A short anthology of published, unpublished articles & transcriptions
by William R. Cumpiano

William's transcriptions: Andres Segovia Page: An unprecedented, lengthy personal interview with the cantankerous Guitar God himself, and his 1928 New York debut press reviews! The French banjo-maker/ theorist, Auguste Clodpolle ..who soaked his banjo heads in Cognac Correspondence with a Russian guitarmaker You think it's a difficult craft? Try being a luthier in the old Soviet Union!

The Romance of the Individually Handmade Guitar

An analysis of the hand-building scene in the United States

Wood's Appearance

Why is curly maple curly? Why is rosewood purple and mahogany red? What are birdseyes? Bear claws?

Book review: "GUITARS: The Tsumura Collection"

American musical treasures in Japan

Book review: "Things About the Guitar" by Jose Ramírez III

Commentaries on the life of a world-class guitarmaker

How Good is This Guitar?

Evaluate a guitar as a luthier would

Haselbacher's Varnish Finish

A chance encounter and a tip from a master guitarmaker

Questions and Answers

A collection of published and unpublished guitar questions and answers

Zero Frets and Saddle Placement

An inquiry from an Austrian enthusiast, and a clarification that should have been in my book

Translating Cultures

A spark of traditional Puerto Rican music still glows in a Holyoke, Massachusetts, tenement

Preservation through Utilization: The Paradoxes of Rainforest Protection

A guitarmaker confronts his complicity in the despoliation of the rain forests

Don't love your guitar to death!

The real scoop on fingerboard oil and guitar polishes

Proper Care Guidelines for the Guitar

I'll guarantee the new guitar I made for you, provided you follow these sensible guidelines---a basis for a lasting partnership!