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

.005" 

.011" 

.035" 

.020" 

.090" 

TRANSFER ADHESIVE 

Firestripe 

Small 

Teardrop 

PGTPL 

PGTPLF 

PGB/PGBL 

PGTS/ PGTSL/ 

PGTSY/PGTSLY 

PGBWB 

69 

The transfer adhesive LMI stocks is the same one 

used by MartinTM , GibsonTM , Santa Cruz, Taylor, and 

many other makers of fine instruments. It is perfectly 

clear, thin (3-5 mils.), extremely aggressive, tenacious, 

heat resistant (up to 200°), and waterproof. Simply unroll 

to expose the adhesive, apply to the back of the 

pickguard, trim away the excess with a sharp knife 

and (after removing the protective layer of wax paper) 

press firmly down to the surface. Once you try this 

method, you will never use anything else. Guaranteed. 

EACH 3 + 

FTFTSS Transfer adhesive, 8" x 10" ......... $1.55 . 1.25 

FTFT8 Transfer adhesive, 8" x 60 yd. ... 95.00 

Bold 

Large 

J-200 

Medium 

D-28 

Vintage 

Medium 

Teardrop 

Dark 

D-45

70 

I 

SHELL HELL IINLA 

I NLA NLAY NLA MMATERIALS 

M TERIALS 

Larry Robinson’s stunning inlay on Martin’s 750,000th guitar. 

SOLID VS. ABALAM 

M 

We carry two types of shell inlay material, Solid (or slab) shell and 

“Abalam” (laminated shell): 

Solid (slab) Shell This is pure shell material, cut straight from the curved 

inside surface of the shell and then sanded flat. This has been the traditional 

material for inlay until the advent of “Abalam”. It is sold by the 

ounce (slab pieces), in dots, as curved strips and as straight strips, tie 

block inlays and some special shapes. 

When you purchase an ounce of flat slab expect to see approximately 7 

to 8 pieces in an ounce of 1st grade or regular slab shell and 4 to 6 pieces 

in an ounce of the large shell. The size and shape of each piece will vary. 

“Abalam” This is a stunning inlay material, made by laminating extremely 

thin sections of shell in such a way as to render the entire 

surface of the sheet with beautiful, figured shell patterns — unlike natural 

shell slab pieces which varies over the surface area and depth of the 

piece. It is perfectly flat and is actually easier to saw into delicate 

patterns because of the homogeneous nature of the laminations. This 

is the ideal material when you need unusually large pieces or for 

projects where extreme figure is a must. There are also more types 

of shell available than there is in slab/solid shell. This material is 

available in sheets at 2 different thicknesses and as curved and 

straight strips. Check our website (www.lmii.com) for color pictures 

of the “Abalam” shell. 

Inlay can add beauty to your instrument, show 

off your workmanship and add distinction and 

individuality to your instrument. Your imagination 

is the only limit as you can choose anything 

from the traditional to the outrageous to 

dress up your guitar. 

At LMI you can find a wide variety of useful 

and beautiful materials, fine tools (page 82) and 

instructional materials. Especially recommended 

for beginners is Larry Robinson’s excellent 

3 video set, BM36K, which takes you 

through the entire process (page 122). Larry 

has also written a fine book, The Art of Inlay, 

BM20). From capturing an inspiring image all 

the way to crafting it to perfection onto your 

peghead or fingerboard, Larry shows you how 

the master inlay artists adorn instruments with 

stunningly original and beautiful inlays. 

Though shell is the most common inlay material, 

keep in mind that woods can be used 

as well. Our expanded range of headplate materials 

(page 43) adds to the shell materials 

listed below. Following are some descriptions 

and terms to guide you through our selection 

of shell inlay materials. 

Soundhole with abalone ring 

by Heidi Spurlin. 


707-433-1823 

INLAY 

INLAY

INLAY 

INLAY 

SHELL TYPES & COLORS 

Here are some descriptions of the various 

types and colors you will find in this section of 

the catalog (Note that not all colors are available 

in all types and shapes of shell/ “Abalam”): 

Mother of Pearl or MOP. Silvery white in 

color, this is the most common inlay material. 

This material is relatively homogenous from 

piece to piece and displays subtle rainbow colors 

when turned in the light. This is the best 

material for engraving and stands out wonderfully 

in any dark wood. Not available in 

“Abalam” but sold by the ounce and cut into 

dots, curved strips, and other shapes as listed 

on next page. 

Gold MOP. The same as above, except gold 

or bronze in color. Perfect with gold hardware 

or where a suggestion of age or 

warmth is need. 

Black MOP. Ranges from black, to smoky or 

silvery gray. This material often displays 

stunning rainbow-like figuring! 

Red Ab. or Abalone (pronounced Ab-a-loney). 

Available only in “Abalam”, it features 

predominately red and pink streaks, but 

often has some greens, blues and 

purples. A very versatile and common 

shell for inlay. 

Heart. This refers to section of shell culled 

from the central muscle scar of the shell 

(where the snail was attached). In green 

abalone it often appears as a wavy, burllike 

pattern and in Red AB it appears as 

a birds-eye like figure. Great for floral designs 

and detailed inlays. 

Green Ab. This is a type of abalone shell that 

shows more green accents along with the 

reds and blues. Available as “Abalam” and 

in curved and straight strips. 

Paua Shell. (Pronounced “pow-ah”) A type of 

abalone material that is strong in blue 

and turquoise colors, but also has purples 

and reds. Very beautiful, with good “figure”. 

Available in dots and shell edging 

and in “Abalam”, but not as slab shell. 

Donkey Shell. A white mother-of-pearl type 

shell available in “Abalam” only. Essentially 

a Mother of pearl substitute (Mother 

of Pearl is not available in “Abalam”). Great 

for larger inlays and for large Gibson TM style 

fingerboard trapezoid inlays. 

Black MOP 

Green Abalone Select 

Paua Abalone 

Donkey Shell 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

71 

White MOP Gold MOP 

Red Abalone Heart 

Green Abalone Heart 

Paua Abalone Heart 

See See 

See 


www .lmii.com 

for for full full color 

color 

photos 

photos 

of of our 

our 

inlay inlay materials. 

materials.

72 

S 

M 

SOLID OLID SSHELL 

S HELL MMATERIAL 

M TERIAL 

MOP– WHITE, GOLD & BLACK PER PKG. 

WP60LG MOP, slab, large, white, .060", 1 oz. ................. $35.40 

WP501 MOP, slab, 1st grade, white .050", 1oz. .............. 27.05 

BP501 MOP, slab, black, .050", 1oz................................ 54.50 

GP50 MOP, slab, gold, .050", 1oz.................................. 27.00 

STRAIGHT SHELL STRIPS 

Shell strips are .050" (1.27mm) thick, are random lengths, and do not have 

squared ends. Ends of strips can be fitted or squared with a file or nipped off 

with a sharp wire cutter. 

It usually takes about 70" to do one edge on a guitar body, about 290" to 

do a complete D-45-style guitar; soundholes use about 15". Order extra, if you 

wish to be able to more closely color-match your sets. If care is taken to 

color-match adjoining ends, joints between pieces will be almost invisible. 

Another effect is to gradually “fade” from one color to another, or even set up a 

“pulsing” rhythm by going from light to dark to light. On soft curves, around a 

guitar body for instance, straight pieces are laid into a glue-filled channel and 

then forced to break into several pieces to conform to the curve. The breaks 

will be all but invisible in abalone. Sold in one inch strips. 

EACH 

SS63G Green Ab, .063", 1.6mm .........................$0.80 

SS79G Green Ab, .079", 2.0mm .......................... 0.80 

SS98G Green Ab, .098", 2.5mm .......................... 0.80 

SS47P Paua Ab, .047", 1.2mm ............................ 1.00 

SS63P Paua Ab, .063", 1.6mm ............................ 1.00 

SS79P Paua Ab, .079", 2.0mm ............................ 1.00 

SS98P Paua Ab, .098", 2.5mm ............................ 1.00 

SS63MOP White MOP, .063", 1.6mm ....................... 0.70 

CURVED SHELL STRIPS 

The curved rosette strips are cut to a 4.921" I.D. (=4 49 /64" or 125mm). They 

will work with no visible misfit on diameters somewhat larger or smaller as well 

and will give better results than straight strips when going around tight body 

curves as found in some guitar cutaways. Sold in one inch strips. 

4.921 I.D. = 125mm I.D, about 15/soundhole 

PER INCH 

CS63G Green Ab, .063", 1.6mm ....................................... $1.45 

CS79G Green Ab, .079", 2.0mm ......................................... 1.45 

CS98G Green Ab, .098", 2.5mm ......................................... 1.45 

CS135G Green Ab, .135", 3.4mm ......................................... 1.45 

CS63P Paua Ab, .063", 1.6mm ........................................... 1.85 

CS79P Paua Ab, .079", 2.0mm ........................................... 1.85 

CS98P Paua Ab, .098", 2.5mm ........................................... 1.85 

CS135P Paua Ab, .135", 3.4mm ........................................... 1.85 

CS63MOP White MOP .063", 1.6mm....................................... 1.45 

MOP PRE-CUT SHAPES 

MOPD 

EACH 

Diamond, 19mm x 8mm ................... $2.10 

MOPD1 Diamond, 15mm x 6mm ..................... 1.90 

MOPS1 10mm Notched Square....................... 1.00 

MOPS3 5mm Notched Square......................... 1.00 

MOPTS MOP Torch Set ................................. 25.00 

PLASTIC ROD STOCK for Inlay Dots 

Torch 

shape 

EACH 

PDOTB2 Plastic dot rod stock, Black, 2mm x 7 7 /8" ............ $ .99 

PDOTW2 Plastic dot rod stock, White, 2mm x 7 7 /8" .............. .99 

SHELL DOTS 

PEARL & PAUA 

All dots are available in either 

white, gold, or black MOP and Paua 

abalone. Please specify when ordering. 

Dots are approximately .050" 

(1.27mm) thick, and are individually 

lathe-turned, not core drilled, to assure 

maximum uniformity. 

PEARL DOTS 


707-433-1823 

INLAY 

INLAY 

All Pearl Dots listed below 

are available in 

WHITE (W), BLACK (B), GOLD (G) 

We recommend 3mm size 

for 1 /8" requirements. 

Ordering Note: Dots are described through mnemonics. 

For example, when ordering a 2mm white pearl dot, the 

part number is DWP2K DWP2K; DWP2K for gold MOP in the same size 

the part number would be DGP2K DGP2K, DGP2K and for black MOP, 

the part number would be DBP2K DBP2K DBP2K, DBP2K where “D”=dot, 

“B”=black, “P”=pearl and “2”=2 millimeters. 

Insert (W,B,or G) 1 pack 5+ packs 

D(?)P2K 2mm ....... $8.00 ....... .8.00 

D(?)P3K 3mm ......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P4K 4mm ......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P5K 5mm ......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P6K 6mm ......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P7K 7mm ....... 10.00 ........ 8.40 

D(?)P8K 8mm ....... 13.00 ...... 11.00 

D(?)P9K 9mm ....... 13.00 ...... 11.00 

D(?)P10K 10mm ..... 13.00 ...... 11.00 

D(?)P2.35K 3 /32" .......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P4.72K 3 /16" .......... 8.00 ........ 6.60 

D(?)P6.35K 1 (20 dots per pack) 

/4" .......... 10.00 ........ 8.40 

PAUA ABALONE DOTS 

1 pack 5+ packs 

DPA2K 2mm .......... $8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA3K 3mm ............ 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA4K 4mm ............ 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA5K 5mm ............ 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA6K 6mm ............ 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA7K 7mm .......... 10.00 ....... 8.40 

DPA8K 8mm .......... 13.00 ..... 11.00 

DPA9K 9mm .......... 13.00 ..... 11.00 

DPA10K 10mm ........ 13.00 ..... 11.00 

DPA2.35K 3 /32" ............. 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA4.72K 3 /16" ............. 8.00 ....... 6.60 

DPA6.35K 1 (20 dots per pack) 

/4" ............. 10.00 ....... 8.40

INLAY INLAY 

INLAY 

BRAD POINTED TWIST DRILLS 

These are the best brad-pointed bits we’ve seen, with extra 

long spurs for very clean entry. Expensive, but worth the extra 

cost. High speed steel for best accuracy in drilling dot holes. 

Sizes to match most dot sizes. 

EACH 

HSS2B Brad point, 2mm ........................ $8.85 

HSS3B Brad point, 3mm .......................... 8.85 




HSS7B Brad point, 7mm ........................ 10.15 



HSS10B Brad point, 10mm ...................... 15.25 

HSS332B Brad point, 3 /32" ............................ 8.85 

HSS18B Brad point, 1 /8" ............................. 8.85 





WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

73 

SHELL 

INLAY 

MATERIALS 

SHAPES 

& SIZES 

See key below for 

size comparison. 

From top left 

clockwise: 

Black MOP Slab 

Curved 

“Abalam” Strips 

Straight 

“Abalam” Strips 

Paua “Abalam” 

Sheet 

MOP & Paua 

Shell Dots 

MOP 

Pre-Cut Shapes 

Curved Shell Strips 

Straight 

Shell Strips 

For color photos of our 

Solid Shell and 

"Abalam" Materials 

See Our Website: 

www.lmii.com 

End Mill & Router Bits 

See page 93 

TOOL 

TIP

74 

M 

ABALAM BALAM MMATERIAL 

M TERIAL 

ADVANTAGES OF "Abalam" 

over regular abalone shell strips: 

• More consistent and deeper 

color, which will not sand 

through. 

• Joints between pieces much 

less obvious or distracting. 

• Computer cutting produces 

totally even widths, perfect 

square ends. 

• Allows new types of shell 

to be used. 

• Breaks more evenly and in 

smaller segments when 

fitting to curved guitar edges; 

will not break at odd angles, 

as it has no fractures. 

CURVED STRIPS 

• Huge reduction 

in installation time 

(75% or more!), at 

minimal additional 

cost.The single biggest 

factor in getting your shop 

into a decent profit margin 

is cutting time without 

sacrificing quality. 

• Cost effective: 

Depending on shell type 

and size, cost per top 

and soundhole runs from 

$80 more to $100 less 

than using standard strip 

material. 

“Abalam” STRIPS 

DONKEY SHELL PER STRIP 

CS63DPLY .063", 1.6mm .......................... $10.90 

CS79DPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 14.60 

CS98DPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 16.65 

RED ABALONE HEART 

CS63RHPLY .063", 1.6mm .......................... $16.65 

CS79RHPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 18.75 

CS98RHPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 20.80 

GREEN ABALONE STANDARD 

CS63GSTANPLY .063", 1.6mm ............................ $8.90 

CS79GSTANPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 12.50 

CS98GSTANPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 15.60 

GREEN ABALONE SELECT 

CS63GSELPLY .063", 1.6mm .......................... $12.50 

CS79GSELPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 14.60 

CS98GSELPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 16.65 

PAUA ABALONE 

CS63PPLY .063", 1.6mm .......................... $12.50 

CS79PPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 15.60 

CS98PPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 16.65 

U.S. Patent 5,776,581 & 6,190,491 

"Abalam" SHEETS 

Sheet dimensions: 2 3 /16" x 4 5 /8" 

Veneer ply = “VP” 

In use by most factories, including Taylor, PRS, and Martin, these laminated 

shell strips are amazing time savers. The Taylor people are reporting thirteen minutes 

to inlay a top set (thirty seconds for a soundhole)! A note from the Taylor folks: 

if you tap them in, go a little lighter than you normally would. The ply strips are 

available in most of the species of standard strips, as well as a few others. 

All straight strips are 5.25" long by .050" thick. About 13 pieces for a guitar edge. 

Curved Strips are 4.75" x .050" with a diameter of 4.921" (125mm) 3 pieces per 

rosette (Martin TM -style, no shell under fingerboard). 


707-433-1823 

INLAY 

INLAY 

Donkey shell, lam 

PER PC. 

VPD40 .040" ................................. 43.70 

VPD60 .060" ................................. 69.70 

Red ab. heart, lam 

VPRH40 .040" ................................. 82.50 

VPRH60 .060" ............................... 112.50 

Paua abalone, lam. 

VPP40 .040" ................................. 45.35 

VPP60 .060" ................................. 65.45 

Paua heart, lam. 

VPPH40 .040" ................................. 53.05 

VPPH60 .060" ................................. 73.85 

Green ab select, lam. 

VPGS40 .040" ................................ 49.95 

VPGS60 .060" ................................ 74.50 

Green abalone, lam. 

VPG40 .040" ................................. 38.70 

VPG60 .060" ................................. 54.60 

The dimension in the item description 

(.04" or .06") is the thickness of the sheet. 

STRAIGHT STRIPS 

DONKEY SHELL PER STRIP 

SS63DPLY .063", 1.6mm ............................ $7.80 

SS79DPLY .079", 2.0mm .............................. 9.40 

SS98DPLY .0985", 2.5mm ............................ 9.90 

RED ABALONE HEART 

SS63RHPLY .063", 1.6mm .......................... $10.25 

SS79RHPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 11.25 

SS98RHPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 12.25 

GREEN ABALONE STANDARD 

SS63GSTANPLY .063", 1.6mm ............................ $5.75 

SS79GSTANPLY .079", 2.0mm .............................. 6.80 

SS98GSTANPLY .0985", 2.5mm ............................ 7.30 

GREEN ABALONE SELECT 

SS63GSELPLY .063", 1.6mm ............................ $8.35 

SS79GSELPLY .079", 2.0mm .............................. 9.40 

SS98GSELPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 10.40 

PAUA ABALONE 

SS63PPLY .063", 1.6mm ............................ $7.30 

SS79PPLY .079", 2.0mm ............................ 11.50 

SS98PPLY .0985", 2.5mm .......................... 12.50

INLAY 

INLAY 

JEWELER’S SAW 

Jeweler’s saws are used for cutting mother-of-pearl, abalone, plastics, veneers, 

brass, aluminum, and so on. This adjustable framed saw allows reuse 

of broken blades, which can be fairly common when doing extremely intricate 

scrollwork, and will accommodate blades up to 6" long. It can be adjusted for 

work in confined areas. Depth of cut 23 /4" 

EACH 

SWF Jewelers saw .................................................................. $17.25 

JEWELER’S SAW BLADES 

Piercing saw blades for the jeweler’s saws. For sawing metals, bone, MOP, 

abalone and so on. All blades are 5" long. Use lighter blades for delicate, 

intricate scroll work and the heavier blades for general scroll work. One dozen 

blades per package. 

PKG. 3+ PKGS. 

SWPM4/0 Piercing, .018" ................................ $4.55 .......... 3.75 

SWPM2/0 Piercing, .021" .................................. 4.55 .......... 3.75 

SWPM0 Piercing, .025" .................................. 4.55 .......... 3.75 

GRAVERS 

TEFLON STRIPS 

Edge bindings and marquetry are glued up with a teflon strip spacer laminated 

into the position where shell stripping will go. When dry, the teflon is 

carefully pulled out and the shell strips glued into the resulting groove. 

The teflon strips are approximately 34"-36" long, and can be cleaned and 

used several times if care is taken not to stretch them during use. The strips 

are available in the following sizes: 

EACH 

TS104 .101" (2.6mm) x .063" (1.6mm) thick ...........$3.75 

TS63 .063" (1.6mm) x .063" (1.6mm) thick ............ 5.95 

TS79 .079" (2.0mm) x .094" (2.4mm) thick ............ 5.95 

TS98 .098" (2.5mm) x .094" (2.4mm) thick ............ 5.95 

Traditionally, one of the most prized methods of dressing up an article was to have it hand engraved. Engraving is a 

skill which takes a long time to master as well as continued practice to maintain a high level of skill. Consequently 

there have always been few practitioners of the art, driving up the cost and limiting the availability of hand engraving. 

Fortunately for instrument work, the materials to be engraved are relatively soft and easy to work, unlike the steel of 

a fine gun or the fine metals in jewelry. Pearl and abalone take engraving very nicely and the process adds a tremendous 

three dimensional effect to the finished piece. 

With a few simple tools almost any style and pattern of engraving can be 

accomplished. The oval cuts the heavy single lines, the liner cuts many tiny 

parallel lines simultaneously, the knife graver(s) do accent cuts, and the square 

graver does very fine single lines. For metal engraving, the square graver does 

most of the single cuts (called bright cuts because they act like facets to 

catch the light), and the wider knife gravers are used to do the “wiggle” cut 

seen on fancy banjos. 

The techniques are simple, the tools are simple. All one needs is a little 

time and practice (and good instruction) to be able to engrave works of art. 

*Note: The blade must be attached to the handle. 

EACH 

SPENO Oval cut w/handle .................................. $18.75 

SPENL Liner w/handle ......................................... 32.25 

SPENK Knife w/handle ......................................... 18.75 

SPENK1 Knife w/handle ......................................... 19.80 

BM40 Jewelry Engravers Manual......................... 8.95 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

75

76 

ELECTRIC GUITAR BRIDGES & PLATES 

MOUNTING HARDWARE 

All hardware pictured at right is GotohTM brand, for the very best in quality. 

(Screws included) 

ENP Fender 

EACH 3 + 

TM-style EJPL 

neck attachment plate, chrome .............. $4.35 ..... 3.75 

Les PaulTM-style jack plate, chrome ......... 4.75 ..... 3.65 

ESR String retainer, chrome .............................. 1.90 ..... 1.60 

ESMG String mounting grommets, chrome ......... 0.75 ....... NA 

EJPS Recessed StratTM jackplate, chrome ......... 4.25 ..... 3.75 

EKD FenderTM-style dome knob, chrome .......... 2.55 ..... 2.20 

FENDER TM 

-STYLE BRIDGES 

H 

ELECTRIC LECTRIC HHARDWARE 

H ARDWARE 

EBTE Gotoh TM brand replacement bridge 

for Tele TM . Best quality. 2 1 /8" string spacing,chrome ..... $35.30 

EBSTR Fulcrum-style tremelo Strat TM bridge floats against the 

two beveled mounting posts and inertia block. The saddles 

are adjustable, and all screws, springs, claw, and tremolo 

arm are included. 2 3 /32" string spacing, chrome. ............ 41.75 

EBSTRV Vintage-style replacement bridge for Strat TM . Mounts 

with six screws, 2 1 /4" string spacing, chrome. 

All springs, claw, screws, etc., included. ....................... 43.70 

EBSTR EBSTRV 

“TUNEMATIC”-STYLE BRIDGES & TAILPIECE 

Gotoh TM -brand hardware: We offer two “Tunematic”-style bridges, one with 

the standard mounting posts and one with the larger mounting studs. 

Both have the standard 12" saddle radius along with 2 3 /64" string spacing. 

Saddle travel is 3 /8"+. Chrome or gold. 

Schaller TM -brand hardware: Rick Turner suggested we carry this 

bridge(EBSH). It’s featured on some of his Renaissance guitars. The 

Tunematic style bridge with roller saddles is adjustable in 3 ways: 

height, intonation and string spacing. No saddle notching is necessary 

as the rollers are grooved to accept the string, allowing friction-free 

intonating. 74mm (2 29 /32") post spacing. 7mm stud diameter, with standard 

round knurled height adjustment. Chrome plated 

EACH 3 + 

EBTS Tunematic bridge, chrome ........................$12.50 .... 10.40 

EBTSG Tunematic bridge, gold ...............................16.50 .... 14.40 

EBTSL Tunematic bridge, studs, chrome ..............13.55 .... 11.45 

EBTSLG Tunematic bridge, studs, gold ....................20.80 .... 18.75 

EBSH Schaller TM -brand tunematic-style bridge ....26.95 ........ NA 

ESTP Les Paul TM tailpiece, chrome ......................14.35 .... 11.50 

ESTPG Les Paul TM tailpiece, gold ...........................16.25 .... 13.00 

MOUNTING — ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

EJPS 

Top-Bottom: Les Paul TM 

-style tailpiece (ESTP), 

Tunematic bridges with studs (EBTSL) & 

without (EBTS), and SchallerTM-brand Tunematic bridge (EBSH). 


707-433-1823 

ESR 

EKD 

ESMG 

EJPL 

ENP 

EBTE

ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE 

HARDWARE HARDWARE — MOUNTING 

HIPSHOT ® BASS BRIDGES 

Hipshot ® is one of the few (if not the only) companies making good bass 

bridges in the States, and they get our highest marks. They’re beautifully 

computer designed and CNC machined of aluminum in two models. Each is 

offered in 4 and 5 string configurations and in chrome, gold, and black. 

Style “A” is offered with variable string spacing adjustment. Style “B” 

features solid brass barrel saddles (Fender TM -style), and quick release 

string loading. Note how the bridges boast “walls” which lend to rigidity 

and strength. The side-to-side saddle fit is very tight, and provides maximum 

support for superb tone and rattle-free performance. 

Each bridge is available in .750/19mm spacing. This is string to 

string spacing which is fixed on the B-style bridges but is the middle of 

the range of the A-style adjustable. 

Below are the string spacings between the center of the 2 outside 

strings on each of the bridges. The minimum and maximum are given 

with the A-style bridges. 

A4= .750(19mm) 54-60mm 

A5= .750(19mm) 73-79mm 

B4= .750(19mm) 57mm 

B5= .750(19mm) 76mm 

EACH 

EBHA4C A-style, 4 string, chrome ......................$85.00 

EBHA4G A-style, 4 string, gold ..............................97.00 

EBHA4B A-style, 4 string, black ............................85.00 

EBHA5C A-style, 5 string, chrome ......................100.00 

EBHA5G A-style, 5 string, gold ............................ 115.00 

EBHA5B A-style, 5 string, black ..........................100.00 

EBHB4C B-style, 4 string, chrome ........................50.00 

EBHB4G B-style, 4 string, gold ..............................60.00 

EBHB4B B-style, 4 string, black ............................50.00 

EBHB5C B-style, 5 string, chrome ........................55.00 

EBHB5G B-style, 5 string, gold ..............................75.00 

EBHB5B B-style, 5 string, black ............................55.00 

ELECTRIC GUITAR WOODS 

page 31 

FINGERBOARDS 

page 37 

ELECTRIC PICKUPS 

next page 

STYLE A: Front view of 4 and 5 string bridges. The 

two forward Allen screws are for height adjustment, 

while the third screw is for adjusting string spacing. 

Electric guitar 

body blanks 

Quilted Maple top 

and Madagascar 

Rosewood 

fingerboard 

by Tom Anderson 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

77 

STYLE B: Rear view of barrel saddle with 2 height 

adjustment screws. 

Guitar by 

Scott Gordon 

with 

Pau Ferro 

fingerboard, 

Joe Barden 

Pickups.

78 

G 

ELECTRIC LECTRIC GGUIT 

G UIT UITAR UIT AR PPICKUPS 

P ICKUPS 

RIO GRANDE PICKUPS 

TEXAS/BBQ HUMBUCKER SET 

This is a very popular set. The Texas is a take on the classic P.A.F. and 

is ballsy and rich when wide open and full with top and bottom end when 

the volume is turned down. The BBQ is its perfect mate in the bridge position 

with a bit more horsepower and spice. Direct replacements available 

in black only. 

EACH 

EPTBHB Texas/BBQ Humbucker set ................ $162.25 

DUAL CALIBRATED STRAT SET 

This set uses maximum variety for maximum tone. The bridge pickup is 

beefy and hotter than any stock pickup and perfect for cutting through for a 

solo. The neck pickup is pure vintage and is developed from experience 

with the real thing. The middle is a cross between the neck and bridge and 

is reverse wound/reverse polarity for hum cancellation in positions 2&4. 

This set is a great tone upgrade. Pickups supplied with white covers. 

EACH 

EPDCSC Dual calibrated Strat TM set .................. $175.95 

BIG BOTTOM TELE SET 

The bridge pickup lets you cut through with that classic Tele TM tone and 

more gain. The neck pickup has clarity and brilliance that no stock pickup 

ever had, giving you more useful tones. Direct replacements available in 

black only. 

EACH 

EPBBTELE Big bottom Tele TM set ........................... $125.00 

JAZZ/BLUESBAR P90 SET 

P 

P90’s are famous for their smooth and powerful sound. The Jazzbar is 

clean and smooth in the neck position and is the perfect match for the 

punchy and warm Bluesbar in the bridge position. Direct replacements 

available in black only. 

EACH 

EPBAR90 Jazz/Bluesbar P90 set ........................ $160.00 

ARMSTRONG SUSPENDED ARCHTOP PICKUP 

Kent Armstrong has been making this high quality pickup for several years, formerly with the Benedetto name on 

the top. Expertly cast with a “curly” Ebony finish. It’s a fully shielded humbucker designed to bring out the best in an 

archtop guitar with the sound of a vintage Gibson TM humbucker. The integral 

side mounting tab can be screwed or glued to the under side of the pickguard. 

EACH 

EPBEN Suspended pickup, 7.6k ohms ........... $139.40 

PICKUPS — ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

We offer 4 different Rio Grande pickups, each offering a great 

combination of vintage sound with modern updates. All sets are matched 

for consistency and tone. 


707-433-1823

ELECTRIC 

ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE HARDWARE — PICKUPS 

Humbucker pickup 

MORE MORE DET DETAILS 

DET AILS 

These have been the top choice for 

the electric guitars made by Zion Guitars, 

Sadowsky Guitars, Steve Klein 

Electric Guitars, and the FenderTM Custom 

Shop for over a decade. They 

also are highly sought after as replacement 

pickups by demanding 

working and recording professionals. 

The originator of the dual blade, 

FenderTM-size design, Joe builds these 

pickups to push the greatest amount 

of clear, clean signal. These pickups 

truly represent the authentic sound of 

your guitar, and allow you to get the 

most out of your effects, EQs and amplifiers. 

Joe adds that “you can play 

directly in front of your computer with 

no noise” for those who are recording 

digitally. 

The humbuckers (HBB and HBN, 

bridge and neck respectively) come 

in a typical 4-conductor mode. With 

the two-tone (HBBTT), both coils are 

tapped; each has a lead coming out 

of the middle of the winding (use a 

push-pull pot or mini-switch). The coiltapping 

option gives you a true single- 

JOE OE 

BARDEN ARDEN 

PICKUPS ICKUPS 

The Joe Barden pickups are designed 

to bring out the true tone of your 

guitar. This company is the originator 

of the dual-blade design and you won’t 

find anything quieter. If you use lots of 

effects or processing equipment in 

your signal chain you will appreciate 

their strong output. All our pickups are 

made in the U.S.A. 

coil tone while remaining fully humcanceling 

and perfectly matched in 

power to the StratTM deluxe pickup. 

With a StratTM deluxe in the middle, 

this allows for that perfect “in-between” 

tone. Combining high output with 

complete clarity, these pickups represent 

the utmost in versatility. 

The StratTM deluxe pickups give true 

authentic StratTM tone with higher output 

while eliminating any noise or 

hum. The bridge pickups have a staggered 

blade design to ensure proper 

response on the outer strings. With a 

full and throaty neck pickup tone, a 

bridge pickup with TeleTM-like response 

and twang, and wonderfully hollow in 

between sounds that StratsTM are 

known for, the deluxes are the ultimate 

choice for replacement in your 

current instrument or your new custom 

guitar. The StratTM standards are 

the same pickup as the deluxe, but 

modified to fit perfectly under a stock 

pickup cover and have slightly less 

response than the deluxes due to the 

obstruction of the cover, but remain a 

EACH 3+ 

ELGHBB Humbucker, bridge ........................ $140.40 ....... 125.00 

ELGHBBTT Humbucker, two-tone ...................... 161.20 ....... 145.00 

ELGHBN Humbucker, neck ............................ 140.40 ....... 125.00 

ELGHBNTT Humbucker, two-tone ...................... 173.95 ....... 157.75 

ESDB Strat deluxe bridge ........................ 135.20 ............. NA 

ESDN/M Strat deluxe neck/mid ................... 135.20 ....... 120.00 

ESSB Strat standard bridge .................... 109.25 ......... 95.05 

ESSN/M Strat standard neck/mid ............... 109.25 ......... 95.05 

ETB Tele standard bridge...................... 135.20 ....... 123.20 

ETN Tele standard neck........................ 135.20 ....... 123.20 

Tele TM /Strat TM 

pickup 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

79 

night and day improvement over stock 

pickups. 

The TeleTM standard pickups are 

what started it all! Designed with TeleTM- master Danny Gatton testing them every 

step of the way, they offer authentic 

TeleTM tone with higher output and 

full-range response. The bridge and 

neck pickups are equally powerful, curing 

the typical TeleTM “middle position 

problem.” With their huge fidelity and 

dead quiet operation these are absolutely 

the “Thang for Twang”! 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR 

PICKUPS 

ON PAGE 60

80 

ELECTRIC LECTRIC WWIRING 

W IRING CCOMPONENTS 

C OMPONENTS 

STEREO 1/4 INCH JACK 

You can use this jack to join two different signals or use it as a switch to 

turn a battery on or off by inserting or withdrawing the cord. 

EACH 

EJSTE Stereo ¼" jack ........................... $3.05 

5 WAY STRAT SWITCH 

High quality pickup selector switch for replacement 

or installing in a 3 pickup instrument. 

EACH 

E5WAY 5-way Strat TM switch .......................... $9.50 

E5WAYTIP White tip for 5-way switch above ........ 1.20 

E5WAYTIPB Black tip for 5-way switch above ........ 1.20 

MINI SWITCHES 

On-on and on-on-on switches. Both are double throw, double 

pole with long shafts and flat levers. Good where space is limited. 

Use in phase switching, pickup selection, on-off, dual sound, triple 

sound, etc. 

EACH 3+ 

ESW Mini switch, on-on ......................... $5.95 ...... 5.35 

ESW3 Mini switch, on-on-on ...................... 8.75 ...... 7.35 

EDPDT Mini toggle switch, on-on, black ..... 7.50 ........ NA 

MONO GUITAR JACK 

Used for the main outlet of electric guitars, as used in Les Pauls TM , Strats TM , 

and many other guitars. Good quality, trouble-free jack. 

EACH 3 + 

EJ Mono guitar jack ........................ $2.75 ..... 2.35 

CAPACITORS 

W 

C 

The EC Capacitor for guitar tone control circuit like that used for most 

Fenders TM is good for midrange to high frequencies. Suggested for use with 

single coil pickups. 100V, .022 mfd. The ECB Capacitor for bass is for dualcoil 

or other high output pickups,i.e.Gibson TM . 75V, 0.05 mfd. 

EACH 

EC Capacitor, .022 mfd. ................................................... $0.55 

ECB Capacitor, .05 mfd. ....................................................... 0.55 

WIRING COMPONENTS — ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE 

HARDWARE 

ELECTRIC 

GUITAR WOODS 

pages 31-34 


707-433-1823

ELECTRIC ELECTRIC HARDWARE HARDWARE — WIRING COMPONENTS 

500K LONG THREAD POT 

High quality 500K pot with a long threaded section for mounting in thick or 

carved top guitars (i.e. Les Paul or PRS-style guitars). Designed for course 

knurled knobs. 

EACH 

E500LT 500K Long thread pot .............................. $8.00 

250K PUSH-PULL POT 

250K pot with a built in double-pole double-throw switch built in for phase 

selection or coil-tapping. Designed for ourse knurled knobs. 

EACH 

E250PP 250K Push-pull pot .................................. $8.95 

500K PUSH-PULL POT 

500K pot with a built in double-pole double-throw switch built in for phase 

selection or coil-tapping. Designed for ourse knurled knobs. 

POTS 

EACH 

E500PP 500K Push-pull pot .................................. $8.95 

EVP Volume control potentiometer (pot). Good quality, smooth turning, 

CTS pot. Short, threaded, with split shaft for accommodating our knobs and 

most others. Supplied with two locking nuts for control of height. 500K, for use 

with humbuckers, and high output single-coil pickups. 

ETP Volume or tone control (pot). A smooth turning CTS pot for 

use as volume control for Fender-style pickups, and other low-output pickups, 

or for tone control with Gibson pickups, and other humbuckers. 250K, 

threaded, split shaft. 

Both pots are designed for LMI knobs, and other fine knurled knobs. 

EACH 3 + 

EVP CTS, volume, 500K.................... $3.50 ..... 3.25 

ETP CTS, tone, 250K .......................... 3.50 ..... 3.25 

SPEED KNOBS 

Older style Gibson speed knobs numbered 0-10, transparent on black 

and transparent on gold plastic. 

EACH 3 + 

EKB Speed knob, black ..................... $2.85 ..... 2.35 

EKG Speed knob, gold ......................... 2.85 ..... 2.35 

WOODEN KNOBS 

We offer two different knobs to dress up your instrument. EKE is Ebony 

with a flat top. Our Rosewood knob (EKR) is available in rounded top. They 

are not marked but try inlaying one of our MOP or Paua dots to tell you where 

you are in the sweep. They are ¾" tall with a ¼" insert, and the EKE has an 

Allen screw to tighten it against the post. 

EACH 3 + 

EKE Ebony knob, flat top .................. $2.50 ..... 2.35 

EKR Rosewood knob ........................... 2.60 ..... 2.45 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

81 

Long Thread Pot 

Push-Pull Pot

82 

In addition to our great selection of woods we also supply tools to the guitar maker. We have many specialized 

tools made to our specs for particular tasks in luthiery as well as many others from general or specialized 

woodworking sources. We present these tools in “family” sections— Bending, Binding, Radiusing, 

Fretting, Nuts & Saddles, Routing, Cutting & Shaping, Reamers, Rasps, Chisels & Gouges, Planes/Scrapers/Knives, 

Sharpening, Measurement, Vacuum, Clamping, and Repair tools. 

BENDING TOOLS 

Originally designed by Charles Fox, the Universal 

Side-Bending Machine is used extensively in shops 

of all sizes, from part-time hobbyists to the largest 

factories. This machine presents an ideal way to experiment 

with a variety of body shapes and sizes 

without great additional investment because it 

offers the flexibility of interchangeable forms. 

The machine is well designed and manufactured 

and even a beginning builder can 

consistently bend sides safely and accurately. 

We use four (4) 

machines exactly as 

provided here for our 

own side bending 

services. 

The bending heat is provided buy 3 internal light bulbs 

(150 watt recommended, but not included with machine) 

and is distributed by stainless steel slats. After bringing 

down the press screw with its adjustable caul to shape 

and lock the waist, spring loaded blocks are used to slowly 

Above: The Universal 

Side-Bending Machine, 

SPBUCOM, with the 

Cutaway Attachment, 

SPBUCUT, installed and 

separate in the foreground. 

At left, 

the SPPRESS 

press screw. 

TOOLS OOLS 

UNIVERSAL SIDE-BENDING MACHINE 

CUTAWAY ATTACHMENT 

FOR BENDING MACHINE 

bring the sides down to the form around the upper and 

lower bouts. The slats support both the tension and 

compression sides of the bend. This makes it easier 

to bend woods with figure or grain movement that are 

traditionally difficult to hand bend. 

Made of high quality Baltic Birch, the machine 

comes fully assembled, ready-to-go. Included is 

enough Baltic Birch and steel rods to make your 

first custom body form. Along with the Universal 

Side Bending Machine you will get a 1 hour 

video with complete instructions 

on general 

bending machine use 

and dozens of helpful 

hints accumulated from 

years of our use and our 

customers use. Some builders and manufacturers prefer 

to use heating blankets to provide the heat for bending 

with these machines. Our SPBL6 heating blanket is used 

for this application. You’ll find it with BENDING BLANKETS 

on next page. 

This unit, SPBUCUT, is pre-assembled and designed for attachment to our 

bending machine. It can be used with either the light bulb heat provided with 

the machine or the alternative heating blanket. 

BENDING MACHINE VIDEO 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

BENDING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 

We shot this video to go along with the Side Bending Machine to show how to set up 

the machine right out of the box. The video goes over how to make the custom side 

form, how to shape the adjustable waist block, side preparation, side bending, and 

bending binding. The video is also great if you are thinking of adding this timesaving 

machine to your shop and need to see all of its features in action. 

EACH 

SPBUCOM Complete side bending machine, pre-assembled ...... $525.00 

SPBUCUT Cutaway attachment for bending machine ................... 225.00 

SPBUSO Stainless steel slat (need 2 for bending) ........................ 25.00 

SPBKPL Plywood for bending form, includes 2 pieces ................. 24.00 

SPBUR Steel rods for bending form (need 10) ............................... 2.95 

SPBUAB Aluminum bar for slats .................................................... 16.50 

SPBUSP Large Springs (need 2) ...................................................... 7.45 

SPBUSPS Small Springs (need 4) ...................................................... 3.40 

SPPRESS Press Screw - New, Lower Price, 11.5" .......................... 12.95 

SPBUCOMV Bending machine video ................................................... 10.00 


707-433-1823

TOOLS TOOLS — BENDING 

SIDE BENDING BLANKETS 

These specially made 1 /16" hard rubber heating blankets are made to heat 

thin wood pieces, like guitar sides and bindings, to the 300+°F necessary to 

bend them to the desired shape. These blankets can reach 500°F in just a 

minute or two. Therefore, they must be used with either our SPTIM shut-off 

timer or our SPBUECUT timer/temperature control to control the heating of 

the wood and to keep the blanket and/or the wood from burning up. These 

timer or heat control devices are absolutely necessary for safety in your shop. 

These heating blankets can be used a couple of ways to bend sides to 

shape. One way is to use a side bending blanket with our own Universal 

Bending Machine SPBUCOM (page 82) rather than use the light bulb heating 

provided with it. Merely sandwich the unbent side, along with the heating 

blanket, between the two metal slats. The blanket can be used either under 

or on top of the side – find which way is best for you. Turn on (heat) the 

blanket for a few minutes and bend the side in the machine in the normal way. 

Some builders continue to heat – at below maximum heat – the side for awhile 

after it is clamped into shape, and then let it cool down slowly before removing 

it from the mold. The bending blanket can also be used with a simple inside 

mold. Place the blanket on the side mold and heat it for 5 minutes or so. 

Place the moistened side on the heated blanket and clamp the waist area 

down as it becomes pliable with the heat. After the waist is clamped into 

place in the waist of the mold push the sides down slowly around the upper 

and lower bouts. As the side bends around the mold’s shape clamp it down 

with any clamps available until the entire side is shaped around the mold. 

There is a full-size side bending blanket available and a shorter 12" blanket that 

can be used to bend the separate cutaway piece for Florentine (pointed) cutaways. 

BLANKETS EACH 

SPBL6 Side bending blanket, 5 3 /4" x 36" .................... $125.75 

SPBLSPEC220V 220 volt side bending blanket, 5 3 /4" x 36" ......... 125.75 

SPBL7 Cutaway bending blanket, 5 3 /4" x 12" ................. 58.75 

SHUT-OFF TIMER 

Used in conjunction with all heating blankets and neck heater. 

SPTIM Shut-off timer with all power cords ............................ $98.80 

TIMER/TEMPERATURE CONTROL 

Combination shut-off timer/temperature control for all heating devices. 

SPBUECUT Shut-off timer/temperature control ........................ $125.00 

REPAIR BLANKETS 

Each blanket sized for a specific repair use. 

SERVICES 

BENDING 

BINDING 


EACH 


set of 4 ................... $28.00 


cutaway, set of 4 .... 35.00 

— See page 108 for details 

Part # BINDING bent to 

SVBBD ........................ dreadnought 

SVBB000 .................................... 000 

SVBBJ .................................... jumbo 

SVBBSJ ...................... small jumbo 

SVBBC ................................. classic 

SVBBARCH ........................ archtop 

SVBBCUTD .. cutaway dreadnought 

SVBBCUT000 ............. cutaway 000 

SVBBCUTJ ............. cutaway jumbo 

SVBBCUTSJ..cutaway small jumbo 

SVBBCUTC ........... cutaway classic 

SVBBCUTA .......... cutaway archtop 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

83 

Heated blanket on form: bend at waist, 

continue outward forcing down by hand, 

and clamp. 

Shut-off timer SPTIM used with the fingerboard 

removal blanket SPBL4, and connector 

end of side-bending blanket. 

SPBUECUT

84 

PROFESSIONAL BENDING IRON 

A cast aluminium, teardrop-shaped bending 

iron designed by Irving Sloane. This updated version 

has a chrome-like finish, great for sliding 

the wood against the iron. The iron itself is 6 1 /2" 

long and 3 3 /16" in cross section. Width in cross 

section is 2 1 /8" at the widest point. The small 

side of the iron is particularly useful for small 

radius bending. The variable heat setting is helpful 

for finding the optimum heat setting at which 

various woods will bend. It’s mounted on a hardwood 

base that has a large hole drilled through 

it for clamping either vertically or horizontally to 

your bench. The best bending iron around! 

ALUMINUM 

HEATING BANDS 

For bending laminates and purflings, 

we offer these aluminum bands with 

SPBPS. These bands, which fit the pipe, 

support the bend and help transfer heat. 

EACH 

SPBPS Professional bending iron.... ............................. $147.95 

SPBPS220 Professional bending iron, 220 volt.... ................ 152.95 

SPBPSB Aluminum heating bands.... .................................. 14.25 

SPBPS-EL Replacement heating element.... ......................... 27.50 Aluminum heating bands 

BENDING PIPE 

Although we offer the Universal Side Bending Machine (SPBUCOM 

page 81) to bend sides consistently and accurately to exact shapes, 

and the electric Professional Bending Iron (SPBPS above), we also 

offer this 12” long aluminum pipe for side bending. This pipe, mounted 

in a vice and heated internally with a propane torch, can be used in the 

traditional manner of hand bending of sides and bindings. Although it 

requires developing skill through use, this method of hand bending over 

a pipe has been used for centuries and is still used by skilled builders 

all around the world. 

EACH 

SPBT Bending pipe, 12" long, 2½" OD ........... $22.50 

Ziricote 

guitar by 

Richard Prenkert 

BENDING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 

BA BACK BA CK & & SIDE SIDE WOODS 

WOODS 

START ON PAGE 18 

DIMENSIONS 

Classic 

Backs: 21" x 7¼" x .160" / 53.3cm x 18.4cm x 4mm 

Sides: 30" x 4½" x .120" / 76.2cm x 11.4cm x 3mm 

Jumbo 

Backs: 22" x 8" x .160" / 55.9cm x 20.3cm x 4mm 

Sides: 32" x 5" x .120" / 81.3cm x 12.7 x 3mm 

Larger dimensions usually available – please request. 


707-433-1823

TOOLS TOOLS — BINDING 

T 

BINDING INDING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

UNIVERSAL BINDING MACHINE 

One of the most difficult things for the luthier to do is produce a consistent 

binding rabbet with a hand-held router. The solution is a modern embodiment 

of the jig designed and used by Tom Ribbecke. There are two parts to the jig. 

Part one is the carriage mechanism which allows the laminate trimmer to 

slide up and down easily. Part two involves a guitar carriage. This jig, while 

firmly holding the instrument, is height adjustable to allow the cutter to address 

the edge of any guitar. A self-lubricated plastic shoe rides on the top 

surface, the effect of which is to average any inconsistencies in the top or 

back, leaving a smooth, even cut. Comes completely assembeled with a Porter 

CableTM 309 Laminate Trimmer. This machine works great with our Binding 

cutter/bearing kit (SPCPCN) listed below. 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

EACH 

SPBKCOM Binding machine with router ............................. $385.00 

PL24 Universal binding machine plan .............................. 8.35 

Over the years we have offered several 

different sets of router cutters designed to 

cut the binding ledges on guitar bodies. 

Each set was limited in the number and size of 

binding or purfling ledges that could be 

accurately cut with the supplied cutters 

and bearings. We now offer what we 

know to be the best cutter and bearing 

set that has ever been offered by us, or 

anyone. The set includes a specially designed 

and manufactured 1" router cutter with carbide cutting 

tips and ten (10) accurately machined steel wheels 

press fit onto ½" bearings. These bearing/wheels are attached 

to the cutter with a small Allen cap screw and 

BINDING CUTTER/BEARING KIT 

AUXILLARY BEARING KIT 

We offer this set of eight bearing/wheels as an addendum 

to the binding cutter/bearing kit described above. When 

used in conjunction with the 1” router cutter supplied with 

the kit above these bearing/wheels will yield binding/purfling 

ledges of 0.070", 0.110", 0.130", 0.150", 0.170", 0.190", 

0.210", and 0.230". With the combination of these two kits 

you will be able to easily and accurately cut ledges for any size 

of binding or purfling – from the thinnest common plastic binding to 

the very wide binding with abalone top border. 

EACH 

SPCPCNAUX Auxillary bearing kit .................... $99.50 

(Includes bearings listed below) 

Bearings for SPCPCNAUX 

B-034 .860 diam. .070 binding ledge .................. $13.00 

B-035 .780 diam. .110 binding ledge .................... 13.00 







Cutter & Wrench ONLY 

SPCUT Cutter with no bearings ............................ $40.00 

BINDING TAPE 

For gluing and attaching bindings 

See page 115 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

85 

yield binding/purfling ledges of 0.060”, 0.080", 0.090", 

0.100", 0.120", 0.140", 0.160", 0.180", 0.200", and 

0.220". This assortment will cover the most commonly 

used binding and purfling sizes. The resulting 

ledge is easily and accurately cut each time 

with almost no thought. Just measure the 

width of the binding or binding and purfling 

combination, choose the appropriate bearing/wheel, 

attach the bearing/wheel to the 

bottom of the cutter and start routing. 

With the addition of the Auxillary Bearing Kit, 

SPCPCNAUX, all ledge sizes from 0.060" to 0.230" in 

0.010" increments can be cut (see below). 

If you want to order 

certain bearings ... 

OR you only need the 

router cutter and wrench ... 

SEE INDIVDUAL PARTS 

LISTED BELOW. 

EACH 

SPCPCN Binding cutter/bearing kit.................$157.50 

(Includes cutter & bearings listed below) 

Bearings for SPCPCN 

B-024 .880 diam. .060 binding ledge .................. $13.00 









B-033 .560 diam. .220 binding ledge .................... 13.00

86 

T 

RADIUSING 

ADIUSING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

ADJUSTABLE/ARCHING RADIUSING PLANES 

Designed by Tom Ribbecke 

We offer two models, the standard 131 /2" long x 31 /4" wide, and a shorter 

one, 61 /2" long, in response to customer requests for spot dressing 

and compound radii. The shoe is made of durable phenolic, and the 

rails are of heavy, high-density plastic. Purposely made heavy to 

share the workload, it can also rest with the rails down so that the workpiece 

can be moved against it. After leveling the fingerboard, simply mark the centerline 

with chalk and plane the fingerboard with 80-grit paper until the chalk line disappears 

(approx. 5 minutes). Sand smooth with 220-grit paper, and you’re ready for 

frets and finishing! 

This nifty tool offers all common radii, compound radii, and anything between, 

including flat. It can also be adjusted convexly to make bridge cauls and the like. 

Comes with three lengths of paper, and an adjustment wrench. (Be careful when 

adjusting below 9" that each turnbuckle is adjusted simultaneously to keep the 

stresses equal, as it is a possibility that the base could crack.) 

EACH 

SPFAA Adjustable/arching radiusing plane, 13 1 /2" long ......... $119.60 

SPFAAS Adjustable/arching radiusing plane, 6 1 /2" long ............. 114.40 

CONVEX RADIUS GAUGE 

The convex radius gauge is used to set the arch of the adjustable/arching radiusing 

plane (above). It offers all common radii, 7", 9", 10", 12", 15", 16", and 20". 

EACH 

SPFDRL Convex radius gauge ..................................................... $25.00 

CONCAVE RADIUS GAUGE 

You can reach for this when evaluating a fingerboard for radiusing frets or a 

variety of other repair and building situations. Has seven – 

7",9",10",12",15",16",and 20" – radius designations. 

EACH 

SPFDRLC Concave radius gauge ............................................... $26.50 

RADIUS BLOCKS 

Our hardwood radius blocks are 7" long, 3" wide, and a hefty 

1.5" thick with a comfortable gripping surface. Available in 10", 12", 

16", and 20" radii. These radius blocks will cover most types of 

fingerboards, whether you are radiusing the fingerboard or levelling 

your frets. 

EACH 

SRP10 10" radii.................................... $21.25 

SRP12 12" radii ...................................... 21.25 

SRP16 16" radii ...................................... 21.25 

SRP20 20" radii ...................................... 21.25 

SCHNEIDER GRAMIL 

Gramil for cutting binding/purfling ledge. The anodized body of the tool bears against all surfaces – top, side, and back 

– for scoring the binding/purfling ledge. We watched Richard Schneider, the designer of this tool, using a comfortable 

pulling action to make his gramil cuts in a top and chisel out the binding ledge in just a few minutes. The gramil 

can be used to make the preliminary cuts before routing. The knife holding 

arm is adjustable for depth of cut from the top (a very handy feature), and the 

knife blade is adjustable and held securely with an Allen key. The body is 

machined from aluminum, black anodized, with dimensions of 3" x 1" x 

½"; the steel arm is ½" x 3" x ½", and helps give the gramil a comfortable 

balance. Blades are made by blademeister Ron Hock. 

EACH 

SPG Schneider gramil and blade ................................ $43.25 

SPGB Replacement blade.................................................. 3.50 

RADIUSING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 

See our assortment of 

Adhesive Sandpaper Rolls 

on page 116. 


707-433-1823 

Convex 

radius gauge 

Concave 

radius gauge

TOOLS TOOLS — FRETTING 

T 

FRETTING 

RETTING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

We’ve included in this section all of the specialized tools used in the fretting process. There are tools for cutting the 

fret slots, radiusing the fretboard, installing the frets, cutting and shaping the frets, and even filing the nut slots. 

FRET SLOTTING SYSTEMS 

MANUAL 

SLOTTING SYSTEM 

Our highly evolved original 

fret slotting system has been 

in use for nearly eighteen 

years by hundreds of luthiers, including many well known 

professionals and repairpersons. Using this system we have 

slotted hundreds of fingerboards ourselves. This system 

makes fret slot sawing accurate to .005" with brainless 

FINGERBOARD 

ease. Once set up, an entire twenty-four fret fingerboard 

takes about ten minutes. 

WOODS 

Designed around precisely-machined master templates, this tool will enable you 

to cut accurate fret slots for many scale lengths. An aluminum miter box is coupled 

with indexing plates, each plate having two scale lengths with at least twenty-four 

frets. The saw is held firmly and squarely in a depth-adjustable guide frame that 

allow the teeth to contact only the fingerboard. Guides allow the bottom of the cut See pages 

slots to be parallel to the contour of the fingerboard surface, be it flat or curved. 37-40 

We offer the most commonly used scale lengths in our indexing templates 

(page 88); in addition to these, a multitude of scale lengths are possible simply 

by taking any fret position as the nut. 

The miter box is tailored to our SWB fret saw (page 89), which is the finest back 

saw available for cutting fret slots. The kerf width is .023", just right for our fretwire 

and most standard fretwires. 

The SWB fret saw and one template of your choice are included in the system. 

The system will accommodate up to 35 /8" wide boards and can work with any 

smaller size that is large enough to be clamped. It works efficiently and effectively 

and can pay for itself very quickly. 

SPFSYA Slotting system, complete, w/ template and saw .............. $285.00 

POWER SLOTTING SYSTEM 

This is the same tried-and-true system we have been using in our work shop 

for years. Designed for the table saw and our fretting templates (two scales per 

template), this allows the small shop to produce accurately slotted fingerboards 

in most typical scale lengths. The blade is custom ground to .023", perfect for 

accommodating our fretwire and nearly everyone else’s. Designed with proper 

chip clearance and tooth angle for long life in Rosewood and Ebony, the blade is 

6" diameter and has 92 teeth. Available with 5 /8" arbor. (1" arbor available by 

special order.) With proper care and cleaning our own blade has been in use for 

several years and has cut many hundreds of fretboard scales with no sharpening. 

Stiffeners, or collars, are the true heart of the system. Made of heat-treated steel, 

5½" diameter, and each .125" thick, they are hollow ground to provide even stiffening 

around the perimeter of the blade. This configuration controls blade runout, 

extends the life of the blade immeasurably, keeps it from deforming, and ensures 

accurate slots in your fretboard. Standard table saw stiffeners are not adequate 

for this system. We highly recommend you use part number SPFSYPC. The 

indexing pin that comes with the system is designed so that any fret position can 

also be used as a nut position or as a zero fret. 

The system includes a template of 

your choice, the blade, 2 stiffeners, 

pin and bushing, and plans for constructing 

a simple sliding carriage like 

our own. 

SPFSYP Fret system for power saw.. $120.00 

SPFSYPB Replacement blade .................. 40.00 

SPFSYPC Replacement stiffeners............ 22.50 

SPFI Index pin .................................... 8.50 

SPFSYBU Bushing for index pin ................. 9.40 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

87 

SPFSYP can be used 

like this table saw 

version shown above. 

Inset: Blades and 

stiffeners.

88 

FRETTING TEMPLATES 

FRET SLOTTING SYSTEM & TEM- 

PLATES 

Our templates of LexanTM are unbreakable, unlike cheaper 

acrylic versions, and are CNC milled to tolerances of .002"— 

accuracy is guaranteed! Designed to work with either of 

our fret slotting systems, power or manual. Note that each 

template has two scales and has at least twenty-four frets 

(most have more than thirty slots), and they can be used for 

other scales you might wish to generate. 

EACH 

SPFSB Template blank for your own scales ...................................... $14.60 

SPFS1 25.5" and 24.625", electrics: Tele’, Strat, & Gibson ....... 31.25 

SPFS2 25.4" and 24.9", dreadnought, 00 & 000 ................................. 31.25 

SPFS3 660mm and 650mm, classic & flamenco ............................... 31.25 

SPFS4 22.875" and 26.188", banjo scales.......................................... 31.25 

SPFS5 30" and 34", bass scales......................................................... 31.25 

SPFS6 13.75" and 13.875", mandolin “A” model and F5 .................... 31.25 

SPFS7 640mm and 655mm, two classic scales ................................ 31.25 

SPFS8 25" and 35", Paul Reed Smith and bass scales .................... 31.25 

SPFS9 Fingerstyle 25.7",baritone 27.5" .............................................. 31.25 

SPFS10 Ukulele soprano 13.5", tenor 17" ............................................. 31.25 

SPFS11 Slotting template Selmer/Maccaferri, 670mm & 648mm ....... 31.25 

TAYLOR TM 

LOCATING PINS & DRILLS 

This set of #74 precision locating pins are .0225" in diameter, perfect for 

use in fret slots for locating fretboards and other parts. The set consists of 6 

pins and 2 drill bits. Just drill, position, and glue. Use a soldering iron to heat 

and remove pins after gluing! 

FRET HAMMER 

FRET BUCK 

This beautifully cast fret buck, with a smooth but stippled finish and cork 

pads on the base to protect the face of the guitar, is a must for anyone doing 

lots of fret jobs. The Taylor TM people came up with this handy tool in response 

to the employee’s tendency toward carpal tunnel syndrome (repetitive stress 

injury). Bob Taylor wrote of the fret buck a few years ago: “...No matter how 

much skill you’ve acquired, it’s still impossible to hammer in those last four 

frets. When fretting, I rest the neck of my guitar on a 25lb. bag of buck shot. 

This adds tremendous mass to the neck and makes the frets go in like a 

dream. To take care of the area over the body we developed this ‘fret buck.’ It 

weighs about 12 pounds and adds enough mass to absorb all of the shock 

from hammering. This simple tool is one of the most significant improvements 

we have ever made in our shop and the only one that has sufficiently excited 

me to the point of getting it out into the hands of builders and repairmen. Use 

it along with a bag of buckshot and you won't believe how easy fretting will 

become.” 

EACH 

SPFB Taylor TM fret buck.................................. $239.95 

EACH 

SPPIN Set of 6 pins/2 drill bits ......................... $15.60 

SPPIND Drill for SPPIN (individual) ......................... 4.00 

SPPINR Pins for SPPIN (individual) ........................ 1.50 

With one brass tip and one pyryline tip (which can be reground from time 

to time), this well-made hammer is just the thing for fret work. At a comfortable 

9 oz., with a sturdy oak handle, this is a hammer that will last. 

EACH 

SPHP Fret hammer .......................................... $14.45 

SPHPPT Replacement pyryline tip .......................... 2.50 

SPHPBT Replacement brass tip .............................. 6.00 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

FRETTING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 

SERVICES 

SLOTTED 

FINGERBOARDS 

& RADIUSING 


707-433-1823 

Templates 

supplied with 

backing paper. 

LMI SERVICES ON PAGES 6-7

TOOLS TOOLS — FRETTING 

FRET HEIGHT GAUGE 

This 3-sided stainless steel straightedge is made for checking 

fret height, or rather finding the one or two frets that are high or 

low. The edge lengths are calculated so that any one edge can 

bridge three frets. Designed to work on all standard guitar scales, 

including bass scales, it works with most others as well. The 

longest edge is 3 3 /8" and the thickness is 5 /32". The local luthiers 

we’ve shown this to couldn’t wait to get this great little tool into 

their hands! 

EACH 

SPFHG Fret height gauge .................................. $30.20 

FRET SAW 

Backsaw for cutting fret slots. This is a “Rosewood-like” handled, fine toothed 

backsaw (20 teeth per inch) with fully set teeth. It quickly cuts through Ebony 

or Rosewood, leaving a clean and precise slot. It has a .023" (.55mm) kerf for 

normal fretwire sizes and the steel is hard enough to cut nonferrous metals. 

These saws are custom made for us with the blade reversed to cut in the “pull” 

direction. This is for more accuracy and ease of cut. (This is the saw that 

comes with our fretting system, SPFSYA on page 87.) If you use it as a fret 

saw only, it has an extra long life. Depth of cut 1 5 /8". 

END OR FRET CUTTERS 

We carried a German made set of end cutters for many years, but during 

the past year the quality of these cutters decreased significantly and the 

company has since gone out of business. We went back to the drawing board 

and, with rigorous testing, came to find that the American Channel Lock cutters 

were the best available. Negotiating with Channel Lock, we were also 

able to reduce the retail price by several dollars. Perfectly mated cutters, heat 

treated to hold their edge, precision made of fine polished high carbon dropforged 

steel, each cutter is custom ground at LMI to insure flush cutting. The 

handles are encased in soft plastic, offering positive control. To keep the cutter 

sharp, use only for cutting fretwire. 

EACH 

SPE End cutters ............................................ $27.50 

FRET PULLERS 

EACH 

SWB Fret saw ................ $20.75 

FRETWIRE on page 50 

These fret pullers with a slightly convex face of 3 /4" x 5 /16" are specially 

ground on-site. They are small enough to be easily worked under the wire of 

even the smallest radius fingerboards. Although the cutting edges are heattreated, 

they’re designed for pulling, not nipping — in a pinch, they can be 

used for cutting. 

EACH 

SPES Fret pullers ............................................. $17.70 



WEBSITE 




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89

90 

FRET TANG EXPANDER, 

FRET TANG COMPRESSOR 

These two new tools are indispensable for anyone that does very much 

fretting work—especially repairmen that face a broad variety of slot sizes and 

fret sizes in re-frets. Both tools are designed and manufactured by our colleague 

Frank Ford of Gryphon Instruments in Palo Alto, CA. He considers 

these tools essential for his efficiency on re-frets. They are used 

to size a given fretwire so it can be secured properly into the slots 

of any fingerboard. The FFT-1 Fret Expander is used to make a 

fret tang thicker to fit correctly into a wider slot. The FFT-2 Fret 

Compressor is used to compress the knobs on the fret tang so 

that the fret will fit well into a narrower slot. By using either of 

these tools you can make just about any fretwire fit any slot. To 

achieve this end without these tools repairmen have had to stock 

a wide variety of fretwires and have fret slot saws in many sizes. 

Thanks, Frank! 

EACH 

FFT-1 Fret expander ........................................ $27.45 

FFT-2 Fret compressor ...................................... 22.00 

FRET ROUNDING FILES 

These files mounted to Rosewood handles are especially made 

for rounding frets after filing them. The FFR is for medium-sized 

fretwire and has two cutting hollows of equal size. One hollow is a 

coarse cut (bastard) for efficient chip removal, and the other is a 

fine cut (mill) for more accurate dressing. Use this file with our 

FW74, FW72, or any other medium sized fretwire. The FFR2 file is 

for wider fretwire and has the same coarse and fine cut hollows. 

Use this with our FW27, FW75, FW110, and other jumbo size 

fretwire. For the narrower fretwires, the best bet is the FFRG Gurian 

file described below. 

EACH 

FFR Fret rounding file with handle ..................... $32.25 

FFR2 Fret rounding file with handle ....................... 32.25 

3-CORNER FILE 

This is a 6", slim taper, fine cut file with the leading edges ground smooth to 

prevent marring the fingerboard. This type of file has been used by builders 

and repairmen for decades for controlled fret crowning work and the delicate 

work of rounding the fret ends. Even though there are many specialized fret 

rounding files available today, there are still many that prefer this simple tool. 

EACH 

F3 3-corner file ...................................................... $13.25 

3-IN-1 FRET FILE 

Michael Gurian designed these fret files to be used for most sizes of fretwire. 

The burr holder is designed to file frets over the face of an instrument without 

worry of damage, and, with some restraint the file can be used with the strings on. 

The burrs are held in the burr holder with a cap screw and can be 

quickly replaced. There are three different size burrs for small, medium, 

and large fretwire, covering all fret rounding requirements. The 

3-in-1 Fret File set, FFRG, comes complete with handle and all three 

burrs. Replacement burrs are also available as listed. 

EACH 

FFRG 3-in-1 fret file ..........................................$34.25 

FFRGB1 Narrow burr ............................................... 8.25 

FFRGB2 Medium burr.............................................. 8.25 

FFRGB3 Wide burr .................................................. 8.25 

FRETTING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 


707-433-1823 

Fret expander, 

above; 

Fret compressor, 

below.

TOOLS TOOLS — NUT & SADDLE 

UT & & S 

S 

NUT UT 

T 

& SADDLE ADDLE TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

NUT & SADDLE FILES 

These files, specifically made designed to cut varying string size grooves in 

the nut, are absolutely essential to any serious instrument builder or 

repairperson. We offer nut files – known as “joint files” - made by two different 

sources, various size individual files from the Grobet Company and an 8 file 

set (0.010" to 0.058") made in Japan for the Ibanez guitar company. These 

files are extremely effective and well made. Although the Ibanez set is well 

sized and offers a good assortment by itself, adding a few of the Grobet files 

makes a very complete nut file assortment of sizes for electric and acoustic 

guitars. All of these nut files have about 4" of cutting surface with a #2 cut, but 

the Ibanez files have the extra feature of the size stamped on each. (Above) IBANEZ SET: 8 joint files 

IBANEZ — Complete set only. SET 

FISET Set of 8 Ibanez nut files ............................................... $86.40 

Includes sizes: .058", .048", .036", .032", 024", .017", .013", .010" 

GROBET — Sold individually EACH 

FS17 Joint file, .058" ......................... $14.75 

FS19 Joint file, .039" ........................... 14.75 

FS21 Joint file, .032" ........................... 14.75 

FS23 Joint file, .024" ........................... 14.75 

FS27 Joint file, .016" ........................... 14.75 

GROBET PILLAR FILE & KNIFE FILE 

The 3 /16" pillar file cuts only on the wide faces, the narrow edges being 

smooth, therefore it’s great for “ramping,” saddle work, and for seating the 

nut. Also used for filing fret ends. 

The knife file is ideal for precise placement of the string groove in the nut, 

and is narrow enough to slot for the high E and B string as well. 

EACH 

FSPI Piller file, to ramp or seat nut ............... $15.50 

FSKN Knife file, start groove .............................. 18.45 

PIPPIN NEEDLE FILE 

A teardrop shaped needle file particularly suitable for adjusting the top nuts 

of bone or synthetics. The sharp edge is used for thin steel strings, the rounded 

back edge for bass strings. 

EACH 

FNP Pippin needle file ..................................... $5.75 

DIAMOND COATED FILE SET 

These diamond-coated needle file sets (5 files) come in 

two grit ranges: medium (120-140), and fine (170-200). 

EACH 

FSNDF Diamond coated, Fine file set(5) ........ $95.70 

FSNDF Diamond coated, Med. file set(5) ......... 95.70 

NUT AND SADDLE SETUP GAUGE 

The Nut and Saddle setup gauge is machined of aluminum with four troughs measuring depths of 1 /32", 1 /16", 3 /32", and 

1 /8". You simply place the nut or saddle in the trough and draw parallel lines on both sides of the piece, depending on 

how much material you want to remove. It’s quite simple: say you want to lower the 

action by a certain amount. Measure the height of the low E string over the 12 th fret. If 

you want to lower the action by 1 /32", you remove twice as much from the bottom of the 

saddle, 1 /16". Place the saddle in the groove stamped 1 /16", mark it with a sharp pencil on 

both sides and sand on the belt sander or use a file. Note that the thickness of the gauge 

itself, 1 /4", also serves as another depth stop, giving you a total of five different depths. 

EACH 

SPNSG Nut & saddle setup gauge .................... $14.25 

NUTS & 

SADDLES 

on page 51 

GROBET: 

5 joint files, 

1 knife, 1 pillar 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

FSPI 

FSKN 

Pippin File: 

x-section, 

enlarged. 

91

92 

ROUTING OUTING OUTING, OUTING , CCUTTING 

C UTTING 

PRECISION MINIATURE ROUTER BASE 

Roy Noble, one of the old-timers in the world of guitarmaking, came up with 

this great router base. Spring-loaded for spring-plunging, with oversized thumbscrews 

for quick locking adjustment. The heart of the base is the linear bearings, 

which are one-piece aluminum units, coated on the inside with a spaceage 

material containing teflon. High precision, and nearly friction free. The threads 

are cut to accommodate either the Dremel or the new Black and Decker 

Wizard. The adjusting screw is a fine thread for greater accuracy ( 3 /8"–24"). 

The circle-cutting attachment is micro-adjusting. It is designed for routing 

rosette channels and soundhole cut-outs with radii from 15 /8" to 3¼" and is 

easily removable from the base for accurate free hand inlay routing. 

One of the best features is the base’s transparency. This allows a full and 

unobstructed view of the work, especially while routing inlay pockets. This 

new, improved mini router base is made with very stiff and durable ½" clear 

plastic plates. The bottom portion of this new dual purpose base is also available 

to those of you that already have the previous, simpler version. The top, 

router-holding portion with the springs and linear bearings is the same as the 

previous version. It is a simple matter to attach it to this new dual purpose 

base bottom portion. 

EACH 

SPPMR New, complete miniature router base 

w/circle cutting feature ..................................... $126.50 

SPPMRB New router base, bottom unit only 

w/circle cutting feature .......................................... 67.50 

BRIDGE SADDLE ROUTING JIG 

, C 

UTTING & & S 

S 

This jig is designed to be used with our Precision Miniature Router Base 

SPPMR (above) or it comes with an adapter plate to mount on the Dremel 

router base. The jig is used to flatten out the slots in a warped bridge, deepen 

a slot for a transducer type element, or widen a slot for a compensated saddle. 

All parts of the jig are made of clear Plexiglas for better visibility and alignment. 

The router is guided by two rails that are adjustable and lock down with 

brass thumbscrews. The ends of your saddle slot are determined by movable 

stops at either end that also have locking thumbscrews. Compressible weather 

stripping protects the top and can be adjusted so that clamping pressure is 

taken away from the inner areas of the top. 

EACH 

SPBSRJ Bridge saddle routing jig ....................... $92.00 

HEADSTOCK SLOTTING AND DRILLING JIG 

ROUTING, CUTTING & SHAPING — TOOLS OOLS 

& SHAPING HAPING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

This LMI-developed jig is a great tool for the easy and consistent machining of slots in the heads of classical guitars 

as well as vintage/parlor-style steel string guitars. It also has a drill guide to accurately drill the 

70mm-spacing tuning machine holes for classical guitars. Accurately machined from aluminum, 

this slotting and drilling jig is quickly and securely held in place for the routing of the 

slots by three large thumbscrew clamping bolts. 

Either a bit with a flush bearing or a router base with a guide bushing can be used to 

machine the slot. We offer a carbide ¼" down cut, spiral bit – SPPRC – for use with a 

guide bushing set up. The tool is designed for routing and drilling on one side of the head 

at a time and this work is accomplished quickly and accurately. The tool can be paid for 

with the time saved on just a couple of jobs. Use our HSSJ 13 /32" drill bit to drill the roller 

holes. 

EACH 

SPHSSJ Headstock slotting and drilling jig .................... $176.50 

SPPRC ¼" spiral, down cut router bit, carbide ................. 20.00 

HSSJ Twist drill for 13 /32" posthole ................................... 10.35 

T 


707-433-1823

TOOLS OOLS — ROUTING, CUTTING & SHAPING 

FLUSH TRIM ROUTER BIT WITH BEARINGS 

This heavy-duty flush trim router bit has been an indispensable 

item in Tom Ribbecke’s shop. Shown here is Tom’s router table setup. 

He uses it for trimming out pegheads, top and back profiles, neck 

blanks, and many jobs where something heavier than a normal pattern 

router bit is needed. The angled blade, like the blade on the 

router cutter in the photo, is of micro-grain carbide. It leaves a superb 

cut, and the blade lasts forever. Tom said the cutter shown in the 

photo has taken a fair amount of abuse and it still works like new. 

The bit has a 2" cutting length, cutter diameter of 3 /4", overall length of 

3 5 /8", and ½" shank; so it needs to be used with a larger router. 

Cylindrical routers like the Porter-cable 6901 or Rockwells are not 

recommended. Comes with bottom (or top) bearings and stop collar. 

EACH 

SPCPF Flush trim router cutter ......................... $52.00 

END MILLS 

LMI offers these special end mills for precision micro-routing. These are 

not your garden-variety hardware store, off-the-shelf, Dremel or standard 

router bits. These are of the highest quality, specially made, double-fluted 

solid carbide end mills – made for long useful operation. The 1 /8" and 3 /32" mills 

are specifically made to cut the cleanest, most accurate bridge saddle slots 

possible and are available here in 1 /8" shank (Dremel) or ¼" shank (laminate 

trimmer, router). These can also be used to cut and clean larger inlay or 

marquetry pockets. Each cutter here is made with left-hand cut, right-hand 

spiral to leave a clean, fuzz free edge – with the exception of CA1 upcut mill. 

All mills are 1½" in length. 

EACH 

CA1 End mill, 3 /32", 1 /8" shank, carbide (upcut) .......... $22.95 

CA2 End mill, 1 /8", 1 /8" shank, carbide .......................... 22.40 

CA3 End mill, 3 /32", 1 /4" shank, carbide ......................... 29.65 

CA4 End mill, 1 /8", 1 /4" shank, carbide .......................... 21.45 

HSSEC End mill, 1 /32", 1 /8 shank, carbide .......................... 21.00 

HSSC Collet for use with 1 /8" shank cutters 

and routers or laminate trimmers. ...................... $11.75 

1/16" BALL-END MILL, 1/8" SHANK 

This router bit is used to fit the elements of cable type transducers (Highlander/Headway 

see page 60) more securely in saddle slots. Its round 

bottom profile gives the round cable element more contact surface (which 

means better sound) and keeps it centered in the slot. It works well in concert 

with our Precision Router Base (SPPMR) and our Bridge Saddle Routing Jig 

(SPBSRJ) on page 92. EACH 

1 CA7 /16" ball-end mill, 1 /8" shank ................................ $16.00 

BALL-END END MILL 

Solid carbide, spiral, double-fluted ball-end end mill leaves a round bottomed 

truss rod slot for added strength and a better fit, and will last “forever” 

(or at least for the life of the cutter). Overall length 21 /2" 

EACH 

1 CA338 /4" cut x 7 /8" LOC, 1 /4" shank. For 1 /4" slots ......... 35.85 

ROUTER BIT END MILL 

It was David Young’s (Steel String Guitar Construction) recommendation 

that we carry this end mill for use with routers. Updated to solid carbide, this 

1 /4" left-hand-spiral, right-hand-cut bit gives incredibly clean cuts and holds a 

sharp edge well. Ideal for cutting the purfling/binding ledge; the downward cut 

does not pull the work up into the router, it leaves no fuzz to clean up, and 

chips are carried away from the cut. 2" long. Well suited for use with our 

SPHSSJ Headstock slotting and drilling Jig (page 92). 

EACH 

SPPRC Router bit end mill ............................................... $20.00 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

1 / 4" 

CA2 

1 /8" 

CA4 

93

94 

BRAD POINTED TWIST DRILLS 

These are the best brad-pointed bits we’ve seen, with 

extra long spurs for very clean entry. Expensive, but worth 

the extra cost. High speed steel for best accuracy in drilling 

dot holes. Sizes to match most dot sizes. 

Available in 2mm-10mm, and 3 /32"- 1 /4" sizes. 

EACH 

HSS2B Brad point, 2mm ........................ $8.85 








HSS10B Brad point, 10mm ...................... 15.25 





SIDE CUTTING/PURFLING TOOL 

This cutter and sleeve combination was developed to aid in the removal of 

tops for repair. With a Dremel tool you can run this cutter around a guitar 

and cut through the binding to get at the glue joint of a top that has to be 

repaired or replaced. This tool can also be used to cut the groove for decorative 

side fillet. 

— .050" kerf, .051" depth of cut and 1 /8" shaft. — EACH 

SPWBSC Side cut purfling tool ........................................... $16.65 

ZONA SAW 

This small backsaw comes with three (3) useful interchangeable 

blades. It is inexpensive and well made with a 

wooden handle. The blades are precision made with fine 

and consistent tooth set and are slightly offset to the handle 

for more comfortable working. The main blade has a 0.023" 

width for fret slot cleaning. The second is 0.010" for fine, 

precise cuts and the third blade is a small keyhole blade. 

Overall, it is very useful to the instrument maker. 

EACH 

SWB2 Small backsaw with 3 blades ...... $14.20 

TENON SAW 

Our largest backsaw has a 12" (305mm), resharpenable, 

high carbon steel blade. The attractive stained Beech 

handle is affixed by three brass nuts and it features a brass 

back. This tool is great for cutting tenon shoulders. The 

depth of cut is 3" (76mm), the blade width is .023"(.6mm) 

and the blade kerf is .036" (.9mm). 

EACH 

SWS Tenon Saw, 12" blade, 13 t.p.i. .... $65.00 


SHELL INLAY 

MATERIALS 

on pages 70-75 


707-433-1823


DRILL PRESS ROSETTE CUTTER 

This is our newly redesigned rosette channel cutter (based on the John Greven 

rosette cutter) intended for drill press use. It is designed for fast, accurate cutting 

of the inlay relief for any size or configuration of classical or steel string rosette. 

Once this tool is set up, the cutting only takes a few seconds. This is how the 

factories and high production shops turn this slow and tedious task into a “nobrainer”. 

The body of the tool is a 1 /2" thick 6 5 /8" wide aluminum flywheel-type disc 

with a 1 /2" center mounted steel dowel pin for mounting in the drill press chuck. 

There is a 1 /4" steel dowel pin on the down side that centers through the soundhole 

center in the top into a 1 /4" hole in your drill press base (this hole is best reinforced 

with the 1 /4" drill bushing that we provide). Even though this tool is machined and 

balanced for smooth operation, this lower guide pin really stabilizes the whole 

operation. The tool is designed to use 1 /4" x 1 /4" high speed steel cutters to cut the 

various channels. Two opposing 1 /4" slots in the disc with adjustable Allen screws 

inside and outside will hold any combination of cutters and spacers. Rosette 

channels from 3 3 /8" ID to 6" OD can be cut with this tool. 

The Rosette Cutter includes a cutter set (depending on which version you 

order), nine shims (3 1 /16", 3 1 /8" and 3 1 /4" wide), the necessary Allen wrenches for 

securing the cutters in place, and a 1 / 4" drill bushing. Blank cutters are available 

for custom shaping. 

CLASSICAL ROSETTE CUTTER SET 

This set is designed to cut one-piece rosette troughs from 1 /4" to 1" wide. The set 

consists of one 1 /4" cutter beveled for outside (OD) cuts, and three (3) 1 /4" cutters for the 

inside or ID cuts. 

STEEL STRING ROSETTE CUTTER SET 

This set is designed to cut the standard three-ring steel string rosette troughs – e.g. 

Martin, Taylor, Gibson. The set consists of two (2) 1 /16" (0.063") cutters for the 

smaller inside and outside rings (use our 0.060" BWB purfling), and two (2) 3 /16" 

cutters for the larger inside ring ( 3 /16" to 3 /8"). 

EACH 

SPGRCNS Drill press rosette Cutter w/ steel string blade set ...... $170.00 

SPGRCNC Drill press rosette Cutter w/ classical blade set ............ 170.00 

SPGRCNCSET Classical rosette cutter set ......................................... 32.00 

SPGRCNSSET Steel string rosette cutter set ...................................... 35.00 

SPGRCNCB Customizable cutter blank ............................................. 2.25 

1 SPGRCNSHIM1/16 /16" shim ................................................................ 2.25 

1 SPGRCNSHIM1/8 /8" shim ................................................................. 2.25 

1 SPGRCNSHIM1/4 /4" shim ................................................................. 2.25 

SPGRCBU Replacement bushing .......................................................... 2.25 

ROSETTE/CIRCLE CUTTER 

This tool is great for marking and cutting the rosette trough, the soundhole, 

and the soundhole reinforcement material. It is well suited as a marking/cutting 

tool whenever a radius is called for. The SPCC is milled from aluminum 

and the radius is adjustable from 1 3 /16" to 4" radii, with a fine thread mechanism. 

A 1 /4" drill rod is used as the registration pin which rotates in a hardened 

steel bushing. The blade is high carbon steel made by Ron Hock and is held 

in place with an Allen head cap screw. The blade block is locked in place by 

an Allen bolt. Wrenches for each are included. 

EACH 

SPCC Rosette/circle cutter, black anodized ......... $71.75 

SERVICES 

ROSETTE 

INLAYING 

SVRIC 

EACH 

Inlay classical/steel string 

single-ring rosette .................. $65.00 

SVRIS 

Inlay steel string 3-ring rosette . 75.00 

Prices include joining, sanding and inlaying costs. 

FOR DETAILS ON LMI SERVICES SEE PAGES 6-7 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

95 

Drill Press Rosette Cutter (above) with 

tool blanks, shims, drill bushing and adjustment 

wrenches. Pictured in foreground are 

the two cutter sets offered for this tool – 

Classical rosette cutter set on the left, and 

the Steel string rosette cutter set on the right.” 

PREMADE ROSETTE 

See page 63 

ROSETTE STICKS 

& INLAY MATERIAL 

See page 64

96 

TUNING MACHINE ROLLER HOLE STEP DRILL 

High speed steel step drill for Schallers TM , Gotohs TM or any machine with a 

10mm ( 3 /8") barrel. For quick and correct fitting of classic guitar tuning machines, 

the holes that accept the string rollers should be slightly relieved 

where the roller passes through the outside rib of the guitar head. These custom-made 

step drills drill relieved holes in one operation, increase accuracy of hole 

placement, and clear chips quickly. Short length, high speed steel, brad-point style 

with long spurs and a black oxide finish. Outside diameter equals shank size. 

Very sharp, protected with hot dip plastic. 27 /64" OD, .402" D x 15 /16" L step. 

1 /2" overall length. For all Schaller TM classic machines or any roller of approximately 

.393" (10mm) diameter. 

EACH 

HHSS Roller hole step drill .............................. $24.95 

ADJUSTABLE PEGSHAVER 

CLASSIC TUNER DRILL JIG 

A simple 3-hole jig is found in most serious luthier's 

shops, and this one is based on that found in John Gilbert's. 

Made of cold-rolled steel and drill bushings, it measures 

37 /8" x 1½" x 3 /4", and has been used by John for years. 

One of the few operations in constructing a classic guitar 

that requires a drill, this jig makes easy work of an exacting 

bit of drudgery, and in fact, this jig makes a hand drill 

well suited to the task. 

The 13 /32" holes are standard, along with 70mm (1.378") post hole spacing. 

For alignment purposes, lines are scribed center to the hole on the outside of 

the jig. (Bushing side against the peghead.) As shown in the photo, a steel 

plate can be clamped to and extend out from the head, to act as a stop. Between 

this plate and the jig you may need to add shim stock to center the 

holes. If necessary, the jig can be used as a single guide by simply moving the 

jig from hole to hole. 

EACH 

SPDJ Drill jig for classic tuners ...................... $49.95 

HSSJ Twist drill for 13 /32" post hole .................... 10.35 

This effective pegshaver of black anodized aluminum has a 2" adjustable 

angle blade and can shave-to-size pegs as large as 3 /8" diameter. 

EACH 

SPPSA Adjustable pegshaver ............................ $45.25 

GERMAN-MADE PEGSHAVER 

Designed for shaving tuning pegs. The base is milled from brass and 

padded in soft plastic, insurance against slippage. The hardened steel blades 

have two cutting edges for extra life, and with four peg diameters with standard 

taper, this shaver is the most useful size made. Diameters are 8.0mm, 

8.5mm, 9.0mm, 9.5mm, which work well with the SPRM reamer (page 97). 

Comes with instructions and an Allen wrench for adjusting and setting blades. 

Heavy, German made, superb quality. Price reduced. 

EACH 

SPPS German-made pegshaver ..................... $113.95 

SPPSB Replacement Blade for SPPS .................. 8.00 


John Gilbert’s early prototype 

mounted for drilling. 


707-433-1823 

SPDJ 

CAUTION: 

The HHSS step drill is intended for drill 

press use only. It will damage both 

the Classic Tuner Drill Jig (SPDJ 

above), and the Headstock Slotting and 

Drilling Jig (SPHSSJ pg. 92) –These 

jigs must use only the HHSJ Twist Drill, 

13 /32" (above).


REAMERS 

PEGHOLE REAMERS 

Highest Quality Reamer 

German-made peg hole reamer, Tin 

coated, finest available. Essential for builders 

who employ friction pegs, and virtually 

a necessity for those who use Schallers TM , 

Gotohs TM , Grovers TM , and most tuning machines 

where either the bushings or the barrels are 10mm ( 3 /8") in diameter. 

This reamer has three blades on one side working against the opposite smooth 

side. This configuration gives the roundest hole. (Fully-bladed and half-cone 

types of reamers tend to make rough cuts and eccentric holes.) It’s the only 

reamer we’ve seen that’s titanium-nitride coated; the life of the blade is extended 

from 3-5 times! Because the friction coefficient is less, cutting is cleaner 

and easier.10mm tapering to 5.5mm. 135mm long. Taper: 1/30 

EACH 

SPRM Highest quality reamer .......................... $95.00 

Good Quality Reamer 

American made and much improved over previous versions. The blades are 

nicely machined in the same configuration as the SPRM. 9.5mm tapering to 

5mm. 135mm long. Taper: 1/30 

EACH 

SPRM2 Good quality reamer .............................. $32.25 

Cello Reamer 

This is a virtual all purpose reamer! Several years ago a customer of ours 

asked us to special order a cello reamer. He planned to use it for installing 

Schaller TM bass machines into his factory guitars. The report came back that 

the reamer not only worked for installing bass machines, but SM6 machines 

and endpins as well. 200mm in length, 16mm at the big end, and 8mm at the 

small end. 

EACH 

SPRMC Cello reamer ........................................ $135.25 

BRIDGE PIN HOLE REAMERS 

These special reamers are designed to widen 

and taper the bridge pin holes to more accurately fit 

the taper of the bridge pins. These reamers can be 

mounted and used with a drill press or hand drill at low speed, 

or can be used by hand by installing a handle on the reamer - our 

“Rosewood-like” handle, CHPS (page 99) works well for this. 

We offer a 3° taper reamer in high speed steel (HSS) that fits most 

standard and all LMI bridge pins, and a 5° reamer in HSS that fits Martin and 

Gibson plastic pins. 

EACH 

SPRMP Reamer, HSS 3° taper, fits all LMI bridge pins .. $31.50 

SPRMP5 Reamer, HSS 5°, fits Martin TM Gibson TM , others... 31.50 

CHPS Small “Rosewood-like” handle for above reamers .. 4.40 

CHES Small Ebony handle for above reamers.................. 4.90 

BRIDGE & 

END PINS 

page 59 

TUNERS 

start on page 53 

Bridge pin 

hole reamers: 

(top-bottom) 

HSS 3° taper,SPRMP 

HSS 5° taper,SPRMP5 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

97 

Small 

“Rosewood-like” 

handle, CHPS

ACH 

8.25 

8.05 

4.85 

0.10 

6.35 

7.40 

8.05 

6.55 

.. 

4.35 

3.80 

98 

RASPS 

HANDMADE RASPS 

FOR INSTRUMENT MAKERS 

Recommended to us by Classical guitar maker 

Geza Burghardt, these rasps seem to stay sharper 

longer than typical machined rasps and files because 

of the random spacing of their teeth. Manufactured to 

last a lifetime, each rasp is made by hand, one by 

one. With 8 different sizes and profiles to choose from, 

nearly any instrument maker will find a rasp or two 

here to add to his/her collection of special hand tools. 

Imported from Hungary and sold exclusively by LMI, 

we feel these superb tools are reasonably priced considering 

their hand-made, high quality nature. 

Dimensions given are of total lengths, not just the 

cutting edge. Where stated “flat & convex”, one side is 

flat, the other convex. 

EACH 

FRCR Cabinet rasp, 101 /2" x 1" ........................................... $38.25 

FRBT Bird tongue rasp, 8" x 11 /16", convex both sides ........ 24.85 

FRPR 125mm plain rasp, 63 /4" x 3 /8" ..................................... 16.35 

FRRR Round rasp, large, 81 /4 "x 13 /32"................................... 37.40 

FRPR1 200mm plain rasp, 95 /8" x 3 /4" ..................................... 26.55 

FRNR Needle rasp, 71 /4" x 3 /16", flat & convex ...................... 19.55 

FRKER Knife edge rasp, 7" x 5 /8" ............................................ 24.35 

FRRR1 Round rasp, small, 8" x 7 /32" ...................................... 23.80 

CARPENTERS RASPS 

These rasps, recommended to us by veteran steel string maker Roy Noble, 

are ideal for final shaping and carving the neck and heel. Each rasp has a flat 

and a convex surface. With the cutting surface on each rasp measuring 9¼ 

in., these two rasps round out our rasp offerings (see our Hungarian handmade 

rasps above, which are more specialized and are generally smaller). 

The randomly placed teeth on these rasps minimize chatter and chip loading 

and are exceptionally aggressive. Though there are cheaper rasps available, 

for those guitar builders who wish to tool up with the finest available, there is 

no need to look any further. You may want to adorn these fine tools with our 

attractive tool handles, on next page. 

EACH 

SPNRC Rasp, coarse #49 ................................................ $56.00 

SPNRF Rasp, fine #50 ....................................................... 66.50 

SAW-RASP FOR SHAPING NECK 

This tool offers control that no other heavy cutting rasp 

can.There’s no grain tearing, no loading, and an even neck is 

easily maintained. Consisting of hacksaw style blades that are 

bundled together with two cutting surfaces, coarse and fine, simply 

flip from one surface to the other and tighten down the single 

knurled thumb screw. EACH 

SPSRASP Saw rasp, coarse & fine .......... $51.00 

SPOKESHAVES 

We carry both a flat and concave model both are for neck carving and 

various other shaping tasks. The flat (SPF) has two brass adjusting screws for 

precise adjustment of depth of cut. Both are 10" long and have a 2 1 /16" wide 

blade. 

EACH 

SPF Spokeshave-flat .................................... $21.85 

SPR Spokeshave-curved .................................. 26.55 


NECK 

BLANKS 

pages 

35-36 


707-433-1823


CHISELS & GOUGES 

LMI CHISELS 

Our chisels, with beautifully designed hardwood handles, are as 

good as can be found anywhere in the world. Hand-forged and tempered 

with an average Rockwell hardness reading of 62C, our maker 

guarantees specific hardness tolerances, and stamps our initials 

on the blade and charges us for the extra quality control. The blades 

are hard, but they are tough too–not nearly as brittle as many of the 

good Japanese chisels—perfect for instrument making. The small 

German foundry that makes these blades uses the very best steel. 

They’ve been in the hands of instrument makers for more than twenty 

years now, and any luthier that hasn’t had his or her set filched will attest to the quality of the steel in these LMI 

chisels. Few, if any brands, hold an edge like these chisels do. Rated as the top-ranked chisel in Fine Woodworking, 

they’re tools that will last generations. Our foundry is one of the few that manufactures 1mm and 2mm blades – for 

saddle slots, purfling recesses, etc. 

EACH 

CH1 Chisel, 1 mm .............$36.50 

CH2 Chisel, 2 mm ...............36.50 

CH3 Chisel, 3 mm ...............36.50 

CH6 Chisel, 6 mm ...............36.50 

GOUGE FOR CARVING HEEL 

With a number 5 sweep, and a 1" blade, this is a tool that Mario Passos 

from Rio de Janeiro insisted that we reintroduce. Mario said that for him it cut 

the task of carving the heel in half. Made of the same excellent high-carbon, 

hand-forged steel as in our fine chisel, this gouge takes and holds an edge 

like no other. A hardness of 62 – 63C Rockwell usually means brittleness. But 

with these blades toughness is built in. Mounted with our large, comfortable 

“Rosewood-like” handle, the gouge can be gripped with both hands for really 

leaning into the work. 

GLUE-CLEARING CHISEL 

Schneider glue-clearing chisel. Specifically designed by Richard Schneider for removing glue 

squeeze-out from the sides of bracing. This chisel has a precisely curved blade with a specially 

ground bevel, which simplifies an otherwise difficult and time consuming task. Richard said this was 

probably the most used tool in his shop. 

Although, primarily for glue cleanup, the chisel is used wherever a flat-bottom chisel 

can’t be used. Richard also used it for carving braces and cleaning wood “fuzz” from 

certain areas of the top. It’s great for shaving braces, too! A long handle for twohanded 

control completes a tool that has received rave reviews from those 

who have used them. 

EACH 

CHG Schneider glue clearing chisel .............. $55.45 

TOOL HANDLES 

CH10 

EACH 

Chisel, 10 mm ...........$39.00 

CH14 Chisel, 14 mm .............39.00 

CH18 Chisel, 18 mm .............39.00 

CH25 Chisel, 25 mm .............42.00 

EACH 

GCS25 Gouge for carving heel ............................................... $63.00 

These attractive handles will make even the most random selection of tools 

look like a matching set. Found in many career luthier’s shops, they provide a 

comfortable handle for files, gravers, rasps, small saws, reamers and chisels. 

We offer two sizes, medium and small, both with solid brass ferrules. These 

handles are actually made from Tintul, an Indian “Rosewood-like” wood from 

India. The Ebony handle is made from striped Indian Ebony. Ferrules need to 

be drilled out to accept some tools. 

EACH 

CHHSM “Rosewood-like” Tintul handle, medium ............... $4.40 

CHPS “Rosewood-like” Tintul handle, small...................... 4.40 

CHES Ebony handle, small .............................................. 4.90 



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99 

Price 

Reduced 

Top: Small handle for needle files, gravers, 

etc. Below: Medium handle for tools similar 

in size to our chisel blades.

100 

PLANES, SCRAPERS & KNIVES 

SCHNEIDER PLANE 

This silicon-bronze plane designed by Richard Schneider is ideal for brace shaving. With 

a slight sole concavity and extra wide mouth (almost works like a rabbeting plane) shaving 

the sides of bracing in situ and tapering the ends of bracing is a breeze. The bottom is ground 

into a curve longitudinally, making it an ideal tool to shape the top of fan bars. Because the 

sides are ground tight to the protruding blade, it’s possible to carve the sides of the fan bars 

almost down to the surface of the soundboard. 

EACH 

PLRS Schneider brace shaving plane, sole 2" x 1 1 /8" ..$77.95 

“D’ANGELICO” PLANE 

Based on patterns from Jimmy D’Aquisto’s planes, that were given to him by John 

D’Angelico, these planes are are a study in cooperation. They’ve been reworked and refined 

with input from Steven Andersen, Steve Klein, Bob Benedetto, Marc Maingard, Guy Rabut, 

and Steve Marchione. The high carbon steel blades, made by blademiester Ron Hock, are 

about a third thicker than standard blades, and offer more stability and closer throat settings. 

A tool for several lifetimes. Silicon-bronze. 

EACH 

PLDL Large “D’Angelico”, sole 2 1 /2" x 1 1 /3", blade 1" ... 105.95 

PLDS Small “D’Angelico”, sole 2" x 1 1 /8", blade 3 /4" ..... 105.95 

PLDLB Replacement blade for PLDL plane...................... 12.00 

PLDSB Replacement blade for PLDS plane ..................... 11.00 

IBEX PLANE 

Designed by Irving Sloane, this instrument makers’ finger plane is made of silicon 

bronze – a much harder alloy than the typical brass finger planes. The lever cap with 

screw adjustment allows quick and accurate positioning of the blade, and there is no 

lateral blade movement because of rear shoulder cutout tracks. Slightly rounded soles of 

heavy thickness permit making curves more acute or flattened. And a fine mouth opening 

matches the curve of the blade for maximum cutting efficiency. German-made chrome 

vanadium blades, toothed or standard, hold a fine cutting edge. EACH 

PLI30 Violin plane sole 30mm x 16mm, 10mm blade ........ $41.25 

PLB30 Replacement blade, 10mm ............................................ 6.00 

PLBT30 Blade only, toothed, 10mm ............................................ 8.25 

IBEX PALM PLANE 

In appearance like the PLI30 above, Irving Sloane’s palm plane with an adjustable mouth 

is a beautifully designed tool. The fine adjustment feature, accomplished via a socket screw 

in the heel of the plane, is perfect for planing difficult curly woods. Blade made of hollowground, 

premium grade tool steel (RC60 – 61) is tracked with a slight amount of top end play 

to compensate for an edge ground out of square. At just under a pound, these planes have a 

satisfying heft that make for smooth, efficient planing. EACH 

PLPLA Ibex palm plane, sole 90mm x 40mm .............. $118.75 

PLPLB Replacement blade for PLPLA plane ..................... 7.80 

PALM PLANE – FLAT SOLED 

This small plane is used for planing braces and truing the sides and kerfing to fit the back 

to the side rim. This is easily the most useful small plane that we offer – especially considering 

its low price. Many makers have two or more of these, some modified for specific uses. 

German made – 3 5 /16" long, 15 /16" blade width. 

EACH 

PLP Palm plane-flat soled, sole 3 5 /16" long ................ $17.20 

PLPBL Replacement blade for PLP plane .......................... 3.65 

BLOCK PLANE 

This is the English-made Stanley 60 1 /2, a nice quality, low-angle (13 1 /2°) block plane that 

Kenny Hill wanted for his students. Great for endgrain and many other tasks. It’s newly 

designed with adjustable mouth, lateral adjustment levers, brass knobs, with screw adjustment 

for 1 3 /8" wide blade. 6 1 /4" length of sole. 

EACH 

PLBST Block plane, sole 6 1 /4" long ........................................ $43.95 

ROUTING, CUTTING & SHAPING — TOOLS OOLS OOLS 

TOLL TOLL REPLACEMENT FREE: FREE: CANADA CANADA BLADES & & & USA: USA: USA: AVAILABLE 800-477-4437 800-477-4437 for All Our Planes • • OVERSEAS: OVERSEAS: — Call 800-477-4437 707-433-1823 

707-433-1823


INSTRUMENT MAKER’S KNIVES 

Ron Hock, maker of many of our tool blades, has come up with the finest 

high carbon steel instrument-making knives available. Hardened and tempered 

to Rockwell C-60 for the best combination of edge-holding, sharpening power, 

and blade toughness, these blades will offer years of use and satisfaction. 

You will need to make your own handles, but that’s an easy and fun task. Our 

bridge blanks (page 41) make an attractive knife handle. 

EACH 

KNBL75 Knife blade, 3 /32" x 3 /4" x 7" .................................. $22.25 

KNBL50 Knife blade, 1 /16" x 1 /2" x 7"..................................... 20.25 

KNBL25 Knife blade, 1 /16" x 1 /4" x 7"..................................... 18.75 

HEAVY DUTY SCRAPER/PLANER 

Useful for scraping highly figured and curly woods, smoothing out knots, 

and removing glue. To some degree it combines the function of a handscraper 

and a plane, in that it levels like a plane but saves on tired thumbs. The 

blade can be sharpened to use as a normal scraper or with a 30°- 45° 

angle on the blade for faster and finer cutting. Because the thumb screw 

in the back bows the scraper, there is no need to round the corners, they 

shouldn’t catch. 

EACH 

SCH Heavy duty scraper/planer .......................................... $36.40 

HANDSCRAPERS 

Handscrapers can be used for leveling the rosette to the top, 

for truing the purfling to the sides, top, and back, and for many 

other small jobs. The advantages over other smoothing tools are 

many: on hardwood they can leave a smooth surface with less 

effort and expense than sandpaper; they can plane curves, twists, 

and are very controllable for depth of cut; they take an incredibly 

fine shaving (it is possible to read through a Rosewood shaving); 

and they do not clog. 

EACH 

SC.4 .4mm scraper ............................................... $4.30 

SC.6 .6mm scraper ................................................. 4.30 

SC.8 .8mm scraper ................................................. 4.65 

SC1 1mm scraper, .................................................. 4.65 

SCS Scraper set–all the above, 10% discount.... 16.10 

SCSW Swan neck scraper ......................................... 5.80 

STWTAK 

VARIOUS SHAPED SCRAPERS 

Scraper set. Includes 7 scrapers of various shapes, and sizes, .016" thick. 

This set provides you with nearly all sizes and curvatures needed. The largest 

scraper is 4 3 /8" x 2". The smallest is 1 1 /2" x 1 3 /16". Other sizes in photo are 

proportional. 

EACH 

SCS2 Various shaped scrapers, set of 7 ........ $42.00 

SCRAPER BURNISHER 

This nifty new tool was designed to put reliable and consistent edges on 

scraper blades. The tool consists of a hardwood handle with a hardened steel 

pin inset at the correct angle to allow quick configuration of the edge. The 

tools includes such good instructions that even the hardened, streetwise 

scraper veteran might learn something from the description of the “micro-planing 

concept.” 

EACH 

SCB-1 Scraper burnisher .................................. $16.00 

Use thicker scrapers for heavier cutting 

and thinner scrapers for finer cutting and 

working on small curved areas. Use the 

swan neck scraper for convex and concave 

areas. Swedish steel. 2 1 /2" x 6" 



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101

102 

SHARPENING 

HARPENING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

BRIAN BURNS SHARPENING SYSTEM 

The Brian Burns Sharpening System puts the keenest possible edge on 

plane and chisel blades in minutes. This is the best thought-out system we’ve 

ever encountered. The set includes: a Japanese finishing stone, two 3M diamond 

stones, a book with instructions and templates to use for achieving the 

proper sharpening angles, and Brian’s latest addition to “the method” — his 

honing guide. All are available separately, too. 

EACH 

STHBSYS Burns Sharpening System w/book, templates, 

honing guide and 3 stones (STD2, STD8, & STWTAK) ........... $299.15 

BM25 Book, Double Bevel Sharpening, w/templates ......... 10.35 

STHB2 Honing guide for the Burns Sharpening System ....... 60.35 

DIAMOND SHARPENING STONES 

#200 grit and #800 grit 3M Micron-grade diamond stones. At the suggestion 

of Brian Burns and to go along with his sharpening system (above), we 

carry the 3M brand of diamond stones. Micron grading leaves this monocrystalline 

grit very consistent, so no unexpected nicks are encountered in the 

course of sharpening. The 200-grit (74 micron) stone is so fast cutting, it’s 

used in lieu of a grinding stone. Made of a 3 /8" very flat aluminum plate, the 

diamond grit is nickel plated to a flexible backing which Brian says is very 

good for flattening the soles of planes. The 800-grit (20 micron) stone is another 

of the three stones that Brian uses in his system (the third being the 

STWTAK, below). These diamond stones stay sharp virtually forever, 

don’t glaze over, and they’re guaranteed to be flat! 8" x 3" x 3 /8". 

EACH 

STD2 Diamond stone, 200 grit ........................ $94.50 

STD8 Diamond stone, 800 grit .......................... 94.50 

JAPANESE WATER STONES 

Available in 800 • 1000 • 1200 • 8000 grit 

The coarse, 800 grit, stone is used where rapid removal of metal is 

desired or for removing large nicks. The 1000 and 1200 grit stones are 

used when your tool is in good shape but needs final sharpening. 

The Takenoko 8000-grit finishing stone is made of synthetic #8000-grit 

abrasive and naturally occurring clays. This stone will blow you away with 

L-R: Japanese water stone STWTand STWT10 

its outstanding polishing capabilities! 

Below: Japanese water stone STWTAK 

The STWTAK is also one stone of a 3-stone set offered in the Brian 

Burns Sharpening System (above). Brian raves about how “aggressive it is, 

while producing a mirror finish, leaving no burr...the cutting edge you get will 

literally take shavings off a hair.” 

HONING GUIDE 

T 

EACH 

STWT Japanese water stone, 8" x 2 

A grit count cannot be given for the STWTF stone because it is not 

man-made. However, it is finer than any of the stones listed above 

1 /2" x 11 /4", 800 grit .....$36.25 

STWT10 Japanese water stone, 8" x 21 /2" x 11 /4", 1000 grit .... 39.00 

STWT12 Japanese water stone, 8" x 21 /2" x 11 /4", 1200 grit .... 40.75 

STWTAK Japanese water stone, 83 /8" x 27 /8" x 1", 8000 grit .... 63.45 

STWTF Japanese water stone, Very fine grit ......................... 29.99 

This will produce a fast and accurate bevel on plane irons and chisel blades. 

Accepts blades from 1 /16" to 2 11 /16". Instructions for use are included with this 

indispensable tool. 

EACH 

STH Honing guide .................................................................... $28.60 

SHARPENING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 


707-433-1823

TOOLS TOOLS — MEASUREMENT 

MEASUREMENT 

EASUREMENT TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

LUTHIERS CALIPERS 

Deep Throat Calipers 

Similar to the above calipers, but the lever pulls the pin from the top so that there is 

never any interference between the bracket and the workpiece being measured. 

EACH 

SPCM Deep throat calipers, 12 1 /2" throat .................... $155.00 

VIRTUAL STROBE TUNER 

T 

Dial Thickness Calipers 

These calipers are for thicknessing tops and backs. This German-made dial 

caliper for smaller instruments is one of the best made. It’s cast for rigidity and 

slotted to reduce weight. The hardened anvil contact points are perfectly aligned but 

realignable. A swiveling stand lets the calipers stand alone so you can check thicknesses 

of the top or back while it’s grasped firmly with both hands and moved through 

the contact points. Calibrated in .1mm. Maximum measuring depth 30mm (1 3 /16"). 

Accurate to 1 /40 mm (.001"), 8" throat depth. 

EACH 

SPCS Dial thickness caliper, 8" throat ....................... $187.50 

Electronic Digital Caliper 

Easy to read LCD display. Measures up to 6 inches in increments of .0005". 

Features metric/inch selection button, zero setting button, depth measuring rod and 

hard plastic case. Accurate to .001". 

EACH 

SPCALE Caliper, Electronic, Digital................................... $48.75 

Stainless Steel Calipers 

Nicely made of stainless steel in China, our shop models have undergone all 

kinds of endurance tests, including such abusive acts as checking the thickness of a 

sanded top. Opens and measures to 6" in .000" increments. 

EACH 

SPCAL Stainless steel calipers, up to 6" opening .......... $39.95 

HYGROMETER 

It seems that among guitar builders that the hygrometer is often the last tool purchased, but depending 

on where you live, it can be one of the most important. Further complicating matters, it’s not all that 

easy to find a good hygrometer. We offer a good German-made one, one that has been in use in our 

shop for over fifteen years and still going strong. It’s certified to be accurate within ±3% over the entire 

range of 0 to 100%. Mechanically linked to precision bearings and gears, there is no need for external 

power or batteries. The unit is completely self-contained in an attractive solid brass case. 6" overall 

diameter, case drilled for wall mounting. A must for serious luthing! 

EACH 

SPHG Hygrometer ........................................................ $144.60 

Peterson’s exclusive Virtual Strobe Technology provides an instantaneous 

picture of musical pitch in a hand-held tuner. Gone are the delays, annoying 

jumpiness, and deadband inaccuracies of other digital tuners. The VS-2 incorporates 

many advanced features formerly available only in professional, rotating 

disc strobe tuners In addition, the VS-2 includes battery/AC operation and a 

backlit LCD display. This is a great tool for musicians, educators, and music 

instrument technicians alike. The responsive display and hands-free, automatic, 

note selection also permit real-time intonation practice to improve performance 

and listening skills while playing. 

VS-1CLIP - Peterson has designed this pick-up to clip on to the instrument to 

pick up vibration for isolation and sensitivity in intonating. 

EACH 

VS-2 Virtual Strobe Tuner ............................$226.50 

VS-1CLIP Clip on pick-up .........................................16.95 

VS-1CLIP 



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103 

Dial Thickness Calipers 

Deep Throat Calipers 

Electronic 

Digital Calipers 

Stainless Steel 

Calipers 

VS-1

104 

VACUUM ACUUM 

VACUUM BRIDGE CLAMP 

Vacuum is the best way to get a superior joint between your bridge and the top of 

your guitar. The rubber membrane puts even pressure EVERYWHERE on the bridge. 

Moisture is removed by the escaping air, which really speeds up dry time. The anodized 

Aluminum frame has a clamping area of 8.25” x 3.25” and has a thick foam gasket 

to protect your guitar. 

Compressor vacuum valve 

New & Improved! 

PROFESSIONAL VACUUM WORK HOLDER 

PUMP • MANIFOLD • ACCESSORIES 

This is a versatile system to hold a guitar in any position for repair work 

or various building tasks. The vacuum plate has a 15' radius with soft 

gasket material to conform to the arch of both the back and top of the 

body. With the new and improved version of this tool you can not only 

adjust the angle of your work surface with our improved self ratcheting 

handle, the work holder plate can also rotate a full 360 degrees and can 

be locked in place with another self-ratcheting handle. 

SPVP - Vacuum Pump - This diaphragm vacuum pump can pull up to 

22 inches of vacuum translating into 11PSI. With the included quick disconnects, 

the pump can be a central fixture in your shop for other vacuum 

jigs we offer or that you can dream up. It is rated for 9000 continuous 

hours of operation. 

SPVACPMAN - Vacuum Manifold - This manifold features an adjustable 

valve and gauge to dial in just the right amount of vacuum for any job. 

EACH 

SPVWF Vacuum Work Holder ......................$215.00 

SPVP Vacuum Pump ...................................255.00 

SPVACPMAN Vacuum Manifold ...............................120.00 

SPVACPF Vacuum, in-line filter ...........................16.69 

SPVACPPC Pisco quick connector for ¼” hose ..... 4.00 

SPVACPT Vacuum Tubing, 1/4 inch, per yard ..... 3.00 

SPVACPG Vacuum Gasket Material per foot ........ 2.50 

Vacuum manifold with in-line filter, tubing and Pisco connector 

SPVAC Compressor/vac valve ............ $135.20 

RUBBER VACUUM SHEETING 

See 

color photos 

on 

the inside 

back cover. 

SPVACPB 

Vacuum bridge clamp ............. $85.00 

COMPRESSOR VACUUM VALVE 

If you already have a ½ hp or larger compressor you can use this handy valve to generate 

vacuum anywhere in your shop. With its on/off switch and vacuum gauge can generate up to 

12 PSI of pressure. It comes with 12 feet of vacuum sponge tape, a generous amount of 

hose, and 5 pages of instructions and ideas. 

Vacuum technology can really help speed up gluing and improve the quality of the 

bond by applying even pressure over the whole piece and eliminating “hot spots” that 

can occur with regular clamps. This is the same material we use in our vacuum bridge 

clamp (SPVACPB, see above). Use this to create your own inventive vacuum fixtures. 

The average size needed for a brace clamping fixture is approx. 32" x 32". 

This material is 4 feet long and sold in 1 foot widths. Prices are by the foot. 

(Example: a quanity of 1 equals a 1' x 4' sheet or 4 square feet of rubber sheeting.) 

PER FOOT 

SPVACPRUB Rubber sheeting ........................................ $12.00 

Vacuum 

bridge clamp 

VACUUM — TOOLS OOLS 

Adjustable 

work holder 

Vacuum clamping setup, for top and back 

bracing, utilizing rubber vacuum sheeting. 


707-433-1823 

Diaphragm 

vacuum pump

TOOLS TOOLS — CLAMPING 

CLAMPING 

LAMPING 

Shop Fox Parrot Vise 

We searched high and low for a replacement for the much 

sought after “Versa-Vise” and it looks like we’ve found it. 

This unique, inexpensive vise swivels a full 360° and locks 

automatically when the jaw is tightened. Once mounted, it 

can be set upright or on its side which make it extremely 

versatile. The jaws measure 3 1 /2" wide x 2 1 /8" high and 

open to 5". Holes in the jaw allow easy customization. 

Optional rubber lined tilting jaws (SPVISEJ) are 

also available. 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

EACH 

SPVISE 

Shop Fox ® Parrot Vise ..............$49.95 

SPVISETJ 

Rubber lined tilting jaws ................... 12.95 

KLEMMSIA CAM CLAMPS 

German made Klemmsia clamps are still considered the best cam clamp 

made. These versatile clamps are used for clamping: the bridge to the top, the 

braces to the top and back, the fingerboard to the neck blank, and the top and 

back to the sides. These convenient clamps have hundreds of uses in the 

shop. Made of very light but very rigid hornbeam, they belie their light weight 

and can exert a force of 330 lbs. when the cam is fully pulled. The bar is zincplated 

spring steel to prevent rust and ensure smooth sliding. Each jaw has a 

cork pad attached to prevent marring. Three sizes. 



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105 

FOX BRIDGE CLAMPS 

A simple and elegant solution to bridge clamping is offered in the Fox bridge clamp. Charles Fox, of CFox Guitars, 

has used these clever clamps for the many years he’s been building classic and steel string guitars. Two clamps are 

offered, one for steel string guitar and the other for classic. The great advantage to these clamps is the ability to easily 

clean up glue squeeze-out immediately after clamping. It’s a fairly awkward task when using four or five bridge/brace 

clamps, or five Klemmsia-style cam clamps. In the case of the steel string 

bridge, there are no other clamps to obstruct cleanup, and with the classic 

clamp, using only two bridge clamps along with the aluminum Fox clamp, 

makes cleanup very quick and easy. 

As pictured, the steel string clamp is cut to resemble the profile of most 

steel string bridges (E.G. Martin TM -style) with slots that allow for alignment 

with the thumb screws and the outside bridge pin holes. Simply insert the 

screws through the outside bridge holes, reach through the soundhole, thread 

on the washer and wingnuts (shown in photo) and tighten. Next gently tighten 

down the outside handled screws, using shims to protect the bridge face. You 

can then immediately wipe off any squeeze-out. 

The classic clamp requires the use of two bridge clamps or two Klemmsia-style 

cam clamps. Since only about 2" of the top/bridge interface is obstructed, glue 

squeeze-out is easily cleaned up. Made of machined, black, anodized aluminum. 

EACH 

CLBFC Fox bridge clamp, classic.....................$18.20 

CLBFS Fox bridge clamp, steel string ................22.75 

EACH 4 + 

CLK1 4 1 /4" depth, 8" span, 4 1 /4" ......................$15.10 .... 13.00 

CLK2 6" depth, 8" span, 6" ...............................20.30 .... 18.20 

CLK3 7 1 /2" depth, 8" span, 7 1 /2" ........................22.40 .... 20.30 

SPVISETJ 

SPVISE Parrot 

vise shown with 

optional SPVISETJ 

rubber jaws. 

Fox Bridge Clamps (Top-bottom): 

Classic,Steel string and 

Steel string clamp attached to bridge.

106 

GO-BAR CLAMPS 

The Go-bar deck, or the use of bent sticks between two solid surfaces, is a very old 

method of applying clamping pressure while gluing two parts together. It’s absolutely 

ancient. In some early shops bent poles were used to apply pressure from the ceiling 

down onto a bench top. This method has always been used to clamp and glue bars 

on to the large, flat harpsichord, and later piano, soundboards. In recent times this 

use of props or Go-bars has been expanded and refined with the use of a variety of 

clamping boxes and sticks. When many bars are used at once to clamp all along a 

long brace or several braces at once it is important that the Go-bars apply even and 

consistent pressure. We offer here Go-bars made of fiberglass rod. This makes each 

bar, or prop, absolutely consistent in clamping pressure, bar to bar and in use over 

time. These Go-bar rods are 24" in length with rubber tips on each end. You can 

either design your own clamping deck with this length in mind or cut them shorter to 

fit your current bracing box. 20 to 24 bars are needed to entirely clamp all braces onto 

a top or back at one time. Of course, a smaller number can be used if you glue the 

braces on in stages. 

EACH 3 + 

CLGO Go-bar rods, 24" long ............. $3.65 ...... 2.60 

CLGOT Go-bar replacement tips ......... $0.25 

HOLLOW FORMS 

These are the original radiused hollow forms. They are mostly used when bracing the top or back in either a Go-bar 

deck or vacuum bracing fixture to achieve an arch or “dome” in that plate. Arched tops are believed to be stronger for 

their mass than flat tops, to react less due to humidity changes, and to distort less due to the pull of the strings. To 

easily achieve a uniformly arched plate, first contour the bottom of the braces to the appropriate arch. This can be 

accurately accomplished by cutting, then sanding the braces on sandpaper attached to the hollow form. Next, glue the 

braces down to the plate while it is in the hollow form. Either 25' and 30' 

radius arched tops are used by most hand makers and factories, and both 

the 12' and 15' radius arched backs are commonly used. Custom radius 

forms can be made in 3-4 weeks. These hollow forms are cut from 5 /8" MDF 

and they can be made more stable by gluing them to a second layer of MDF 

or a support frame, or by securing it to a bench top or Go-bar deck base. 

EACH 

SPHFS25 Top arching form, 25' ........................................... $74.75 

SPHFS30 Top arching form, 30' ............................................. 74.75 

SPHFB15 Back arching form, 15' .......................................... 74.75 

SPHFB12 Back arching form, 12' .......................................... 74.75 

SPHFCUS Arching form, custom radius................................. 94.75 

CONTOUR PATTERNS 

These clear plexi-glass patterns are concave on one side and convex on 

the other and are used to verify top and back arching throughout the body 

assembly process. The convex side can be used to check the top and back 

arching while they are still separate from the sides, and the other side can be 

used to check the top and back arching of assembled instruments. 

Available in 

12',15', 25' and 30' radii. 

Luthier Andrew McSpadden 

sets up Go-bar clamps. 

EACH 

SPHFST Contour pattern, 25' .... $20.25 

SPHFST30 Contour pattern, 30' ...... 20.25 

SPHFBT Contour pattern, 15' ...... 20.25 

SPHFBT12 Contour pattern, 12' ...... 20.25 

BRIDGE/BRACE CLAMPS 

These clamps are made of Swedish spring steel and have an adjustable 

lower swivel. The lower swivel can be fully opened for placing the clamp into 

the soundhole and over brace bars for easy access to clamping position. The 

latest version has been beefed up with thicker steel (to a little over 5 /16" ). A 

sturdy alternative to our CLB3, the aluminum C-Clamp (CLCC) is lightweight, 

but durable. It has a 6 inch throat and a 1½ inch clamping capacity. 

EACH 3 + 

CLCC Deep Throat Aluminum C-Clamp 6" x 11 CLB3 

/2" ...... 9.25 ...... NA 

Bridge/brace clamp, 81 /2" x 2" . ...................... 22.75 ... 20.65 

CLAMPING — TOOLS 

TOOLS 


707-433-1823 

CLB3

TOOLS TOOLS — CLAMPING 

FINGERBOARD CLAMP 

Three or four of these self-aligning fingerboard clamps make fingerboard to 

neck gluing a breeze. Made of high density, glue resistant plastic, and designed 

for quick screw adjustment, these clamps can close down on a neck 

as small as a violin’s and can open wide enough to use on an 8-string bass. 

These aren’t made to withstand Charles Atlas-like-screw-tightening. If you feel 

you need more clamping pressure, use these for alignment and hold down, 

and either cam clamps or C-clamps for more force. 

EACH 3 + 

CLF Fingerboard, plastic .................................$3.95 ...... 3.65 

KANT-TWIST CLAMPS 

The name is an apt description of these 1" and 2" machinist’s hold down 

clamps. When doing layout work, making jigs requiring tight tolerances, transferring 

a scale to a fingerboard, or anytime accurate alignment is required, 

these are the ideal clamps. 

The anvils are on swivels and in the case of the larger clamps (2") can 

present several surfaces: “V”-notched, “X”-notched and flat. The smaller 1" 

clamp has a “V”-notch and flat surface, only. Coated to protect against corrosion, 

the clamps are guaranteed by the manufacturer to last forever. If one breaks it’ll be 

replaced. 

EACH 3 + 

CLKT1 Hold-down, 1" ........................................$14.05 .... 12.00 

CLKT2 Hold-down, 2" ..........................................16.15 .... 13.55 

JIG BUILDING 

TOGGLE CLAMPS 

These are the perfect clamps 

for use on all of the jigs and fixtures 

in your shop for quicker, 

safer and more accurate work. 

We have 2 styles; one that gives 

pressure at 90° to the base (down 

pressure) and another that exerts 

pressure parallel to the base. 

There are three down pressure 

styles, in each the direction of 

the handle lever action is different. 

This can be clearly seen in 

photos 1, 2, and 3. These and 

the forward pressure clamps, 4, 

come in a variety of sizes – all 

with adjustable clamp pads to 

dial-in the exact pressure 

needed. 

LOW PROFILE EACH 

C113005 Low profile 17 1 

C113007 

/8" throat ...... $4.75 

Low profile 2½" throat ........ 7.45 

C113008-B Low profile 2¾" throat ...... 10.65 

VERTICAL 

C1101-A Vertical 1" throat ................. 3.95 

C1102-B Vertical 15 C112002-B 

/8" throat ............. 4.55 

Vertical 13 C113002 

/4" throat ............. 7.90 

Vertical 41 2 

/8" throat ............ 11.25 

HORIZONTAL 3 

C2201 Horizontal ¾" throat ........... 3.65 

INLINE 

C3304-C Inline 1¼" throat ................. 9.65 

C3304-E Inline 1¼" throat ............... 12.95 

C3305-C Inline 15 C3305-E 

/8" throat ................. 7.85 

Inline 15 C336020 

/8" throat ............... 12.95 

Inline 11 4 

/8" throat ................. 6.95 

STEEL BUSHINGS 

More and more luthiers are making jigs using bushings and reference pins to 

align parts during frequently performed tasks where accuracy is critical. These 

hardened steel bushings can also be used to 

guide a drill. The top half of the bushing is 

knurled to keep it from turning or loosening 

from repeated use. These bushings are real 

time-savers, making work easier and more 

accurate. 

EACH 

SPDG1/4 1 /8" I.D. drill & pin bushing .. $2.50 

SPDG3/8 3 /16" I.D. drill & pin bushing ... 2.50 

SPDG1/2 1 /4" I.D. drill & pin bushing ....... 2.50 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

4 

1 

107 

2 

3

108 

REP EP EPAIR EP AIR TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

REPAIR BLANKETS 

Our blankets are each sized for a specific repair use – i.e. SPBL2 Bridge 

plate blanket is shaped to cover and heat a typical Martin TM bridge plate, SPBL4 

Fingerboard blanket is shaped/sized to closely fit a tapered fingerboard. These 

blankets are designed to evenly heat the wood and loosen the glue joint for 

easy removal or repositioning. The blankets are manufactured for professional, 

durable, daily use including reinforced leads. Because these blankets quickly 

reach 450° and can burn out if left unchecked, they are designed to be used 

with either our SPTIM timer or our SPBUECUT timer/temperature control, 

listed below. Both of these items are made of the highest quality, heavy-gauge 

parts. We strongly recommend using either this timer or timer/heat control 

coupled with any blanket to secure our warranty on that blanket, and, of course, 

their use with the blankets assures that the heating and loosening process 

can be effectively controlled with consistently good results. 

EACH 

SPBL6 Side bending blanket, 5 3 /4" x 36" ................... $125.75 

SPBLSPEC220V 220 volt side bending blanket 5 3 /4" x 36" ......... 125.75 

SPBL1 Thermal blanket for bridge, 1" x 5" .................... 45.95 

SPBL2 Bridge plate, Martin ’40s-’60s, Japanese....... 49.95 

SPBL3 Fingerboard extension blanket ........................... 47.75 

SPBL4 Fingerboard blanket, 17 3 /8" x 2 3 /16" (tapered) .... 58.25 

SPBL5 Bridge plate blanket, Martin 70s, Japanese .. 58.25 

SPBL7 Cutaway bending blanket, 5 3 /4" x 12" ................ 58.75 

SHUT-OFF TIMER 

Used in conjunction with 

heating blankets and neck heater. 

SPTIM Shut-off timer ... $98.80 

FLEXIBLE INSPECTION LIGHT 

Kasha-style builder Jay Hargreaves brought us one of these lights and 

said we needed to offer them to the guitar making/repairing community. Of 

flexible plastic, the encased lights are in 1 /2" tubing 18" long, and throw off 

plenty of light, with virtually no heat buildup. These easy-to-thread-through 

lights go where lights on inflexible shafts are of little use. EACH 

SPL Flexible light .......................................... $49.95 

NECK HEATER 

The neck heater was designed to help straighten out 

necks that had bowed beyond the range of their truss 

rods with the classic backbowed neck with a one-way 

rod being the most common. The heating element in the 

neck softens the glue joint between the fingerboard just 

enough to allow it to shift and then cool while clamped 

in the desired position. Built from steel hollow channel, 

you can clamp a neck to it with cauls to straighten out 

back or up-bow. It has a built in thermostat (pop off the 

chrome button on the top of the heater) so you can get 

just the amount of heat that’s right for the job. At 17" 

long, 2 1 /2" wide, 1 1 /2" thick this will work on guitars as 

well as basses. 

T 

TIMER/TEMPERATURE CONTROL 

Shut-off timer/temperature control 

combo for all heating devices. 

SPBUECUT Timer/temp control . $125.00 

EACH 

SPNE Neck heater ........................... $252.50 

SPTIM Shut-off timer ............................. 98.80 

REPAIR — TOOLS OOLS 

Above: SPBL1, SPBL2, SPBL5, SPBL3 

For neck straightening 

clamps are strategically placed. 


707-433-1823 

SPBUECUT

FINISH FINISH FINISH — POLISHING 

FINISH INISH 

MENZERNA DRY POLISHING COMPOUND 

Buffing out a finish to a mirror-like gloss with a buffing wheel was a messy 

process in the past. With the advent of these new dry polishing compounds this 

has changed. These have been designed to work with the tougher high urethane 

content finishes like our water-based FTKTM (page 111) as well as our 

McFadden’s Lacquer, FL128 and FL32 (page 110). 

Start with a fresh cotton buffing wheel and “charge” the wheel with the compound 

by holding it against the wheel for 3 to 5 seconds and start to buff. The 

wheel may need periodic recharging throughout the buffing process. You MUST 

have a different wheel for each compound to get the best results. 

We carry 2 grades, fine and “Glanz Wachs”. Start with the fine, FMEZF, for buffing 

out your final finish sanding scratches and move to the FMEZW for final polishing. 

EACH 3+ 

FMEZF Fine grade Menzerna wax (stick) compound ... $22.25 .......20.25 

FMEZW “Glanz Wachs,” nonabrasive ............................... 24.95 .......22.95 

FINESSE-IT TM 

II AND PERFECT-IT TM 

II 

LIQUID POLISHING COMPOUNDS 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

109 

We offer a variety of musical instrument finishes – from simple wipe-on oil or padded shellac to the most widely used 

spray lacquer in our industry. All of the finishing materials listed here are the best available. So, whether you work with 

simple hand techniques, buffing wheels, or contemporary spray equipment, we have a great product for your needs. 

DO NOT USE 

TRI-M-ITE 

PAPERS 

WITH THIS 

PRODUCT. 

These three polishes, used together, will yield a mirror like gloss on any 

finish. They are perfect for new finishes as well as finish repair work. Odorless 

and safe, they are chemically inert and silicon and wax free. 

Our FCP cut polish is for machine or hand polishing. It cuts exceptionally fine 

and fast. For a higher gloss use our FFP and it’s gentle enough to bring French 

polish to a high luster. The FSP can enhance a high gloss and is often used as 

an everyday cleaner. 

EACH 3+ 

FCP Cut polish, 8 oz. ...................... $7.95 ...... 7.15 

FFP Fine polish, 8 oz. ....................... 7.95 ...... 7.15 

FSP Super fine, 8 oz. ........................ 7.95 ...... 7.15 

These two compounds are for those who like to hand buff and polish out their 

instruments. Use Finesse-itII first with a polishing cloth following the directions 

on the bottle. Follow that up with Perfect-itII as your last step in the finish 

process. EACH 

F3MFIN Finesse-ItII, 1 qt. ............................................... $32.25 

F3MPER Perfect-ItII, 1 qt. .................................................. 32.25 

T 

BUFFING UFFING TTOOLS 

T OOLS 

SHOPFOX ® BUFFING ASSEMBLY 

Finesse-itII 

Perfect-itII 

Watch our website for upcoming assortment of 

NEW BUFFING PRODUCTS 

This inexpensive, three-step buffing arbor makes it possible 

for even beginners to machine buff their instruments. 

This assembly comes with a three step pulley which, when 

used with a 1725 RPM ,1/3 HP or larger motor is extremely 

versatile. The arbor length is 8½" and the diameter is ¾". It 

comes with a V-belt, wh eel flanges and arbor nuts. Buffing 

wheels, motor and pulley are not included. We recommend 

a 10" buffing wheel with this assembly. 

SPBA ShopFox ® Buffing Assembly ........ $119.95

110 

SHELLAC/FRENCH POLISHING 

SHELLAC & FRENCH POLISHING MATERIALS 

French polishing - padding thin layers of shellac – is the most traditional 

and widely acceptable finish for classical guitars and historic musical instruments. 

French polished shellac finishes are thin and flexible, and are arguably 

the best finish for enhancing the tone of fine classical guitars. This finish 

is less protective or durable when compared to lacquers and synthetic finishes 

but its perceived better tone and ease of repair outweigh this aspect. 

French polishing involves the use of a dilute solution of shellac and alcohol 

that is applied in thin layers by hand with a specially prepared pad. There are 

small variations to the process and materials used that are widely accepted, 

so each instrument maker works to find the technique/process that yields the 

best results. There is extensive literature on this process available, and we 

recommend and offer an excellent video – French Polishing with Ron Fernandez, 

our part number BM23 – that covers the complete process with explanation of 

all materials. 

We offer three (3) grades or colors of flake shellac, along with denatured 

alcohol, pumice, rottenstone, and felt pads. The denatured alcohol FPDENAL 

is used to dissolve the shellac flakes into a solution. The pumice FPRUM is 

used during the filling and padding process and the rottenstone FPROT is 

used in conjunction with the felt pad FPFELT and oil for the final gloss polishing 

of the cured finish. For the oil used in the padding process, makers have 

used baby oil (mineral oil), pure olive oil, or paraffin oil. Well-washed, lint-free 

cotton or linen can be used as a pad material. These should be available to 

you locally. 

EACH 

FPKOMET8 Darker Amber shellac, 8 oz. ........................... $6.13 

FPLEMON8 Yellow Amber shellac, 8 oz. ............................. 6.13 

FPBONA8 Darkest Amber shellac, 8 oz. ......................... 12.45 

FPSUPERIOR8 Darkest, but Pale shellac, 8 oz. ..................... 12.45 

FPPLATINA8 Pale, blonde shellac, 8 oz. ............................. 12.45 

FPYELLOW8 Medium amber shellac, 8 oz. ......................... 12.45 

FPAMBER8 Dark amber shellac, 8 oz................................ 12.45 

FPDENAL Denatured alcohol, 1 qt. .................................... 8.25 

FPFELT Felt block, 5 x 5 x ¾” ........................................ 9.75 

FPPUM Pumice for filling and padding ........................... 5.00 

FPROT Rottenstone for polishing .................................. 5.00 

SOLVENT BASED FINISH 

MCFADDEN’S SPRAY LACQUER 

McFadden’s nitrocellulose spray lacquer is easily the most widely used 

lacquer in the best shops in our industry. It is the favorite lacquer of the 

smallest shops and the largest factories alike, and its reputation is well deserved. 

It sprays extremely well with standard suction or gravity feed guns, as 

well as the newer HVLP systems. This lacquer can be sprayed straight or 

thinned, heated or room temperature. It buffs out easily and beautifully when 

properly cured – it can be buffed in only three days or so, but the gloss and 

surface is optimum with 10 to 15 days of curing before buffing. The 

McFadden’s vinyl sealer FLSW offered here is designed for use with the 

lacquer for the prep stage of the entire finishing process. It can be used as an 

initial sealer, then fill pores with one of our pore fillers – FMBF (Micro-bead 

page118) or FPF (McFadden’s page 117), then cover the filled surface with 

another coat or so of the sealer. This is an entire compatible system of 

products. 

EACH 

FL128 McFadden's, spray lacquer, 1 gal.....$38.30 

FL32 McFadden's, spray lacquer, 32 oz. ....17.00 

FLSW McFadden's, vinyl sealer, 1 gal ...........34.00 

FLSW32 McFadden's, vinyl sealer, 32 oz. .........14.00 

FLRFT McFadden's, retarder, 16 oz. .............. 9.75 

SHELLAC/FRENCH POLISHING/SOLVENT BASED — FINISH 

FINISH 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

Pumice, denatured alcohol, felt block, and 

Rottenstone. 


707-433-1823 

Shellac flakes 

What to apply 

and how to apply it! 

French polish, nitrocellulose 

lacquer, water-based 

lacquers, or oil varnish? 

Look under articles 

at www.lmii.com for 

70 pages of info to help 

choose a finish — plus detailed 

application instructions. 

Guitar by Michael Hornick.

FINISH FINISH FINISH — SOLVENT & WATER BASED 

MCFADDEN’S PORE FILLER 

This is the filler of choice to go under all lacquer finishes and has been a standard 

in the industry for years. McFadden’s filler once dry, shrinks little over time and 

provides a level surface for your lacquer coats. The filler comes in 4 shades to 

match the color of the wood or contrast it for effect. Artist’s colors can be used to 

achieve a particular tint for rare or unusual woods. If used on bare wood, without a 

sealer coat first, it will stain the wood, which might be desirable. For example you 

can darken up light colored Mahogany on a neck for a vintage look. 

To apply, work the filler in with a rag moving both with and finally across the grain. 

Wait a few minutes until the filler starts to flash off (turns dull) and then wipe off the 

excess with burlap, wiping across the grain only. After it has dried for at least 24 

hours then you can start applying lacquer. 

EACH 

FPFN McFadden’s Natural, 16 oz. .............. $13.95 

FPFR McFadden’s Rosewood, 16 oz. .......... 13.95 

FPFM McFadden’s Mahogany, 16 oz. ........... 13.95 

FPFW McFadden’s Walnut, 16 oz. ................ 13.95 

WATER BASED FINISH 

KTM PRODUCT LINE – WATER BASED FINISH 

Luthier John Greven initially encouraged us to handle this waterborne acrylic-urethane 

finish, and now many of our customers swear it’s the best material they ever used. It has 

superior clarity and depth, and once cured and buffed out, it is almost indistinguishable 

from nitrocellulose lacquer. Further, it is fast drying (can even be quickly cured using 

infrared heat lamps); has good brushability, is very easy to clean up, and non-toxic–so it 

can be shipped anywhere with no special cost or labeling. It may seem expensive, but 

John Greven finishes 3 to 4 times as many instruments per gallon with this product over 

nitrocellulose lacquer. The Cross-linker FTXL is added to the final coats to tie all layers 

together and makes a stronger, more buffable final surface. Our Micro-bead filler is the 

product designed for use with this waterborne finish (see FMBF below). 

EACH 

FTKTM Water-white water-base finish, (1 gal.) ...................................... $66.75 

FTKTM32 Water-white water-base finish, (1 quart) ...................................... 31.00 

FTXL2 X-link, 2oz., use 2 oz. per gallon, Use only on last 2 coats ........ 9.45 

FTXL4 Cross-linker, 4oz. .......................................................................... 14.75 

OXFORD PREMIUM PRODUCT LINE – WATER BASED LACQUER 

Rolfe Gerhardt of Phoenix Mandolins has used this product for some time now and 

recommended it highly to us. It meets all of the requirements of a good musical instrument 

finish: easy to apply, sands and buffs well, and has good adhesion and clarity. Two of the 

things that set this material apart from others is its ability to be touched up (or drop filled) 

without witness lines or halos, and that many coats can be applied in a short period of 

time. If you are brushing it on you will need to use the exclusive matching Retarder to slow 

the drying to ensure a flat, smooth result. Supplied with directions for use. 

LMI MICRO-BEAD ACRYLIC PASTE FILLER 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

EACH 

FLAC1028 Oxford premium lacquer, gallon .......................... $43.50 

FLAC1032 Oxford premium lacquer, quart ............................. 20.65 

FSA508 Oxford premium lacquer, retarder 8oz. ................. 12.50 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

An easy to use water cleanup, paste wood filler made up of microscopic glass beads 

in a matrix of water-soluble acrylic polymer. This filler is designed to be used with waterbased 

finishes, but with proper cure can be used under McFadden's lacquers (page 110). 

We offer it in 3 base colors: natural (Maple), Red Mahogany (medium red/brown) and 

dark Walnut-Rosewood for the dark-colored woods. It may easily be further tinted using 

artist acrylic colors.Micro-bead will never shrink and is minimally absorbent of finishes 

and solvents. It is the safest, cleanest, and fastest filler on the market. 

EACH 

FMBF8N Natural color, 8 oz. ................................................ $9.40 

FMBF8M Red Mahogany color, 8 oz. ..................................... 9.40 

FMBF8R Dark Walnut/Rosewood color, 8 oz. ....................... 9.40 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

111

112 

DYES 

ANILINE DYES 

Alcohol Soluble 

After much searching and testing 

of dyes available in the U.S. 

(we tested Behlen, Wallbruin, 

Mohawk, Star, and several other 

brands) we found these. They’re 

more brilliant, richer, and brighter 

than our old liquid stains, and certainly 

more so than the other brands we tested. Available in 

powder form, when mixed yield one to two quarts depending 

on color, of good concentration. Non-grain-raising, soluble in 

lacquer, 1 /2 oz. powder. 

EACH 3+ 

FSB Dye, 1 /2 oz. each color (6) ...... $18.75 

FSTA Amber, 1 /2 oz. .............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTB Brown, 1 /2 oz. .............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTBK Black, 1 /2 oz. ............................... 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTBL Blue, 1 /2 oz. ................................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTR Red, 1 /2 oz. .................................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTY Yellow, 1 /2 oz. .............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

Water Soluble 

Aniline dyes, water soluble, for light-fastness and deep 

penetration. Best results are found on hard and close-grained 

woods, like Maple. Lacquer, varnish, or shellac may be applied 

over the stain once it is dry without fear of smears or 

smudges. These high-grade dyes work very well for coloring 

your own laminates or purflings. 

Do not pour water over the powder, but gradually add the 

powder to hot (not boiling) water. It should dissolve in about 

fifteen minutes. (For use with making laminates or purflings 

where you want complete penetration, cook in a pressure 

cooker for at least twelve hours—longer is better.) It’s suggested 

that the instrument be sponged with a weak solution 

of the mixed stain, allowed to dry, and then sanded. A wash 

coat of shellac or lacquer applied after the water stain has 

dried makes the wood fibers more stiff and brittle and easier 

to sand. The wash coat also helps to prevent cutting the 

stain off the edges and harder parts of the wood. 1 /2 oz. wide 

mouth plastic container—enough for 1 to 2 quarts, depend- 

ing upon desired concentration. 

EACH 3 + 

FSBW Dye, 1 /2 oz. each color (7) $21.90 

FSTAW Amber, 1 /2 oz. ............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTBW Brown, 1 /2 oz. ............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTBKW Black, 1 /2 oz. .............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTBLW Blue, 1 /2 oz. ................................ 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTPW Purple, 1 /2 oz. ............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTRW Red, 1 /2 oz. ................................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FSTYW Yellow, 1 /2 oz. ............................. 3.60 ..... 3.45 

FINGERBOARD DYE 

Use a mixture of 1 oz. of this powdered dye to 16 oz. of a methyl alcohol based solvent to 

completely blacken Ebony. After mixing, strain through muslin to remove residue. For a binder, 

we suggest adding a spoonful of shellac. Store the liquid in a bottle and dilute as needed. 

Depending on Ebony, enough for about ten fingerboards. EACH 

FD Fingerboard dye, 1 oz. .................................... $5.65 

METAL ACID DYES 

If absolute long-term color integrity is critical to your building 

effort, then these new metal acid dyes are the answer. These 

dyes will not degrade as UV light and oxidation take their toll.Other 

dyes, like most anilines, are less colorfast. 

Available in highly concentrated liquid form, either water or 

MEK base, these dyes out perform anything else out there with 

forever colors. If you need a Paul Reed Smith transparent sapphire 

blue, this is the dye system for you. With the five basic 

colors (red, blue, yellow, brown, and black) it is possible to create 

any color imaginable. 

For staining unfinished wood or adding transparent coloring 

to the new water-base lacquers, we recommend using the water-soluble 

metal acid dye system. For tinting lacquer (and other 

organic solvent finishes) use the MEK-base dyes. Do not interchange 

the dye base/finish base as it will cause chemical incompatibility 

problems. Both sets of metal acid dyes are available 

in a handy kit form which includes one each of the five 

basic liquid colors in 2 oz. dropper-nozzle equipped bottles. 

WATER-SOLUBLE 

FMDYWF Dye kit, 5 bottles, 10 oz. .......... $52.00 

(black, blue, brown, red & yellow) 

FMDYWBKF Black, 2oz. bottle ........................ 10.40 

FMDYWBLF Blue, 2oz. bottle .......................... 10.40 

FMDYWBRF Brown, 2oz. bottle ....................... 10.40 

FMDYWRF Red, 2oz. bottle ........................... 10.40 

FMDYWYF Yellow, 2oz. bottle ....................... 10.40 

MEK-SOLUBLE 

FMDYMEK Dye kit, 5 bottles, 10 oz. .......... $26.00 

(black, blue, brown, red & yellow) 

FMDYMEKBK Black, 2oz. bottle .......................... 5.20 

FMDYMEKBL Blue, 2oz. bottle ............................ 5.20 

FMDYMEKBR Brown, 2oz. bottle ......................... 5.20 

FMDYMEKR Red, 2oz. bottle ............................. 5.20 

FMDYMEKY Yellow, 2oz. bottle ......................... 5.20 

SEE 

PAGE 2 

* EBONY NOTE: FD fingerboard dye is a bluish black (nigrosine) and is better for dying African Ebony. 

FSTBK black aniline dye (top left), is black with a reddish cast to it and is better match for Indian Ebony. 


707-433-1823 

DYES — FINISH 

FINISH 

EACH 

IMPORTANT NOTE: All Metal Acid Dyes are are hazardous 

and must be shipped ground. The water 

based products are included in this restriction.

FINISH FINISH FINISH — OILS & FINISHING SUPPLIES 

OILS 

EACH 

FTO Oil finish: Tru-Oil, 3 oz. ........................... $6.75 

FTOS Oil finish:Tru-Oil sealer, 3 oz. ................... 6.75 

FINGERBOARD OIL 

A clear, clean, and odorless synthetic oil that lasts many times longer than 

conventional lubricants – enough to oil about thirty fingerboards in one bottle. 

It will help protect from cracks due to temperature/humidity extremes, as well 

as enhance the natural beauty of the board. A light coating of oil on the strings 

can help prevent corrosion due to acidity in the players hands. 

EACH 

FFOA Fingerboard oil ......................................... $8.75 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

113 

OIL FINISH 

This Oil finish is a great choice as a finish material for four reasons: It has very little effect on tone, it is very easy to 

repair, is cost effective and is relatively easy to apply. As with any finish, preparation of the wood is critical to success. 

A flat and smooth finish will render an attractive, professional finish on your instrument. Special care should be taken 

when preparing the soundboard (or any softwood) to avoid saturation — many prefer to 

finish this section of the instrument with shellac. (See page 110). 

Oil finishes are particularly popular on non-painted solid body guitars and basses 

and some players prefer the feel of an oil finished neck over one finished with lacquer. 

Perhaps the best reason to consider an oil finish is that one is able to avoid all the 

dangers inherent in spraying flammable nitrocellulose finishes. We are able to ship 

this finish material overseas—not so with nitrocellulose lacquers. The True-Oil sealerfiller 

(FTOS) is a good sealer for the oil finish, but is not a true pore-filler, so where 

porous woods are being finished, it is best to use one of our Micro-bead acrylic paste 

fillers to assure a level surface (see page 111). 

FINISHING SUPPLIES 

3M FINE-LINE MASKING TAPE 

These sizes, recommended to us by Michael Hornick of Shanti Guitar are 

perfect for masking prior to finishing. Sized for bindings and purfling masks, 

these are real timesavers and have just the right amount of “stickum” to make 

the job go well. 

EACH 3+ 

FTA75 Masking tape, 3/4 x 60 yds. .................$10.75 ...... 9.75 

FTA5 Masking tape, 1/2 x 60 yds. ...................10.75 ...... 9.75 

FTA375 Masking tape, 3/8 x 60 yds. .................... 8.75 ...... 7.75 

FTA187 Masking tape, 3/16 x 60 yds. .................. 8.25 ...... 7.25 

FTA125 Masking tape, 1/8 x 60 yds. .................... 7.95 ...... 6.95 

TACK CLOTH 

This is simply the highest quality tack cloth we have ever seen. Silicone 

and wax free, the package of ten individually wrapped cloths are essential in 

achieving a professional finish. 

EACH 

FTC Tack cloth, package of 10 ..................... $10.65 

BURN-IN LACQUER STICK 

A time-saver for filling in the ends of fret slots in an Ebony fingerboard. The 

black lacquer wax can be melted in the hole with a hot chisel or knife heated 

by an alcohol lamp or a conventional soldering iron. (Avoid scorching the wood.) 

Also available in a clear stick for use in fingerboards other than Ebony or 

wherever transparent fill is needed. 

EACH 

FLS Burn-in lacquer stick, 3 /4 oz. ................... $5.50 

FLSC Burn-in lacquer stick, clear, 3 /4 oz. ........... 5.50

114 

ADHESIVES 

DHESIVES 

INSTRUMENT MAKERS GLUE 

Rarely, do we receive a sales order here at LMI that does not include this fine glue. Perfect 

for any area of the guitar where wood is bonded to wood, this is the only glue on the market 

made especially for instrument makers. Because this glue dries hard it is said to provide a 

sound transference medium superior to other glues. It sets up in 15 to 30 minutes, dries 

transparent, is water-resistant and will soften with heat for repairs. It has a shelf life of 6 

months to a year, 9 to 15 months if refrigerated. If it smells sweet it’s good. If it smells sour 

use it as a household glue, but not on instruments. 

Craig Montgomery, a repairman from the rainforest area of Australia (Cairns), said this about 

the FG glue, “Finding a glue that would hold bridges on when being re-glued has been an 

ongoing battle for me. Having tried most of the recommended glues used by experienced 

American repairman and guitar builders and none of them being entirely satisfactory, I was on 

the verge of resorting to epoxy when I decided to try your glue. It is excellent and has answered 

my prayers (so to speak)…” 

EACH 3 + 

FG LMI glue, 8 oz. .........................................$7.50 ...... 7.15 

FGG LMI glue, 1 gal. ........................................68.65 ........ NA 

GRANULAR HIDE GLUE 

The case for ground hide glue is that it has been used for centuries, and 

good, strong, centuries-old glue joints are still in existence. The newer liquid 

hide glues with preservatives do not develop the strength of granular hide glues, 

and can fail with extended periods of high humidity. 

This one, recommended to us by José Oribe, boasts the following traits: It 

drys to a crystalline state and does not dampen or absorb string energy; Joints 

can be easily taken apart with warm water, heat, and some use vinegar; It can 

be used for sizing end grain, by using a dilute solution – This will prevent subsequent 

starving of joints in cases where end grain is joined (such as the neck); 

Hide glue can be used in well-made, tight joints because it requires only a thin 

coating, where other glue types require a thick coating; Hide glue is transparent 

and can be used as a pore filler by mixing with pigments or sawdust (as do 

many of the Granada makers); and it sands easily. 

EACH 3 + 

FGH Granular hide, 1 lb.=2pts ........................$8.50 ...... 7.50 

SMITH ALL WOOD EPOXY 

Rick Turner gave us the lead to this Steve Smith epoxy. He uses it for gluing his 

fingerboards to the neck shaft to avoid introducing water into the fingerboard, which in 

turn can introduce back bow into the neck. This epoxy has many advantages, the 

most salient of which are: (1) Designed specifically for oily woods, actually incorporates 

resins and oils into the epoxy. (2) 1 to 1 mix ratio by volume, and is forgiving of 

minor mix disparities. (3) 2-hour pot life at 70°F, full cure in 24 hours; (4) Workable 

and curable below freezing (28°F, 8 days cure); (5) Extremely tough. Great for gluing 

particularly resinous woods such as Cocobolo and some of the ebonies. 

EACH 

FGSMI All wood epoxy, 16 oz ......................................... $22.00 

BINDING CEMENT 

Cement for bonding plastic to wood. Particularly for binding but may also 

be used for bonding pickguards, too. Our customers have told us that no other 

cement works as well on vinyls, ABS plastics, and most plastic bindings. 

Great for Bolteron TM where Duco won’t work. Stronger than Duco and other 

cements, heat buildup from scraping or sanding does not cause the binding to 

delaminate. It works with celluloid nitrate (ivoroid, “tortoise”), but it does not 

dissolve the material like other acetone- based cements. EACH 3+ 

FGW Binding cement, 2 oz. .............................$3.45 ...... 3.10 


707-433-1823 

ADHESIVES 

ADHESIVES

ADHESIVES 

ADHESIVES 

CYANO-ACRYLATE GLUES 

The list of uses for our super glue would fill the page and is 

growing by the day. From repairs to building instruments to 

making jigs and fixtures, these glues will do what no others 

can. The penetrating FGHO will wick into cracks and gaps, 

bonding almost anything instantly. The thicker FGHS will fill 

gaps and can be used for broader surfaces that need a longer 

work time. The UFO is for people who are bothered by the sometimes 

powerful fumes of the other super-glues. For faster drying 

, spray our FGHA accelerator after application of the glue or 

apply glue to one side and accelerator to the other and join for 

an almost instant bond. Cyano Solvent will slowly loosen up 

super glue in case you get some on your fingers. To apply small 

amounts of glue, use a pro-tip extension applicator (FGHT) on 

your glue bottle. 

EACH 3+ 

FGHO Hot Stuff original, penetrating . $10.00 ... 8.75 

FGHS Super T, thicker slower cure ..... 10.00 ... 8.75 

FGHB Black with 7 Pro Tips ................ 14.40 ..... NA 

FGHU UFO, non-fuming ....................... 22.75 ..... NA 

MICRO-PIPETTES for CYANO-ACRYLATE 

Micro-pipettes for “Hot Stuff” penetrating glues. Courtesy of Portland luthier 

Wes Brandt. These offer very precise control in finish repairs, fretting work, 

general repairs, as well as in building. Not only can you easily lay down the 

glue, but you can take it back up with a light squeeze of the bulb. EACH 

FGHPT Micro-pipettes, 25-pack ........................................ $4.70 

GLUE SYRINGE 

A suggestion of Richard Schneider, these extra high quality plastic syringes are 

for use with all types of adhesives. The tapered spout is curved for easy access to 

difficult-to-reach gluing surfaces. The tip tapers to a .030" hole and can be cut 

along its length to suit the job. The syringes are reusable after careful cleaning. 

Approx. 3" long; 5 /8" dia.; Glue capacity: approx. 1 oz. EACH 3+ 

FGS Glue syringe .......................................... $2.20 ...... 1.90 

SPATULA SET, 5 PIECE 

This economical spatula set will save your wife’s (or husband’s) kitchen 

utensils and make your life easier. Great for glue clean-up or applying epoxy. 

EACH 

SPSS 5 pc. spatula set....................................$10.25 

BINDING TAPE – FOR GLUING/ATTACHING BINDINGS 

Most factories/hand makers use tape to hold the bindings and purflings in 

place while gluing them to the edge of the body. Regular masking tape is too 

weak and tears under the pressure needed to press the bindings and purflings 

firmly into the routed channels. Filament tape is plenty strong enough, but 

must be cut to length–and it’s expensive. The tape of choice is this Binding 

tape, our FT75, made from stiff paper with strong rubber based adhesive. It is 

strong enough to apply sufficient pressure with a strong adhesive, yet can be 

torn by hand as you work. Each roll should do at least 5 or 6 guitars. 

FT75 Binding tape, 3 /4" wide .............................$3.25 



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115 

EACH 3+ 

FGHA Hot Shot accelerator, 2 oz. ......... 6.25 ..... NA 

FGHA18 Hot Shot accelerator, 18oz. ...... 32.45 ..... NA 

FGHSV Cyano Solvent, finger saver ........ 6.25 ..... NA 

FGHT Hot Stuff & Super T Pro Tips ...... 1.95 ..... NA 

TRANSFER ADHESIVE 

Used by Martin TM , Gibson TM , Santa Cruz, Taylor, and many other makers of fine instruments, this transfer tape is 

perfectly clear, thin (3-5 mils.), extremely aggressive, tenacious, heat resistant (up to 200°), and waterproof. Simply 

unroll to expose adhesive, apply to the back of the pickguard, trim away the excess, remove backing and press firmly 

down to the surface.Guaranteed. EACH 3 + 

FTFT8 Transfer tape, 8" x 60 yd. .... $95.00 ........ NA 

FTFTSS Transfer tape, 8" x 10" .............. 1.55 ...... 1.25 

See more details on Transfer Adhesive 

in the PICKGUARD section on page 69

116 

ABRASIVES 

BRASIVES 

LMI is happy to offer a complete line of top quality industrial 

abrasive materials to aid and complement our woods and 

finishing products. Each of the following abrasives have been 

recommended to us and thoroughly tested by a number of 

world class instrument makers. 

MICRO-MESH 

Micro-mesh is a unique, cushioned abrasive consisting of silicone 

carbide crystal on a resilient layer over a cloth backing. It 

retains its cutting edge up to sixteen times longer than standard 

papers, and because the cutting particles are in a floating suspension, you can 

take smooth cuts as little as .001" at a time, with little heat buildup. Use with 

soapy water and you can achieve a scratchless mirror finish. In 3" x 6" sizes, 

Micro-mesh has multiple uses for repair and finish work. One kit, which includes 

a high density foam backing block and 18 different grits of two pieces 

each of sanding cloth ranging from 1500 to 12,000 will give long service. When 

polishing out your final finish using water as a lubricant, you can maintain complete 

control from a smooth, satin surface to a lustrous gloss. Also great for 

polishing frets! 

KIT 

FMIC Micro mesh abrasive ............................. $39.75 

STEEL WOOL 

This excellent 0000-grit steel wool contains none of the random coarser 

strands that plague most steel wool. It is also very durable and long lasting. 

Unlike other steel wools this one is free of oils, which are a common cause of 

fisheye problems in finishes. Used in several large guitar factories as the steel 

wool of choice, those who use it swear by it. 

PKG. 

FSW Steel wool, 0000-grit................................ $9.75 

TRI-M-ITE TM 

SANDPAPERS 

First suggested to us by luthier Richard Schneider, the Tri-M-ite TM papers 

are a no-load aluminum oxide-coated, paper-backed sanding material designed 

for use on both wood and finishes. It is a relatively low-cost material best used 

for the heavier-duty surface preparation. We highly recommend the use of this 

sandpaper instead of any of the conventional sandpapers for its aggressive, 

no-clogging cutting action. The Tri-M-ite TM papers also work well in the finer 

grits for leveling between coats of finish. 

The wide adhesive rolls are for use with our radius blocks (p86), adjustable/ 

arching radiusing plane (p86), and hollow forms (p106). 

FTMT12 18 sheets, 9" x 11" mixed grits 

EACH 

(3 of each grit - 80, 120, 180, 220, 320, 400) .......$17.95 

10 sheets 50 Sheets 

FMTMTP8 80 grit.......... $9.95 FMTMTP8L 80 grit ......$36.95 

FMTMTP12 120 grit ......... 9.95 FMTMTP12L 120 grit ..... 36.95 





FTMTR8 

EACH 

80 grit adhesive roll, 4½" x 10 yds ........................$19.50 

FTMTR12 120 grit adhesive roll, 4½" x 10 yds ....................... 19.50 




707-433-1823 

ABRASIVES 

ABRASIVES

ABRASIVES 

ABRASIVES 

MICROFINISHING ABRASIVES 

The grit on this new paper is measured in “microns” to ensure 

precision uniformity in the abrasive material for cleaner 

and faster cutting, especially of finishes. This is the state-ofthe-art 

finish sanding material preferred by the best shops 

and factories for sanding finishes between coats and before 

final buffing. The 5 mil polyester backing is wear-proof for 

long life and can be used wet or dry. Three grits are available 

in 12 sheet units or you can get our mixed set for 4 sheets of 

each. Along with the 8.5" x 11" sheets. 

8.5"x11" sheets 

WET-OR-DRY TM 

POLISHING PAPERS 

12 sheets/pack 

FMFAFM Mixed grits,(4 each–30µ, 15µ, 9µ) ........... $18.75 

FMFAF30 30µ sanding film, 400 grit ........................... 18.75 



These are great papers for both polishing wood or fine sanding of finishes. 

Aggressive and durable, use them dry to put a sheen on a fingerboard or wet 

on your finish just before buffing. The 2000 grit is the finest we carry. The 

sheets are 5½" x 9" and are supplied 12 sheets/set or a mixed set of 4 each 

of three different grits. 

12 sheets/pack 

FWODM2 Mixed grits (4 each - 400, 320, 220) ......$8.50 

FWODM Mixed grits (4 each - 600,1200, 2000) .... 8.50 

FWOD16 220 grit ...................................................... 8.50 

FWOD14 320 grit ...................................................... 8.50 

FWOD12 400 grit ...................................................... 8.50 

FWOD9 600 grit ...................................................... 8.50 

FWOD3 1200 grit .................................................... 8.50 

FWOD2 2000 grit .................................................... 8.50 

TOOL 

TIP 

ADJUSTABLE/ARCHING 

RADIUSING PLANES 

Designed by Tom Ribbecke 

This nifty tool offers all common radii, 

compound radii, and anything between, including flat. 

See page 86 



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117 

Workboard as table at the Steve Klein shop. 

RADIUS BLOCKS 

These radius blocks will cover most 

types of fingerboards, whether you are 

radiusing the fingerboard or levelling 

your frets. See page 86 

FINGERBOARD 

RADIUSING SERVICE 

page 7

118 

OOKS & & V 

V 

BOOKS OOKS 

If you are new to the craft, looking for a new way of building or simply have an interest in stringed instruments, LMI 

has a great selection of books and videos to choose from. Don’t be afraid to call and ask your salesperson for a 

recommendation. We are happy to help you find the book or video that best suits your interests! 

REPAIR BOOKS 

& VIDEOS IDEOS 

COMPLETE GUITAR REPAIR 

Hideo Kamimoto 

For the money, this is one of the best 

books on guitar repair—both electric and 

acoustic. There is also good technical information 

on banjo and mandolin repair with 

many precise and detailed diagrams. Includes 

charts of fret scales and an excellent 

discussion of tuning theory. 160 pages, over 

200 drawings and photographs, softbound. 

BR4 Complete Guitar Repair ................................ $24.95 

DOUBLE BEVEL SHARPENING 

Brian Burns 

This great booklet by Brian Burns not only 

shows you how to arrive at the proper cutting 

angles with handplane blades, but 

power jointers and planers as well. If you 

follow the methods outlined, you’ll be able 

to plane any wood, regardless of grain direction/figure, 

without tearout. The nice thing 

about this system is that it requires a minimum 

of skill to use, and it is fast. (See page 102 of this catalog for 

the complete Brian Burns Sharpening System.) 

BM25 Double Bevel Sharpening .......................... $1035 

GUITAR PLAYER REPAIR GUIDE 

Dan Erlewine 

This book by Dan Erlewine is a must for 

all luthiers. It’s not just a superb source for 

repairs, but a comprehensive guide to finishes, 

tools, and bridges, along with comments 

from other respected builders/repairmen. 

Excellent repair illustrations 

(many of famous instruments, or instruments 

of famous players) with lots of jig 

suggestions. Plus, Dan’s easy-going style 

makes for fun reading! 

BR7 Guitar Player Repair Guide ........................... $22.95 

GUITAR REPAIR 

Irving Sloane 

Covers the range of acoustic instrument 

repairs and provides information on restoration 

of antique and historical instruments 

such as lutes. Lots of useful info 

on repair of cracks and breaks. Much of 

the information is with reference to the repair 

of Martin TM guitars. 96 pages, over 130 

photographs, softbound. 

BR3 Guitar Repair ................................................. $19.95 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR BOOKS 

BOOKS BOOKS & VIDEO 

VIDEO 

A GUITAR MAKER’S MANUAL 

Jim Williams 

Jim had several good teachers, including 

Charles Fox and George Morris. Their 

influence is evident by several ingenious devices 

and clever ways of building for custom 

orders, both classic and steel string —from 

the side bending machine to the adjustable 

outside mold. The book includes one of the 

most thorough discussions of French polishing, 

and covers other finishing techniques well, too. An envelope 

of full-size blueprints are bound into the manual, which has 

a cone binding so that it lies flat for bench-top reading. 104 

pages, many photos and line drawings. Softbound. 

BS5 A Guitar Maker’s Manual .............................. $19.95 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR 

OWNER’S MANUAL 

Every player and builder will benefit from 

the variety of information in this new publication 

(String Letter Publishing). From caring for 

your instrument on a daily basis and identifying 

common repairs, to an overview of construction 

techniques, this book offers a 

wealth of information for anyone owning or 

thinking of owning an acoustic guitar. 

BM44 Acoustic Guitar Owner’s Man. .................... $17.95 

CLASSIC 

GUITAR CONSTRUCTION 

Irving Sloane 

The standard text for many years on classic 

guitar construction, this is an indispensable 

book for the beginning luthier. Mr. 

Sloane illustrates with reference to many of 

the great Spanish luthiers, but with techniques 

available to the amateur 

craftsperson. 195 pages, over 120 diagrams 

and high quality photographs, softbound. 

BC1 Classic Guitar Construction ......................... $19.95 

CLASSICAL GUITAR, THE 

Tony Bacon, editor 

A beautiful book of over 300 color photos, 

featuring the Russell Cleveland collection 

of classical guitars. The book is a 

collaboration of several guitar aficionados 

and includes most of the significant 

classic guitarmakers from Torres to the 

present. 126 pages, includes fold-outs 

and slipcase. Only 6,000 copies printed. 

BC6 The Classical Guitar ..................................... $29.95 


707-433-1823

BOOKS BOOKS & VIDEO VIDEO 

VIDEO 

ACOUSTIC GUITAR BOOKS cont. 

CUSTOM GUITARS 

Custom Guitars (String Letter Publishing) is 

a color cross-section of today’s best and 

most prolific luthiers. Covering steel and 

nylon string, archtops, resonators, and 

other specialty instruments, this is a true 

overview of the craft of lutherie today. Excellent 

photography and bio’s of all the featured 

builders makes this a “must have” for 

guitar enthusiasts. 

BM15 Custom Guitars ......... $39.95 

HISTORY OF THE 

AMERICAN GUITAR: 

1833 TO PRESENT, THE 

Tony Bacon 

Well-researched with hundreds of amazing 

photographs, this book covers the history 

of guitars built in the U.S. Using a timeline 

format, all the major events and instruments 

are documented from the first Martins to 

the acoustic/electric hybrids of today. All major manufacturers 

are included as well as many individual builders. A very valuable 

book for a builder, collector, or musician. 

BM17 The History of the American Guitar ............ $29.95 

MAKING MASTER GUITARS 

Roy Courtnall 

A beautifully done book by Roy Courtnall 

includes information not available in any 

other book. Part 1 consists of eight chapters, 

each one devoted to one master luthier. 

Beginning with Torres, Roy continues with 

Santos Hernández, Hermann Hauser, 

Hernández y Aguado, Fleta, Bouchet, 

Friederich, and ends with José Romanillos. 

Along with an interesting biographical 

sketch of each maker, there are plans, rosette details, and other 

interesting highlights of the maker’s instruments. Parts 2 and 3 

describe the tools, materials, and construction in the Spanishstyle. 

A superb book, which can easily stand alone as a “how-to” 

text—an essential addition to the serious luthier’s library. 

BC5 Making Master Guitars ............................... $124.80 

VINTAGE GUITARS – 

The Instruments, The Players, 

The Music 

This new book by the editors of Acoustic 

Guitar Magazine (String Letter Press) is 

unique among vintage guitar books in how 

it artfully combines a tutorial on older instruments 

with a description of their use by 

the musicians who have played them. It also 

illustrates how these older designs have influenced modern 

instruments. The book covers all sorts of acoustic guitars including 

archtops, dobros and resonators, Weissenborn-type 

instruments and a great section on 12-strings (note: no nylon 

string instruments covered). Over 150 photos and a forward by 

Ben Harper. 

BM47 Vintage Guitars ......................................... $39.95 

ELECTRIC GUITAR BOOKS 



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119 

ANIMAL MAGNETISM 

FOR MUSICIANS 

Erno Zwaan 

Although the title gives little indication to 

what the book’s about ... You’ll find it lives 

up to its name! Interesting and thorough, 

this book is one of the few on pickup construction 

with five different pickup designs. 

Written by a gentleman from Holland, 

there are roughly 50 pages jam-packed 

and devoted to pickup construction, and 

50 pages on bass construction and wood selection. Many 

excellent photos. 

BE7 Animal Magnetism for Musicians ................. $22.95 

BUILDING ELECTRIC GUITARS 

This is an excellent book covering all 

aspects of building electric guitars. Tons of 

photos and detailed text make it an easy to 

follow guide. Unique to this book is an indepth 

discussion of active electronics and 

how to build your own pickups and pickup 

winder. It also covers hollow and semi-hollow 

body (335-style) construction. 

BE10 Bldg. Elec. Guitars ..... $27.95 

CONSTRUCTING A 

SOLID-BODY GUITAR 

Roger Siminoff 

Like Mr. Siminoff’s other two books on 

mandolin and banjo construction, this is a 

well laid out book, with full-size working blueprints 

and color photos used to illustrate 

the staining section. Based on a Les 

Paul TM -style guitar, with a bolt-on neck, this 

book covers everything from selection of 

wood to final finishing, electronics wiring, and hardware. Over 

60 pages; with cone binding so that it lies flat on your bench as 

you follow along in the building. 

BE5 Constructing A Solid-Body Guitar ................ $19.95 

CUSTOMIZING YOUR 


Adrian Legg 

Divided into 4 sections, section 1 entitled 

“Basic Setup,” covers action, frets, the 

nut, and intonation. Sections 2 and 3 consist 

of a few pages devoted to glues and 

finishes, and the large remainder of the 

book thoroughly examines wiring, from pots, 

coil taps, pickup phase, through several 

models of guitars and their pickups, including “Teles” and 

“Strat TM s.” Lots of wiring diagrams, over 35 photos, 64 pages, 

softbound. 

BE8 Customizing Your Electric Guitar ................. $14.95 

SOLID BODY GUITARS 

start on page 31

120 

ELECTRIC GUITAR BOOKS cont. 

ELECTRIC GUITAR SETUPS 

Hideo Kamimoto 

As a working and in-demand repairman, 

it’s amazing that Hideo could find the time 

to write another great book. His shop sees 

lots of instruments for repairs and setups, 

and this book reflects his experience and 

his well thought out and practical approach. 

Setup, action, pickups and bridge designs 

are examined in detail, with special tips on 

Gibsons, Fenders, and other popular models. Included in his 

discussion are questions of fret leveling, tuning, tremolo difficulties, 

and much more. Like his Complete Guitar Repair book, 

this is one of the best available. 84 pages, lots of photos, softbound. 

BE9 Electric Guitar Setups .................................. $22.95 

GUITAR ELECTRONICS 

FOR MUSICIANS 

Donald Brosnac 

This is a good book for both the builder 

and repairperson. There are clear schematics 

showing the wiring of over 50 electric 

guitars and basses as well as over 350 

photos and drawings. The book is divided 

into three sections: section 1 covers types 

and functions of pickups; section 2 covers 

electric guitar circuits, servicing, and hot rodding; section 3 covers 

schematics and technical information. 150 pages, softbound. 

BE3 Guitar Electronics For Musicians................. $24.95 

MAKE YOUR OWN 


Melvyn Hiscock 

UPDATED! 75 more pages. An excellent 

book for the construction of solidbody guitars, 

this book is oriented toward custom 

guitar building. If you’re interested in 

Fender TM -style instruments (as opposed to 

Les Paul Gibson TM -style) this provides jig 

ideas and setups that can be applicable. Fabricating throughthe-body 

and bolt-on necks and the means of using power tools 

to accurately and skillfully produce them are thoroughly discussed 

and shown with clear photos. Wood choice, hardware, 

wiring, and finishing are completely covered. Over 300 illustrations, 

224 pages. Softbound. 

BE6 Make Your Own Electric Guitar .................... $28.60 

MAKE YOUR OWN 

ELECTRIC GUITAR & BASS 

Dennis Waring 

& David Raymond 

This book covers the construction of both 

a solid body guitar and a bass. This is a 

good overview for anyone interested in how 

electric guitars are made. A step-by-step 

approach with clear illustrations and photos are a great guide to 

the novice builder. 

BE11 Make your own electric guitar & bass ....... $18.95 

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS & VIDEOS VIDEOS 

VIDEOS 

STEEL STRING GUITAR BOOKS 

GUITARMAKING: 

TRADITION AND 

TECHNOLOGY 

William R. Cumpiano 

& Jonathan D. Natelson 

Often called the “Bible” of guitar making 

this is the most thorough and detailed book 

available for both classic and steel string guitar. 

With this book the authors fill many of the 

gaps that are missing in many of the other books on guitar 

construction. Both Mr. Cumpiano and Mr. Natelson have had 

many years of experience in teaching guitar construction and 

the book is written from the point of view of one who has taught. 

The detail and thoroughness are evident, and as one student 

mentioned, their methods of carving the neck with a chisel are 

so much more elegant and craftsmen-like than shaping with 

rasps, surforms, and files. It is a must for every student luthier, 

and there is undoubtedly much that can be learned by the experienced 

guitar builder. 380 pages, 347 photographs, and 121 

line drawings. Softbound. 

BS0S Guitarmaking: Trad. & Tech ...................... $35.00 

STEEL STRING GUITAR 

CONSTRUCTION 

Irving Sloane 

Another good book by Irving Sloane. How 

to construct using a modest assortment of 

tools; how to build your own bending iron, 

clamps and workboard.The chapter on 

archtop guitars, specifically James D’Aquisto’s, 

is especially informative. 125 pages, 

over 150 photos and drawings, softbound. 

BS2 Steel String Guitar Construction .................. $24.95 

DULCIMER BOOKS 

CONSTRUCTING THE 

MOUNTAIN DULCIMER 

Dean Kimball 

The most comprehensive of the dulcimer 

construction books and probably the 

best, it contains information on tools (how 

to build some needed ones) and a thorough 

discussion of materials. Over 100 pages, 

over 80 diagrams, illustrations, and photographs. 

Softbound. 

BD2 Constructing The Mt. Dulcimer .................... $14.95 

HOW TO BUILD 

A HAMMERED DULCIMER 

Phillip Mason 

Revised in 1992 from the original text of 

1975, the 30 page booklet is thorough 

enough to answer all questions that come 

up, but if any are left, the author gives his 

address for corresponding. It consists of line 

drawings and an easy-to-read text, and Mason 

offers two plans from which to choose, giving resources for 

all materials. Softbound. 

BD6 How to Build A Hammered Dulcimer .............. $8.95 


707-433-1823

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS & VIDEOS 

VIDEOS 

MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS 

A COLLECTION OF 

FINE SPANISH GUITARS 

Sheldon Urlik 

This is an extremely well-produced book 

that thoroughly describes each instrument 

in this very comprehensive collection of fine 

classical guitars. The collection includes 68 

classical and flamenco guitars by the most 

well-known guitar makers from Antonio 

Torres in the mid 19th century to those working 

today. All important dimensions of the guitars are given, along 

with clear photos, comparisons between guitars, close-ups of 

rosettes, purfling details, tuning machines, bracing patterns, 

biographies of the various luthiers, and more. This is an extraordinary 

reference source that belongs in every serious guitar 

maker’s library, 157 pages with hundreds of photos. 

BM41 A Collection of Fine Spanish Guitars ....... $119.95 

CONSTRUCTING A 

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 

Roger Siminoff 

Superb color photographs of the shading 

and finishing process, along with fullsize 

plans and many templates of the components 

of the F5-style mandolin are included 

in this cone-bound book. Step-bystep 

construction along with accompanying 

photos make this an easy to follow, wellwritten 

book. 90 pages, many illustrations. 

BM4 Constructing A Bluegrass Mandolin ............. $16.95 

MANDOLIN MANUAL, THE 

John Troughton 

This is an especially helpful book for 

newcomers to stringed instrument building. 

It is chock full of color photographs and 

line drawings detailing many aspects of 

mandolin building. There are good sections 

on tool requirements, wood selection, and 

acoustics as well as the standard building 

chapters. Hardbound, 160 pages. 

BD7 The Mandolin Manual ..................................... $35.00 

JEWELRY ENGRAVERS 

MANUAL, THE 

R. Allen Hardy 

and John J. Bowman 

This is one of the few books available 

that is not just a collection of fonts and styles 

but is a real how-to manual for engraving. 

Although it talks about working on metals, 

all of the information is applicable to motherof-pearl 

and other shell materials. From 

making and sharpening tools to the illustrating the finest cuts, 

this book covers it all. Engraving is a great way to really make an 

inlay or instrument stand out. 139 pages black and white. 

BM40 Engravers Manual ........................................ $8.95 



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121 

NEW WOODFINISHING 

BOOK, THE 

Michael Dresdner 

Those builders who have been in the 

business a few years know Michael 

Dresdner’s name well. His experience includes 

OEM manufacturing of guitars, both 

electric and acoustic for several well-known 

companies; he was a design engineer at 

C.F. MartinTM , and Tacoma Guitar. His expertise 

is well illustrated in this book, although it is not specifically 

directed to guitar makers. However, so much of this detailed 

and nicely illustrated book is germane to guitar making 

that it easily serves as one of the better reference guides. 213 

pages, many illustrations, softbound. 

BM27 The New Wood Finishing Book................ $19.95 

PEARL INLAY 

J.E. Patterson 

Mr. Patterson takes the shell from the 

water to its final resting place – be it a fingerboard 

or a binding trough. This book 

shows how to set up jigs for grinding, cutting 

strips or curves; and a jig for slicing 

fairly large quantities of shell. Engraving, replacing 

broken/ missing inlays, and designing 

your own inlays are covered. A good tool source, over 60 

illustrations/photos, softbound. 81 pages. Revised in 1988. 

BM11 Pearl Inlay ................................................... $14.90 

THINGS ABOUT THE GUITAR 

Jose Ramirez III 

Ramirez’ writing style alone, makes this 

a thoroughly enjoyable read for any classical 

builder (or player for that matter)! A book 

of many opinions, backed up with plenty of 

experience and history. Everything from 

classic guitar wood selection/construction 

to discussions of scale length, action, bracing, 

finishing, and humidity. Over 100 photos, 

229 pages, softbound. 

Note: This book has made a long journey from Spain and all 

are in good condition but not excellent. Our supplier acknowledges 

this and so do we. Enjoy the contents. 

BM19 Things About The Guitar ........................... $39.95 

UNDERSTANDING WOOD 

R. Bruce Hoadley 

This is probably the most inclusive book 

available on the subject of wood. Dr. Hoadley 

is a wood technologist at the University of 

Massachusetts at Amherst, and is recognized 

as preeminent in the field. A Taunton 

Press book, synonymous with quality publications, 

it covers nearly everything a luthier 

needs to know about wood. The book 

doesn’t cover all those species common to the luthier, but it 

offers so much that is necessary to the professional builder that 

it’s worthy of canonization in the field of lutherie. Hoadley thoroughly 

discusses moisture content, proper drying, strength, stiffness, 

bending properties, machining characteristics, finishing 

problems, and full processing. Lots of photos and illustrations, 

256 pages, hardbound. 

BM28 Understanding Wood ............................... $34.95

122 

BOOKS & VIDEOS 

THE ART OF INLAY 

Larry Robinson 

Internationally-known inlay artist Larry 

Robinson, has written a beautifully illustrated 

book with over 70 color photos of 

amazingly intricate inlays, not only of Larry’s 

exquisite work, but that of Steve Klein, Grit 

Laskin, Ren Ferguson, Richard Hoover, 

and several other fine inlay artists/guitar 

makers. There are many more photos, as 

well, in black and white. Larry covers everything one needs to 

know about inlay techniques, and inspires anyone who opens 

the book to pick up a jeweler’s saw and “V” block. Hints like “roll 

the handle by moving your fingers back and forth...the resulting 

cut will be smoother than if you turn your whole hand from the 

wrist,” are common throughout the book. Larry’s easy-going writing 

style makes this a very pleasant read. 96 pages, hardbound. 

BM20 The Art of the Inlay, book ......................... $19.95 

BEGINNING, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED 

INLAY TECHNIQUES 

Larry Robinson 

Inlay artist Larry Robinson also offers a complete 

course in inlay with three videos:beginner, 

intermediate and advanced. Beginning Inlay 

covers necessary tools, types of materials used 

in inlaying, how to wield the saw, basic routing, 

and simple inlaying. Intermediate Inlay describes 

designing, cutting, routing, gluing, finishing, 

and engraving a fancy vine on a guitar 

fingerboard. Advanced Inlay Technique covers lettering, signatures, 

inlaying in compound curves, and more. 2½ hours each. 

BM34 Beginning Inlay video .................................... 51.95 

BM35 Intermediate Inlay video ............................... 51.95 

BM36 Advanced Inlay video (2 hours) ................... 47.95 

BM36K 3 Video Set ............................................. 140.00 

MAKING AN ARCHTOP GUITAR 

Robert Benedetto 

If we had backordered Bob’s book for every 

customer who asked if we offered anything 

on archtop construction, we could have 

taken the first printing. Bob was timely, filling 

a crucial gap with this superb book. It covers 

everything from wood selection, layout, top 

and back graduation, voicing (tap tuning), tools, 

final finishing, and even marketing.There are 

plenty of line drawings, beautiful color plates, and photos from the 

family archives. 276 pages, softbound. 

BM21 Making An Archtop Guitar ........................ $39.95 

ARCHTOP GUITAR 

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION 

Robert Benedetto 

Recorded and edited by Ed Benson of Just 

Jazz Guitar magazine, this 5-volume video 

collection covers nearly all the bases in 9½ 

hours. Wood selection, tap-tuning, plate treatment, 

f-hole placement, side-bending, binding, 

cutting the neck mortise, inlaying, fretting, 

and more are covered in detail by guitar master, Bob 

Benedetto. At LMI we’ve learned lots from these videos. 

BM38 Archtop Guitar Design & Construction 

Video Collection .......................................... $89.75 

BM38K Book & Video Collection .......................... 118.95 

BOOKS BOOKS & VIDEOS 

VIDEOS 

HEALDSBURG GUITAR FESTIVAL 

VIDEOS 

SMALL SHOP PRODUCTION 

with James Olsen, Kent Everett, & John Greven 

These 3 very experienced builders talk about a variety of subject dealing 

with individual luthiers. From shop tours, specific timesaving techniques, 

to personal issues this tape presents some interesting perspectives on 

how small guitar shops, and the people in them, work. 

MATERIAL TESTING with Brian Burns 

In his thorough lecture Brian shares his thoughts on material testing as it 

exists and where it can go. With a fascinating slide presentation he shows 

how he tests, rates, and records the statistics he gathers through his 

through testing process. This is a must for anyone wanting to take some 

of the guesswork out of the process or making more consistent guitars. 

INTONATION with John Gilbert, 

Greg Byers, Paul Jacobson, and Buzz Feiten 

This is examination of intonation by 4 men who have examined it thoroughly 

and have come up with some interesting ideas. With all but Buzz 

Feiten being primarily classical builders it does talk a great deal about how 

their ideas apply to nylon strings. Buzz’s talk covers guitars in general 

and comes from a players perspective and talks about his proprietary 

tuning system. Very interesting viewing. 

FINISHING 

with John Greven, Michael Hornick, Eugene Clark 

John Greven discusses a water-born urethane in detail and fields plenty 

of probing questions from the audience. Michael Hornick is acknowledged 

in Northern California by most who know his work as the preeminent 

nitrocellulose lacquer finisher. His finishes are as good as they get. 

Eugene Clark, one of the early serious American classic guitar builders, 

is one of the foremost experts on French polishing. Eugene was one of 

the great delights of the Festival, having recently gotten back into building 

after many year’s absence. 

SALES AND MARKETING 

with Ervin Somogyi, Rick Turner, 

Richard Johnston, Armin Kelly, and Tom Ribbecke 

Ervin, Rick, and Tom speak from the point of view of the builder, and what 

worked (and works) in their successful careers, while Armin, a dealer of 

fine classical guitars, and Richard Johnston of Gryphon Stringed Instruments, 

speak from the point of view of the dealer. Lot’s of audience 

participation—a spirited discussion on this topic. 

TAP TUNING OR VOICING 

with Tim White, Michael Hornick, & Richard Schneider 

Tim White, editor and publisher of the Journal of Guitar Acoustics with a 

background steeped in science, starts off the presentation by introducing 

some rather lofty concepts of acoustic principles and explains them very 

well. Michael Hornick (Shanti Guitars) comes to many of Tim’s conclusions 

through his own experience and intuition. Kasha-style builder 

Richard Schneider follows Tim’s path with a scientific approach, and 

offers a slide show which supports his methods and theories. 

BM48 Small Shop Production, Fest ‘99 .....$21.95 

BM49 Material Testing, Festival ‘99 ..............21.95 

BM50 Intonation, Festival ‘99 .........................21.95 

BM31 Finishing, Festival ‘97 ..........................21.95 

BM32 Sales & Marketing, Festival ‘97 .......... 21.95 

BM33 Tap Tuning or Voicing, Fest ‘97 .......... 21.95 

FESTIVAL MERCHANDISE 

POSTER03 2003 Guitar Fest poster......................... $7.50 

POSTER01 2001 Guitar Fest poster......................... 12.00 

GMF1 1996 Guitar Makers Fest art books ...... 15.00 





707-433-1823

VIDEOS VIDEOS / PLANS PLANS 

PLANS 

VIDEOS 

GUITAR MAKING WITH BENITO HUIPE 

Ronald Louis Fernández 

Benito Huipe shows how a guitar is built in the 

Spanish-style in the guitar capital of Mexico, 

Paracho. Using lots of hand tools, Benito shows 

you how to do most everything without much space 

or investment. Not meant to cover every base, this 

video is a great overview and contains a lot of information 

for the beginner and professional alike. 

BM22 Guitar making with Benito Huipe .............. $59.95 

FRENCH POLISHING FOR GUITARMAKERS 


This 53 minute video does a great job of demystifying 

the age-old technique of using shellac, 

French polishing. Starting with materials Ron goes 

through each step in the process and even does 

an invisible finish repair on the side of a classical 

guitar. Charts and work schedule included. 

BM23 French Polishing ......... $49.95 

NYLON STRING GUITAR CARE 


This 53 minute video contains essential information 

on maintaining your nylon string guitar. 

Topics include: saddle adjustment, determining 

string height, lubrication, cleaning tips and more. 

BM43 

Nylon String Guitar Care .......... $29.95 

BUILD AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR 

with Frank Finocchio 

This 5-tape set is the first of its 

kind to cover the steel-string guitar. 

Each step is covered in detail and 

Frank’s years of teaching show 

through. He uses a minimum of specialty 

tooling and shows you what 

materials and tools you will need to 

follow along with him. From joining the top and 

back to stringing up, this video set takes you through the process 

step by step. The guitar in the video is built with a precarved 

neck so it is the perfect companion to our Fully Serviced 

Kits (page 44), which contain a pre-carved neck and neck block. 

It comes with a section chart so you can find the information you 

want without needless fast-forwarding or rewinding. 

BM46 5-tape video set, 

Build an Acoustic Guitar w/Frank Finocchio...... $127.50 

CD-ROM 

Frets.com CD-Rom 

LMI’s chief luthier and Gryphon Instruments’ (Palo Alto, CA) 

head repairman Frank Ford has been repairing and restoring 

stringed instruments for over 35 years. He also maintains one 

of the industry’s largest and most comprehensive websites, 

Frets.com. Frank has put his website on CD-Rom for quick and 

easy reference. With hundreds of pictures and articles on everything 

from basic maintenance to complex restorations, this is a 

rich resource for anyone involved with guitars. Also included are 

factory tours, photo essays, recipes, and bloopers! 

BM45 Frets.com CD-Rom ................................. $25.00 

PLANS – CLASSIC 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

123 

MODERN CLASSIC & FLAMENCO PLANS 

These are all full-size blueprints. Bill Lewis drew plans PL1 

and PL5, based on a Ramirez and Barbero respectively. In Bill 

Lewis style, he adds lots of notes and comments to the plans— 

more than just measurements and line drawings. 

PL1 Modern classic, after Ramirez, Bill Lewis ... $10.95 

PL5 Flamenco, after Barbero, Bill Lewis ............... 10.95 

AUTHENTIC RAMIREZ PLANS 

Scott Antes, as is typical of his style, offers a clean, welldone, 

and authentic Ramirez plan. 

PL28 Classic Ramirez, Scott Antes ...................... $10.95 

ROY COURTNALL PLANS 

Roy Courtnall, of England, (author of Making Master Guitars 

page 120) did a nice job on plans PL17, PL18, PL19, and PL21. 

Roy’s plans are well drawn, and thorough; Roy’s comments follow: 

Ignacio Fleta, 1968, No. 474 – A large-bodied, robust instrument 

with a powerful sound, this plan is typical of the Cedar 

soundboard instruments produced by Fleta. This guitar is identical to 

the Fleta played by Segovia for many years. These instruments now 

sell for £9,000 to £11,000. The plan includes measurements of the 

Fleta bracing system. 

Robert Bouchet, 1961 – A beautiful, sweet-sounding instrument 

thought to be one of his best. It recently sold at Sotheby’s for 

£10,000 and is very similar to Bream’s 1964 Bouchet. The plan includes 

details of the rosette, purfling, banding, etc., as well as all 

structural details. 

Hernánez Y Aguado, 1963, No. 249 – A lightly built, Spruce 

top guitar with characteristically even sound over the whole range. 

A similar instrument, made two years later in 1965 was played by 

John Williams on several recordings. He then sold it to Bream, who 

also recorded with it. (Photographs of the guitar are featured on 

their record covers.) This is an interesting guitar—a large instrument, 

but lightly constructed. 

Daniel Friedrich, 1966 – Daniel Friedrich builds in his Paris workshop 

and adopts a thorough scientific approach based on the Torres 

and Bouchet designs. He measures the stiffness of his soundboards 

and braces and has used both Cedar and Spruce for the top. He laminates 

the ribs, (since 1970) for a total thickness of 4mm! His guitars are 

said to possess good sustain, tone, and great power. Among the players 

of his instruments are Stein-Erik Olsen, the late Ida Presti, and 

Alexander Lagoya, who guided Friedrich in his early years as a maker. 

PL17 Classic, Fleta, Roy Courtnall ....................... $10.95 

PL18 Classic, Bouchet, Roy Courtnall ....................10.95 

PL19 Classic, Aguado, Roy Courtnall ....................10.95 

PL21 Classic, Freidrich, Roy Courtnall ...................10.95 

KASHA-SCHNEIDER, 1996 

For those who have been inquiring about the Kasha- 

Schneider collaboration, we have two beautifully CAD-produced 

plans. PL26 is of the more recent center soundhole design by 

Stewart Adamson of England. PL27 is a CAD-drawn plan by 

George Majkowsky. It’s the current state (with soundhole in the 

treble upper bout) of the nearly 30 year Kasha-Schneider effort. 

PL26 Kasha/Schneider, center soundhole, 

S. Adamson .................................................. $31.20 

PL27 Kasha/Schneider, treble soundhole, 

G. Majkowski .................................................. 31.20

124 

PLANS – STEEL STRING 

MARTIN “D” SERIES 

Like the plans Bill Lewis drew for classic guitar, PL1, these 

PL2 plans are thorough with notes and comments that go beyond 

typical blueprints. This plan is based on a Martin TM “D” 

series, with notes and added drawings for building a 12 string. 

MARTIN HERRINGBONE 

PL11, based on a Martin TM Herringbone, is a well-drawn plan 

by Don MacRostie of Stewart-MacDonald. The prints are extra 

large and thorough in every detail. 

“00” AND “000” STYLE 

The rest of the steel string instruments plans, PL29, PL30, 

and PL31 answer the call to those requesting plans for smaller 

guitars, “00”, “000”, and “0M”-style instruments. Drawn by Scott 

Antes, a mechanical engineer by training, with a long history of 

instrument building, his experience and expertise are well illustrated 

in these fine plans. 

PL2 Dreadnought, 6 and 12 string, MartinTM , 

Bill Lewis ......................................................... $9.40 

PL11 MartinTM herringbone, Don MacRostie ............ 11.45 

PL29 Small Concert, 6-string, Scott Antes ............... 8.85 

PL30 3 /4 size, similar to MartinTM Style “5,” 

Scott Antes .......................................................8.85 

PL31 Auditorium-style, similar to MartinTM “000,” 

Scott Antes .......................................................9.75 

PL34 Orchestral model, similar to MartinTM “0M”, 

Scott Antes .......................................................9.25 

PL48 “Dreadnought” Style 6 String Plan ...................9.25 

PLANS – OTHER INSTRUMENTS 

BENEDETTO ARCHTOP PLAN 

This is a very intricate 2-page guitar plan with many 

enlargments of small details. It is designed to go along with 

Bob’s book Making an Archtop Guitar (BM21 page 122). Nothing 

goes unmeasured in this professionally done blueprint. It comes 

rolled, not folded, for mounting on your shop wall. 

PL33 Benedetto Archtop plan .............................. $28.95 

D’ANGELICO NEW YORKER PLANS 

These plans were drawn by Tom Ribbecke when he worked 

here at LMI. Many of the measurements were taken years ago 

from a D’Angelico guitar owned by Stephen Stills. With its back 

off it was a rare opportunity to get all pertinent measurements. 

PL25 D’Angelico New Yorker, Tom Ribbecke ....... $19.80 

DULCIMER PLANS 

Another plan drawn by Bill Lewis, showing a half plan of both 

a teardrop and an hourglass dulcimer. 

PL4 Dulcimer plan, two traditional shapes, 

Bill Lewis ......................................................... $9.25 

F5 MANDOLIN & LES PAUL PLANS 

Well drawn works by Don MacRostie of Stewart-MacDonald 

for the F5 Mandolin and Les Paul TM . 

PL7 F5-style mandolin, Don MacRostie .............. $11.95 

PL12 Les Paul TM electric, Don MacRostie .............. 11.95 

OTHER INSTRUMENTS cont. 

PLANS – MISCELLANEOUS 

FOX UNIVERSAL SIDE BENDING MACHINE 

AND FRET BENDING MACHINE 

The PL13 plan is of the Fox universal side bending machine, 

which is a scale size, two-part plan, excellent in detail, drawn by 

Steve Klein. The PL16 is from Steve’s bag of tricks, too, and is 

his answer to expensive fretwire benders. Two small sheets 

include a materials list with two views of the fretwire bender 

which he uses in his own shop. He built his from about $10worth 

of materials that are available in any hardware store. 

PL13 Fox side-bending machine, Steve Klein....... $12.50 

PL16 Do-It-Yerself fret bending machine, 

Steve Klein’s ...................................................... 5.20 

NECK LAYOUT CHART 

Chuck Erikson, aka Duke of Pearl, offers a neat neck layout 

chart in PL14 that begins with the selection of wood for those 

who use laminated designs. Very logically laid out and detailed, 

it would probably surprise those of you who like to go to the 

lumber yard to choose your own wood with the number of tricks 

that Chuck offers. 

PL14 Chuck Erikson neck layout chart, 

laminated plastic ............................................. $5.65 

CUSTOM FRET SCALE 

PL20 is simply a printout for those who want to layout a 

scale length that we don’t offer (nor does anyone else offer). 

For example, if you want a 19" scale we would send you a chart 

with nut to fret distances, interfret distances, and bridge-to-fret 

distances. 

PL20 Custom fret scale, specify scale length ........ $4.20 

RIBBECKE MORTISING FIXTURE 

A drawing of a neck mortise and tenoning fixture of Tom 

Ribbecke’s. 

PL32 Ribbecke mortising fixture, LMI ..................... $4.20 


707-433-1823 

PLANS 

PLANS 

HAMMERED DULCIMER & HURDY GURDY 

PL9 and PL10 are drawn by Scott Antes, whose experience 

is apparent in these well-drawn plans. Scott has probably produced 

more instrument plans than anybody else in the business. 

PL9 is of a hammered dulcimer, with dimensions given 

in both inches and millimeters. The bass frame rail is 33", to 

give you an idea of size, but it can be proportionately scaled if 

you want a larger instrument. PL10 is a plan of a hurdy-gurdy, 

the only one around, we think. 

PL9 Hammer dulcimer, Scott Antes ...................... $8.85 

PL10 Hurdy-gurdy, Scott Antes ................................. 8.85 

LUTE PLANS 

Plans drawn by Roger Sherron, a lute maker who was one 

of the original fellows at The Luthier’s Mercantile. The plan is 

based on historical construction of a seven-course lute by 

Giovanini Hieber. 

PL6 Lute, after Hieber, Roger Sherron ................... $8.35 

1930’S SELMER MODEL 807 JAZZ GUITAR 

A beautifully designed, CAD-produced plan with loads of 

detail. This one is nice enough to frame. Drawn by Patrick 

Alexander who collaborated with François Charle. 

PL35 30’s Selmer model 807 Jazz guitar plan ..... $18.85

AS WE GO TO PRESS 

ADDITIONS 

BOOKS 

The Big Red Book 

of American Lutherid, Vol. 1 

BM53 Big Red Book of Am. Lutherid Vol. 1 ........... $43.95 

The Big Red Book 

of American Lutherid, Vol. 2 

BM52 Big Red Book of Am. Lutherid Vol. 2 ............. 43.95 

Lutherie Tools/G.A.L. 

BM13 Lutherie Tools/G.A.L. .................................... 25.50 

Lutherie Woods and Steel/G.A.L. 

BM13B Lutherie Woods and Steel/G.A.L. .................. 25.50 

PLANS 

1943 Hauser Sr. Classical Guitar 

PL40 1943 Hauser Sr. Classical Guitar Plan ....... $16.65 

Romanillos Classical Guitar 

PL41 Romanillos Classical Guitar Plan .................. 16.65 

1937 Hauser Classical, Ex Segovia 

PL42 1937 Hauser Classical, Ex Segovia ............. 16.65 

1912 Ramirez Classical, Ex Segovia 

PL43 1912 Ramirez Classical, Ex Segovia ............ 16.65 

20’s Gibson L-O Guitar 

PL44 20’s Gibson L-O Guitar ................................ 16.65 

1918 Martin I-18 

PL45 1918 Martin I-18 ........................................... 16.65 

Flattop Bass 

PL46 Flattop Bass ................................................ 16.65 

MISCELLANEOUS 

SchallerTM Tailpieces 

ESFTC Schaller tailpiece, Chrome “fine tuning” .... $35.95 

ESFTG Schaller tailpiece, Gold “fine tuning” ............ 43.95 

Kevin Ryan products 

STRF Kevin Ryan True Lightstrings ..........................8.25 

STRTL Kevin Ryan Custom Fingerstyle Gauge ...........8.25 

LR BAGGS Transducer System 

For steel stringed acoustic guitar, 

fits most saddle slots/string spacings. 

EEAUTS LR BAGGS 

Element active undersaddle transducer system ............ 88.95 

Pickups/Pre-Amps 

ESA2PT D-TAR SA-2+ 

Perfect Timbre LLT pre-amp ......................................... 139.30 

ETLPA Timber-Line (D-TAR) 

1/8" Piezo cable pickup w/pre-amp .............................. 111.30 

The D-TAR pickup line is the latest innovation developed by 

luthier, author and electronics expert Rick Turner (in conjunction 

with Seymour Duncan pickups). See Rick speak about this 

pick-up, and acoustic guitar amplification in general, at the 2003 

Healdsburg Guitar Festival (www.festivalofguitars.com). 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

125 

SCHOOL DISCOUNTS – LMI helps support guitar building students 

and instructors by providing them with a 10% discount on any item in 

our catalog (details page 2). Photo above shows guitars by students 

of College Edouard Montpetit, Montreal, at ASIA 2003. 

Al Williams (Calton cases) and luthier Steve Grimes look over some 

Macassar Ebony sets on the LMI table at the 2003 ASIA symposium.

126 

A 

Abalam...................... 70, 73, 74 

Abalone .................... 70, 71, 72 

Abrasives ............................... 117 

Acoustic guitar books .......... 118 

Acoustic guitar pickups......... 60 

Acoustic pickups ............... 61-62 

Acrylic paste filler................ 111 

Adhesives ....................... 114-115 

Adirondack Spruce ................ 14 

African Blackwood ................ 21 

African Rosewood.................. 21 

Alaskan Yellow Cedar ........... 22 

Alder ......................................... 31 

Aluminum heating bands ..... 84 

Aniline dyes .......................... 112 

Archtop .............................17, 30 

Archtop guitar kit ..................... 9 

Armstrong suspended 

archtop pickup........................ 78 

B 

Back joint reinforcement ...... 45 

Backs .......................... 18, 30, 45 

Backstrips ................................ 66 

Ball-end end mill ................... 93 

Banjo tuning machines......... 58 

Bar stock .................................. 48 

Bass tuning machines ........... 54 

Bass bridge ............................. 77 

Bass tuners .............................. 58 

Bay Laurel............................... 26 

Bearclaw ............................ 14-15 

Bending ........................ 7, 82-84 

Bending iron ........................... 84 

Bending machine .................. 82 

Bending pipe .......................... 84 

Bigleaf Maple .................. 25, 30 

Binding ............................... 7, 67 

Binding cement .................... 114 

Binding cutter ......................... 85 

Binding machine.................... 85 

Binding tape ......................... 115 

Bindings................................... 65 

Black Acacia ........................... 21 

Blankets ..........................83, 108 

Block, radiusing ..................... 86 

Body blanks ............................ 31 

Bois D’Rose ............................. 39 

Bolivian Rosewood................ 27 

Bolt-on neck inserts ............... 49 

Bone ......................................... 51 

Books ............................... 118-122 

Brace clamps ........................ 106 

Bracewood .............................. 44 

CATAL AL ALOG AL OG IINDEX 

I NDEX 

Brad pointed twist drills ....... 94 

Brazilian Rosewood .............. 29 

Brian Burns 

sharpening system ............... 102 

Bridge blanks.......................... 41 

Bridge clamps ...............105-106 

Bridge pin hole reamers ...... 97 

Bridge pins .............................. 59 

Bridge plate ............................ 44 

Bridge saddle routing jig ..... 92 

Bridges, pre-made ................. 42 

Bubinga ................................... 21 

Buffing tools .......................... 109 

Burnisher ............................... 101 

Bushings ................................ 107 

C 

California Laurel .................... 26 

California Walnut ................... 28 

Calipers ................................. 103 

Cam clamps .......................... 105 

Canadian Cypress .................. 22 

Capacitors ............................... 80 

Caviuna ................................... 27 

Cedar.................................22, 35 

Cement................................... 114 

Chisels ..................................... 99 

Circle cutter ............................ 95 

Clamps ............................105-107 

Classical guitar kit ................... 8 

Cocobolo ............ 22, 40, 41, 43 

Colored veneers ..................... 68 

Compression rod .................... 47 

Compressor 

vacuum valve ....................... 104 

Contour patterns .................. 106 

Curly Maple............................. 36 

Cutaway attachment ............. 82 

Cutting tools ..................... 92-101 

Cyano-acrylate glues .......... 115 

Cypress ............................... 22-23 

D 

D’Angelico plane ................. 100 

Donkey shell ........................... 71 

Dots ...................................... 72-73 

Dreadnought guitar kit .......... 11 

Drill jig ..................................... 96 

Drill press rosette cutter ....... 95 

Drills ...................... 73, 88, 93-94 

Drop-top plates ....................... 32 

Dry polishing compound .... 109 

Dyes ........................................ 112 

E 

East Indian Rosewood .......... 20 

Ebony ............ 24, 38, 41, 52-53 

Electric guitar body blanks .. 31 

Electric guitar bridges........... 76 

Electric guitar kit ...................... 9 

Electric guitar tailpiece ........ 76 

Electric guitars................... 31-34 

Electric hardware ............. 76-81 

End blocks ............................... 45 

End cutters .............................. 89 

End graft .................................. 67 

End mills .................................. 93 

End pin jack ............................ 62 

End pins ................................... 59 

Engelmann Spruce ................ 15 

Epoxy ..................................... 114 

European Maple ..............24, 30 

European Pear ....................... 23 

F 

Fender-style bridges ............. 76 

Figured Maple ........................ 32 

Figured Redwood .................. 34 

Files ..................................... 90-91 

Filler ....................................... 111 

Fingerboard clamp .............. 107 

Fingerboard dye .................. 112 

Fingerboard oil .................... 113 

Fingerboards ............... 7, 37-40 

Finishes .......................... 109-113 

Finishing accessories .......... 113 

Flamed European Pear ........ 23 

Flamed Mahogany ................. 26 

Flamed Oregon Myrtle.......... 33 

Flamenco guitar kit ................. 8 

Flamenco pegs ....................... 58 

Flexible light ........................ 108 

Forms, hollow....................... 106 

French polishing .................. 110 

Fret buck ................................. 88 

Fret compressor ..................... 90 

Fret cutters .............................. 89 

Fret expander......................... 90 

Fret files................................... 90 

Fret hammer ........................... 88 

Fret height gauge .................. 89 

Fret pullers .............................. 89 

Fret saw ................................... 89 

Fret slotting systems .............. 87 

Fretting templates.................. 88 

Fretwire ................................... 50 

G 

Gauge................................89, 91 

German Spruce ...................... 15 

Glue ................................. 114-115 

Glue syringe ......................... 115 


707-433-1823 

I

Go-bar clamps ...................... 106 

Gouges ..................................... 99 

Gramil ...................................... 86 

Graphite............................ 42, 48 

Graphite bridge ...................... 42 

Graphite composite ............... 48 

Gravers .................................... 75 

Grenadillo ............................... 23 

H 

Handles.................................... 99 

Handscrapers ........................ 101 

Hardware...................... 46, 7-81 

Headplate ................................ 68 

Headplate veneers ................ 68 

Headplates .............................. 43 

Headstock 

slotting and drilling jig ......... 92 

Heel cap .................................. 67 

Hide glue ............................... 114 

Hipshot bass bridges ............. 77 

Hollow forms ......................... 106 

Honduran Mahogany ........ 25-26 

Honduran Rosewood ...... 38, 41 

Honing guide ........................ 102 

Hygrometer ........................... 103 

I 

Indian Rosewood ............38, 41 

Inlay material, rosette....... 7, 64 

Inlay, shell .......................... 70-75 

Inlaying...................................... 7 

J 

Jacks ........................................ 80 

Japanese water stones ....... 102 

Jeweler's saw ......................... 75 

Jig ............................ 92, 96, 107 

Joe Barden pickups ............... 79 

Joining ....................................... 6 

Joint reinforcement ............... 45 

K 

Kant-twist clamps ................. 107 

Kerfing ..................................... 45 

Khaya Mahogany ................... 25 

Kits ......................................... 8-11 

Knives..................................... 101 

Knobs ....................................... 81 

Koa ........................................... 24 

L 

Lacewood ........................24, 33 

Lacquer ................................. 110 

Lacquer stick ........................ 113 

Laurel ....................................... 26 


I NDEX 

Light, inspection .................. 108 

Liquid polishing 

compound ............................. 109 

Locating pins .......................... 88 

M 

Macassar Ebony ...... 24, 38, 41 

Madagascar 

Rosewood ................ 19, 39, 41 

Mahogany ..25-26, 31, 35-36, 45 

Mahogany end block ............. 45 

Mahogany guitar kit .............. 11 

Mahogany OM ........................ 11 

Mandolin .......................... 17, 52 

Mandolin kit .............................. 9 

Manual slotting ....................... 87 

Maple ........................ 25, 32, 36 

Marquetry purfling ................. 66 

Masking tape ........................ 113 

Mediterranean Cypress......... 23 

Metal acid dyes .................... 112 

Micro-mesh ........................... 116 

Micro-pipettes ....................... 115 

Monterey Cypress .................. 22 

MOP ..................................... 70-73 

Morado ...................... 27, 39, 41 

Mother of pearl .................. 70-73 

Mounting hardware ............... 76 

Multi-line purfling ............. 65-66 

Myrtle ................................26, 33 

N 

Neck blanks ............................. 35 

Neck heater ........................... 108 

Neck reinforcement ............... 48 



WEBSITE 




.lmii.com 

I 

127 

Neck woods ............................. 35 

Necks ........................................ 35 

Nut & saddle tools .................. 91 

Nuts & saddles ........................ 51 

Nuts, truss rod ......................... 47 

O 

Oils .......................................... 113 

OM guitar kit ........................... 11 

One-way rods.......................... 46 

Oregon Myrtle .................. 26, 33 

P 

Padauk ..................................... 27 

Palisander ............................... 20 

Palo Escrito ............................. 27 

Palo Santos ............................. 27 

Parrot vise ............................. 105 

Pau Ferro ................. 27, 39, 41 

Pau Rosa ................................. 28 

Paua ......................................... 72 

Pear .......................................... 23 

Pearl ......................................... 72 

Peghole reamers ................... 97 

Pegs .......................................... 58 

Pegshavers ............................. 96 

Pepperwood ........................... 26 

Pickguard material ................ 68 

Pickguards .............................. 69 

Pickups, acoustic .............. 60-62 

Pickups, electric ................ 78-79 

Pins .................................... 59, 88 

Pippin needle file .................. 91 

Planes ............................. 86, 100 

SHOP SERVICES 

Need a Highly Skilled Apprentice? 

• Perhaps you’re beginning to build guitars and don’t 

yet have all the specialized equipment and skills of 

a professional. 

• Perhaps you’re a custom builder with more to do 

than time to do it? 

We Can Help! 

We sand, bend, and join tops, backs and sides; we 

inlay rosettes; and we slot fingerboards. We don’t 

feed the stove, sweep, cook or complain. 

See pages 6-7

128 

Plastic binding........................ 67 

Plates, electric........................ 76 

Polishing compounds .......... 109 

Polishing papers .................. 117 

Pore filler .............................. 111 

Pots ........................................... 81 

Power slotting ........................ 87 

Pre-amp/equalizer................. 61 

Pre-carved necks ................... 36 

Pre-made bridges .................. 42 

Pre-made rosettes.................. 63 

Precision miniature 

router base .............................. 92 

Pump, vacuum ..................... 104 

Purfling .................................... 66 

Purfling tool ............................ 94 

Purflings .................................. 64 

Q 

Quilted Mahogany ................. 26 

R 

Radius blocks ......................... 86 

Radius gauge.......................... 86 

Radiusing .................................. 7 

Radiusing planes ................... 86 

Rasps ........................................ 98 

Reamers .................................. 97 

Red Spruce ............................. 14 

Redwood ................................. 34 

Repair blankets .................... 108 

Rio Grande pickups ............... 78 

Rio-type ................................... 19 

Rock Maple ......................25, 36 

Rods ...................................46, 47 

Rollers...................................... 56 

Rosette cutters ........................ 95 

Rosette sticks .......................... 64 

Rosettes ........................ 7, 63-64 

Rosewood ........... 22, 29, 39-41 

Rosewood guitar kit .............. 11 

Router base............................. 92 

Router bits ............................... 93 

Routing jig............................... 92 

Routing tools ...................... 92-95 

Rubber sheeting ................... 104 

S 

Sacconi tailpiece adjuster ... 52 

Saddles.................................... 51 

Sanding ..................................... 6 

Sandpaper ................... 116, 117 

Sapele Mahogany.................. 25 

Saw blades ............................. 75 

Saw, jeweler's ........................ 75 

Saw, tenon .............................. 94 


I NDEX 

Saw-rasp ................................. 98 

Schneider gramil ................... 86 

Schneider plane .................. 100 

Scrapers ................................ 101 

Services ................................ 6, 7 

Shaping tools.......................... 98 

Sharpening stones ............... 102 

Shell .................................... 70-73 

Shellac................................... 110 

Shop services ...................... 6, 7 

Side bending ..................... 6, 83 

Side cutting tool ..................... 94 

Side-bending machine ......... 82 

Sides.................................... 18-30 

Sitka Spruce ....................14, 16 

Slotting ...................................... 7 

Slotting and drilling jig......... 92 

slotting system ........................ 87 

Snakewood ............................. 41 

Solid body electric guitar kit . 9 

Solid body guitar woods ...... 31 

Solvent based finish............ 110 

Spanish Cedar ........................ 35 

Spanish Cypress ..................... 23 

Spatula set ............................ 115 

Spokeshaves........................... 98 

Spruce...............................14, 15 

Steel bushings ...................... 107 

Steel string ............9, 11, 53, 55 

Steel string guitar kit .............. 9 

Steel wool ............................. 116 

Step drill .................................. 96 

Stereo ¼" jack ........................ 80 

Stones .................................... 102 

Strap pins ................................ 59 

Strings ...................................... 59 

Strobe tuner .......................... 103 

Swamp Ash ............................. 31 

Switches .................................. 80 

Syringe .................................. 115 

T 

Tack cloth .............................. 113 

Tailpiece.................................. 52 

Tailpiece adjusters ................ 52 

Tailpieces ................................ 76 

Tape ........................................ 115 

Taylor TM fret buck.................... 88 

Teflon strips ............................. 75 

Temperature control, 

timer................................ 83, 108 

Template, fretting .................. 88 

Templates ................................ 88 

Tenon saw ............................... 94 

Tieblock inlay ......................... 51 

Timer ...............................83, 108 

Toggle clamps ...................... 107 

Tool handles ........................... 99 

Top plates .........................32, 34 

Tops ........................ 6, 13-17, 32 

Transducers ........................ 60-61 

Transfer adhesive ......... 68, 115 

Truss rods .........................46, 47 

Tunematic-style bridges ....... 76 

Tunematic-style tailpiece ..... 76 

Tuner, virtual strobe ............ 103 

Tuner drill jig .......................... 96 

Tuning machine step drill .... 96 

Tuning machines............... 53-58 

Twist drills ............................... 94 

U 

U-channel rod ......................... 48 

Ukulele..................................... 58 

Ukulele pegs ........................... 58 

Universal side 

bending machine ................... 82 

Upright bass ............................ 40 

V 

Vacuum bridge clamp ......... 104 

Vacuum sheeting ................. 104 

Vacuum work holder ........... 104 

Veneers.................................... 68 

Violin peg ................................ 58 

Virtual strobe tuner ............. 103 

Vise ......................................... 105 

Voamboana............................. 19 

W 

Walnut...................................... 28 

Water based finish ............... 111 

Water based lacquer ........... 111 

Water stones ......................... 102 

Wenge...................................... 28 

Western Redcedar ................. 16 

Wood binding ......................... 67 

Wood filler ............................ 111 

Wood strips ............................. 65 

Wood veneers ........................ 68 

Z 

Zebrawood .......................29, 34 

Ziricote ..................................... 29 

Zona saw ................................. 94 


707-433-1823 

I 

ANY QUESTIONS? 

Call us at 1-800-477-4437, 

click “email to LMI” at our website, 

or email us directly at 

service@lmii.com.

ORDER FORM - Luthiers Mercantile International

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