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There's not much else that can be done to form a loop in a plain (unwound) steel string. Sometimes they don't slip, sometimes they do, but a hook that has a flat or flats to kink the string loop, or...

The end of the string is looped around and wound around the string. That winding can slip if enough tension is present.
When the loop goes around a round, smooth peg, there is very little resistance...

You're probably right, but Dr. Kasha might not have agreed with you.

You do indeed have round smooth string posts and you are likely to continue to have loops slipping. Replacing the tailpiece would be one remedy, reshaping the posts would be another.

...or any number of custom builders.
This is exactly the type or reason to go to a custom builder; to get the exact neck profile you want. The thing is though, you have to know the exact profile you...

Keep your layer of shellac sealer as thin as you can. I've never had problems with very thin shellac sealer coats under lacquer, but thicker shellac coats can cause problems with lacquer. I usually...

Yes, we need to know what type of tailpiece it is.
If the "pegs" on a tailpiece are round and smooth, the loops of unwound strings (A and E, particularly E) can sometimes slip. Not much to do about...

A light spray of shellac will not affect the dyes, but if the sprayed coat is the least bit too wet the dyes can move.

Yep, that would be ideal, and from the looks of strips that I have seen that's how they were cut. Nearly no waste and no flammable dust
When I worked "at the factory" we bought celluloid binding...

Braces serve more than one function. Braces (or tone bars) do function as beams to distribute string/bridge load, but that is a static function. They also have dynamic function where they stiffen the...

Probably not because there isn't really a whole lot of science out there pertaining to brace position, so it would be hard to site science supporting importance of brace placement to sound. The...

Scientific studies of guitars and mandolins indicate that brace positioning is not important. Total mass and stiffness are the most important considerations regardless of how a top is braced.
As for...

The Schaller grandtunes are good, I just don't like them because I think they're ugly and the gear ratio is so high (18 to 1?) that it takes forever to tighten the strings. As it turns out, the only...

Indeed there are varied philosophies.
Truth is, I don't know what the suggested grads are in the newer version of the Siminoff book, but the old version had grads that most of us think are too...

Rubner and Alessi are both good (superior to Wavery overall IMO). Both are rather difficult to get, Alessi particularly difficult in my experience.
I have three sets of Rubners on hand and need one...

Several post showed up here before I clicked "reply" so I've edited out the redundant parts of this post.

It is common for luthiers and customers to enter into situations like this without written...

As a luthier I can tell you that it is apparently not customary to tip a luthier. Once in a while someone pays me more than I ask for a repair, and even one or twice for a custom instrument, but it...

You are correct that I normally shorten the distance from the nut to the first fret, and your explanation is close, and could even be considered the same as this explanation:
Imagine a string...

A few things:
-Yes, equal temperament exists and can be considered a compromise. When we use frets we are almost completely bound by it.
-Even accurately placed frets are not perfect because of...

When determining moisture content of wood, stable weight means the piece weighs the same each time it is weighed over a period of time. If the piece is still loosing moisture (drying) it will weigh...

Maybe, but you don't have to sharpen clamps!
If I have enough chisels to just grab another and avoid sharpening, eventually I have a huge backlog of dull chisels and have to spend hours sharpening!...

I have one set of chisels; Freud 1/4" through 1" bevel edge. They are usable, will take a good edge though it is not a particularly durable edge, they're kind of short and the handles are not offset...

I picked up a similar turning blank at Woodcraft once, and sawed it into mandolin fingerboards.

For a better color match, using dust lighter than the wood works best for me. Walnut sapwood in glue/epoxy gives a color very close to the heartwood of the same piece. Sometimes I mix different dusts...

Ever since I saw this I quit saving dust and instead save scraps. Rather than scrape with a chisel ( I hate to do that and dull an edge sharpened for a different purpose) I simply use a scraper.