The photos here are of Eric Aceto, luthier, owner of Ithaca Stringed Instruments in Trumansburg, N.Y. This is a mandolin that he just completed. I snapped these photos yesterday while I was there to pick up my guitar. I left my guitar with Eric last week to have the bridge re-glued and the frets leveled and crowned. My guitar is a Guild Mark V classical, built in 1984, rosewood sides & back, spruce top. The guitar has had a lot of use and a lot of wear. The work Eric did on it has made it like a new instrument. The intonation and playability are greatly improved.
I don't know Eric very well. I dropped my guitar off last week, spoke with him for probably less than a half hour. I picked it up yesterday and probably spoke with him for another half hour. But, based upon those short visits and my observations, I think the man is a genius. I was also struck by what a keen ear the man has. He tuned my guitar in seconds, and accurately. I can tune it by ear, but not anywhere close to the speed that he can. I believe that having such a keen, refined ear is what seperates a good luthier from a GREAT one. Aceto is a GREAT one.
"So much comes from the player and their attitude. If the player believes in the sound, it's there." Eric Aceto
